RICHMOND – Care coordinators with OhioRISE saw quite a few familiar faces when the program joined in Edison Local School District’s first transition to employment fair March 4. OhioRISE has helped many young children overcome barriers, and the program has tools to assist them as they take their first steps into adult life.
Jefferson County Educational Service Center (JCESC) OhioRISE is a Medicaid managed care program for children and youth with complex behavioral health and multisystem needs in Jefferson, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Monroe, Stark and Tuscarawas Counties and operated by the Jefferson County Educational Service Center. OhioRISE was formed to coordinate resources and put families in touch with what is available.
Care coordinator Vicky Filtz was the friendly face of OhioRISE. The program can assist young people up to age 21, so care coordinators introduce a new range of services as their children approach graduation.
“We’ve been around for about three years now, so we saw some kids who are definitely coming to the point of this transition,” she said. “Whether it’s job-readiness, getting them connected to local supports that can help them with resume building, what trades are out there, what might be of interest to them.”
The fair also presented the opportunity to make new partnerships and take additional resources back to families who need them.
Edison Local Director of Special Education Christina Henderson spearheaded the transition fair. She said OhioRISE care coordinators work closely with district families.
“So that they can align the services that are needed to help make this happen,” Henderson said. The care coordinators strive to locate added support.
“Where we live, we can be limited with resources, but the resources we do have, we want to be sure we get them out there to our families.”
This includes OhioRISE obtaining augmentative and alternative communication devices for younger children.
“They help them with anything they may need in their homes. If they need anything safety-oriented, other services they don’t even know about, they will connect them.”
Superintendent Bill Beattie said community partners will be invaluable as the transition fair grows.
“We’re very thankful to all the agencies that came today, just to support the kids that are looking to transition to the next level, and OhioRISE plays a huge role just because of the resources that they have and the ability to provide help to kids of all ages and issues that they have.”
Coleman Health Services is one of OhioRISE’s partners and often sends referrals. Senior Executive Kelly MacMullin said their respective services dovetail.
“We get them connected with OhioRISE, with care coordination. On the other hand, when our kiddos are already involved in OhioRISE care coordination and they have a crisis, we work with them and we get that care coordinator involved immediately so we can start doing a treatment plan, so we can get all the players at the table and figure out how to reduce the likelihood of a future crisis.”
MacMullin said OhioRISE is ideally situated for long-term help. Care coordinators go above and beyond.
“We had one recently in this community who had been struggling a long time,” she said. “She was able to get connected with residential.”
Mothers of children in OhioRISE said the program was invaluable in helping their children to this transition stage. One mother said her 12-year-old daughter has been with OhioRISE for two years.
“It’s been great for her. We’ve got a lot of extra resources from them, a lot of extra help I didn’t know was out there for a child with autism, so it was very beneficial. Everything I need extra like sensory items and any kind of items really, I can reach out to her care coordinator.”
This included helping to locate applied behavioral analysis therapy.
“That is actually something that is very hard to come by.”
Her daughter’s improvements have been plain to see.
JEFFERSON COUNTY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER
“It’s definitely gotten a lot better this last year,” she said. She was happy to see OhioRISE participating in the fair.
“It’s great for events like this, that OhioRISE is here to be able to give us the resources and always be there for people who need this help.”
Another mother of a 12-year-old who has been with OhioRISE for three years said she appreciates the care coordinators as they support her daughter on her way to independence.
“It’s been wonderful. We’ve gone through a few different transitions with our care coordinators, but everyone has been magnificent. They make sure they check in on us, and they’re always making sure we have the resources,” she said.
“One of the best things that we’ve had that we didn’t know was peer support from other parents. Joining a parent group where we can talk to each other and share.”
Her daughter is preparing to pursue her desired career. The mother said OhioRISE helped give her daughter the tools to regulate her emotions and respond correctly through trauma.
“That way she can be a voice for other students later on, and being connected to OhioRISE, they’ve been able to provide different counselors and different resources for her to cope.”
Other care coordinators were also at the fair. Tammy Faure has been with OhioRISE from its beginnings and works with children in Jefferson County. She saw how they have thrived.
“We have lots of kids who are benefitting from it. The school districts are utilizing our services and we’re having a phenomenal turnout with our kids,” she said.
“I’m actually at this event with one of my kiddos that started with us at the beginning of OhioRISE, and she’s looking for transition resources to get her on her feet because she’s 18 now and looking to be on her own.”
Erin Campbell has been an OhioRISE care coordinator for about a year and attended the transition fair to make more contacts in Jefferson County.
“It’s nice that we work across different counties too, because even if there’s something not available in this county, the family can travel to the next county.”
She said the “wraparound” philosophy of coordinating with service providers to see a child’s needs are met yields strong results.
“The wraparound process is what matters, and when everybody’s communicating and everybody’s on the same page.”
To learn more about OhioRISE, call 740-792-4011, email ohiorise.info@jcesc.org or visit OhioRISE online at https://www.jcesc.k12.oh.us/CareManagementEntity.aspx .
