JFCS Winter Newsletter 2011

Connections
Providing care, help and healing to those in need
Jewish Family &
Children’s Service
Winter 2012 • Volume 3 • Issue 2

Planning for the Future
At JFCS, Technology and Behavioral Health and Social Services Go Hand in Hand

Knowledge is power. And few things empower the clinicians and
staff of Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS) like technology.
The Value of EHRs
Consider this: Twelve years ago -- long before the healthcare laws
When an upset client called after hours, the on-call clinician that are mandating eventual electronic medical usage --
reviewed his chart. The client shared that he was upset JFCS already had seen the benefits. In fact, at the
and had eaten a quart of ice cream. After reviewing the time, behavioral health wasn’t even incorporated into
client’s electronic health record (EHR), the clinician EHR systems.
noticed something the client didn’t share -- that he’s a “We saw what was coming,” says Linda Scott,
fragile diabetic. MSW, Vice President of Child & Family Solutions at
As a result of the EHR and the ability to quickly JFCS. “Our leadership said we were going to
reference information electronically, the on-call clinician need an electronic health system.”
knew he wasn’t just dealing with an upset The organization ultimately found a
client who needed counseling. Rather, he had system it could customize to include behavioral
a life-threatening situation on his hands. health and social services, and today,
Electronic health records are just JFCS uses this system to track all of its
one way JFCS is innovating the way behavioral and social services clients.
technology can be used to better “The entire record of a person is
serve the community. in this system,” Scott says. “It can
“Our agency is a leader on the be sent to other providers. It has
cutting edge of technology -- the the advantage of being legible by
cutting edge of how to use everyone who touches it, unlike
technology,” says Michael R. handwritten medical records. And
Zent, Ph.D., President and we’re about to embark on
CEO of JFCS. “For us to stay electronic prescription and lab
in this business, we have to orders, so those exchanges will happen
stay up on trends. Drivers behind electronically as well.”
technology include the need for JFCS also sees a benefit in using EHRs
greater efficiencies and to bring together a person’s medical history
enhanced coordination of with his or her behavioral health history.
care as well as a desire to get Planning for the Future continued on page 4
services closer to the individual
Yesmina Puckett,
rather than in a traditional JFCS Youth in Transition Facilitator
office setting.”
Over the years, JFCS IN THIS ISSUE
has invested in information
technology and sought Letter from the President & CEO ...... 2
innovative ways to Spotlight .......................................... 3
incorporate technology into Cover Story Continued..................... 4
behavioral health and social Donors............................................. 6
services -- putting JFCS at the
News Briefs ...................................... 7
forefront of its field.
Events .............................................. 8

Jewish Family & Children’s Service • 4747 N. 7th Street • Suite 100 • Phoenix, Arizona 85014 • (602) 279-7655 • www.jfcsaz.org 1

Technology Puts
JFCS on Leading Edge
JFCS Leadership and Governance Board
Rick Naimark, Chairman
Robert Carr, Vice Chairman
Leesa Berens Weisz, Secretary When you think about behavioral health and social services, you
Steven Friedman
probably do not envision technology being important. But at JFCS,
Jerome Gutkin
Michael E. Johnson we have found that using technology in this high-touch sector is
Andrew Pacheco essential to our success.
Armando Roman You may also be surprised to learn that JFCS is on the leading edge of technology. Twelve
Carol Seidberg years ago -- long before the healthcare bill mandated electronic health records (EHRs) -- the
Paul Stander, M.D.
leadership of JFCS saw the tremendous benefit that an EHR system could have on our agency.
Immediate Past Chairman At the time we invested in our system, we could not find a suitable software company that had
Richard Gottlieb a product for behavioral health. We thought outside the box and purchased a system that could
Emeritus Board Member be easily customized to work for behavioral health, health and social services.
Lenore Schupak Today, this electronic system is central to our efficiency -- helping clinicians communicate
with one another, reducing administrative time, improving the coordination of care and
Executive Leadership Team
Michael R. Zent, Ph.D., President and CEO ultimately, leading to a better experience for our clients. As behavioral health and medical
Mark Callesen, MD, Chief Medical Officer services are increasingly integrated, JFCS is well-positioned to continue to be a leader.
Javier Favela, Chief Financial Officer The way we customized this system was so innovative that over the years, we have become
Carol Felton, Executive Director of Human a resource for other nonprofit behavioral health and social services agencies -- both in a
Resources consulting role to answer questions about the system and as an authorized seller of the
Frank Jacobson, Vice President of Marketing
product. Not only are we working to make this kind of software affordable for nonprofit
& Development
Martha Miller, Director of Compliance agencies that do important community work, but we also are creating a revenue stream to
Kevin Rhode, Director of Information help JFCS continue to serve its mission.
Technology While our EHR system is central to the work we do, we also use technology in other ways --
Ellie Schwartzberg, MC, Vice President enabling clinicians to work remotely, providing opportunities for video-conferencing to minimize
of Older Adult Services & Jewish
our clients’ drive time, and using text messaging as a valuable communication tool.
Community Services
Linda Scott, MSW, Vice President of Child & Our agency’s use of technology puts us on the leading edge, but more than that, we see a
Family Solutions return on our technology investment. From reduced administrative time to literally saving lives,
Mary Jo Whitfield, MSW, Vice President of technology enables our staff to do what they do best -- serve our community. I invite you to
Behavioral Health read on to learn more about the ways JFCS is utilizing technology and the benefits we are
reaping as a result, and as always, I thank you for your continued support of JFCS.
JFCS Connections is published three times a year
by the Jewish Family & Children’s Service, 4747 N.
7th St., Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ 85014.

