For thousands of older adults and people with disabilities and their families, Connecticut Community Care is the connection to a circle of support and services that help individuals thrive at home.
Again, this year the vast team who make up Connecticut Community Care (CCC) proved their profound commitment to the people we serve. Our CCC staff – providing care management, transitional services and purposeful community engagement – rose to meet increasingly complex needs and demands.
Unfortunately, the pandemic continued to disrupt the lives of all our clients and communities, exacerbate the challenges so many were already facing and shine the proverbial light on long standing inequities.
For CCC, the impact of the pandemic, coupled with the realities of an aging population, made for an environment not only of constant change and uncertainty, but of resolve and rapid-paced innovation.
It helped us establish a framework for how we will move forward together. We launched our new Strategic Plan to best thrive and succeed in a world that can change so quickly.
Building off our deep roots – 42+ years of exemplary service – we are amplifying innovative approaches and establishing new tenets for transformation.
Our roadmap encompasses key pillars, serving as an opportunity to reframe and transform our client and community engagement to make an even bigger difference and social impact.
Transcending it all is our commitment to the fundamental importance of centering race equity in the work we do and the way we work.
This past year will long be remembered as pivotal and poignant.
As you can imagine, I am consistently and immensely grateful for our talented and incredibly hard-working team of CCC staff, as well as a dedicated Board of Directors and our countless partners, especially the provider network and the State of Connecticut.
For thousands of older adults and people with disabilities and their families, Connecticut Community Care is the connection to a circle of support and services that help individuals thrive at home.
As a way of helping others and bringing attention to her rare disability, Jasmin blogs about her life with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), a progressive genetic connective tissue disorder characterized by abnormal development of bone in areas of the body where bone is not normally present.
In her blog, One Spirit, Two Skeletons, Jasmin discusses her painful physical condition and her ongoing journey to manage the big changes that affect her life.
“I stay positive by writing, reflecting, listening to music, and praying. I turn to my faith, and I try to always maintain a sense of peace. This helps me cling to sources of happiness and joy, even on my darkest days. I’ve learned that it’s okay to not always be positive, so I allow myself time to feel whatever it is I’m feeling. I’m very grateful to have wonderful people in my life who have given me invaluable support, love and encouragement. My support systems are vital to me.”
Jasmin talks with gratitude about her family and the community of people affected by rare diseases and is hopeful for a cure someday. Her blog calls attention to the need for community, family, home services and more research.
Jasmin’s CCC Care Manager, Jennifer coordinates in-home support services and advocates with her through the Personal Care Assistance Waiver.
Narlease loves being a big sister. Her mom, Eboni says “Together, they love pushing the envelope!” The two are inseparable now that Narlease is home from the hospital where she spent the first 3 years of her life. Since birth, her movement, speech and breathing were affected and required time to develop with the help of the hospital’s therapeutic staff.
Now a four-year-old, Narlease is in school building friendships and receiving encouragement from classmates. Eboni says, “She loves it. She tackles each exercise and undertakes each new challenge to increase mobility and speech. Seeing her in the stander and starting to talk – it’s such a huge improvement. She can scoot, lift herself up and off the couch and play.”
Narlease’s CCC Care Manager, Michelle says:
“Narlease is awesome. Adorable. Her expressions tell us everything. When we transition children from a hospital setting, many have been there since birth, and they’re not used to being outside except for structured times. Narlease just ran headfirst into it, without a worry!”
In the past, it was difficult to imagine traveling as a family. Now, Eboni is considering a vacation she thinks both daughters would enjoy. “It might help to celebrate everything that we have accomplished together.”
CCC helps people of all ages, abilities, ethnicities and incomes live their best lives – however they define it. And we strive to help them live at home by forging meaningful connections to the wealth of support and services right around them, in their communities. Our 200-plus care managers are partners, solution seekers, navigators and advocates for individuals and families. We listen, assess and help people we serve achieve their goals by developing customized plans of care and delivering high-quality care management and transitional support. We share information on critical resources, provide connection to quality services and supports and follow up with ongoing guidance and further engagement as needs and life circumstances change. Through our national accreditations (National Committee for Quality Assurance/ NCQA), CCC affirms its commitment to person-centered, quality care management.
CCC also provides customized care management services through our private care division known as Care Management Associates (CMA). CMA provides tailored day-to-day care management services, support and advocacy for our clients and their families.
In addition, we lead, collaborate and make critical connections that help foster positive outcomes for people in communities through initiatives like:
CT Healthy Living Collective is a growing statewide network of organizations and individuals working together to support a vision to ensure CT residents have easy access to evidence-based programs and services that promote healthy aging and enhance social connection.
CT Age Well Collaborative is a statewide cross-sector initiative that fosters Connecticut communities where we all thrive as we grow up and grow older.
The Collaborative co-creates, educates, innovates, celebrates and evaluates best practices, projects and policies to shape more aging, dementia, and disability-inclusive communities.
Meet Our Clients
With our mission at the core of all we do, CCC is driving towards a state of ultimate efficiency and resource optimization, equity and quality. This reporting year, CCC adopted new technology-enabled solutions, launched new programs to broaden our reach, and recommitted to combating systemic racism.
