Millersville, Maryland – The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs is excited to announce the appointment of four new Board Officers to The Center’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors. James Karpook, incoming Chair of the Board, has served on The Center’s Board of Directors since 2011 and is currently a Principal at The Chartis Group, the nation’s largest healthcare advisory firm, and a leader in the firm’s Performance Practice. Carole Taylor, MBA, incoming Vice Chair, has served on The Center’s Board of Directors since 2015 and is presently Senior Vice President, Technology and Operations at The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. Carole is an IT leader with 20+ years’ experience managing all aspects of technology. Hillery Tsumba, incoming Secretary, has served on The Center’s Board of Directors since 2015 and is Director of Organizational Strategy at the Primary Care Coalition, responsible for the human resources, government relations, fundraising and business development, and communications functions within the organization. Scott Reifsnyder, incoming Treasurer, has served on The Center’s Board of Directors since 2020 and is currently the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Nexterus, Inc., a fast growing, privately held supply chain engineering and technology company.

“We are so very fortunate to have James, Carole, Hillery and Scott on our Board,” said Teresa Titus Howard, PhD, MHA, MSW, President and CEO of The Center. “Each one of them provides our board with a unique background and perspective and I look forward to growing The Center with their expertise and guidance,” said Dr. Titus-Howard.

Mr. James Karpook has over 30 years of experience providing a wide range of advisory services to executive and physician leadership of hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers, and provider organizations. Before joining The Chartis Group, Mr. Karpook was a Senior Partner with CSC and its predecessor, APM Management Consultants. Mr. Karpook is a recognized leader in the areas of operational and clinical performance improvement in hospitals and health systems and The Coordinating Center Appoints New Officers of the Board has authored several papers on performance transformation. He has presented on this topic at ACHE, the AHA Leadership Summit, AONE, the Pediatric Collaborative for Value-Based Care, OR Manager and NCHE. Mr. Karpook received his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science degree from Columbia University in New York City.

Ms. Carole Taylor specializes in project management, technology adoption, databases/business intelligence, strategic planning, budgeting, and management. Ms. Taylor has a Bachelor of Science from Towson University, and an MBA from University of Baltimore. She states, “I have a lot of experience with children with disabilities in my personal life and have friends who are clients of The Center. I feel very connected to The Center, because of its mission and commitment to the community as a nonprofit. I’ve spent my career dedicated to helping not for profit organizations succeed.” Ms. Taylor is currently an officer for the Parents Association Board for Gateway School and is a volunteer for Cub Scout Pack 577.

Ms. Hillery Tsumba supports organizational growth and advances the mission of the Primary Care Coalition by working closely with the CEO, the Board of Directors, and senior executives to align operational activities with the strategic plan. Ms. Tsumba is a mission driven executive committed to strengthening organizations and the communities they serve. Interested in executive leadership, strategic planning, and organizational development. Ms. Tsumba is currently pursuing an MBA at Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, has a Certificate in Executive Leadership from Cornell University, and a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and African Studies from Hampshire College.

Mr. Scott Reifsnyder is a finance professional who has spent over 17 years as a mid-market CFO leading all facets of finance, accounting, human resources, legal and administration. He has a strong track record of setting fiscal policy, controlling costs, strategic planning for growth, budgeting, investment management and benefits administration. Mr. Reifsnyder has served on many Boards (both nonprofit and for profit) and has led Finance Committees over his 30-year career. Mr. Reifsnyder graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Washington Adventist University.

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Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Millersville, Maryland, The Coordinating Center is a statewide, nonprofit organization that provides care coordination services for more than 10,000 children and adults with complex medical needs and disabilities and their families. The mission of The Center is to partner with people of all ages and abilities and those who support them in the community to achieve their aspirations for independence, health, and meaningful community life. Visit www.coordinatingcenter.org for more information.

 

Promoting Health Equity in Rural Maryland by expanding medical homes for children and youth with special health care needs.

Millersville, Maryland – The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs is excited to announce that is one of the 35 organizations selected by the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC) to receive grant funding this year. CHRC funding has enabled The Coordinating Center to expand VIPhysicians&Kids, its medical home and care coordination services program for children and youth with special health care needs, to rural Maryland.

“We know from our partner the Maryland Rural Health Association (MRHA), a nonprofit dedicated to education and advocacy for optimal health and wellness of rural communities, that there are significant gaps in health care access in rural Maryland, with the largest gap being pediatric specialists. This places a tremendous burden on the family to seek services outside of their community, with many children and youth being placed on wait lists,” said Karen Twigg, VP, Population Health and Director, VIPhysicians&Kids at The Coordinating Center. VIPhysicians&Kids will address these disparities by supporting families through the navigation and access of services, resources, and supports. “Critical to our success in Allegany and Caroline counties is our partnership with MRHA, who is helping us with outreach to rural health care centers and community-based services, including school-based health centers. I’m delighted to announce that we are in the process of onboarding Children’s Medical Group in Cumberland and the Choptank Community Health System on the Eastern Shore and plan to begin supporting their patients mid-August,” said Ms. Twigg.

