What else can we do for a select group of members who, despite having access to a high-touch care model, need an even greater level of support to stay connected to care?
That’s the question Wayspring’s Kentucky team recently set out to answer.
While these individuals were already enrolled as Wayspring members and receiving whole-person support and care coordination services, they continued to experience repeated crises and frequent interactions with the healthcare system. In response, Wayspring collaborated with our health plan partners and trusted relationships with providers across the state to enhance our approach for this population through additional care team coordination, increased touchpoints, and faster intervention during critical moments.
“We realized there were individuals who needed a higher level of support than even our current care model provides,” said Michelle Mitchell, Vice President for Wayspring in Kentucky. “This is about identifying those individuals and making sure we’re doing everything we can to keep them connected to care and recovery resources during particularly challenging periods.”
Part of this process involves weekly huddles with a specialized treatment team comprised of clinic leaders, nurse practitioners, behavioral health therapists, and Wayspring engagement specialists. During these meetings, the team reviews each member’s status, discusses recent healthcare encounters, identifies outstanding needs, and develops coordinated action plans.
The goal is to ensure that no member falls through the cracks during a critical moment in their recovery journey.
The enhanced approach also creates greater flexibility in how support is delivered. Through weekly treatment team reviews and close coordination among providers, therapists, and outreach specialists, Wayspring can respond quickly when additional support is needed, whether through a follow-up call, an extra check-in, or connecting a member with an available appointment opportunity.
“If we know a member needs additional support, we don’t want them to wait for their next touchpoint,” Mitchell said. “Our teams work together to create opportunities for earlier engagement, whether that’s through additional outreach, a follow-up call, or getting them connected with a provider sooner.”
One recent member highlights the impact of this enhanced approach. After years of housing instability and repeated behavioral health crises, the individual became connected with the Wayspring team during a critical point in his recovery journey. Through a multidisciplinary approach, Wayspring helped connect him to needed services and residential treatment while establishing a plan for continued engagement after discharge.
While every member’s needs are different, the experience reinforced an important lesson: some individuals benefit from an extra layer of support, particularly during periods of transition or instability.
“This isn’t a different philosophy of care,” Mitchell said. “It’s an extension of what we’ve always believed. When a member needs more support, we increase coordination, increase communication, and bring the right people together to help them succeed.”
For Kentucky providers, the initiative underscores Wayspring’s commitment to being a collaborative partner in recovery, working alongside treatment teams, behavioral health organizations, hospitals, and community providers to help members access the support they need, when they need it most.