The week of October 13th-19th is recognized as National Care Management week and at Care Design NY, we would like to take this opportunity to recognize and celebrate the work that our staff do every day.
Capital Region 1, New York City & Staten Island
Congratulations to our Winners.
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Capital Region 1
Julie McDermott
Care Manager
Julie possesses all the qualities of a fantastic Care Manager. She genuinely cares about the individuals she works with and has a great relationship with them, their families/advocates, and team members. She embraces a person-centered approach and is a strong advocate, ensuring that people are getting what they need and pursuing what they want. She is very knowledgeable about local services and providers and is efficient in accessing these services to meet the needs of the individuals she supports. Her documentation and follow-up are always timely and thorough. Her Life Plans are well written and always include all the necessary elements. The transition from MSC to Care Management was not without its challenges, but Julie always maintained a positive attitude and kept her focus on making sure that the people she works with have what they need. In addition to all of this, Julie has a heart of gold and is always pleasant to be around. She is always willing to go the extra mile and does it with a smile on her face!
Deanna Deluke
Care Manager
Deanna consistently goes above and beyond for the people she supports. She has a keen understanding of Person Centered Services and treats each person as if they are the only person on her caseload. She takes time to understand the person's culture and unique circumstances and is always respectful and kind. She knows how to support people using a combination of OPWDD, Medical and Community Resources and has a vast list of resources she happily shares with her coworkers. Recently, Deanna had a situation with a young man on her caseload who was in an unhealthy living environment where his medical needs were being seriously neglected. Deanna coordinated Schenectady ARC Residential and Day Hab Staff, OPWDD Staff, Mental Hygiene Legal Services, Schenectady Adult Protective Services, the Schenectady Police Department and this man's medical providers in an effort to remove him from his home to a respite bed where he would be safe and well cared for. This move was done without incident and this young man is now thriving. She has been praised by everyone involved in this case stating how impressed they were by her diligence and professionalism, and how unusual it is to have something of this magnitude coordinated quickly and successfully. When Deanna speaks about this situation, she only mentions how well he is doing and how happy she is for him. She does not mention all of the time and effort this took. This may be the largest example of her willingness to go above and beyond, but it is not the only example as she does things like this every day.
NYC / Staten Island
Felix Colon
Care Manager Supervisor
Felix is the type of supervisor who goes above and beyond to support those that he supervises. He lets his staff know that it’s ok to make a mistake and ask for help. If a care manager does not fully understand something, he takes the time to sit with that person and provide one-on-one support to help them understand it. He will drop what he is doing to go to visits with care managers or provide support during a crisis whenever needed. He is also a strong advocate for the individuals that we support and a wealth of knowledge. In a recent Self-Direction meeting, a Support Broker was so impressed with Felix, she stated: "I have never met anyone that has as much information". Felix also helped the mom of this individual understand Self-Direction and eased her worries. Felix takes the time to research topics and review materials to stay on top of changes and resources available to better support his team. He is the go-to person for so many! Felix is the epitome of a strong Care Manager Supervisor and strives to ensure that his team succeeds in all that they do.
Edna Bey
Care Manager
Edna is a motivated and determined Care Manager who has also taken on the added role of being a Life Plan mentor. She has proven herself to be a very supportive team member, not only to her peers but also to the people she supports. She is a strong advocate for the individuals on her caseload and ensures that her work is person-centered. She is a great communicator and is found to be a very approachable team member; she will always help a coworker in need. She works well with providers, ensuring that a person’s wants and needs are being met. Her dedication to her position and to those that she supports has not gone unnoticed!
Upstate Team Award,
Long Island & Upper Hudson Valley
Congratulations to our Winners.
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Upstate Team Award
Tara Juliano
Senior Care Manager Supervisor
Amanda Rosenberger
Care Manager Supervisor
Julia Kreiter
Care Manager Supervisor
Keri-lyn Kelleher
Care Manager Supervisor
Lillian Okombo
Care Manager
Jose Equizabal Beltran
Care Manager
Bernadette Morgenstern
Care Manager
Meagan Casey
Care Manager
David Cory
Care Manager
Marie Estril
Care Manager
Donna Johnson
Care Manager
Janet Vicaretti
Care Manager
Elizabeth Ramirez
Care Manager
Eric Thomas
Care Manager
Lydia Perez
Care Manager
Beverly Valle
Care Manager
Heather Weston
Care Manager
Long Island
Cindy Shull
Care Manager
Cindy Shull is a Care Manager from Long Island. Cindy is a hard-working and motivated care manager who always strives for excellence, but she meets the expectations of the position rather "quietly". In other words, one may not even realize how much she is doing for each person on her caseload until reading her activity notes! She faces the challenges of the job with a high level of professionalism, dedication, and expertise. She has taken on some of the more difficult cases and excels at promoting person-centered services. She has a way of being a strong advocate for the people on her caseload without compromising their relationships or the cohesive team of supports. Cindy's caseload is also primarily people who are Deaf and use American Sign Language to communicate. Cindy's fluency in ASL and her understanding of Deaf culture adds a layer of competence that people in this unique population truly need. Cindy has stepped up to provide levels of support that go above and beyond typical duties of a Care Manager, simply because there is no one else to do so. Her role in people's lives was evident this past spring when a recreational program had an activity of making small potted plants for Mother's Day; one individual gave his plant to Cindy. Her ability to make people truly feel supported is a unique skill that makes her a great Care Manager!