Contact Information Michael R. Zent, Ph.D., President & CEO
Jessica Green
Marketing & Development Coordinator
(602) 567-8305 Rick Naimark (left),
jessica.green@jfcsaz.org newly elected
Governance Board
Chair and Dick
Gottlieb, immediate
past Governance
Board Chair, share a
Accredited by the National
Council on Accreditation
moment at the
of Services for Family and recent JFCS Family
Children Friends of Distinction
Holiday Reception.

Primary partner of
the Valley of the
Sun United Way

2 JFCS Connections • Winter 2012 • Volume 3 • Issue 2

text message
Saves a Life
Youth in Transition Staff Members Save Teen from Suicide
Just over a year ago, Mary Schraven, director of the Youth in Transition program at JFCS,
received a text message she will never forget. It was a Friday night around 8:30 p.m. and she
was on a date. The text that came in was from Brian*, an 18-year-old young man who had
recently aged out of the foster care system and had been referred to Youth in Transition, a
program that helps teens and young adults transition to independence from group home
environments.
Brian appeared to be doing very well, and he had just moved into a new place of his own.
He had some ongoing issues with substance abuse, but none of his actions indicated a red flag
for suicide.
“The text he sent was very specific,” Schraven said. “It said, ‘I can’t go on any more.
I have enough medication to take and soon I’ll be sleeping with
the angels.’ At that point, I went into panic mode.”
Schraven may think she panicked, but her quick thinking
saved a young man’s life. She quickly mobilized her team
and was able to find out the team member that was closest to
Brian’s home at the time. That person was immediately sent
to his house because he had not responded to any of their
phone calls or texts. She also pulled up his Electronic Medical
Record on her computer and was able to see the type of
medication and quantity he had.
When the JFCS staff member arrived, Brian was unconscious.
Emergency responders transported him to the hospital, where he
spent several days in Intensive Care. Schraven was there when he
first woke up. He immediately started crying and felt guilty about
what he had done.
“I stayed there because I wanted him to know that there was
someone who loved him,” Schraven said.
Today, while he still battles substance abuse issues, Brian is thankful
to be alive. He has participated in a peer mentoring program and
has worked within the foster care system to serve others.

*Name changed to protect privacy.

Holiday Program a Success
Approximately 100 JFCS families in need were sponsored this year
for Christmas and Chanukah, as well as nearly 200 foster care
teens! The generosity and thoughtfulness of our sponsors were
overwhelming, as they brought loads of gifts for the families in
need. Thank you to all of our holiday sponsors!

Pictured here: Guests at It’s A Wrap! holiday luncheon at Ancala
Country Club, in support of the annual JFCS Holiday Program.


Cover Story • Planning for the Future
“JFCS’s leadership was visionary at the time -- recognizing that there was a need for a
connection between medical and behavioral. That is a relatively new standard in healthcare,”
Scott says. “One advantage is that if a client is receiving both behavioral health services and
medical services, the primary care physician knows what behavioral health medications have
been prescribed, for example. It enhances safety for the client, and that will get better and
better as more pharmacies and doctors’ offices go electronic.”

