The COVID-19 pandemic considerably impacted the psychological well being and well-being of individuals all over the world, nevertheless it has additionally empowered folks to prioritize their psychological well being and well-being greater than they could have up to now.
As folks search assist, they want a trusted supply for psychological and behavioral well being companies. With a concentrate on equitable, whole-person well being, Independence Blue Cross (Independence) now has its personal behavioral well being case administration companies accessible to make it simpler for members to get the assistance they want. The program helps members with psychological well being and substance use problems, life stressors and crises, and stress-related bodily signs. This permits members to have interaction with our personal clinicians, together with nurses, for behavioral well being assist, in addition to entry enhanced companies and ongoing assist to allow them to keep on observe with their care plan.
As a part of our Celebrate Caring marketing campaign to honor excellent nurses in our area, we’re shining a lightweight on two of Independence’s behavioral well being case managers to learn the way they’re utilizing their nursing expertise and backgrounds to assist members handle their well being and well-being.
Meet Our Behavioral Health Case Managers
Rene Dillon and Barbara Leone joined Independence in 2022 after spending most of their careers in conventional nursing settings. Rene has spent most of her 17-year profession working with inpatient psychiatric hospital sufferers (primarily adolescent ladies), whereas Barbara has greater than 30 years of expertise as a behavioral well being nurse, most of it in a hospital setting.
Rene was impressed to enter nursing a few years in the past when three shut relations went into hospice care in a single yr. She was impressed by the nurses’ care and compassion and realized she wished to supply that very same expertise for different households. Soon after, she enrolled in nursing college. When it got here time to resolve what sort of nurse she wished to be, she knew instantly that she wished to enter behavioral well being. She recalled her aunt’s battle with psychological well being and knew that she might make a distinction serving to others in an identical state of affairs.
For Barbara, taking good care of others was in her genes. She grew up in a medical household (her dad was a physician and her mother was a social employee who later grew to become a nurse), so she all the time knew she wished to work within the medical area. Since she beloved speaking to others and knew she didn’t wish to be a physician, she pursued behavioral well being nursing.
Advancing Mental Health for Our Members
While their inspiration for going into nursing was completely different, Rene and Barbara do have one factor in widespread: their ardour for serving to folks enhance their psychological well being.
“There are a lot of challenges with mental health today. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough providers or beds in treatment facilities. We are here as an extra resource for members.” mentioned Rene. “Sometimes, people want help but don’t follow through right away. We’re here to encourage them.”
“I love talking to members and helping them figure out their strengths so they can create a healthier future,” mentioned Barbara. “Sometimes, members are just stuck. I help them identify barriers and provide compassion to help them realize why they need a therapist.”
Day within the Life
Members can name to speak to our behavioral well being case managers at any time. In most circumstances although, the case managers are those making outreach to members who could profit from the behavioral well being case administration program. This contains members who’ve been admitted to the hospital for a psychiatric concern or have been newly recognized with a psychological sickness.
“When we reach out to a member, we explain our program and provide them with resources, educate them on their diagnosis, explain their medications, and help them find providers,” mentioned Rene. “For example, one member was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had no idea what that meant. I helped explain it to her.”
Follow up can also be an vital a part of this system.
“We check in regularly with our members on the program to make sure that they are accomplishing their goals (such as talking to a therapist), taking their medications, and developing and utilizing coping skills,” mentioned Barbara. “We also remind them to take care of themselves and do pleasurable activities, such as going for a walk.”
Once a member demonstrates that they’re doing properly (going to their therapist, taking their drugs, and having a disaster plan in place), all assets have been supplied, and if the member doesn’t have further wants, they “graduate” from this system.
The Rewards of Nursing
Barbara and Rene have discovered that managing an individual’s behavioral well being care over the cellphone may be difficult since you’ll be able to’t see facial expressions or mannerisms. Instead, they need to take heed to the member rigorously to grasp their feelings. Despite the challenges, it’s a really rewarding job for each Barbara and Rene.
“I enjoy seeing people pull themselves out of a hole and succeed in life,” mentioned Barbara. “I had a member in his 90s that didn’t know how to deal with the fact that he was in his final years. He was not happy about it. We decided a therapist might be helpful, but he didn’t have a computer. I made a referral through Quartet Health and was able to find someone who was willing to work with him via the telephone.”
“It feels good to know that I’ve been a big help to someone else,” mentioned Rene. “I had one member who told me that she was struggling at the hospital. I helped get her into therapy. She was very appreciative and thanked me for treating her with dignity.”
The IBX Difference
As psychological well being points proceed to develop as a public well being disaster, Barbara is proud to work for Independence.
“Mental health is important to everyone. So, it’s awesome that Independence does more than just pay the bills. They’re supporting members in so many ways, including mental and behavioral health,” she mentioned.
Thank you to Rene and Barbara and all our behavioral well being case managers for every little thing you do to assist our members’ well being!
Behavioral well being case managers can be found 24/7. To discuss to a case supervisor, IBX members ought to name 1-800-ASK-BLUE.
Quartet is a separate and impartial firm that facilitates and coordinates well timed entry to behavioral well being companies for Independence Blue Cross members.