Nicole Castillo
Care Manager
Nicole Castillo is a Care Manager from Long Island. Nicole is the epitome of patience, understanding, and devotion. We all have difficulties with our caseloads, some more than others, but Nicole has proven her ability to persevere. Last year around the Thanksgiving holiday, Nicole accompanied a child and their parent to housing court multiple times because they were being evicted unlawfully. Had it not been for Nicole advocating on the family’s behalf, they would have been homeless. Nicole not only prevented the family from becoming homeless but was able to have them stay in their home indefinitely. Another time, Nicole diligently advocated for a person who was unhappy where she was living. Nicole drove this person to many residential screenings, eventually helping her find a placement of her choosing that met her needs. Lastly, Nicole provided great support to a person who recently lost both of her parents 6 months apart from each other. Nicole provided resources to a family member who was able to obtain guardianship and she ensured that the individual was placed in a residential home that would best support her needs. Nicole also helps her coworkers with patience and ease. These are just a few examples of how Nicole is truly the definition of what a Care Manager is by making a difference in the lives of the people that we support.
Upper Hudson Valley
Kathleen Griemsmann
Care Manager
Kathleen Griemsmann is a Care Manager from the UHV region. Kathleen has worked as an MSC/Care Manager for over 10 years. She is a strong communicator and works with a person-centered approach with the individuals, families, and providers. She manages a difficult caseload and remains professional when families get upset with providers or the system. She supports an individual who lives in a group home where many of her housemates and even staff do not get along with her. There has been a lot of turnover in that house and the staff constantly suggest that this individual should not live there. Kathleen advocates strongly on the individual's behalf, knowing it is a tough and sensitive situation. She has been a consistent source of support for the families and the people she supports. She is very kind and helpful towards her coworkers and all IDT members that we work with at different agencies. She is also a conscientious worker and always honest and reliable. Though she has worked in this field for so long she never takes anything for granted and treats everyone equally. She is a wonderful person and an excellent Care Manager.
Cathy Hefele
Care Manager
Cathy Hefele is a Care Manager from the UHV region. Cathy joined CDNY 6 months ago with expertise in Willowbrook Case Management. Immediately after starting with CDNY, one of the Willowbrook individuals became very ill and was hospitalized several times over the course of a few months. With each readmission, Cathy would drop everything to go to the hospital to make sure that the individual felt supported. While adhering to Willowbrook protocol and standards, Cathy was able to work with the family members and all involved parties with professional and effective communication. It was a very stressful situation for the family and Cathy had to work around very delicate conversations. Unfortunately, after many long months of the constant back and forth to the hospital, the individual passed away. Cathy ensured that the wishes of this individual were heard, resulting in her being able to pass away comfortably in her home as she wanted. Cathy has continuously shown her expertise in dealing with difficult situations and excelling in communication during those hard times. She has become an asset to the team in such a short period of time!
Care Management Support Staff, Brooklyn & Capital Region 2
Congratulations to our Winners.
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Support Department Award
Craig Lillie-Fisher
Help Desk Technician
Craig Lillie-Fisher is a Help Desk Technician from the Albany Office. Craig always goes above and beyond to help all staff. He is well organized, has wonderful customer service skills, and a great sense of IT triage knowledge. Craig is always there to provide IT support, no matter how last minute the support is requested. With a great attitude and patience, he has helped fix numerous IT bugs and conflicts for the organization. Craig always stops what he is doing to help someone in an IT crisis. He is always proficient and quick and we are lucky to have such a great support!
Elena DiMartino
Benefits and Entitlements Specialist
Elena DiMartino is a Benefits and Entitlements Specialist from the Hopewell Office. Elena has become the go-to person for benefits and entitlements in the UHV region. She is a wealth of knowledge and is always willing to train and support staff. She has been encouraging department leaders to come up with ideas for training opportunities for the care management staff so they can learn and enhance their confidence in this area. Not only is she the go-to person, but she is a lovely person inside and out. She is nicknamed “The Mayor” because of her welcoming attitude. She does a lot of little things around the regional office to make it a delightful place to come and work. We are so lucky to have her!