“The CHRC is delighted to support the expansion of the VIPhysicians&Kids at The Coordinating Center,” commented Mark Luckner, CHRC Executive Director. “The program will expand access to much-needed pediatric specialty health services for at-risk and vulnerable children in rural jurisdictions throughout Maryland.”

ABOUT MARYLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH RESOURCE COMMISSION
The Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC) was created by the Maryland General Assembly in 2005 to expand access to health care services in underserved communities in
Maryland. The CHRC is an independent commission operating within the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), whose 11 members are appointed by the Governor. Since its inception, the CHRC has awarded 347 grants totaling $85.9 million, supporting programs in every jurisdiction of the state. These programs have collectively served more than 504,000 Marylanders, and grants awarded by the CHRC have enabled grantees to leverage $31.8 million in additional federal and private/non-profit resources.

ABOUT THE COORDINATING CENTER
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Millersville, Maryland, The Coordinating Center is a statewide, nonprofit organization that provides care coordination services for more than 10,000 children and adults with complex medical needs and disabilities and their families. The mission of The Center is to partner with people of all ages and abilities and those who support them in the community to achieve their aspirations for independence, health, and meaningful community life Visit www.coordinatingcenter.org for more information.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Media: Renée Dain, SVP, Strategic Partnerships; 410-987-1048, ext. 2350 or rdain@coordinatingcenter.org.
Program: Karen Twigg, VP, Population Health and Director, VIPhysicians&Kids; 410-987-1048 ext. 3590 or ktwigg@coordinatingcenter.org.

In 1972, the Autism Society launched the first-ever annual National Autistic Children’s week, which later became known as Autism Acceptance Month, a nation wide effort to promote awareness and understanding for people with Autism. This year, the Autism Society of America, the nation’s oldest leading grassroots autism organization, is proud to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month in April 2021 with its “Celebrate Differences” campaign, as they join with other local, state, and national disability organizations to shift focus from awareness to acceptance.

This shift comes in response to the autism community feeling that acceptance is a growing need within the community as autistic individuals continue to face challenges when looking for employment, housing, and affordable health care.
The goal for Autism Acceptance Month per the Autism Society of America, is to “further increase awareness about autism signs, symptoms and opportunities through: information and referrals, events, printable and digital resources, and community partnerships with businesses and organizations dedicated to building inclusive experiences.”

By shifting the focus, the goal is to promote acceptance and celebration of autistic people (many of whom prefer identity-first language to people-first language). According to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s article on Autism Acceptance Month, “Autism is a natural variation of the human experience, and we can all create a world which values, includes, and celebrates all kinds of minds.” By focusing on acceptance, the goal is to improve support and opportunities across all aspects of life, including education, employment, and health care.

While every day is a celebration of autism for The Coordinating Center’s Autism Waiver Services Team, this month, the team will be meeting to discuss the importance of this shift, as well as to review perspectives from autistic persons about symbols, language, and inclusivity.

By Sheri Weissman
Director Autism Waiver Services
The Coordinating Center

The START program model was established in 1988 by Dr. Joan B. Beasley and her team to provide community-based crisis intervention for individuals with intellectual/ developmental disabilities (IDD) and mental health needs. START is a comprehensive model of service supports that optimizes independence, treatment and community living. The model is person-centered, solutions-focused approach that employs positive psychology and other evidence-based practices.

In November 2020, the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) announced its plans to implement a START pilot in the Central Region. The pilot aims to provide the development and implementation of a community based tertiary care crisis intervention for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and behavioral health care needs. Training and technical support to be provided by the Center for START Services.

In January 2021, The Coordinating Center was selected by the DDA to participate in the 12-month pilot. The Center has three Supports Planners who are currently participating in six hours of START training per week with The Center for START Services. “We are delighted to be a part of this innovative pilot as there is a significant need for cross systems crisis prevention and intervention planning. Participation in START will enable The Center to better serve our constituents with IDD and behavioral health care needs,” said Dr. Pamula Mills, Director, Coordination of Community Services (CCS) at The Center.

The Coordinating Center is pleased to announce that this year’s CenterFlix Gala Fundraiser will be held virtually on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CenterFlix will feature inspirational client stories, a live/silent auction, and optional catering. Join us from the comfort of your own home, as we celebrate the lives of people with disabilities and complex medical and social needs.

CenterFlix proceeds benefit The Center’s Family Resource Fund, which is used as a last resort when no other funding is available to support critical needs (i.e., rapid rehousing, home modifications and medical items not fully funded by Medicaid) and other items that can help improve a person’s quality of life (i.e., respite, summer camp, adaptive equipment and assistive technology).

To date we have raised a total of $82,000, which we could not have done without the help of all of our generous sponsors and donors. Special thanks to our Corporate Sponsors:

• Platinum Sponsor: Kelly Cove Mobility
• Gold Sponsors: Amerigroup and Comcast
• Silver Sponsors: LifeBridge Health, Corporate Synergies, The Berman–Gara Group – UBS Financial Services and Cigna
• Bronze Sponsors: Featured HERE.

