Care Management at Jawonio
Jawonio provides a wide array of behavioral health services. Included in that is our Care Management Program that helps individuals who are in recovery gain access to the important resources they need to be successful in their journey and help them achieve their personal educational, employment and wellness goals. The Care Management team at Jawonio consists of 6 Care Managers, 3 Peer Specialists, a Program Supervisor, Coordinator and Clerk. Our Care Managers meet regularly with individuals with mental health challenges to help them to set their personalized goals, provide supports and the coordination of services that they need in place to achieve those goals.
Pictured at the right is the Care Management team; Jane Mullin, Strategic Integration Officer, Katie Ross, Program Supervisor, Amy Clarke, Lorraine Barreto, Keri Annesi, Care Managers, Tina Kohlman, Coordinator and Lenia Abraham-Chapklin, HR Recruiter who used to work as a Coordinator in Care Management.
To highlight the success of this program, and in honor of World Mental Health Day and Mental Health Awareness week, we want to share the story of one of the individuals who has benefitted from its services.
Meet “Greg” who began in Care Management in 2012, through the Assisted Outpatient Treatment program. He was mandated by a judge to engage with these services because he had gotten in trouble with the law due to his illness.
Greg began working with Lorraine who was assigned to be his Care Manager. At the beginning, Greg admittedly was not following through with what he was supposed to do with Lorraine or anyone else. He joined the PROS program at Jawonio, worked with Dr. Shaw to get his medication at the proper doses then worked on himself to figure out what he wanted to focus on in terms of his wellness and other educational and career goals.
Greg began working with Lorraine who was assigned to be his Care Manager. At the beginning, Greg admittedly was not following through with what he was supposed to do with Lorraine or anyone else. He joined the PROS program at Jawonio, worked with Dr. Shaw to get his medication at the proper doses then worked on himself to figure out what he wanted to focus on in terms of his wellness and other educational and career goals.
“I was always more comfortable talking to Lorraine about things than all the other people I had to talk to. She made me so comfortable. I had to meet with a lot of people, doctors, therapists, program staff, it was a little overwhelming, “ says Greg.
After exploring his interests, he decided his goal was to get into engineering school. He realized how much he liked science when he was in high school and took an AP Physics class. It was this college level course that inspired him in his interests. But he also had mental health issues that were coming to the surface. After high school he travelled quite a bit in Europe and he unfortunately got involved in situations that got him in trouble. After Greg was assigned to Care Management, with persistence by Lorraine, he began engaging with her and she helped him to apply to college. This was huge goal for him. He took a week off work to complete the applications. He got into a few schools and decided on NY Institute of Technology. He started part-time, taking two classes to start. He loved his electrical circuits class and did very well in the class, earning an A. He was recommended to become a tutor and taught SAT preparation classes. He continued part-time taking only a couple of classes at a time while he was working. He found that he really enjoyed teaching the SAT prep classes. It’s also been a dream of his to play Lacrosse at school. Greg is now completing the paperwork he needs to get cleared by the college to play the sport.
Greg has continued to thrive in school and is almost done with his Bachelors Degree, he will graduate next year.
Greg is now exploring how he can pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. He has many ideas for inventions and a couple in particular that are in development and would be potential candidates for patents. He is working with a professor from his school who has been mentoring him. He is also working towards establishing a company through which the inventions can be pursued and patented. We look forward to seeing great things from Greg in the future!
Greg has continued to thrive in school and is almost done with his Bachelors Degree, he will graduate next year.
Greg is now exploring how he can pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. He has many ideas for inventions and a couple in particular that are in development and would be potential candidates for patents. He is working with a professor from his school who has been mentoring him. He is also working towards establishing a company through which the inventions can be pursued and patented. We look forward to seeing great things from Greg in the future!
“Battling the bad situation I was in when I first came to Care Management and working with Lorraine, we’re like Batman and Robin… Lorraine is Batman, I am Robin,” said Greg.
Lorraine says, “When I first met Greg, he was in serious trouble and had to work really hard to overcome his issues, he has fought through everything so well. He has always been so smart and sweet. I am so very happy to see how he has accomplished what he set out to.”
Allthough at first Greg did not want to do the things assigned to him, he overcame that and through his own determination and the commitment of Lorraine, he set out goals for himself that he was able to reach. And through the treatment team that worked with him, he was able to put in place a personalized plan that gave him the supports, medication and other resources that supported his recovery and enabled him to achieve his goals.
Congratulations to Greg on his success and for the future successes yet to come!
Congratulations to Greg on his success and for the future successes yet to come!
If you would like more information about how to access Care Management Services, please contact Katie Ross, Program Supervisor
Call: 845.708.2000 ext. 2247 or Email: katie.ross@jawonio.org.
Call: 845.708.2000 ext. 2247 or Email: katie.ross@jawonio.org.
You can learn more about how to respond to someone who may be having a mental health issue, you can enroll in our upcoming Mental Health First Aid Training on October 29, 2019. Go to www.jawonio.org/training-center
