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Giving Older Adults Voice and Choice in Their Care
Giving Older Adults Voice and Choice in Their Care
February 7, 2019
From Kim Jackson-Whitely, MA, CADCCT, CFRDT, CDP, Older Adult Behavioral Health Specialist, Clackamas County Behavioral Health Division
I am thrilled to be able to share some information about an exciting multi-agency pilot project we are working on in the Tri-County area. In May 2018, together with Jan McManus of Multnomah County Aging, Disability and Veterans Services Division (ADVSD) and partners from multiple aging and health organizations, we launched the Cross-System Care Coordination Conference (C4) pilot. The project adapts and applies the successful and evidence-based Wraparound Care Coordination Model for youth to the older adult population. The Older Adult Behavioral Health Specialists in Multnomah County partnered with the Systems of Care Institute at Portland State University to create a toolkit upon which the pilot is based. So far, participants include: Clackamas County Behavioral Health, Multnomah County ADVSD, Multnomah County Behavioral Health, CareOregon, Providence, Kaiser, Cascadia Behavioral Health, and Health Insight.
It has long been a vision of mine to expand and adapt the Wraparound process to older adults for a number of reasons—first and foremost that it is a genuine Recovery Model that is not just “person-centered” but “person-driven” and we have lacked a system of care in the adult arena that is truly rooted in the individual’s “voice and choice.” In addition, the Cross-System Care Coordination Conference pilot marries my passion for older adults with the Recovery Model. As we continue to battle ageism in our society, C4 is illuminating the authentic meaning of a “person-centered” approach to system partners and reminding older adults and people with disabilities of their value and right to direct their care.
As with any pilot, we are learning and changing training content and methods as we go. Currently, we are analyzing the data and planning for phase two which we hope will become a one to two year demonstration. I am excited that along with Dr. Alfredo Soto, MD (Medical Director at Clackamas County Behavioral Health & Washington County Behavioral Health) and Tamera Solem, RN (Kaiser Permanente) I will be presenting our pilot at the upcoming National Aging in America Conference in New Orleans, LA in April 2019.
If you interested in learning more about the project or better yet, joining the pilot, please contact me at Clackamas County Behavioral Health 971-413-3454 (cell) or KJacksonWhitely@co.clackamas.or.us.