Change is difficult anytime an organization must undergo it, but it is doubly hard when that organization is navigating multiple systemic changes. Add in growing the organization’s number of consumers and partner agencies to the mix, and things can feel downright impossible. In the past year, North Carolina’s Local Management Entities-Managed Care Organizations (LME-MCOs) have weathered re-alignments, with some North Carolina counties choosing to shift to another LME-MCO catchment area. During this time, LME-MCO staff had to work hard to find out what their counties needed, what special projects and/or services needed to be brought onboard and begin developing new partnerships with local agencies.
This was a tall order, however, Sandhills Center worked diligently to do these tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible for the benefit of their new counties. Prior to fall of 2021, Sandhills Center served Anson, Guilford, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Randolph, and Richmond Counties. Davidson and Rockingham Counties were added into the fold. With the addition of Rockingham County, Sandhills Center had to decide whether or not to engage and support the Standardized Assessment Protocol (SAP) project. This project, that began in 2019, ensures that foster children, ages 4 and up, receive a timely trauma screening and referral for a Trauma Intensive Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (TiCCA), leading to holistic child and family well-being focused recommendations.
Sandhills Center did not have to choose to continue in the SAP Partnership that Cardinal Innovations participated in prior to 2021. However, after quickly assessing the situation, Sandhills agreed to support this important work being done in Rockingham County. Sandhills very quickly identified staff who became a part of the SAP Partners Team, agreed to pay an enhanced rate for the TiCCA work being done by mental health providers, and ensured that TiCCAs in process during the transition did not fall through the cracks.
Sandhills has been enthusiastic in their support of the TiCCA process for Rockingham County’s foster children. Their assigned staff members have successfully transitioned to co-facilitation of the associated meetings with DSS staff members as well. Through the whirlwind of change, Sandhills Center showed that they believed in the TiCCA work being done in Rockingham County by continuing to support the work being done on the ground. SAP implementation staff have now transitioned out of Rockingham County, and feel confident that Rockingham Department of Health & Human Services, Sandhills Center, Youth Villages, and Rockingham County Youth Services will be able to sustain the tenets of the project long into the future.
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