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Register for this week's Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar
Date: Friday, August 28, 2020
Time: 8:30 am
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PRESS RELEASES since the last update include:
NEW graphics and media resources:
UPDATED guidance since the last update include:
- Updated signage for Businesses on Cloth Masks in Phase 2 Guidance - another option was also added
UPDATED reports since the last update include:
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Listening Session with Child Residential and Therapeutic Foster Care Providers, LME-MCOs and DMHDDSAS
The Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Substance Abuse Services, in conjunction with North Carolina's Local Management Entities-Managed Care Organizations, would like to hear the challenges and successes that the state's Child Residential and Therapeutic Foster Care providers have encountered in admitting and discharging youth during COVID-19.
As COVID-19 continues and school is offered in ways that create increased pressure on families and providers, we want to know:
- What you need to continue to safely admit and discharge youth to your programs and therapeutic foster care homes.
- What barriers and opportunities you encounter when discharging youth from PRTFs and Level IIIs directly to families and community services, and how this changes when children are in the custody of social services.
If you have questions, please direct them to Lynne Grey, MHSU Clinical Director, by emailing lgrey@partnersbhm.org.
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New federal data: fewer kids in US foster care system
The number of children in the U.S. foster care system has dropped for a second year in a row. That's according to new federal data which also show that a record number of children in the child welfare system were able to find adoptive homes in 2019. The annual report from the Department of Health and Human Services counted about 424,000 children in foster care as of Sept. 30, 2019.
This report provides preliminary estimates of Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data for FY 2019. As states are permitted to resubmit AFCARS data, the estimates may change over time. This report reflects all AFCARS data received as of June 23, 2020 related to AFCARS reporting periods through September 30, 2019.
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Percentage of Visits for Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI) by Age Group Reported by A Subset of ILINet Providers
COVIDView provides a weekly summary and interpretation of a variety of surveillance systems that will be used to track the progression and severity of COVID-19 disease throughout the course of the pandemic.
The data summarized in COVIDView draws from a combination of existing influenza and viral respiratory disease surveillance systems, syndromic surveillance systems, and reporting of laboratory results.
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An important message from Jody Levison-Johnson (COA)
I am pleased to share some exciting news about the Council on Accreditation that will be publicly announced later today. Last week, our Board of Directors voted to move forward with plans to explore a merger with the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, which as many of you know was one of COA's founders together with CWLA.
The Board's decision to enter into a formal nonbinding letter of intent with the Alliance follows 15 months of extensive work by COA and the Alliance to assess interest, feasibility and the value of combining our organizations. This work established a solid foundation to move forward with the due diligence process to explore creation of a new entity.
Our vision of this new organization would be to harness the collective assets of COA and the Alliance to dramatically increase innovation and accelerate the power and impact of the social and human services fields. This combination would help to ensure our influence, relevance, and reach to enable greater numbers of people to have an opportunity to thrive and flourish.
It is important to note that the integrity of our accreditation work will remain unchanged and maintain independence. We remain as committed as ever to our standards and process refinements that are grounded in research and informed by the field.
We believe that coming together as equal partners may offer the potential to be more evolutionary in helping organizations obtain tailored and customized solutions that can position them to have greater impact and achieve better outcomes. Combining forces could offer us the opportunity to provide increased value to our current organizations and expand our reach with new products that leverage the intellectual assets of both COA and the Alliance.
Today's environment requires the field to be agile, responsive, and committed to the achievement of breakthrough results. We believe this new organization could expand COA's ability to more largely and boldly influence the broader system and direct work in the field, advocate for effective public policy, and lead efforts to improve ALL people's lives through the lens of equity.
We expect the due diligence process to be completed later this year. In the meantime, the COA team and I look forward to your continued partnership as we lead the way in providing deeply meaningful solutions to support the critical work you undertake each day on behalf of the most vulnerable of populations.
I also realize this may queue up questions for you and I am planning to offer regular virtual sessions to hear your input and answer any questions that you may have. I hope you will join us for these virtual opportunities.
