Throughout the year, we’ll be spotlighting the six areas of practice in CCSI’s Consulting Division: System & Practice Transformation, Technology & Digital Solutions, Evaluation & Strategic Analytics, Fiscal Practice & Quality Improvement, Capacity Building, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Anti-racism. While these areas are individual, highly specialized content areas, most of our customer projects include team members from across multiple areas. This integrated, multi-disciplinary approach is one of the things we think makes CCSI unique – we often refer to it as “One CCSI.”
This month, we’ll be focusing on System and Practice Transformation. We met with Elizabeth Meeker, Senior Director for System & Practice Transformation to learn more about what the team does, what projects she’s excited about, and more.
What does your team do?
The System and Practice Transformation team partners with people working in service systems and organizations to understand, implement and sustain practices aimed at improving the way care is provided as well as enhancing organizational culture. Our team members, including Amy Scheel Jones, Cheryl Martin, Deb Salamone, Brittany Rumph and Kathy King, all have experience working directly in clinical, program or educational settings, allowing them to combine deep content knowledge in their particular areas of expertise with a solid appreciation for the challenges associated with learning and implementing new ways of delivering services in “real world” settings. Our approach includes helping customers clarify their priorities, providing professional development in key areas, such as trauma-responsive, equity-focused practices and motivational interviewing, and then supporting individuals and teams to sustain and spread these practices throughout the organization in order to build internal capacity and ensure lasting results.
What’s a project you’re excited about?
There is so much exciting work underway that I have to share two projects. The Consortium on Trauma, Illness and Grief (TIG) just celebrated its 20th Anniversary and it continues to flourish. We are partnering with the Upstate New York College Collaborative to bring TIG to higher education. Through our partnership with UNYCC, we will be revising the current TIG curriculum to meet the needs of a collegiate population and piloting with six colleges/universities in the region. We know that mental health has been a top concern in higher education prior to the pandemic and there is an even greater need for TIG at this moment in time for institutions of higher learning to be well prepared to respond to and mitigate the impact of trauma, grief and loss.
We recently started providing trauma-informed consultation to the Monroe County Systems Integration Project (SIP). The intent of the project is to establish connections between 300 local health, education, and human services organizations to transform the way that our community works together to meet the needs of individuals and families. We will be providing training for the SIP project team to increase their knowledge and understanding of trauma-informed practices. In addition, direct consultation will be provided to inform their 2022 initiatives, including refining the Integrated Service Delivery Model and formalizing business requirements for prototype testing (Hubs, Community Advocates, Systems Navigators, and Technology and Data). This approach will help to ensure that a trauma-informed, equity-focused lens is integrated throughout the development and implementation process.
Where did you work before coming to CCSI?
I am celebrating my 20th anniversary of working at CCSI and it is hard to remember working anywhere else. I was an Assistant Director for Outpatient Services at Crestwood Children’s Center prior to starting as the Project Coordinator for TIG and Youth Emergency Services. I began my career as a childcare worker in a residential group home with adolescent girls. Other jobs of note along the way have included working as a bookseller, baker, and line cook.
What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?
I would own a used bookstore and vegan café with a small stage for live music. With my previous work experience and being married to a musician, who knows – this could be my second act.