Brooklyn
Mayra Diaz
Care Manager
Mayra Diaz is a Care Manager from Brooklyn. Mayra exceeds expectations for both CDNY and the individuals/families. She supports 40 individuals and treats each one as if they are the only person on her caseload. She genuinely gets involved and provides person centered services unique to them. Mayra has become a mentor for coworkers, often stepping in when someone is struggling to providing support and encouragement. She brings a positive attitude to the work. She is an asset to her team and sets the bar for employees in the field on how to provide quality CM services. Mayra has been able to help people through many crisis' in their lives. She assists people in obtaining many new services, alternate housing when urgently needed, and encourages individuals to express their wants and desires. She is a true advocate and true value to our organization.
Tamiko Nelson
Care Manager
Tamiko Nelson is a Care Manager from Brooklyn. Tamiko demonstrates exceptional work performance and has shown to be a strong advocate for the people she supports and their families. She has worked to assist new enrollees and their families with the OPWDD waiver process, obtaining waiver approval for many within the same month of enrollment. Tamiko is very motivated and was one of the first care managers at her office to publish all of her life plans. She consistently finishes all of her tasks each month in a prompt manner. Tamiko also provides support to coworkers as a mentor in the CDNY mentor program. She has assisted other CMs with conducting I AM assessments and attending life plan meetings. It is such a pleasure to have Tamiko as a part of our team!
Capital Region 2
Amanda Gates
Care Manager
Amanda Gates is a Care Manager from Capital 2. Amanda goes above and beyond for the individuals on her caseload. She inherited a difficult caseload and dove right in to ensure that every individual was supported. Amanda has found qualified respite staff for several people and assisted in setting up the interviews with the families. She even arranged moving trucks for an individual to move to a better neighborhood! Amanda recently helped someone who made a report to the Justice center. Amanda held many meetings with the team to ensure that the individual was safe and that everyone was on the same page. She is always person centered with her Life Plan meetings as well as through her interactions with individuals. Amanda is motivated and always strives for excellence. She has participated in the Data Quality work group and has offered tips to help keep policies and procedures consistent. She is always positive and smiling, even in stressful times. Other CMs look to Amanda for guidance and collaboration. It is a pleasure to work with Amanda!
Mary Poland
Care Manager
Mary Poland is a Care Manager from Capital 2. Mary is a motivated and determined Care Manager. She strives to be person-centered and always makes sure that her responsibilities are taken care of. Mary recently helped an individual and their guardian advocate for a reduction in Day Habilitation so he could receive two days of Community Habilitation in its place; the individual was looking for more individualized support to reach his goals. This was not an easy task as the residential program felt that staying in Day Habilitation would be better for him. Mary did not back down and continued to be a strong advocate for the individual. After multiple team meetings on the issue, the residential program finally agreed for the new arrangement to be tried. This is just one example of the amazing support that Mary provides to the people she works with and their families every day!
Downstate Team Award, North Country & Queens
Congratulations to our Winners.
Click + Icon to read nominations submitted.
Downstate Team Award
Sonia Harris
Senior Care Manager Supervisor
Latoya Myers
Care Manager Supervisor
Michele Diaz
Care Manager
Tara Mc Laughlin
Care Manager
Racquel Kirkpatrick
Care Manager
Jean-Marie Bondy
Care Manager
Gloria Johnson
Care Manager
Jazzma Harris
Care Manager
Queens
Paula Moncada
Care Manager
Paula Moncada is a Care Manager from Queens. Paula is a model Care Manager who puts the people that she supports at the center of all that she does. She is thoughtful and takes the time to ensure that all her responsibilities are met and exceeded. She is always happy to share information with her team and often helps guide and teach her coworkers. Recently, the spouse of someone she supports passed away. Paula went above and beyond to attend two different funeral services to ensure that the person on her caseload felt supported. This is not an isolated occurrence. Paula consistently goes out of her way to help families and coworkers. She is a wonderful Care Manager and we are lucky to have her on our team!
Lindsay Dond
Care Manager
Lindsay Dond is a Care Manager from Queens. She strongly supported the individuals and families on her caseload through the transition and made sure they understood the changes. She continues to ensure continuity of services and has played a tremendous role in making sure they know the services available to them. Lindsay works with great enthusiasm and always has a positive demeanor when it comes to meeting the deadlines and demands of her work. Lindsay was the first Care Manager from her office to publish all her life plans (which she did within one year of the transition). Lindsay has also provided her coworkers with support as a Life Plan Mentor to assist them with making progress on their own life plans. We have received feedback from individuals and families that she supports stating that they are very happy to have her as their Care Manager. Lindsay is a wonderful asset to CDNY and is a great advocate and mentor.
