For the past two years, friendly faces and helping hands have been present and lending some much-needed help to young people in need through OhioRISE (Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence) and its dedicated and compassionate staff.
OhioRISE Director Linda Trushel said the program kicked off March 7, 2022, with the first group of new care coordinators. As the title suggests, staff members at the forefront of OhioRISE must be willing to go above and beyond, with understanding as they work in a wide variety of communities to help children.
During a March 18 onboarding orientation at the R. Larry George Training Annex in Steubenville, JCESC CEO, Dr. George Ash welcomed the newest members of the team on behalf of the JCESC board and administration. Staff from the JCESC treasurer’s office were also on-hand to answer questions about employee benefits.
Michelle Wells of Woodsfield, Kyleigh DiCarlo of Mingo, and Amy Barcus of Toronto all bring experience working with children with special needs. They look forward to being there for the children.
OhioRISE care coordinators work with members ages birth through 21, their parents, and families.
Trushel said OhioRISE specializes in holistic care, with staff adept at coordinating behavioral, medical, and pharmacy health services.
“We’re looking for somebody who’s willing to work hard,” she said. “Going beyond the call of duty to help families get the services they need so their family can be successful.”
Trushel said coordinators build a true relationship with members, and a long-term investment is called for in supporting their development through the stages of life.
Care coordinators connect members with counseling and peer-support services for young people facing the same issues.
Trushel said the care plans are individualized for each family, based on backgrounds and goals, so evaluation skills are a must for any care coordinator. Services range from helping members find a provider to navigating available services.
Members are eligible for in-patient and out-patient behavioral health care services.
A young child dealing with emotional issues can receive calming supplies and older children may be eligible for job and life skills training to discover new career paths. There are maternity benefits for pregnant members and nutritional counseling and gift cards for exercise equipment or gym memberships. Tools are also provided to help manage emotional health needs and substance misuse.
The onboarding day included training for the care coordinators in safeguarding members’ privacy.
The staff numbers about 60 and Trushel expects employees to keep growing as they meet needs in Jefferson, Monroe, Stark, Tuscarawas, Harrison, Columbiana, Belmont, and Carroll counties. OhioRISE care coordinators work with more than 700 children in the area of service at this time.
The names and photographs of every employee are listed on the JCESC website at www.jcesc.k12.oh.
“We have hired consistently every month,” she said. “We’re getting more and more services for the families we serve in each county. Some of our smaller counties like Monroe and Harrison are accessing more virtual services. We’re learning what those services are and how we can support families that live remotely.”
Trushel said they have been conducting onboardings twice a month. During their three-month orientation new coordinators will be assigned mentors who will share their experience.
Supervisor Celestine Barnes also shared information about situations they will likely encounter in practice, saying the new hires will have the opportunity to shadow experienced coordinators and gain hands-on insight about the nature of the job. She related stories such as helping install safety measures in a member’s home and helping them seek a driver’s license or employment.
“We can be very creative in the way that we help them,” Barnes said. She said a coordinator’s empathy and experience is an invaluable resource to families. Anyone interested in becoming a Care Coordinator, please apply at https://jcescvla.bamboohr.com/careers/23. OhioRise is a Medicaid-managed care program for children and youth with complex behavioral health and multisystems needs. To learn more about OhioRISE, call 740-792-4011, email ohiorise.info@jcesc.org or visit the Jefferson County Educational Service Center website at jcesc.k12.oh.us.
