Connect Newsletter (April 18, 2024)

Fighting for Our Health Plan Members

Karen Love, President of Cook Children's Health Plan, this week shares a message about a decision by the Texas Health and Human Services to exclude the CCHP and other plans across the state from the new STAR/CHIP managed care contract after Sept. 30, 2025. This decision has the potential to disrupt health care for nearly 125,000 CCHP Members, including low-income families and children with complex medical needs. 

We are actively appealing the decision. 

Karen mentions an article in The Texas Tribune online newspaper that highlights the decision, its potential effect on millions of Texans in need, and vigorous efforts by Cook Children's and other nonprofits to overturn the decision.

Please take the time to read the article in The Texas Tribune and share it with your networks and on your social media accounts.

Kindness and Respect Lunch and Learns

Remember how inspired we all felt after the Breaking Ice performances? And how powerful the ongoing Inclusion, Diversity & Health Equity (IDE) workshops have been? We're excited to keep the conversation going and invite you to a series of virtual Lunch and Learns focused on building an inclusive and welcoming workplace. 

These sessions will be filled with practical tips and conversation to help you connect with and support your colleagues, no matter their background or position. These sessions will focus on respect and kindness and should be encouraging and uplifting. Our amazing Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) will be leading four of these sessions, sharing their valuable experiences. We'll also have four additional sessions centered for employees who share similar interests and identities. 

Together, let's make Cook Children's a place where respect and kindness aren't just words – they're the foundation of what we do every day. 

Here is the schedule (subject to change). Stay tuned for more information about each session and a link to join in through Zoom. 

May 7: Latinos Engaging, Advancing, Developing & Supporting (L.E.A.D.S.+) ERG 
May 14: Veterans+ ERG 
May 21: Employees over 40 
May 28: Young professionals 
June 4: Pride+ (LGBTQ+) ERG 

June 11: Women Professionals  
June 19: Black Organization for Leadership and Development (BOLD+) ERG 
June 25: Cancer survivors and supporters 
 

Getting Started with Our New Travel Platform

We have successfully begun our transition to NAVAN, our new travel management platform for you to book your own business trips and personal travel.

To get access to NAVAN please email Travel Services. You will receive an email to activate an account. 

TripEasy, our previous travel platform, will be deactivated on April 19. Changes or cancelations of any active flight purchases and bookings in TripEasy must be made by emailing Travel Services. 

Training available April 18 and 19: You can sign up to attend an in-person 30-minute training session in Fort Worth designed to help you navigate the platform and provide best practices for booking and managing your travel in NAVAN. Click here to reserve your seat. 

Find more details on the Connect Newsroom or the Travel Services page on CookNet.
 

Shining a Light on Neighborhood Health Centers

Cook Children’s operates seven Neighborhood Health Centers in the Fort Worth area, and two more are on the way. What makes these centers so special? They're all about providing top-notch health care – from checkups to dental care to behavioral health services, particularly for underserved children and families in our community. 

These centers are strategically located in neighborhoods where access to healthcare might be a challenge, due to factors like transportation limitations or socioeconomic status. By bringing our services directly to these communities, we're breaking down barriers and ensuring all kids have a chance to be healthy and happy. 

Read more on the Connect Newsroom about how our Neighborhood Health Centers provide a pediatric medical home to help kids have access to the services they need to thrive. 
 

PROSPER: “Where We’ve Been and Where We’re headed"

Staff at Medical Center-Prosper gathered for town hall meetings to hear from leadership about progress and plans. 

Kevin Greene, Vice President and Administrator of Cook Children’s Medical Center - Prosper, shared:

"As I reflect on today’s town hall sessions, I am filled with gratitude for what we’ve accomplished together these last 15 months and excited for what lies ahead. The year 2023 was one of constant change, but also of remarkable achievement and progress. 

Looking ahead, we are excited and ready to double down on our Promise to ensure that every child in our care and our communities will have access to world-class pediatric care close to home at Cook Children’s. Whether at our medical center in Prosper or one of our 30+ outpatient clinics in the northern region, we will be ready to serve the hundreds of thousands of families and children who call this region home. 

I cannot express enough gratitude to our amazing Cook Children's team members on our Prosper campus and throughout the northern region, whose dedication, empathy and talents are the cornerstones of our culture and the excellent care we provide each day. 

As we continue to pave our way forward, I am honored to serve alongside such an amazing family of health care professionals all aligned with a singular purpose - to care for and serve those who needs us most, our children.” 
 

VIDEO: Neurodiagnostics Week 

You may be familiar with the acronym EEG, but what does it stand for? Electroencephalogram! It's pronounced “ee-LEK-tro-en-SEH-fah-lo-gram.” An EEG is a non-invasive procedure in which small, flat metal discs called electrodes are attached to the scalp to measure the electrical activity of the brain. 

Rickey Ross, Neurodiagnostics Lab Manager, wrote an article for the Connect Newsroom about the Electroencephalogram (EEG) Department's team of 25 dedicated professionals. They work around the clock to ensure patients receive the highest quality care.

The Electroencephalogram (EEG) Department plays a crucial role in providing comprehensive neurodiagnostic services to patients at Cook Children's Medical Center-Fort Worth, Dodson Outpatient Clinic, Hurst Clinic, and Medical Center- Prosper. 

Click here to read more.

VIDEO: Child Abuse Prevention Month

Have you seen the sea of pinwheels at the Medical Center-Fort Worth and Medical Center-Prosper? They represent an awareness and prevention campaign that Cook Children’s undertakes each April during Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The pinwheels are only one part of Cook Children’s 24/7 efforts to raise awareness about, prevent and care for those impacted by child abuse and neglect. Across North Texas, Cook Children’s is part of a vast support network for families to not only help children when abuse happens, but also to step in beforehand and prevent it, says Frances Wampler, MA, LSSGB, Program Coordinator with the Cook Children’s Center for Community Health.

Read more on Checkup about the Child Advocacy Resource and Evaluation Team and Cook Children’s work with community partners on this important issue. And watch a video about our efforts featuring Jayme Coffman, M.D., Medical Director, CARE Team and Center for Children's Health.

'An Honor to Be a Social Worker': Social Work Advocacy Day

Victoria Highland, Social Worker, MSW, NICU, Case Management, wrote about her March 22 trip to the Texas capital to join social work professionals and students to celebrate President Ronald Reagan’s signature of Proclamation 5167 to designate March as National Professional Social Work Month.

Read Victoria's account about her trip on the Connect Newsroom.

Let's Recognize Administrative Professionals

Administrative Professionals Day is Wednesday, April 24. It is an opportunity to appreciate and celebrate the hardworking members of our team who keep our workplaces running smoothly.  We know that many teams are planning to say thank you to these valued colleagues. You are invited to share photos of any events and recognitions you have. 

Please email us at InternalCommunications@cookchildrens.org, and we will post photos to the Connect Newsroom.  

Don't forget: include the honoree's name and title.