Technology on the Front Lines
For a behavioral health and social services agency like JFCS, technology can improve
efficiency of clinicians in the field.
Using laptop computers, Scott explains, JFCS social workers and counselors can
visit clients in their homes and take notes as needed. Then, they can log in
to the JFCS system from anywhere and securely update a client’s
electronic medical record.
One interesting side benefit that Scott and her
team are noticing is honesty from their clients.
Return on “There’s a perception among some people that it’s
Investment safer to tell the truth about their behaviors if
they’re communicating over a computer screen
As a nonprofit, JFCS relies heavily on from the Mesa office to someone in the Glendale
donations -- and it’s essential that we office,” she says.
maximize every dollar our donors gener- She also notes there’s an opportunity to
ously give us. That’s why we make sure include key family members or even a probation
our technology investment brings us a officer in a family group session even if they
return. We see three key areas of return: can’t physically be in the office.
“The possibilities are endless,” she says.
1 Staff efficiency. By managing refer- And while some providers haven’t
rals and prescriptions electronically, embraced text messaging, JFCS has seen
administrative resources are used its value.
more effectively. And for clinicians, “There are some clients who wouldn’t
nothing takes longer in the EHR communicate with us any other way,” she
system than it would on paper -- says. “And communication is at the heart
and some things are even faster. of the service we provide.”

2 Smarter decision-making. Using
technology allows objective reporting
Learn More!
and data collection to drive decisions
around budgets and program
For more news and happenings
planning.
go to www.jfcsaz.org

3 Improved client service. The EHR
allows staff to look up charts quickly Youth in Transition staff working in the office

and efficiently without wasting time
hunting for paper documents. And
when clinicians don’t have to read
each other’s handwriting, time is
saved -- and better service to our
clients is provided.


On the Horizon
Currently, clients can come into the Mesa office to videoconference with a clinician, nurse or
psychiatrist in the Glendale office. But that still means coming into an office. Some clients are a
long drive from even their closest JFCS location.
“That’s why we are asking: How can we use technology to deliver care and services to a
person in their home or elsewhere?” Zent says.
A good example, Scott says, is a wellness check. This is a simple check-in -- and doesn’t
always have to require an in-person office visit.
“We’re asking, ‘Do you feel better than yesterday?’” she explains.
She adds that for people who are elderly or have disabilities, or those who have no car and
aren’t near public transportation, the ability to provide services remotely will be useful.
“We are changing the way people are thinking about our services,” Zent adds. “JFCS is a
human service agency that is using technology smartly to increase the quality of service and
care we provide in our community.”

Getting Creative
About Revenue

When JFCS was ready to purchase its licenses
for an electronic health records (EHR) system,
its leaders found that most systems did not
include behavioral health. But it did find
that one -- NextGen -- could be extensively
customized.
“One of the biggest deciding factors was
that it gave us the tools to let us customize
and tailor the EHR system to include behav-
ioral health and social services,” says Javier
Favela, BS, Chief Financial Officer at JFCS.
“We were NextGen’s first behavioral health
client.”
Over the past 12 years, JFCS has cre-
ated more than 500 different screen forms
in the electronic system. As the managing
partner of TOPAZ, a joint venture with ABC,
another community nonprofit, it became an
authorized reseller of NextGen, specializing in
behavioral health.
“One of the key mission elements was
to see how we could make software afford-
able to community-based nonprofit agen-
cies,” says JFCS CEO Michael R. Zent, Ph.D.
“That is still our vision. And to the extent that
we are able to generate revenue, any funds
we receive go back into serving our
community.”


A Society of Special Friends of
Special Thanks Jewish Family & Children’s Service

We thank and recognize our most generous group of donors, our Family Friends of Distinction, who have made significant commitments to
JFCS. Lifetime Membership is extended to individuals, corporations and foundations whose generosity over time reaches or exceeds $25,000
while Annual Membership is extended to those who make a commitment of $1,000 or more annually.

