We believe in Recovery.
We believe in Hope.
Building and Maintaining an Effective
Care Management Leadership Team
Presented By: Nicole Tobey LMSW
Director of Health Home Services
Allison Nassoiy LMSW
Program Director
Katie Behrens LMSW
Sr. Supervising Care Manager
Introductions
What is Horizon Health Services?
 Horizon Health Services is a
not-for-profit corporation that
provides hope and healing for
individuals and their families
dealing with substance use
and/or mental health disorders.
 Established in 1975, Horizon is
the largest provider of mental
health and substance use
treatment in WNY.
 Horizon Health Services
is comprised of three
affiliated not-for-profits:
Horizon Health Services
Horizon Village
Health Management Group
Mission & Vision
Mission
Recovery. Changing Lives. Saving Lives.
Vision
A future where all individuals who need and want help can easily access
Horizon’s effective health and recovery services. Using emerging
technologies and best practices, we will provide innovative services
beyond the boundaries of WNY.
Our Health Home Program
 History
 Previous ICM/SCM provider serving maximum of 100 clients in Niagara
County
 4 ICM with 15 client caseload
 2 SCM with 20 client caseload
 1 Program Coordinator
Where we are today
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Contracted with 3 Lead Health Homes
 HHUNY, NFMMC, GBUAHN
Team of 5 managers consisting of:
 Director of Health Homes
 2 Program Directors
 1 Sr. Supervising Care Manager
 Office Manager
3 Outreach Specialists
21 Care Managers
1 Transitional Care Manager
3 Support Staff
Serving 800 enrolled clients across Niagara and Erie Counties
How did we get from there to here?
What does Leadership mean to you?
Activity-does your description fit leader or boss?
Do you know the difference?
Horizons focuses on Building Leaders
 Benefits of building leaders over bosses
 Allows for more growth
 Focuses on strengths
 Working with staff where they are at and helping them
meet their maximum performance
 Builds trust
 Empowers staff
 Holds them accountable
 Promotes team work
 Creates positive attitudes and morale
Building a Leadership Team
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Believe In HHS Mission and Vision
Excellent work ethic
Loyalty
Dedication
Driven
“Can do” attitude
Willing to break through Barriers
NOT condescending
Genuine and down to earth
Fair minded
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Kind and compassionate towards
clients and staff
Dependable
Respectful of others
Respected by others
Goes above and beyond but not for the
recognition
Able to manage difficult and sensitive
topics
Emotional maturity
So you want to be a Leader?
 When choosing someone to be a part of your
team, ask them “What motivates you to be a
leader?”
 Do they want to just be able to do things their
way because they have the best way? Do they
want it for the control? Or is bettering the lives
of clients; improving the community and your
program your motivation?
Leadership Seminar
“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing
yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about
growing others.”
Jack Welch
 14 Sessions focused on various aspects of Leadership
 Highlights for us
 DiSC Profiles
 Not MY Monkey
 ABC Players
DiSC Profiles
 Important to learn strengths and styles so that the team
understands each others needs and can adjust
 We shared our profiles with the staff so they could better
understand our style of communication and leadership
 We asked them to share with us how they like to receive
feedback
 Helps you to understand why you may be struggling with
communicating to some staff but not with others
DiSC Profiles
 Dominant
 Influence
 Steadiness
 Conscientiousness
Who’s monkey is it anyways?
From a manageable few to being overrun
January 2013 (7 staff)
May 2017 (34 staff with openings)
Nicole Tobey
Director of Health Home
Services
Tina Evrard
Office Manager
Allison Nassoiy
NC Program Director
HARP
TEAM
Rhonda Lee
Jen
Pietrowski
Rose
Douglas
Jessica
Ashby
Suzanne
Smith--EC
Katie Behrens,
Sr. Supervising
Care Manager
Laura Myers
Mark Copeland
Alisa Pucci
Joanne Weich
Hollie Seguin
Emily Dollendorf
Andrew Gruber
Jamie Cullen
Savanna
Terreberry
Nikki DiRamio
Karen Kinzly
Rhonda Wilson
Haley Schlager
Tim Molzen
Lori Coventry
Administrative
Assistant--NC
Christine Sarkees,
Transitional Care
Manager
Jennifer
Hoppe
Administrative
Assistant--EC
Michelle Jacob
EC Program Director
GBUAHN
Colleen
Burke
Dianne
Gilleece
Anissa
Pritchett
Erica
Seymour
HHUNY
Christine
Smith
Shanekqua
Lewis
Jillian
Oehler
The uneducated zoo keepers
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Unaware this was a thing.
Take on the world and be the best at doing it.
