Home & Community Based Services (HCBS): B.R.’s Growth and Determination Know No Boundaries
B.R., diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, became pregnant at 17 and sought a safe haven to help her transition into motherhood. She met regularly with FCA’s HCBS providers and her private therapist to identify past triggers to her mental health symptoms. As a result, she gained significant awareness about her susceptibility to Post-Partum Depression and its many symptoms. After giving birth to a healthy baby girl in March 2018, B.R. realized she was experiencing some of these symptoms and reached out to HCBS providers and medical professionals for support.
B.R. has used helpful techniques to curb many of her symptoms while maintaining her role as primary caregiver. She has also adhered to all WIC and medical appointments for her baby and continues to contact HCBS providers whenever she encounters a question about childcare. She is now planning to attend college online. For B.R., the sky is the limit!
Medicaid Care Coordination: A Young Woman with Extraordinary Talent
Congratulations to our Medicaid Care Coordination client, O.S., for being accepted into the Barry Tech Home Health Aide program! Her Care Manager supported her every step of the way, including collaborating with O.S.’ mother to help O.S. obtain an interview for the program.
O.S. aspires to become a CNA after graduation and also has a beautiful singing voice: she performed “Pretty Hurts” by Beyoncé at Art Expressions on June 22nd and at the BOCES CCA graduation. She is also an accomplished softball player at Hempstead High School and is enrolled in competitive dance. She and her mother are active members of FCA’s Family Center Nassau Respite Program, and despite experiencing many hardships (including the recent loss of her grandmother), O.S. always finds the good in life.
Non-Medicaid Care Coordination: A Hole-In-One Transformation
D.U., who came to FCA just a few months ago, attends school in Massapequa. He entered our program expressing anger and resentment toward his mother, making little effort to socialize with others. Much of his free time was spent playing video games at home until his Care Manager linked him up with golf lessons. The activity, financed with service dollars, provides a positive outlet for D.U., who has become more social and less argumentative with his mother. He’s even hoping to attend golf camp this summer
Family Center Supports and Inspires: Past, Present, and Future
Recently, a parent reached out to our Family Engagement Specialist Gwen Breidbart. The mother was experiencing difficulty with her son, who was discharged from HCBS a few years ago. Gwen met with the parent the very next day. With Gwen’s encouragement, the mother began attending our Parent Support Group and credits FCA’s family support services for equipping her with crucial information and advocacy skills. She was particularly moved by Gwen’s ability to remember detailed information about her son from a few years ago, exclaiming, “I can’t believe you remembered that! I even forgot about that!”
Family Center client J.R. is on track to graduate with a Regent’s Diploma in June 2019. This is a huge achievement for J.R., who had previously accumulated many absences from school. Her academic performance has improved drastically since September and she refuses to let anything interfere with obtaining her Regent’s Diploma on time. Additionally, J.R. was accepted to the Nassau Community College High School program and is currently holding a steady job. She is more motivated than ever and is a positive influence on her peers. She is excited to start the next chapter of her journey. Way to go J.R.!