Family Friends of Distinction Family Patron Family Patron Susan and Paul Stander
Gifts of $25,000+ Leesa and George Weisz
Lifetime Members Cumulative Gifts of $25,000 - $49,999
Barbara and Barry Zemel
Gifts through December 9, 2011 Child Abuse Prevention License Plate
Acordia of Arizona
Program
Family Pacesetter Arizona Foundation for Behavioral Health
Cypress HomeCare Solutions/
Family Guardian
Basic Needs Collaborative Gifts of $2,500+
Cumulative Gifts of $500,000+ Sheldon R. Roth and Family
Judy and Peter Brandeis Sue and David Adatto
J.E. & Z.B. Butler Foundation Janine and Mervyn Levin
Cardinals Charities AG/FP VCC, LLC
Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix Carol and Ken Seidberg
Dorothy Silverman Rev. Trust Anonymous
Valley of the Sun United Way Trends Charitable Fund
Corinne F. Ehrlich* Banner Good Samaritan Hospital
Women’s Independence Scholarship
Harriet and Richard Gottlieb The Birthday Club, Scottsdale
Family Visionary Iva and Larry Hirsch Program, Inc.
Blood Systems
Cumulative Gifts of $250,000+ The Jonathan Dreier Foundation Cardinals Charities
Arizona Community Foundation
Family Ambassador Chris Ridge Senior Living Community
Lynn and Larry Kahn
Arizona Republic/12 News Season for Sharing Gifts of $10,000+ Clark Hill PLC
Harriet A. Lakin*
DBL Distributing Leisure World Foundation of Arizona Inc. Anonymous Francine Coles
Jewish Community Foundation of Janine and Mervyn Levin Arizona Republic/12 News Season Coyotes Charities
Greater Phoenix Buddie and Hank Levkoff* For Sharing Bernadette and Philip Evans
Lenore and Eugene* Schupak Betty and Newton* Rosenzweig Bank of America Charitable Foundation Meri and Steve Friedman
Sheila Schwartz Cheryl and Robert Carr Anita and Jerome Gutkin
Family Philanthropist Mary and Joel Shapiro Flex Print, Inc. Deana & Sheldon Katz Fund/
Cumulative Gifts of $100,000+ Maria and Matthew Gerson Deana Katz
Paula and Aaron Sherman
Anonymous Edna and Arthur Sitelman Harriet and Richard Gottlieb Carol and Allan Kern
Child Abuse Prevention License Plate Program St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center Meghan and Jerry Hirsch Helen and Edgar Korrick
Cindy Lubin and David Lorsch Sylvia F. Greenfield Trust Lynn and Larry Kahn Jack Linde
Cypress HomeCare Solutions/Sheldon Thunderbirds Charities Cindy Lubin and David Lorsch Lovitt & Touche, Inc.
R. Roth & Family Trends Charitable Fund State of Arizona - Arizona Criminal Mercy Care Plan
Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Women’s Independence Scholarship Justice Commission Ester and Abraham Orlick
Aileen* and Meyer Osofsky Barbara and Barry Zemel Phoenix Coyotes
Ruth Pearson Family Benefactor Rich Goldman Asset Management
Carol and Ken Seidberg/Seidberg Law Offices Gifts of $5,000+ Barbara and Irving Rousso
Barbara and Robert Sweet Annual Membership Sally L. Appelbaum Salt River Project - SRP
The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Gifts given December 15, 2010 through APS Rosebell Schurz
December 15, 2011 Susan and Ronald Starkman
City of Glendale
Family Champion Cox Charities Verizon Wireless
Cumulative Gifts of $50,000+ Family Visionary William L. and Ruth T. Pendleton
Flo and Paul Eckstein
Gifts of $250,000+ Memorial Fund
Bank of America Charitable Foundation Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold
Valley of the Sun United Way
Daron and Ron Barness Foundation
Cheryl and Robert Carr Harold & Jean Grossman Family Family Circle
Family Philanthropist
Catholic Healthcare West Foundation Gifts of $1,000+
Gifts of $100,000+
City of Glendale Iva and Larry Hirsch ABLE Financial Group
Jewish Community Foundation of
Estate of E. Louise Gaudet In-n-Out Burger Foundation Judy Ackerman and Richard Epstein
Greater Phoenix
Marcia and Norman Goodman John C. Lincoln Health Foundation American Express Company
Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix
Harold & Jean Grossman Family Foundation The Joseph & May Winston Foundation Employees
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Family Champion Alisa and Charles Jost American Express Foundation
Meghan and Jerry Hirsch Esther and Robert Karatz Joe R. Ballard
Gifts of $50,000+
The Philip and Judith Hirsch Charitable Sheri and Thomas Levin Robert G. Begam
Arizona Community Foundation
Remainder Trust Lincoln Gives, John C. Lincoln Health Judith and Michael Bernstein
The Philip and Judith Hirsch Charitable
Fran and Al Sachs Quality Care Network Carmela and Michael Blank
Remainder Trust
Estate of Dora Sovich David Resnick
Estate of Rhoda Krasno Tannenbaum *Of blessed memory
State of Arizona - Arizona Criminal Justice Sheila Schwartz
Commission Enid and Michael Seiden
Estate of Rhoda Krasno Tannenbaum Paula and Aaron Sherman