We launched new digital tools that help us expedite access to programs and streamline the delivery of service. For example, CCC adopted use of a range of telehealth capabilities to best meet our clients where they are.
We implemented a learning management system to supplement our extensive in-house content. With an ongoing commitment to professional development and continuous learning, this comprehensive platform gives our staff an opportunity to earn CEUs.
Exchanging Health Data
We are proud to be one of the first adopters among community-based providers to officially connect to CONNIE, Connecticut’s official Health Information Exchange. This secure and confidential way of sharing health information electronically among doctors’ offices, hospitals, labs, radiology centers and other healthcare and key community providers is critical to providing high quality, wholistic care. The use of real-time data exchange will help facilitate care management interventions during critical moments for our clients.
Expanding our Reach
CCC is proud to support the launch of a new state initiative called My Care Options (MCO) that extends our service to residents of nursing homes on the Medicare Savings Program (MSP), but who are not financially eligible for Medicaid. Our long-term services and supports specialists engage with individuals to provide community-based services and supports options and help. Our staff works with them to identify a path forward to community-based living if they so choose.
Advancing Value-Based Care
The State of Connecticut utilized American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds to create incentives for value based care for home and community-based providers, like CCC. This reporting period
proved to be successful as we met the state-established benchmarks. This involved a connection with CONNIE and completion of a series of trainings on racial equity and trauma informed care.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion
This past year we reaffirmed our infinite commitment to Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion. Our interdisciplinary and cross functional DEI team engaged in reflective and actionable learning culminating into our 2023 equity action plan.
Chad volunteers twice a week at a food pantry, helps his church organize bingo nights and serves on the board of directors of LARC, an organization that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Chad loves basketball, fishing and long walks. And he recently published a memoir, My Path to Independence: A Look into Life Through the Eyes of a Person with a Disability. Chad’s book chronicles his journey toward fulfillment after sustaining an acquired brain injury due to a seizure disorder. Much of what he worked to overcome involved anger management and emotional regulation.
“The book inspires people with disabilities and their families to never give up their quest for independence. If you develop a peacefulness and serenity in your life, things will be much more bearable. Specifically, if you develop a serene outlook.”
Chad employs a grounded philosophy to guide himself. He writes about finding his center and appreciating the small things in life, like the changing seasons and their effect on foliage on the hill behind his home. He details the small joy of sharing a cup of coffee with a friend and mentions daily challenges – like housing or counseling that present struggles.
CCC Care Manager, James works with Chad as part of the Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Program. James co-created the care plan with Chad based on his expressed goals and needs.
“Chad’s book was a major accomplishment that took years to complete,” said James. “To hone his skills, he took online writing classes, where he worked hard and did well. He is a true inspiration.”
Connecticut Community Care manages its resources with sound business practices that will ensure its sustainability for years to come. Our funding is a mix of state and federal contracts, private contracts, grants and individual contributions. We are committed to keeping administrative expenses low to maximize resources that directly benefit our clients. We take our fiscal responsibilities seriously, ensuring our services are not only effective but also efficient.
*The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 provided an infusion of federal dollars into state and local governments to help reverse the negative economic and social impacts of the pandemic.
Late in the fiscal year, CCC gratefully received ARPA HCBS (home and community-based services) funding, including value-based payments. Funding was utilized to retain staff and provide training, and operational functions to best support our clients.
Josie says; “I was having the hardest time until you intervened, and within the same day, we were able to get the ball rolling for my mom.
You’ve been so helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. Without your assistance, I would have definitely given up on the process.”
Lucinda says; “I think of you often and how much I will always be thankful for all of your help navigating us through the system with such care and compassion. Your role in helping transition our daughter from the hospital to home was, quite simply, huge.”
AgeSpan
Connecticut Community Foundation
Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Connecticut Department of Social Services
Connecticut Office of Policy and Management
Leading Age Institute for Long Term Care Policy
National Council on Aging
John H. & Ethel G. Noble Charitable Trust
North Central Area Agency on Aging
Health Information Alliance
Savings Bank of Danbury
Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation
Point32Health Foundation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
As a CCC donor, you are improving lives, one individual at a time. From a lift chair to make moving easier to a new bed as replacement for a worn one to plastic storage bins to keep items organized and make access easier, the items you make possible help people thrive.
We extend our gratitude for your continued generosity and support.
Beverly Annello, Chair
Jodi Olshevski, Vice Chair
Sandra Sherlock White, Secretary
Thomas Shugrue, Treasurer
Julia Evans Starr, President
Paul Bukowski, Member-at-Large
Daniel Rissi, MD, Member-at-Large
A community that respects the dignity, rights and contributions of individuals of varying abilities and provides the resources to live how and where one chooses.
Connecticut Community Care (CCC) identifies choices and provides services to help people of all ages, abilities, ethnicities and incomes to live at home.
We are most grateful to our staff, board, clients and families, donors, partners, and collaborators for their unwavering support of our mission and vision.
North Central Regional Office
43 Enterprise Drive
Bristol, CT 06010 | 860.589.6226
Northwest Regional Office
76 Westbury Park Road, 3rd Floor, Suite 301E
Watertown, CT 06795 | 203.596.4800
Eastern Regional Office
108 New Park Avenue, 1st Floor
North Franklin, CT 06254 | 860.885.296