To learn more about how to be apart our event and to purchase tickets please visit our website at the link below.

https://www.coordinatingcenter.org/centerflix/centerflix-2020-tickets/

Millersville, Maryland—The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs, is excited to announce Khuzaima Pirbhai, CPA, MBA, FCCA, as its next Chief Financial Officer.

Mr. Pirbhai joins The Center with 25+ years’ experience in accounting, finance, and management. Prior to joining The Center, he served as Laureate Education Inc.’s Executive Director of Strategic Finance, where he completed Strategic Acquisitions and Divestitures in excess of $7B and helped execute Laureate’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) in 2017. During Mr. Pirbhai’s tenure at Laureate, he managed the budgeting, forecasting and long-range planning process, capital investment (Capital Expenditures and Mergers and Acquisitions) decision making process from development through board approval. Mr. Pirbhai established various Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and analytics to support Laureate’s C-Suite and Board in decision making. Prior to Laureate, Mr. Pirbhai was the Director of Corporate Accounting at Autogrill Inc, where he led various technology implementation and process improvement projects. Throughout Mr. Pirbhai’s career, he has been fortunate to work for global companies like Best Western, KPMG and Ernst & Young. Mr. Pirbhai resides in Ellicott City Maryland, where he lives with his wife and two kids.

Millersville – Maryland – The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs is excited to announce that The Center is accepting referrals from the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration’s (DDA) Coordination of Community Services (CCS) Program in the Central and Southern Region of Maryland. The DDA is the primary State agency that funds community-based services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the CCS program enables participants and their families to gain access to critical resources and Medicaid Waiver services that encourage self-sufficiency, health and safety and real community participation.

Pamula Mills, PhD. joins The Coordinating Center as its new Director, Coordination of Community Services. Dr. Mills is a clinical psychologist who is passionate about mental health and supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Prior to coming to The Center, Dr. Mills was the Program Director of a nonprofit, Valentine Community Services in Washington, DC, responsible for the management of supported living, day habitation, and companion services for individuals with intellectual disabilities and psychiatric disorders. Dr. Mills is skilled in program development and execution, quality oversight, training, and compliance.

“We are thrilled to join the DDA community in providing CCS services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Coordinating Center is deeply committed to conflict-free case management services, person- and family-centered care, and its mission, which is to partner with our clients and those who support them in the community to achieve their aspirations for independence, health and meaningful community life,” said Teresa Titus-Howard, PhD, MHA, MSW, President/CEO of The Coordinating Center.

Millersville – Maryland – The Coordinating Center, Maryland’s statewide, premier nonprofit care coordination organization for children and adults with disabilities and complex needs is excited to announce that The Center is now accepting referrals from the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration’s (DDA) Coordination of Community Services (CCS) Program in the Central and Southern Region of Maryland. The DDA is the primary State agency that funds community-based services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the CCS program enables participants and their families to gain access to critical resources and Medicaid Waiver services that encourage self-sufficiency, health and safety and real community participation.

“We are thrilled to join the DDA community in providing CCS services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Coordinating Center is deeply committed to conflict-free case management services, person- and family-centered care, and its mission, which is to partner with our clients and those who support them in the community to achieve their aspirations for independence, health and meaningful community life,” said Teresa Titus-Howard, PhD, MHA, MSW, President/CEO of The Coordinating Center.

Millersville, Maryland—The Coordinating Center is excited to announce that Octavia Peterson, MSA, MPH from Prince George’s County has been promoted to Director, Community First Programs (CFP). As CFP Director, Ms. Peterson will provide oversight of The Center’s supports planning services for more than 3,500 Marylanders statewide, enrolled in one of Maryland Medicaid’s Home and Community Based Services Programs (HCBS) and/or Waiver. HCBS enable people with disabilities and older adults to live at home and/or transition from nursing homes to homes in the community.

Previously, Ms. Peterson served as Director, Wellness and Independence for Seniors at Home (WISH) program, which aimed to reduce avoidable hospital use for adults 65+ living in Montgomery and parts of Prince George’s County. The Center was contracted by the Nexus Montgomery Regional Partnership initiative, to provide coaching and care coordination services for WISH participants. The program recently ended in June due to lack of funding.

Ms. Peterson has more than 10 years of Public Health and management experience. Prior to the joining The Center, Ms. Peterson served as the Director of Population and Community Health with MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital, Health Educator Manager for Inova Juniper Program with PA/mid-Atlantic AIDS Education and Training Center, and held other positions in public health with several agencies, such as the Maryland Department of Health, American Nurses Association, and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“Ms. Peterson’s passion for the mission, commitment to person-centered care and proven track record of excellence in community based services will continue to position The Center as a leader in home and community based services” Teresa Titus-Howard, President and CEO.