Too big so quick – became overrun by monkeys
Welcomed the monkeys with open arms.
Stunted Growth
Joined Forces
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Identifying each other strengths and weaknesses
Communication
Management meetings and problem solving
Respect
Trust
Coping with stress and making the right decision
• Identified our key players
• Managing ABC players
• Stopped making impulsive decisions – managers decide
together
• Instant gratification – what’s that?
• Management prioritizing and streamlining processes.
• Holding staff accountable while praising them for the
above and beyond
This is not a zoo
• Staff are more empowered and confident
• Very clear expectations leads to less confusion and increases
staff growth
• Allowed trust to develop and release control
• Hold people accountable
• Build Strength individually and in the team
ABC Players
 Identifying your ABC players helps you to know
where to put your focus
 Too often we focus on C players and do not give
A and B players the time and attention they need
to grow them professionally
 They become bored and look to move on
 Managers that put their A players first are more
than 50% more likely to have high performing
teams
ABC Players
• A Players- Gold Star, Keener, Wizard
• B Players-Striver, Steadfast
• C Players-Up & Comer, Mistake
Hiring The Best & The Brightest
 In 2016 we hired a total of 21 people; of that only 4 have left for
other opportunities
 We utilize a 3 step interview process
1. Applicants apply online with our Employee Services department
 They are emailed screening questions and asked to return them within 3 days
 The hiring manager reviews the answers to the screening questions and determines if
an interview will be set up
2. 1st interviews are with the Program Directors who screen for skills,
experience and personality
 They provide a writing sample to the candidate
 They complete a recap with a recommendation for a 2nd interview, or not, to the
Director
3. 2nd interviews are set up with the Director and are focused more on the
agency, benefits, expectations of the Program and answering questions
Hiring The Best & The Brightest
Interview for Personality more than skill!
 Someone could have the greatest skill but a poor attitude can be
detrimental to your team
 Know your team and what kind of personality will fit in
 A cohesive team will work better together, will be more positive, will
enjoy coming to work and ultimately serve our clients better
 You can teach skills!
 Have a conversation rather than reading questions from a paper; you
will learn a great deal more about someone
 Be yourself! This allows the candidate to know what to expect from
their supervisor and get a sense for the atmosphere they will work in
Supervision
 Horizons requires supervision be provided to all staff
 We provide a minimum of 1 hour supervision bi-weekly and we
have a 2 hour staff meeting weekly
 Maintain an open door policy so staff ’s immediate needs can be
met and they do not have to wait for scheduled supervision
 Why is supervision important?
 Allows staff the opportunity to have 1 on 1 time with their supervisor
 Fosters their personal and professional growth
 Allows them to ask questions; gives them a voice in program
development
 Let’s them know we hear them- we are listening
 Can develop a closer relationship with them which allows difficult
conversations to happen easier
Supervision
How do we structure our supervisions?
 Example of Supervision Log in your folder
 Staff fill in their supervision agenda items on the form and email it to
their supervisor at least an hour before supervision is scheduled
 Allows the supervisor to review the items and add their additional
items during the session
 Both the supervisor and staff sign off on the log and staff is given a
copy of it
 Supervisor “checks in” with the staff at least once a month
 How are you doing?
 Are you happy? Feeling satisfied in your position? Concerns? Questions?
 Do you like your job still?
Team Building and Recognition
Team Building and Recognition
 Very important to fostering relationships and creating positive morale
 Allows for staff to relax, take a break and get to know one another
 Some activities we have done:
 Birthdays-we always celebrate birthdays! Staff get a birthday treat of the birthday
person’s choosing, a card and we decorate their office area. The team comes together to
eat and give them their card
 Milestones- we celebrate the milestones that people reach not just at work but in their
life (weddings, babies, graduations, work anniversaries)
 Quarterly potlucks
 Awesome Acts-recognizing each other for awesome things they are doing to help one
another and our clients
 Door decorating contest and ugly sweater competition at the Holidays
 Paint Nite outside of work time
 Regularly eating lunch together
 Manager’s Toolbox includes $5 gift cards for instant recognition and $20 per person
budget for bi-annual luncheon or team building activities
How do you get the team to buy in?
 If the Leadership team isn’t fully on board with the Mission and Vision, the
staff won’t be either
 Transparency really goes a long way with staff, they become invested
 Treat them like adults; give them responsibilities and hold them accountable
 Allow some freedom to make decisions independently
 Don’t micromanage; who does that benefit? You or the staff ? Let go of your
need to control and know everything
 Give them opportunities to be involved
 Peer interviewing team
 New hire training team
 Attitude! Attitude! Attitude!