CountyCare awarded Tess Rhodes its Certificate of Excellence for her commitment and dedication

Tess Rhodes is a registered nurse on our Quality Improvement Team. She collaborates with her Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) teammates and partner organizations across Illinois to make sure children in crisis have the right support.

A managed care health plan recently honored Tess for these efforts to protect the safety of children and families.

CountyCare’s Health, Safety and Welfare Team awarded Tess its Certificate of Excellence. The certificate recognizes her “tremendous commitment and dedication” to keeping County Care participants safe and meeting their families’ needs.

Tess said she couldn’t do this important work without DSCC’s care coordination teams and our partners in the community.

DSCC has a contract with CountyCare to provide care coordination to the children and youth with special healthcare needs in its Medicaid managed care health plan.

As a Core/Connect Care Quality Improvement Specialist, Tess helps DSCC’s care coordination teams when a participant enrolled in CountyCare has a critical incident.

Critical incidents are events or situations that create a significant risk of substantial or serious harm to a participant’s physical or mental health, safety or well-being. They can include:

• Abuse or neglect
• Harassment or bullying
• Death of a family member
• Significant injuries
• Medication or treatment errors
• Threat of self-harm

DSCC works with CountyCare to report these incidents and make sure our teams respond to reduce any risks for our participants and help them get the right resources and services they need.

When DSCC team members learn of a critical incident, they must report it to CountyCare within 24 hours of notification.

Tess says it’s important to first ensure that our child/youth is safe and that their family receives the right support for their situation.

Tess and the DSCC care coordination teams work alongside CountyCare staff, the child’s medical team and others to provide access to services and resources.

The DSCC Care Coordinator checks in with the family bi-weekly after a crucial incident to help and monitor the outcome. Tess assists in the process by guiding the participant’s Care Coordinator and providing more resources and materials for education.

Once CountyCare closes a critical incident, Tess continues to monitor the situation and provides final updates at the 30-, 60- and 90-day marks. She also coordinates meetings for all care team members to discuss the incident and develop a plan of support.

“This requires very detailed organizational skills, and Tess never misses an update or chance to help,” her supervisor, Quality Improvement Manager Brandon Bartels, said.

Brandon praised Tess’ “exceptional” communication with CountyCare and her collaboration to keep participants’ and families’ needs at the forefront.

“Tess has received accolades by email from their team multiple times, so this Certificate of Excellence proves not only have they valued her efforts in the past but her continued support for our participants, Care Coordinators, and relationship with CountyCare is truly making an impact,” he said.

Congratulations, Tess! We are grateful for your compassion, teamwork and commitment to children and families!

DSCC continues to provide care coordination services and support for affected families.

Illinois children with special healthcare needs who receive Medicaid are now enrolled in managed care.

Managed care is a type of health insurance program. When you enroll in managed care, you become a member of a health plan. HealthChoice Illinois is the new managed care program that is now required statewide.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) moved children with special healthcare needs into a HealthChoice Illinois health plan on Feb. 1.

This transition affected participants enrolled with the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) who both:

• Receive Medicaid and
• Do not have private health insurance

DSCC staff is working with HFS and its partners to continue our care coordination services for DSCC families now enrolled in a HealthChoice Illinois health plan.

We are developing contracts with each HealthChoice Illinois plan so families continue to receive the right support for their unique needs and goals.

We will share more information about our partnership with each HealthChoice Illinois health plan once contracts are complete.

DSCC staff is here to help affected families with any questions about your new health plan.

You may contact your local DSCC regional office or reach us at (800) 322-3722 or dscc@uic.edu.

Families transitioning to Medicaid managed care must select a health plan by or shortly after Jan. 10.

HealthChoice Illinois is the new Medicaid managed care program that is now required statewide.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) will move children with special healthcare needs into a HealthChoice Illinois health plan on Feb. 1, 2020.

These families must choose a HealthChoice Illinois health plan and primary care provider (PCP) by or shortly after Jan. 10. (Please note the specific deadline for your family is included in the enrollment packet you received from HealthChoice Illinois last month).

The University of Illinois at Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) urges families affected by this transition to research which plan is right for them.

If a family does not choose a plan before the deadline, HFS will automatically assign them a plan and PCP.

Enrollment in a HealthChoice Illinois plan is mandatory for most DSCC families who both:

• Receive Medicaid and
• Do not have private health insurance

Note that if your child is a Home Care Program participant, your child will not transition to a HealthChoice Illinois plan. This transition only affects DSCC’s Core Program participants who meet the criteria above.

There are at least four HealthChoice Illinois health plans to choose from.

We developed a list of questions to help our participant families select the best plan for their family’s needs. The “MCO Selection Tip Sheet for Families” is available at https://dscc.uic.edu/browse-resources/available-brochures-pamphlets/. (Note the tip sheet is also available in Spanish.)

We strongly encourage families to use these tip sheet questions and reach out to a HealthChoice Illinois enrollment broker.

More information about Illinois’ managed care program is available at https://enrollhfs.illinois.gov/choose/compare-plans.

DSCC staff is working with HFS and its partners to continue our care coordination services for affected families beyond the Feb.1 transition.

We remain committed to supporting our families and making this transition to a new health plan as seamless as possible.

Families may contact their local DSCC regional office with questions. They may also reach us at (800) 322-3722 or dscc@uic.edu.

