New initiative designed to boost quality of care, improve patient outcomes

Three North Carolina specialty Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) have come together to launch a one-of-a-kind workforce development initiative that will provide cutting-edge training resources to their network providers.

Through this collaborative effort between Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, Smoky Mountain LME/MCO and Trillium Health Resources, providers will have access to expert training resources and groundbreaking, evidence-based curricula. These resources, provided by DirectCourse, are designed specifically for direct support professionals who provide services to individuals with disabilities.

New standards for direct support professionals set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) focus on improving quality services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The DirectCourse training curricula offered through this new workforce development collaborative are aligned with the CMS competencies that have been adopted in the NC Innovations waiver that will go into effect in North Carolina this July.

Curricula offered through the collaboration include:
• College of Direct Support & College of Frontline Supervision and Management
• College of Employment Services
• College of Personal Assistance and Caregiving
• College of Recovery Community and Inclusion