Every month, NCI profiles a local care manager to help the community learn more about the valuable role they play in our region’s healthcare system.
The “Care Manager of the Month” for July 2017 is Christine Roberts!
Christine is a care manager at the Children’s Home of Jefferson County, in Watertown, NY. She was nominated by the Children’s Home’s Adult Services Coordinator, Karen Gerken, who told us:
“Christine…has continually demonstrated the ability to provide quality Care Coordination while maintaining a full caseload. She collaborates with service providers to ensure the overall safety and well-being of her clients. She manages several challenging cases and does so while maintaining a positive attitude with co-workers, clients, and providers. She is a positive role model for her peers and exceeds the expectations of her position and that of the Care Management program.”
To get to know her better, we sat down with Christine and asked her a few questions about herself and her job:
Christine Roberts is our “Care Manager of the Month” for July 2017!
Q1: Where are you from?
“I am originally from Watertown. I’ve lived here all of my life. I graduated from South Jefferson High School.”
Q2: How long have you worked for the Children’s Home?
“I’ve worked for here for 8 months. Prior to that, I worked for Section 8 Housing and DPAO.”
Q3: What do you like most about Care Management?
“I love helping people and knowing that I am making a difference in their life. It can be challenging at times. You have to figure out how to change people’s behavior. You have to try new things every single day.”
[During our interview, Christine told us about a patient she’s been working with for the past 8 months. Before Christine’s involvement, he was admitted into the Mental Health Unit several times and was incarcerated on numerous occasions. He did not have a stable residence and had not seen a Primary Care Provider in several years. Christine worked with this patient to make small, short-term goals so that he did not overwhelm himself. They have worked together to secure housing, establish with a Primary Care Provider, and coordinate transportation. He has not been admitted to the hospital since he and Christine started working together.]Q4: What do you like to do outside of work?
“I stay really busy with my 3 kids! They love to play soccer and basketball. When I’m not running around with my kids, I try to find some time to relax and watch my favorite TV show.”
Q5: What’s your favorite movie?
“I love all ‘Freddy Krueger’ movies!”
Q6: Is there anything you want others to know about you or your organization?
“Just that we (The Children’s Home of Jefferson County) have so many more programs than what people think. We service everyone, not just children.”
Christine can be reached at croberts@nnychildrenshome.com or 315-777-9755.
Check back in August to see who our next Care Manager of the Month will be!
Do you have a care manager you’d like to nominate? Contact eshustack@northcountryinitiative.org or sraso@fdrhpo.org!