Important announcement from Alliance CEO Susan Dreyfus
I am very pleased to share exciting news about the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities that will be publicly announced later today. Our board of directors voted to move into a due diligence process with the Council on Accreditation (COA) to explore how we can bring our two organizations together to form a new organization. The goal would be to harness our collective assets and talents to create better access to a broader level of support and services that is more affordable and better positions us to be evolutionary in helping organizations obtain tailored and customized solutions delivering greater impact and better outcomes.
This announcement follows 15 months of extensive work by the Alliance and COA to address interest, feasibility, and the value of combining our organizations. We expect the due diligence process to be completed later this year. A Joint Negotiation taskforce made up of selected members of both boards and executive leadership will be working throughout the remainder of the year on due diligence.
To learn more about the strategic rationale behind combining both organizations, watch my video message.
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| | Alliance CEO Announces Plans to Enter Due Diligence Process with COA |
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Tuesday: August 25, 2020
Addressing Emotional Health Needs of People with IDD During a Pandemic: A Model Demonstration Project to Promote Engagement and Comfort During a Crisis
Time: 2:00 pm thru 3:00 pm
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Tuesday: August 25, 2020
Webinar: Successful Approaches to Creatively Engage with Older Adults during COVID-19
Time: 3:00 pm
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Wednesday: August 26, 2020
QuitlineNC: Supporting Patients to Become Tobacco Free During COVID-19
Time: 12:00 pm thru 1:00 pm
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New: Wednesday: August 26, 2020
Telehealth for Community-Based Organizations
"Promising Practices: Accessibility and Language Access" about telehealth accessibility for people with disabilities and individuals with limited English proficiency. It highlights innovative strategies for ensuring access to older adults, people with disabilities, and addressing cultural and linguistic competency when providing telehealth services. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers.
The featured speakers are:
- Brian Norton with the Indiana Assistive Technology Act program, who will speak on how the program connects individuals with disabilities to assistive technologies and user support for more accessible telehealth options.
- Kathy Wibberly with the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center, who will provide information on CLAS standards and integrating cultural and linguistic competency into telehealth provision for improved access and utilization of telehealth.
- Ryan Elza with the AARP Foundation, who will speak on an ongoing partnership with multi-family housing providers that uses smart assistant technology to provide services to residents and facilitate service coordination.
Time: 2:00 pm thru 3:00 pm
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Wednesday: August 26, 2020
Time: 2:00 pm thru 3:00 pm
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Wednesday: August 26, 2020
Rural Development Hubs Webinar
Time: 2:00 pm thru 4:00 pm
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Thursday: August 27, 2020
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Webinar Series
4 Part Series (Aug. 27, Sept. 3, Sept. 10, Sept. 17)
Includes CEOs & Contact Hours-Free of Charge
Time: 9:00 am thru 4:45 pm
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Thursday: August 27, 2020
INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IN TIMES OF CRISIS
Time: 10:00 am thru 11:00 am
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Thursday: August 27, 2020
Complimentary Webinar: COVID-19 Q&A Webinar for Behavioral Health Care Accreditation
Time: 1:30 pm thru 3:00 pm EST
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Thursday: August 27, 2020
Compassionate Approaches to Crisis Webinar Series
Time: 2:00 pm
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Thursday: August 27, 2020
Time: 2:00 pm thru 3:00 pm
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New: Friday: August 28, 2020
Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar
Time: 8:30 am
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Friday: August 28, 2020
Partners' Provider Council
Time: 9:30 am
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Tuesday: September 1, 2020
Community Support Safeguards During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Time: 8:00 am thru 9:00 am
