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After 4 solid weeks of “living” in Macomb, Illinois… Mosaic’s Macomb / Bushnell agency is now using T-Log’s, GER’s and SComm’s.  168 staff attended 21 training sessions to prepare for the April 12th launch.  Information is flowing in and efficiencies are immediately being realized as the agency inputs data for 95 individuals.

The training experienced was well received by staff.  Many commented, after training, that they could see the benefits of this type of system.  While some expressed concerns regarding the new process, simple explanations over came the objections.  Moving from a paper driven environment to the “almighty cloud” does create questions.  The key was to remind staff that we were not altering the content, merely recording the information in a new place and process…no more, no less.

As agencies move to Therap (Mosaic and others), I would stress the following during any training sessions…

1) Moving from paper to a cloud based system requires a learning curve.  Take your time and remember your training when the agency makes the switch.

2) This is not a “Big Brother is watching you system”.  The intent is to increase “the velocity of information” to better provide service supports.  Once the data is in Therap, there is no longer the need to physically move the 3-Ring Binders from the program to the office to review and report.  Also, everyone with the need to see the data…can… with the click of a mouse.

3) Therap allows staff to record their actions in ‘real time’.  You read the information…become informed…and you acknowledge that you did so.  Typically, this is not always possible in the paper world.  Get credit when credit is due!

Thank you Mosaic / Macomb for allowing me the time to help you launch Therap.

Starting Monday, I will begin the task of bringing 6 more Mosaic agencies into the Therap realm.  My overall plan is to launch 1 agency per month…which means I will be living in hotels for 4 of the next 6 months.

Next week, I initiate the process in Macomb, Illinois with the agency staff.  The local Therap Team has been doing all of the required prep work, I have started the production database build, HQ is doing what they do… as of this blog, we are on schedule.   Let’s see… car rented, hotel verified, computer ready, “ebay special” Epson projector tested, Kick Off presentation complete… I am ready to spread the Therap Gospel!

Week 1…all agency Kick Off meetings.  This is where I engage the entire agency an deliver the who, what, when, where and why of Therap.  We will deliver the message to 168 staff that on April 12, they will start using T-Logs, GERs, SComms, and the off line forms in the event of internet outage. 5 sessions are scheduled.

Week 2…I return to Macomb to train the leadership staff on the art of being a local Therap Administrator and / or Subject Matter Expert.  Think “train the trainer”…plus some extra stuff.  Originally, it was thought that a single person would be the SME and another would be the Admin.  I am seeing that a shared responsibility approach is preferred.  So, we show all supervisor staff and above this information.  This equates to more support for all.  The “almighty cloud” allows for this strategy as well and emulates current practices.

Week 3…back to Macomb for Direct Care Staff training.

Week 4…back to Macomb for Direct Care Staff training and a Thursday launch.

If all goes as planned (and has happened in other launches)…  All staff will be able to access Therap and use the Phase 1 modules with no problems on launch day.  Clients and staff should be assigned to their appropriate programs.  Staff can easily access people and modules.  And the only issues we have are forgotten passwords.  On April 13th, it will be smooth running, Therap newbie agency…even if it is a Friday!

After Macomb…

Osceola, Iowa… April / May

Des Moines, Iowa… May / June

Rockford, Illinois… July

Waukon, Iowa… August

Pontiac, Illinios… September

…then, we start Phase 2… ISP.

Reminiscing about the National Therap Conference… It was 3 days of learning… eating…sharing… eating… Therap leadership asking for ideas from the user community… eating… hearing about concepts and brainstorming about Therap…. and eating.   Learned a ton…and gained a few pounds.

One of the big ‘ah ha’ moments for me was learning about “Therap User Groups” in other states.  I can imagine a couple agency administrators at some state meeting for providers, talking about data collection and the comment is made, “You use Therap too?” Input the “snowball effect” here and pretty soon you have 4 or 5 agencies sharing ideas and supporting each other on all sorts of topics and state specific issues. Moreover, all with the blessing and full support of Therap.

Even though I have been bestowed the title of “Therap Certified Trainer” and have a pretty good grasp of the “mechanical” aspect of using the database, I know that it would help me to learn from other users in Iowa as to how you approached…say…using the GER form to communicate with Iowa DHS…or…what has been your experience with auditors and/or inspectors with “view only access” to your Therap T-Logs. According to other members and founders of Therap User Groups I spoke with, these experiences have been positive, informative and helpful when identify solutions at the local level.

Richard Robbins, CEO and Therap founder, is very interested is seeing this happen. So much so that he would support Iowa by holding a 2 day, Regional Therap Conference in our state, provided the interest is there. (FYI – The “magic number” to have this event is somewhere between 50 and 75 attendees.) I am sure that Jeff Case, our Therap Representative, is interested in this effort as well.

So, fellow Iowa Therap User, if this is something you’d like to talk about, let’s meet for coffee and bandy about some ideas. Post your thoughts to my blog and who knows, we may be the catalyst that gets something started.

Best,

Jeff

P.S.  Don’t forget, we do have an “Iowa” page in Therap’s website.  http://www.therapservices.net/iowa/

First…Thanks to Allison for taking the time to consider my skill set to become a Certified Trainer.  I hope I can serve “Therap Nation” proudly.

Second…Thanks to my immediate supervisor at Mosaic, Amy Stevens, for selecting me to be the Regional Therap Coordinator in the Mosaic Midwest Region.  Serving our clients in this fashion is truly a “mitzvah”  …  the definition of which includes ” the commandment to perform acts of human kindness”.

Like my peers, I have had the opportunity to spend time with the Mosaic clients.  My wife is the Executive Director for Mosaic-Des Moines.  Over the past 13 years, I have met and interacted with the local clients at various events.  Indeed, there are some clients that know me by first name and I thoroughly enjoy the time together.

The Mosaic experience has helped realize the big picture of the task at hand… that of creating more time to allow the front line staff to help people discover their possibilities in life.

I am the type of “nerd” who must see all of the current process steps before I can understand a new application and how it translates into the procedure.  I was able to spend a day with one of my friends at Mosaic and watch how his support staff work with him.  At the end of the shift, I was then witness to the charting process…a series of 3-ring binders to collect the daily data.  Then, queried the follow-up process to get the data farther up stream and what happens next.  How much time does it take?  Discussion on possible scenarios and the way the paper flows (not to mention the time).   While a solid procedure that has served the organization well,  it was crystal clear to me that moving the information collection to a “cloud” database application was due.  Mosaic leadership is spot on in deploying the Therap tool.

I can sum up the point I am trying to make in this short video about how I see my role as the Midwest Regional Therap Coordinator….

It’s about the people we serve.

Best,

Jeff