North Country
Tammy Fletcher
Care Manager
Tammy Fletcher is a Care Manager from the North Country region. She always goes above and beyond for the people she supports ensuring that they are living their best life. Recently, Tammy had an individual who needed to quickly move. Tammy spent several hours working with both the family and other agencies to secure him a safe placement in an IRA. She took the time to explain the situation to him and why he needed to move out of his home of over 10 years. She helped make a difficult situation easier for this individual and helped him adjust to this change. Tammy is also always willing to help her coworkers and always maintains a positive demeanor at work.
Kristen Buck
Care Manager
Kristen Buck is a Care Manager from the North Country region. Kristen has a calm demeanor which has helped build trusting relationships with the individuals and families that she supports. Kristen has many years of experience in the field and has been embracing the changes as they arise. She works hard to ensure that she continues to support the individuals as well as her coworkers through the changes. She is always on top of her documentation, despite any crisis that may arise. She has a positive presence in the office and works to keep the atmosphere in the office light and fun. Kristen is deserving of this award because of her hard work and drive to provide person-centered services.
Bronx & Lower Hudson Valley
Congratulations to our Winners.
Click + Icon to read nominations submitted.
Bronx
Rasbelkys Belliard
Care Manager Supervisor
Rasbelkys is a Care Manager Supervisor in the Bronx who has shown exemplary work. She has gone above and beyond for her staff and the people we support. Rasbelkys met with all of her staff and went through the POMS/ goals for each individual on their caseload, to make sure that the Life Plans were completed correctly and timely. When her staff have support individuals who have complicated needs or need extra services, Rasbelkys is hands on with assisting to obtain the needed services. Rasbelkys has obtained ISS grants and residential placement for several people, even while maintaining her position as a Care Manager Supervisor. These are some of the reasons why Rasbelkys should be nominated for the Excellence Award.
Jaritza Sosa
Care Manager
Care Manager, Jaritza Sosa, from the Bronx team went above and beyond her work duties recently by assisting a person she supports during a difficult time. About two months ago, Jaritza was contacted by someone on her caseload who could not safely return to their home and needed assistance in locating a safe place for her to stay with her three children. She ensured there was a safe plan and assisted to ensure she had clothing, diapers and supplies for her children. She continues to assist with all follow up appointments to maintain order of protection papers and file for custody of the children. Jaritza has shown exemplary work in exhibiting a person-centered approach, supporting her through this difficult time. Jaritza puts the people she supports front and center and deserves recognition for her hard work and efforts with bringing stability to the life of this person she supports.
Lower Hudson Valley
Jennifer O'Connor
Care Manager
Jennifer O'Connor, Care Manager in the Lower Hudson Valley, is truly an exemplary Care Manager and is someone who is always there to assist the individuals and families she supports and her colleagues in any way she can. Jen has had some very challenging situations requiring her to negotiate relations with individuals, families and provider agencies. She is intuitive and sensitive and has been able to handle complex matters with great finesse. Jen is always upbeat and positive and finds challenging situations as opportunities to make things better. A couple of weeks ago, one of the men she supports was very upset because he was unable to attend the "Stardust Ball", which is the premier social event for many of the individuals we support in Rockland County, due to financial constraints. All of his friends were attending, and he felt very despondent that he couldn't afford to go. Jen found a way to not only pay for his ticket, but also made sure that he had the proper attire and a ride to and from the event. What a difference this made to this young man. Jen has also been a mentor to four Care Managers and has helped them tremendously. Her mentoring style helps support and empower Care Managers to do their jobs more capably and confidently. Jen is someone who others tend to go to for help if they are having difficulty with MediSked or other paperwork related issues. She is extremely organized and is always willing to share her knowledge and tips with others. Jen has proven herself to be an outstanding Care Manager who is a very important person on the Lower Hudson Valley team.
Evelin Aviles
Care Manager
Evelin Aviles, Care Manager, is a team player and hard worker. Evelin is often seen sitting with her Chromebook at someone's desk, in the kitchen area or someone is at her desk where she is helping a Care Manager with whatever they need assistance with. If a new staff needs support with a meeting or a crisis, she offers support and guidance. She has attended Life Plan meetings and Inter Disciplinary Team meetings with new staff to make them feel comfortable and more supported. She has mastered completing person-centered Life Plans and has proven to be a star, but it's her amazing attitude and work ethic that makes her so valuable to our team. She is proactive and a great advocate to the individuals she supports, but also makes time to help her colleagues. Evelin's go getter attitude, team effort and overall support makes her an amazing Care Manager. She is someone we are proud to have on our team and watch her grow in her career.