This month, Southern Tier Connect (STC) launched its Mentorship Program. This program pairs mentors with care coordination managers (CCMs) who would like to further develop their skills. Ultimately, this program will support CCMs in ensuring that STC members are given the support and services they need to feel safe, access services, and receive the healthcare to pursue their goals. Program Coordinator Dorothy Tucker shares that she is excited to oversee “firsthand the development of all participants and improved care management provided to all STC members.” The goal of this program is twofold: support staff in meeting their professional goals, and increase member satisfaction.
Each mentor brings a unique set of skills that will support their mentees in reaching their goals. Crystal Baldwin, a care coordination manager for STC, has grown in her role for the last 12 years and developed her organization and time management skills. Crystal describes her experience as, “Once you have a good strategy on how to prioritize and organize your normal everyday responsibilities, it helps you manage your time and give more to the members we serve.” She is excited to share her experience at STC with newer employees.
Introducing STC’s Mentorship Program Mentees
Crystal Baldwin, Care Coordination Manager
Johanna Jackson, Care Coordination Manager
Brittany Riso, Care Coordination Manager
For Brittany Riso, another CCM at STC, mentorship has been a crucial way for her to grow in her career. She believes that “mentorship is a powerful way to foster a supportive environment, build leadership skills, and enhance our collective impact on members’ lives.” Brittany expresses that she hopes to support her mentees through “developing their problem-solving abilities, navigating difficult cases, and understanding the nuances of care coordination.” These skills, she believes, help to foster the quality and consistency of services provided to members, as well as promote empathetic care.
Joanna Jackson shared that she hopes that “the mentor program will create a support network that allows our employees to work better together to support members.” She is excited to work alongside her mentees to develop new ideas and strategies to streamline work. For Joanna, being a mentor aligns with her own passions. She learns by teaching and she hopes that “guiding another person will show me new techniques to be successful in my job and ultimately support our members even more.” The mentor-mentee relationship is another opportunity for participants to share their ideas and talents with one another.
The creation of the Mentorship Program began from care manager feedback. As a growing organization, STC takes its yearly employee feedback surveys as an opportunity to grow and develop programs that improve services for members. Stay tuned for updates on this new program at Southern Tier Connect.