Social Services Training Guide

Contact Info:

The workgroup Social Services email is: socialservices@spectrahealth.org and the workgroup phone extension is 701-757-2100 x 1218.

SpectraPlan ONLY: 30 minutes

Marketplace: 90 minutes

All other SS needs: 60 minutes *unless approved by the Social Services staff.*

Write the chief complaint (transportation, rx assistance, insurance, SP, etc.) in the appointment notes whenever possible, or state if the patient refused to provide that information. Please also note who approved the visit (medical, dental, SS, Optometry, etc.)

If the appointment is not going to be held in-person, it should be noted on the appointment notes how the appointment is to be conducted (Teams, phone, Zoom). These alternate appointments MUST be approved and/or requested by SS staff ONLY.

Below is a general overview of our staff:

Kayla Hochstetler, Supervises the SS staff. Not taking any new patients at this time unless it is approved by Kayla or Charge SW. Free Through Recovery (FTR) Trained. Community Connect trained. Advanced Care Planning (ACP) trained. Marketplace trained. NO Housing Prioritization Tool (HPT-previously called the VISPDAT).

Taylor Becker, Supervises the Social Work Interns and provides oversight as needed. Focuses on administration of the SpectraPlan and insurance enrollment. Marketplace, FTR and Community Connect Trained. Advanced Care Planning (ACP) trained. Taylor is in Larimore every Wednesday. NO HPTs.

Haleigh Stenseth, SUD Triage Caseworker-focused on working with our patients in recovery, but can see anyone. She triages MAT intake calls/needs and assists with scheduling. She typically meets with all new MAT intakes to address their social needs (any Social Services staff can do an MAT intake if needed). Marketplace trained. FTR trained. NOT Community Connect trained. NO HPTs.

Callie Smith, Can see anyone but specializes in housing issues. DOES complete HPTs. Community Connect, FTR and Marketplace trained.

Christy Cellmer-Bushy, can see anyone. Marketplace trained. FTR/Community Connect trained. NO HPTs.

Elizabeth Stevens, can see anyone. NOT Marketplace trained. FTR/Community Connect trained. NO HPTs.

SW Intern-Staff will be notified once they are trained. Can see anyone but typically focus on SpectraPlan, transportation, and insurance enrollment. NO Marketplace.

SS staff schedules will not be available to the general public other than SpectraPlan, insurance navigation and the current one to two same-day spots that are always available. 

PSRs can schedule into any of the same day spots for any reason.

These should NOT be scheduled until the day of the appointment. The staff blocked for these appointments varies, but there will be holds on schedules to allow for this flexibility. MONDAY-FRIDAY 7:30 CALL TO SCHEDULE. FCFS.

• Anyone needing assistance with Insurance navigation (including Marketplace) or Spectra Plan should be scheduled as normal by the PSR team. 
• If the patient has not been seen in our clinic or routinely seeks care within medical or BH, then they MUST be triaged by the Charge SS member on duty that day ahead of any scheduling. If they haven't seen SS staff for over a year, they have to be triaged once more.
• If a patient presents to the clinic, requesting assistance and the same-day appointment is taken, or they do not want to wait, inquire why they are needing to speak to SS staff and get their information to look up the MRN. Then state: “Please give me a few minutes as I reach out to our Social Services team and inquire if anyone is available to come out and see you. Please have a seat until I have an answer.”
• * This way, the patient is away from the front desk in case another patient presents for checking in. Once SS staff has given you guidance on the situation, please relay that to the patient.

The Housing Prioritization Tool (previously called the VISPDAT) is a vulnerability assessment for housing options. The reason we cannot all complete it is that you have to enter it into a different system that only Callie has access to, due to a previous grant position. Anybody who comes in specifically asking to complete a VISPDAT or Housing Prioritization Tool, should be referred to the Charge Social Services staff for the day to be triaged. Patients can also be referred to the Mission to complete this assessment.

Free Through Recovery (FTR) is a collaborative program with the ND DHS Behavioral Health Division and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) for individuals involved in the justice system who have behavioral health concerns. Spectra Health provides Care Coordination services for individuals referred to us from the FTR program. Referrals for this program HAVE to come from probation/parole so we cannot enroll someone in the program. Free Through Recovery | Health and Human Services North Dakota

Community Connect is a collaborative program with the ND BHS Behavioral Health Division. Spectra Health provides Care Coordination services for individuals referred to us from the Community Connect program. Patients need to complete application for Community Connect, select Spectra Health as their preferred provider and be approved in order to access these services. Community Connect | Health and Human Services North Dakota

Reminder - check voicemails throughout the day and return patient calls as time allows.

Please remember to check the waitlist for your department.