Maui Case Managers Honored for Care of Mentally Ill Residents

(L-R) First row: Jessica Horton, Jacqueline Warlick, Alicia Fu, Keana Rees, Donna Keyes, Jeanne-Marie Long, Edith Blas, Elizabeth Gonzales. Back row: Patricia Kaleiwahea, Thomas Robertson, Symphonie Cubit, Angelique Matutino, Monica Velasco, Chelsea Phillips, Dario Garcia. Photo courtesy of ‘Ohana Health Plan.

Case managers with ‘Ohana Health Plan’s Community Care Services were honored recently for their work to connect the state’s mentally ill population with the care and services they need.

Their work includes helping Hawaiʻi’s 8,000 nightly homeless found at shelters, on beaches and in parks throughout the state.

Through the state’s Department of Human Services’ Quest Integration program, CCS assigns case managers to facilitate the delivery of behavioral and medical health services to Medicaid-eligible adults who have serious mental illness.

CCS case managers meet face-to-face with members to assess their health, plan their care program, and monitor their progress towards reaching their behavioral health goals. In addition, case managers help members get the social services they need to become and stay healthy. This includes finding housing, employment, transportation and helping them apply for benefits like food stamps.

‘Ohana Health Plan has been the sole provider of CCS services since 2013.

Recently ‘Ohana Health Plan, a WellCare Health Plans, Inc. company, honored 28 case managers who regularly demonstrate outstanding care for members. State Sen. Josh Green, chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, was present to recognize their achievements.

The honorees, who were nominated by their case management agencies include:

· Joy Gorman, Aloha House, Maui
· Monica Velasco, Breaking Boundaries, Oʻahu
· Patricia Kaleiwahea, Care Hawaiʻi, Hilo
· Judith “Malia” Guerra, Care Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi
· Keana Rees, Care Hawaiʻi, Kona
· Mary Jane Lonzame, Care Hawaiʻi, Oʻahu
· Dario Garcia, Community Empowerment Resources, Oʻahu
· Symphonie Cubit, Hale Naʻau Pono, Oʻahu
· Renee Wetzel, Helping Hands Hawaiʻi, Hilo
· Chelsea Phillips, Helping Hands Hawaiʻi, Oʻahu
· Angelique Matutino, Hina Mauka, Oʻahu
· Janice Workman, Hope, Inc., Hilo
· Alicia Fu, Hope, Inc., Oʻahu
· Donna Keys, Institute for Human Services, Oʻahu
· Alvin Stephenson, Kalihi Palma Health Center, Oʻahu
· Etsuko Yamaguchi, Kōkua Kalihi Valley, Oʻahu
· Victoria Clark, Mental Health Kōkua, Hilo
· Elizabeth Gonzales, Mental Health Kōkua, Kauaʻi
· Jessica Horton, Mental Health Kōkua, Kona
· Edith Blas, Mental Health Kōkua, Maui
· Jacqueline Warlick, Mental Health Kōkua, Oʻahu
· Thomas Robertson, North Shore Mental Health, Oʻahu
· Mein Hoa, Susannah Wesley, Oʻahu
· Jeanne-Marie Long, Windward TSS, Oʻahu
· Derrick Sugi, West Hawaiʻi CMHC, Hawaiʻi
· Brandy Akimo, West Honolulu TSS, Oʻahu
· Kristina Kanani Carmichael, East Hawaiʻi CMHC, Hawaiʻi
· Malyntha Halealpiy, Maui CHMC, Maui

“‘Ohana is dedicated to providing our members with access to the care and services they need to reach their optimal health. These outstanding individuals are met with challenges every day and refuse to back away,” said Dr. Edward Fess, senior medical director at ‘Ohana Health Plan.

“They have moved homeless people into housing, accompanied members to hospitals to ensure the appropriate care is received, and made sure people had transportation to get to their doctor. I am inspired by their commitment to working with an entire team of health and social services professionals to help improve lives,” said Dr. Fess.

As of Sept. 30, 2016, ‘Ohana Health Plan has nearly 240 employees in Hawaiʻi and serves approximately 57,000 members through its offices in Kapolei, Honolulu, Hilo and Kahului.