iCare Health Network’s MissionCare Health is the Leading Provider and Operator of Long Term Care for the Justice Involved and Difficult to Place Population

Since 2013, iCare Health Network has operated the first long term care nursing center for the justice involved population and individuals that are otherwise challenging to transition and place in an appropriate site of care. 

Now, in 2023, when budget and policy experts search for a provider and operator with experience, accomplishments and successes in working with a justice-involved population in a Medicare/Medicaid certified and state licensed Long Term Care Facility, iCare Health Network stands out as the gold standard. As such, we have created a new brand, MissionCare Health, that incorporates both 60 West and MissionCare at Holyoke as well as future, similar endeavors.  

What follows is a description the current programs at MissionCare locations, the MissionCare philosophy and best practices for such a program and facility. 60 West is the flagship project and location for this program and is heavily highlighted. 

CHECK OUT THE 60 WEST PAGE HERE

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PBS NewsHour Segment

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Keys to Success in Long Term Care for the Justice Involved and Difficult to Place Population

1. Policies, procedures and interventions compliant with state and federal nursing facility regulations, including 2017 revisions to CMS Guidelines addressing justice-involved residents.
2. Development of innovative and unique programming in a person-centered facility environment and culture guided by the social and cultural backgrounds and interests of the individuals who contribute to the community’s composition.
3. Procedures to assess and treat PTSD and undiagnosed traumatic reactions and symptoms of residents. 
4. “Stigma-free” campaign and initiative in which all employees pledged to adopt a broadened philosophy of caregiving, including a commitment to welcome and respect those of differing cultures and backgrounds.
5. Extensive pre-admission screening (CCR 2505-10 8.400) and risk mitigation strategies and protocols.
6. Knowledge, skills and experience in legal, government and community relations, clinical operations and healthcare regulations.
7. Recruitment, screening, hiring and training of the staff as building blocks for the development and maintenance of an environment and person-centered programming that promotes resident quality of life.
8. A physical environment designed with a focus on safety and comfort, with removal or mitigation of potentially dangerous, hazardous or antagonistic spaces, equipment or systems prior to occupancy with particular attention to creating an atmosphere or milieu conducive to healing.
9. Specialized visitation policy and procedures, screening and access control supervision have proven effective in providing a safe environment, while ensuring resident rights to visitation are protected.
10. Extensive experience with justice-involved nursing facility residents with court-ordered restrictions or conditions of parole or probation.
11. Facility policies, practices and care planning that assist residents with their legal responsibilities through awareness of the resident’s restrictions, education on consequences, and counseling regarding a resident’s choices and actions. 
12. Training in Safety-Care™, a certified behavioral management training curriculum that places great emphasis on safe and effective de-escalation and management of potentially harmful resident care situations.“

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iCare Health Network’s Qualifications for Special Population Care

• Care of Justice-Involved and Difficult to Place Individuals (both in Connecticut and Massachusetts)

• Seven (7) Secured Behavioral Health Programs
• Six (6) Secured Memory Care Programs
• iRecovery Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Program
• Ancillary company providing onsite SUD counseling services
• Huntington’s Disease Program (part of Movement Disorder Program) – Unique to only one nursing facility in CT.
• HIV/AIDS Program – One of only two programs in CT nursing facilities.
• Veterans Program
• Advanced CHF and COPD Programs
• On average, over 90% of residents payor State Medicaid
• Both unionized and non-unionized workforce (around 1900 employees)
• Eleven (11) American Health Care Association (AHCA) Bronze Quality Award Recipients
• Six (6) American Health Care Association (AHCA) Silver Quality Award Recipients

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  Resources, Links and News

1. Building an Edge: SNF Operators Innovate Through Establishing Specialty Services, Public-Private Partnerships Frank Smith was locked up for eight decades. At 98, what would it mean to be free?

2. The Never-Ending Murder Case: How Mental Competency Laws Can Trap People With Dementia

3. CONNECTICUT SNF PROVIDES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BLUEPRINT AS CMS PLACES EMPHASIS ON SERVICE LINE

4. WHY ELDERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO FIND CARE AFTER PRISON
5. 60 WEST’S MICHELE CLEMENS WINS 2022 NIGHTINGALE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN NURSING 
6. FOR AGING INMATES, CARE OUTSIDE PRISON WALLS” BY CHRISTINE VESTAL, THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS, 8/12/2014
7. EVALUATION OF OUTCOMES FOR A SKILLED NURSING FACILITY FOR PERSONS WHO ARE DIFFICULT TO PLACE
8. 60 WEST PROJECT TIMELINE
9. GREENWICH TIMES ARTICLE ON LONGEST SERVING PRISONER, NOW RESIDING AT 60 WEST AFTER 72 YEARS IN PRISON
10. “When Prisons Need to Be More Like Nursing Homes” The Marshall Project
11. UCONN CENTER ON AGING STUDY – “A COMMUNITY-BASED SKILLED NURSING FACILITY FOR DIFFICULT-TO-PLACE PATIENTS”
12. AHCA SILVER AWARD NEW RELEASE
13. ICARE BEHAVIORAL, COGNITIVE, SUD BROCHURE
14. ICARE MENTAL DISORDERS BROCHURE
15. ICARE HEALTH NETWORK CLINICAL CAPABILITIES GRID
16. GOVERNING MAGAZINE ARTICLE: STATES LOOK SO NURSING HOMES TO LOWER PRISON HEALTHCARE COSTS 
17. HARTFORD COURANT - ROCKY HILL’S 60 WEST NURSING HOME NAMED ONE OF BEST BY U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT
18. 60 WEST - CARE CENTER NEWS, DISCUSSION AND UPDATES
19. MissionCare at Holyoke - Care Center News, Discussion and Updates
20. ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR THE JUSTICE INVOLVED POPULATION
21. PASRR LEVEL OF CARE CRITERIA WORKSHEET

If you represent a State agency or other public or justice-involved organization or entity and you are interested in learning more about 60 West, MissionCare Health and/or skilled nursing programs for individuals that are difficult to place or in state care, please contact:

David Skoczulek, Vice President of Business Development and Communications, at (860) 250-3075 or email at MOC.NHERACI@OFNI.