S2 E4 - Assessment

Tim Duggan, Clinical Manager, and Anya Moore-Ridley, PASSPORT Assessor, share the process of scheduling and performing in-home assessments. Learn about income and level of care requirements to understand how older adults and people with disabilities qualify for home and community-based services.Key Takeaways1. The assessment and enrollment team at COAAA assesses clients for their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), focusing on observing abilities rather than just medical conditions.2. The assessment team is comprised of licensed nurses, social workers, and additional support specialists, with a focus on streamlining the enrollment process for Medicaid qualifications.3. The enrollment team works to free up assessors from administrative tasks and streamline the enrollment process, aiming to relieve the administrative burden on assessors and improve efficiency.4. Tim Duggan, the clinical manager, emphasizes the high volume of assessments conducted each week, with a focus on learning and managing policy changes and building a conducive culture within the organization.5. Anya Ridley-Moore discusses the impact of the enrollment team on her work, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration in handling assessments and Medicaid approval. "From a social worker's perspective, we have to dig more into what we're observing and not so much the medical conditions." Anya Ridley-Moore6. The challenge of keeping up with policy changes and communicating them across departments is highlighted, emphasizing the importance of effective communication and understanding within the assessment and enrollment team.7. Teamwork and breaking down silos between different teams are essential for the assessment and enrollment team to operate efficiently and provide positive changes in collaboration among assessors, the Roam team, and other departments.8. The positive changes in teamwork and collaboration within the assessment and enrollment team have led to excitement about hitting their targets and contributing valuable insights to the agency.9. The conversation underlines the importance of communication, collaboration, and team-building within the agency's large workforce, with a reminder to focus on strengths and the positive impact of their work in the community."For me, I would say my biggest accomplishment is just the fact that there are some great people around me. And I can take a little bit of credit for that, but, I think at best, I'm freeing them up to be the great people that they are at best."Timothy Duggan 10. There is an emphasis on perseverance and relying on team members during difficult times, highlighting the dedication and resilience of the assessment and enrollment team.Memorable Moments06:46 Assessors determine care eligibility, provide support resources.11:55 Call, assess needs, clarify, schedule assistance.14:24 Assistance for nursing facility with enrollment process.17:11 Medication, observations, and independence in assessments emphasized.22:00 Complicated doctor's office enrollment process requires streamlining.25:51 Flexibility and autonomy in assessment scheduling.28:29 Adapting to new tasks and responsibilities.30:14 Adapting to changing policies, ensuring cross-department communication.35:46 Encouraging team, breaking silos, fostering greatness together.39:18 Challenging to balance experience and humility.41:50 Ability to see strengths amidst challenges.Let me know what you think of this podcast, as well as any ideas you have for an episode. Email me at [email protected]!Copyright 2026 Central Ohio Area Agency On Aging