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New: Thursday: September 3, 2020
Listening Session with Child Residential and Therapeutic Foster Care Providers, LME-MCOs and DMHDDSAS
Time: 3:00 pm thru 4:30 pm
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Wednesday: September 9, 2020
Partners Quarterly Provider Webinar
Time: 1:00 pm
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Wednesday: September 9, 2020
Reduction of Stigma in our Communities
Time: 3:00 pm thru 4:00 pm
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Thursday: September 10, 2020
Benchmarks' Child Welfare Webinar feat: Karen McLeod & Lisa Cauley
Time: 8:00 am thru 9:00 am
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Monday: September 14, 2020
Western NC: Regional Policy Institutes
Time: 9:00 am thru 11:30 am
Deputy Secretary Juvenile Justice, Billy Lassiter
Advocacy 101: Adam Sotak, NC Child Legislative Panelists:
Terry Van Duyn - Buncombe
Representative Sarah Stevens -Alleghany/Surrey/Wilkes Counties Include:
Cherokee, Graham, Clay, Macon, Jackson, Swain, Haywood, Transylvania, Madison, Buncombe, Henderson, Polk, Yancey, McDowell, Rutheford, Cleveland, Lincoln, Burke, Caldwell, Mitchell, Avery, Watagua, Ashe, Alleghany, Surry, Wilkes, Yancey, Catawba, Alexander, Iredell, Yadkin, Davie, Stokes, Forsyth
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Thursday: September 17, 2020
Partners Mental Health/Substance Use Provider Information Session
Time: 4:00 pm
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Thursday: September 18, 2020
MEDICAL CARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (MCAC) TELECONFERENCE MEETING
Time: 10:30 am thru 12:30 pm
Call: 866-390-1828
Access Code: 4586030
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Tuesday: September 22, 2020
Partners Innovations-I/DD Provider Information Session
Time: 4:00 pm
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New: Tuesday: September 23-September 24, 2020
Family Focused Treatment Association's (FFTA) 34th Annual Conference on Treatment Family Care
There is a cost associated with this event. $$$
Time: 10:00 am (Events are scheduled throughout the two days)
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Friday: September 25, 2020
Western NC: Regional Policy Institutes
Time: 9:30 am
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Monday: September 28, 2020
Central NC: Regional Policy Institutes
Time: 9:00 am thru 11:30 am
Keynotes: Deputy Director, Child Welfare Services Lisa Cauley
NC Child Welfare Family Advisory Council - Gina Brown
Advocacy 101: Melea Rose-Waters, Prevent Child Abuse NC
Counties Include: Gaston, Mecklenburg, Union, Rowan, Rockingham, Caswell, Person, Guilford, Davidson, Randolph, Montgomery, Cabarrus, Stanly, Alamance, Lee, Moore, Anson, Richmond
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Tuesday: October 6, 2020
Eastern NC: Regional Policy Institutes
Time: 9:00 am thru 11:30 am
Keynotes: Deputy Secretary, Behavioral Health & Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities - Kody Kinsley
Associate Director, NC Families United - Stacy Justiss
Advocacy 101: i2i Center for Integrative Health
Legislative Panelists:
Senator Don Davis - Greene/Pitt
Representative Donna White - Johnston
Counties Include: Vance, Warren, Halifax, Northampton, Nash, Edgecombe, Wilson, Harnett, Cumberland, Hoke, Scotland, Robeson, Bladen, Harnett, Sampson, Duplin, Wayne, Pender, New Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus, Onslow, Jones, Lenoir, Greene, Pitt, Carteret, Beaufort, Craven, Pamlico, Hyde, Dare, Washington, Martin, Bertie, Currituck, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Gates, Hertford, Camden, Chowan, Tyrell
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Saturday: October 10, 2020
Save The Date: NAMI's 2020 Annual Conference
Virtual and Free
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Monday: October 26, 2020
Triangle: Regional Policy Institutes
Time: 9:00 am thru 11:30 am
Keynotes: Youth Transition Program Director, NC Families United - Lacy Flintall
MomsRising - Sheila Arias
Advocacy 101: Beth Messersmith, MomsRising
Legislative Panelists:
Senator Valerie Foushee - Chatham/Orange
Senator Natalie Murdock - Durham
Representative Verla Insko - Orange
Counties Include: Wake, Johnston, Chatham, Orange, Durham, Franklin, Granville
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Please click on each of the following links to view details sent out from each LME/MCO.
Benchmarks' wants to be sure to make the following list handy for our members to visit and suggests a peek at least once per week to find information that may be pertinent to your agency and contracts.
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