Becoming Stronger Partners in IRIS – Moving to a Single Consultant Model

• Dec 30, 2014
• Market Crafters
• 0 comment

By: Heidi Pankoke, Director of Government Relations and Strategic Initiatives

 

As discussed at the all-staff meetings in October, the TMG ICA will be moving to a single consultant model by March 1, 2015. Under this model, the same consultant will support the person through their orientation and enrollment in IRIS, as well as partner with them on an ongoing basis to put their IRIS plan and budget into action. For TMG, this means transitioning the role of the Orientation Consultant (OC) to the IRIS Consultant (IC).

 

An OC transition project team is guiding this project to allow consultants to more quickly begin building partnerships with people in IRIS and to minimize the transitions people go through when they choose TMG as their ICA. There are several benefits of moving to a single consultant model. The model:

 

• Allows the person in IRIS to build a solid relationship with their chosen IRIS Consultant from the beginning of the referral process.

 

• Creates staffing flexibility and back up becomes easier because all consultants do the same work.

 

• Further professionalizes and values the consultant role.

 

• Streamlines the organization and reporting relationships of the area teams by having IC Supervisors oversee and support all consultant functions.

 

• Helps keep the TMG ICA competitive, since it is unlikely that new ICAs will utilize an OC/IC model.

 

The OC transition project team is developing support processes, tools and resources necessary for ICs and IC Supervisors to be successful in their new roles. Another factor critical to the success of the OC role transition is TMG’s plan for adding consultant capacity to ensure that people have a choice of IC, as required by the state’s certifications standards for ICAs, and that IC workload is manageable with the addition of the orientation and enrollment responsibilities.

 

If you have comments or questions about this initiative, feel free to contact your Area Associate Director, or Heidi Pankoke, the project manager. Please stay tuned for more information about the OC transition project in this newsletter.