USM/Medicaid Partnership Trains Providers on Person-Centered Practices
Thu, 07/29/2021 - 10:36am | By: Karelia Pitts
More than 20,000 Mississippians who have disabilities or are elderly receive services
and support through five waiver programs administered by the Mississippi Division
of Medicaid (DOM). To ensure those vulnerable populations receive the best possible
care, The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi (USM) School of Social Work is leading
the way in training state caregivers to use person-centered practices.
In partnership with DOM, the Mississippi Person Centered Practices Initiative (MS-PCPI) has trained over 4,000 waiver support staff 鈥� from the Delta to the Gulf Coast 鈥� since March 2017.
鈥淭he USM School of Social Work is providing exceptional provider training that really touches people鈥檚 lives,鈥� said Drew Snyder, DOM executive director. 鈥淲e are grateful for their support in elevating the quality of care for individuals receiving Home and Community Based Services.鈥�
By developing individualized care plans with specific details about each person鈥檚
unique likes, dislikes, strengths and goals, MS-PCPI trainers and state caregivers
are improving the lives of Mississippians. Two members of the USM School of Social
Work grant team are the only trainers in the state who have been nationally certified
by The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices 鈥� Courtney Williams based
in Hattiesburg, and Yolanda Green based in Long Beach.
鈥淥ur drive to instill a person-centered culture in Mississippi is motivated by the
desire to provide better and more individualized support to those who are receiving
Medicaid waiver services,鈥� said Courtney Williams, MS-PCPI program director and trainer.
鈥淲e get to be a part of the person鈥檚 dreams and goals coming to pass as they live
a more satisfying life. Our mission is to restore positive control to the person鈥檚
life by making sure they are being heard.鈥�
In 1989, founders of the Learning Community realized individuals with developmental
disabilities and challenging behaviors had frequently been labeled as 鈥渘ot ready鈥�
for life in the community when in fact they did have the capacity to live fuller lives
than they were experiencing. The Learning Community designed a new lifestyle planning
method to return positive control to these individuals.
The person-centered practices they developed have since become so widely recognized
and supported that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a national
mandate that all caregivers working with waiver recipients must adopt the person-centered
approach by March 2023. The USM School of Social Work has also incorporated the practices
into curriculum to prepare 51逗奶 Miss students for future jobs working with Medicaid
waiver programs and providers.
MS-PCPI trainers work with Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) case managers
鈥� at state agencies and private businesses that run residential living facilities
鈥� who serve individuals receiving benefits from the following long-term care waivers:
Assisted Living, Elderly and Disabled, Independent Living, Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal
Cord Injury, and Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities.
The person-centered approach discourages the use of terms such as 鈥減atient鈥� and 鈥渃lient鈥� as a way to humanize and empower those being served. The approach focuses on trying to understand the person鈥檚 wants, needs and interests to help them regain or maintain residence within the community or pursue activities like competitive employment, dining out, shopping and attending church.
Katrina McDonald works for the Mississippi Department of Mental Health at Ellisville
State School and serves as a support coordinator for those on Medicaid waivers. She
feels the trainings are valuable for caregivers and those they serve.
鈥淢S-PCPI is beneficial for everyone who works with individuals with developmental
disabilities because you work through not only what the caregivers think is best,
but also what the waiver recipients actually want for themselves,鈥� McDonald said.
鈥淵ou can see their eyes light up because they know they鈥檙e being heard. They like
the attention and gain a sense of pride when other people care about what they think
and desire.鈥�
MS-PCPI workshop participants have experienced improvements in their knowledge and
skills, and after person-centered concepts have been implemented, satisfaction has
increased for waiver recipients and their families.
鈥淩esults indicate we鈥檙e having a tremendous impact not just on the trainees but also
on the persons and families they serve,鈥� said Dr. Bret Blackmon, associate director
for the USM School of Social Work. 鈥淪upporting Mississippians with disabilities so
that they can live independently and as valued members of their communities will lead
to long-term social and economic benefits by limiting institutionalization and thereby
reducing the taxpayer burden. We are glad to see the Mississippi Division of Medicaid鈥檚
continued partnership with MS-PCPI because it is the only entity in our state with
the expertise and localized capacity to continue this important work.鈥�
For more information about the Mississippi Person Centered Practices Initiative, click here. To learn more about the USM College of Education and Human Sciences, which houses
the School of Social Work, visit .