Empowering Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Medicaid Members to Access Comprehensive Social Services
BROOKLYN, N.Y., May 31, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- CABS Health Network ("CABS"), a pivotal force in supporting Brooklyn's most vulnerable residents, is setting a new benchmark in community-based care. By delivering integrated healthcare and social services for a multi-generational population, CABS has firmly established itself as a leader in the field. Founded over 43 years ago, CABS originally aimed to provide essential services and employment opportunities to the Black and Latinx communities in Bedford-Stuyvesant and other underserved areas of Brooklyn.
Today, CABS is at the forefront of a transformative collaboration, bringing together over 50 diverse organizations, including hospitals, CBOs, faith-based groups, health advocacy organizations, independent physician associations (IPAs), government agencies, elected officials, academic institutions, behavioral health organizations, clinical and social care management groups, and technology partners. This extensive network supports New York State's vision and has positioned CABS as a strong lead entity for the Brooklyn Social Care Network.
According to Michael Clarke, Senior Vice President of Housing Works, "CABS is bringing together organizations that are experts in their fields and trusted in the communities they serve. The provider network extends across the entire borough and deep into the neighborhoods with the highest levels of health and economic inequities."
CABS Brooklyn SCN ("BSCN") Community Helping Community collaborators embody over 700 years of collective experience in social services, addressing crucial issues such as housing, nutrition, transportation, chronic illness management, mental health, substance use, and other entitlements management. The Social Care Network – Medicaid 1115 Waiver Amendment: New York Health Equity Reform (NYHER) builds on the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program's successes while addressing its shortcomings. The Medicaid 1115 waiver funding was allocated to the Social Care Network to build out a CBO network to provide Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) screening and navigation to services for some of Brooklyn's most chronically ill, underserved, and disenfranchised Medicaid members.
Service data underscores the urgency of a dynamic SCN coalition in Brooklyn. The borough is characterized by its rich diversity, with over 2.6 million residents, many facing significant disparities in accessing essential health-related social needs (HRSN). With only 55% of HRSN referrals closed between January 2023 and February 2024, it's clear that there's a pressing demand for comprehensive and culturally responsive services. Furthermore, neighborhoods like Sunset Park, Bushwick, and East New York report high rates of preventable healthcare utilization, emphasizing the need or targeted interventions to address underlying social determinants.
"As a force multiplier for good, we are proud to partner with CABS to expand access to care for all New Yorkers," said Michelle Drayton, Vice President of Health Equity at United Way of New York City. "Collaborations like this will further empower underserved communities with the tools and resources they need to thrive, including healthcare and social services, and that is the heart of what we stand for at United Way of New York City."
The CABS BSCN Collaboration emphasizes organizational design and development, empowering CBOs to sustain and grow their communities. This approach ensures a true community-based partnership that is deeply connected to the cultural dynamics of Brooklyn. Innovative programs by CABS are designed not just to address current challenges but to anticipate and build a healthier future. By leveraging advanced technology, the CABS BSCN aims to integrate top-tier technologies with the Anchor Group's Case Management System. This integration will facilitate CBO evaluation, onboarding, training, member assessment, navigation, and service referral management, enabling seamless care coordination and vital data collection. These measures are essential to future-proof Brooklyn's social care infrastructure, enhancing access and equity in health and social services outcomes.
"We are excited to have forged a consulting relationship with CABS Health Network since 2018. CABS is truly a progressive organization, and its leadership is committed to care management and the long-term care continuum, really focusing on providing integrated and value-based care to underserved and disenfranchised populations in Brooklyn and the rest of New York City," said Kevin Howell, CEO of the Anchor Group NA Corp.
Driven by a relentless commitment to excellence and a deep connection to each Brooklyn neighborhood, the CABS BSCN Collaboration is well equipped to meet the evolving care needs of the community. "As true leaders in community-based services, the alliance will continue to pioneer new standards of excellence, ensuring that support remains accessible and effective for all. We are on a journey together to transform how care is delivered, and we are ready and dedicated to revolutionizing the social care infrastructure for the wellness of Brooklyn," said Sherly Demosthenes Atkinson, CEO of CABS Health Network.
About CABS Brooklyn Social Care Network
At the heart of CABS BSCN is a commitment to innovation, healing, care connection, and discovery. The CABS BSCN's mission is to transform the social care delivery model through strong CBO collaboration, technology integration for data capture and care management, and intentional engagement and customer and workforce feedback to drive solutions for advancing greater access and care quality. The CABS Brooklyn SCN will utilize a multichannel communication strategy to connect to CBOs and members and leverage an underlying philosophy—"Community Helping Community." The Brooklyn SCN will focus on addressing social determinants of health and providing comprehensive training and upskilling to CBOs, improving health outcomes, and contributing to the enhancement of the well-being of Brooklyn.
CABS Home Attendants Service, Inc., d/b/a CABS Health Network, is a nonprofit Licensed Home Care Service Agency and Care Management agency that provides essential home care, personal care, and care/case management services that support activities of daily living to the most vulnerable New York City residents. CABS was founded in 1979 to provide resources and services to low-income, elderly, and disabled community residents, predominantly African American, Caribbean American, and Hispanic communities, particularly in Brooklyn's low-income neighborhoods. CABS has since expanded its reach for decades to serve diverse populations throughout New York City, employing and caring for Arabic-speaking, Russian-speaking, Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking, and other Eastern European speakers.
The CABS BSCN community supporters and current Leadership Advisory Council are dedicated to addressing the social determinants of health, eliminating barriers to integrated care, and reflecting Brooklyn's diverse cultural tapestry. CABS has already convened a preliminary meeting with its collaborators and, in anticipation of the notification for the next steps from the New York State Department of Health, the CABS team continues the journey to educate community-based organizations (CBOs) about this opportunity to further serve the underserved populations in Brooklyn.
On June 6, 2024, the CABS BSCN will host a Virtual Townhall event to invite other CBOs to collaborate to serve Brooklyn. Notable organizations that have supported the CABS bid to be the lead entity for the Brooklyn Social Care Network include:
- HousingWorks
- United Way of New York City
- One Brooklyn Health
- Long Island University
- Elmy's Special Services
- Start Treatment & Recovery Centers, Inc.
- Community Care Management Partners
- Jewish Association for Services for the Aged
- Little Flower Children & Family Services
- God's Love We Deliver
- EngageWell
- Lamb Insurance Services
- Flagstar Bank
- Anchor Group NA Corp
- RemoteFocus
- RxDiet
For media inquiries, please contact Kevin Howell at [email protected]. It's not too late to join the CABS BSCN. Join our collaboration.
- Survey for Potential CBO Partners: https://bit.ly/CABSSCNSurvey
- Letter of Intent: https://bit.ly/CABSSCNLetterofIntent
SOURCE CABS Health Network
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