January 24, 2022

0i2i advocacy education and strategy presentations

i2i remains true to its mission to progress the public MH/IDD/SUD system by including all perspectives in legislative and policy making deliberations.  Over the past few months, i2i has provided several educational opportunities to offer  strategies for strong advocacy.  Advocacy and collaboration are critical components of policy shifts and the emphasis of these presentations is to increase the advocacy skills and strategies for provider agencies, consumers, families and individuals with lived experience.  We want to share these resources and upcoming events as a service to aid in your advocacy strategies.

i2i will present at an upcoming OPEN MINDS Performance Management Institute at Clearwater Beach Florida on February 15th!   The topic is about how Providers can affect Medicaid Rule Changes and the importance of collaborative efforts among consumers, providers, and payers to Medicaid policy.  The 20+ year NC Medicaid Transformation effort, and the parallel evolution of i2i to be a voice for all to influence positive change will serve as the case study!  In addition, Dave Richard, NC Medicaid Director will have a virtual cameo appearance to discuss both sides of the advocacy fence as a former provider and as a NC DHHS Leader – giving us insight how he advocated as a provider and now what he knows works as a leader at NC DHHS! 

OPEN MINDS is offering complimentary registration (worth $900) to all i2i stakeholders as a “thank you” to i2i supporters, staff and Board.  

To register to the Performance Management Institute, apply this code: 2022OMI2 on this registration form: https://openminds.com/register-now-pmi2/. Be sure to use the “Partner/Sponsor Pass” under registration options. If you are not an Open Minds member, you can use the link for a FREE MEMBERSHIP signup https://openminds.com/subscribe/?level=14.

View the full Institute agenda at: https://performance.openminds.com/agenda

Please join Ann in Florida! 

Defining the Value of Care Management for Consumers, Families and Individuals with Lived Experience

During 2021, i2i and the NC Community Health Centers Association convened a diverse Collaborative group of Consumers and Family members, as well as providers seeking to become Care Management Agencies,  to define the value of care management under Medicaid managed care.  This Collaborative considered care management in a larger context, as a role that is crucial to addressing racial and health equity issues and the pandemic.  The group made significant recommendations on how to improve this service to better meet the individual’s needs, including the development of a care manager-consumer/family relationship engagement sheet with questions that can strengthen the relationship.  These recommendations are valuable for Care Management Agencies and Advanced Medical Homes, NC DHHS, PHPs and LME/MCOs alike.    You can view the recommendations in our White Paper entitled Defining the Value of Care Management for Consumers, Families and Individuals with Lived Experience in North Carolina: A Collaborative Approach.

This work was part of a one-year Delta Center for a Thriving Public Safety Net alumni grant to address value-based care from the consumer perspective. 

Peer Voice Presentation

i2i also presented last week at the Peer Voice NC event on Advocacy on Legislation and Advocacy through Collaboration.  This event had over 400 registrants sign up to hear Ann Rodriguez, i2i’s Executive Director present on these topics.  The group was also provided a Glossary of terms for MH/IDD/SUD Public System.  A follow-up presentation focusing on advocacy in policy making is being scheduled for March. 

Prevent Child Abuse NC and the NC Collaborative for Children, Families and Youth hosted four Advocacy Institutes last fall in which i2i presented on Advocacy 201:  Advocacy, Collaboration and Coalition Building at the kick-off event.