A new resource is available for Friends in our yearly meeting!
Thanks to a generous grant, members and regular attenders of PYM are eligible to receive up to 10 hours of professional case management services with an outside agency, Living Care Home Services (LCHS). LCHS, though based in Pennsylvania, serves the entire PYM region.
Case management can connect Friends with long term care, health care referrals, mental health resources, debt management and debt consolidation counseling, support with housing, help applying for social services, and help securing in-home care.
The genesis of the program
In 2023, we launched a pilot project bringing professional case management to high-need individuals in the yearly meeting. The need for such support first became apparent through Aging Support Coordinator Sheila Sorkin’s work with the aging granting groups; certain Friends’ needs exceeded what grants and their monthly meetings could provide. More than money, they needed social workers with expertise to help them connect to resources to help them stabilize. The Coordinator of the Friends Counseling Service, Janaki Spickard Keeler, also identified Friends whose support needs were greater than a counselor could provide.
How it works
Recognizing the importance of being able to serve as many Friends as possible, we have developed the following payment system. Case management services costs are $150 per hour with a cap of 10 hours of service. The PYM Case Management Coordinator, Janaki, along with Sheila consults with the Friend and their meeting and develops the referral to LCHS.
- If the Friend is in a position to pay for the services, they do so and PYM facilitates the referral.
- If the Friend’s meeting is able to assist in part or in full to cover the cost, they do so and PYM facilitates the referral.
- Friends who receive Aging Assistance Granting Group or Greenleaf grants have the service covered by the granting groups.
- Friends who have no other resources are covered by the program’s grant funding. In some cases, the program has split the cost with the monthly meeting.
If you or someone in your meeting would benefit from case management services, please reach out to either Sheila (ssorkin@pym.org) or Janaki (jspickardkeeler@pym.org) to discuss a referral. We hope to provide case management services to more Friends through this outreach and appreciate your support!