Families transitioning to Medicaid managed care must select a health plan by Jan. 10.

Children with special healthcare needs will move into Medicaid’s managed care program on Feb. 1.

HealthChoice Illinois is the new Medicaid managed care program that is now required statewide.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) will move children with special healthcare needs into a HealthChoice Illinois health plan on Feb. 1, 2020.

HFS is sending enrollment packets to affected families this month. These families must choose a HealthChoice Illinois health plan and primary care provider (PCP) by Jan. 10.

If a family does not choose a plan before Jan. 10, HFS will automatically assign them a plan and PCP.

Enrollment in a HealthChoice Illinois plan is mandatory for most DSCC families who both:

• Receive Medicaid and
• Do not have private health insurance

Note that if your child is a Home Care Program participant, your child will not transition to a HealthChoice Illinois plan. This transition only affects DSCC’s Core Program participants who meet the criteria above.

There are at least four HealthChoice Illinois health plans to choose from.

We developed a list of questions to help our participant families select the best plan for their family’s needs. The “MCO Selection Tip Sheet for Families” is available at https://dscc.uic.edu/browse-resources/available-brochures-pamphlets/.

We strongly encourage families to use these tip sheet questions and reach out to a HealthChoice Illinois enrollment broker.

More information about Illinois’ managed care program is available at https://enrollhfs.illinois.gov/choose/compare-plans.

DSCC staff is working with HFS and its partners to continue our care coordination services for families beyond the Feb.1 transition. We will share more details about this process once they become available.

We remain committed to supporting our families and making this transition to a new health plan as seamless as possible.

Families may contact their local DSCC regional office with questions. Families may also reach us at (800) 322-3722 or dscc@uic.edu.

Children with special healthcare needs will move into Medicaid’s managed care program on Feb. 1.

HealthChoice Illinois is the new Medicaid managed care program that is now required statewide.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) will move children with special healthcare needs into a HealthChoice Illinois health plan on Feb. 1, 2020.

Enrollment in a HealthChoice Illinois plan is mandatory for most DSCC families who both:

• Receive Medicaid and
• Do not have private health insurance

Note that if your child is a Home Care Program participant, your child will not transition to a HealthChoice Illinois plan. This transition only affects DSCC’s Core Program participants who meet the criteria above.

HFS is sending enrollment packets to affected families this month. These families must choose a HealthChoice Illinois health plan and primary care provider (PCP) by mid-January.

There are at least four HealthChoice Illinois health plans to choose from.

We developed a list of questions to help our participant families select the best plan for their family’s needs. The “MCO Selection Tip Sheet for Families” is available at https://dscc.uic.edu/browse-resources/available-brochures-pamphlets/.

More information about Illinois’ managed care program is available at https://enrollhfs.illinois.gov/choose/compare-plans.

DSCC staff is working with HFS and its partners to continue our care coordination services for families beyond the Feb.1 transition. We will share more details about this process once they become available.

We remain committed to supporting our families and making this transition to a new health plan as seamless as possible.

Families may contact their local DSCC regional office with questions. Families may also reach us at (800) 322-3722 or dscc@uic.edu.

NOTE: The timeline for the Medicaid managed care transition has been extended. Read more at https://dscc.uic.edu/move-to-managed-care-extended/.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has expanded its Medicaid managed care program.

Managed care is a type of health insurance program. When you enroll in managed care, you become a member of a health plan. HealthChoice Illinois is the new managed care program that is now required statewide.

This change will affect some participants’ enrollment status with the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC).

Enrollment in a HealthChoice Illinois plan is mandatory for most DSCC families who both:

1. Receive Medicaid and
2. Do not have private health insurance

Note that if your child is a Home Care Program participant, your family will not transition to a HealthChoice Illinois Plan. This transition only affects DSCC’s Core Program participants who meet the criteria above.

There are at least four HeatlhChoice Illinois health plans for families to select.

Affected families must choose a HealthChoice Illinois health plan and primary care provider (PCP) by Oct. 15. If a family does not choose a plan before Oct. 15, HFS will assign one.

“Our staff will support our families to make this transition to a new health plan as seamless as possible” DSCC Executive Director Thomas Jerkovitz said.

We developed a list of questions to help our participant families select the best plan for their family’s needs. The “MCO Selection Tip Sheet for Families” is available at https://dscc.uic.edu/browse-resources/available-brochures-pamphlets/.

We urge affected DSCC families to please watch their mail for an enrollment packet from Illinois Client Enrollment Services.

More information about Illinois’ managed care program is available at https://enrollhfs.illinois.gov/choose/plans-by-county/cook. Illinois Client Enrollment Services plans to mail packets the week of Sept. 16.

DSCC staff is currently working with HFS and its partners to continue our care coordination services for families affected by this transition. DSCC’s financial assistance should also be available to affected families. We will share more details about this process once they become available.

DSCC Care Coordinators will reach out to affected families to collect updated information about their child. Care Coordinators will also continue to work with participants to develop their plan of care.

Again, this transition only affects DSCC’s Core Program participants who receive Medicaid and do not have private health insurance.

“Through these changes, DSCC will remain a resource for affected families. We value their partnership and will continue to help connect their children to the proper services and support,” Jerkovitz said.

Families may contact their local DSCC regional office with questions. Families may also reach us at (800) 322-3722 or dscc@uic.edu.