If we have incorrectly listed your name or if we overlooked your gift, we apologize. Please contact Jessica Green at (602) 567-8305 to request a correction. For more information on how
you can become a Family Friends of Distinction member, please contact Frank Jacobson at (602) 567-8329. Contributions may be made via our website at www.jfcsaz.org.
Names in green are new to category since last listing, September 2011.


Substance Abuse &
Recovery Program
Family Circle
Gifts of $1,000+ continued
Receives SAMHSA Award
The Brandeis Family Charitable Fund/ The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Judy and Peter Brandeis Administration (SAMHSA) recently recognized JFCS
Fredi Brown and Howard Treshansky
with a national award for an innovative treatment
Buseck Family Donor Advised Fund/Peter Buseck
David Chasson program that serves teens and their families who
Susan and Michael Chesin struggle with substance use or abuse. The evidence-
Priscilla and Louis Cohen Left to Right: Behavioral Health Clinicians
based program utilized the Adolescent Community
Crusaders Charity Group Inc. Paul Krauss, Jonathan Loveday and Catalina
Reinforcement Approach and was implemented with Clinic Director John Hohl
Judy and David Efron
Ellen and Lee Eisinberg the help of Magellan and other partners.
Explorer Middle School National Junior Honor Society Our staff is making a tremendous impact on the lives of teens struggling with addiction and
Fine Family Foundation this prestigious award was well deserved. SAMHSA is a federal organization that aims to reduce
Beverly and Steve Flaks
the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.
Renee and Jonathan Fox
Friedel Family Foundation/Randi J. Sherman
Morris F. Friedell
Gan Bamidbar
Vivian and Charles Gealer
Anne Gelb
Rhona and Neville Ginsberg
Richard H. Goldberg
Leslie and Richard Goldman
Diana and Ken Gometz
Heather and Michael Greenbaum
Janice and Robert Hartman
Beth and Sandy Hoffman
Stephanie and Frank Jacobson JFCS Aleinu and Jewish Family Home Care of Arizona have
Florence and Sidney Klitsner
Sue and Neal Kurn teamed up to present a conference about understanding the
Marlene and Lanny Lahr complex emotions of aging. Titled “Will You Still Love Me?,” the conference features three
Julee Landau presentations and a bonus session featuring Marc Agronin, M.D., a Harvard and Yale-trained
Evan C. Leibner and Tami D. Dairiki geriatric psychiatrist and author of How We Age: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of Growing
Melissa and Frank Leonesio
Judy and Sam Linhart Old. The conference will be held on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, at the Scottsdale Hilton.
Susan Resnik and Stanley J. Marks Cost is $60-$80 and includes a kosher lunch. Register at www.jfcsaz.org.
The Media Foundation/Roberta Aidem “Many conferences discuss the physical and medical needs of older adults, but many avoid
Norman Merlis
discussing emotional needs. As we know, emotional health is a critical part of wellness. As a
Dorie Miller
Phyllis and Harold D. Morgan loved one ages, the relationship changes and heightens feelings of vulnerability, loss and dis-
Dana and Rick Naimark comfort. This conference will help the community understand these complex emotions and assist
Andrew C. Pacheco families in smoothing the transitions into older adulthood,” said Dvora Entin, Aleinu Coordinator.
Lori and Roger Peck
Robert & Rochelle Plous Family Foundation
Michelle and Gil Quintanilla
Christian Rainer
Jennifer and Armando Roman Spirit of Giving: Roth Family Increases
Norbert Samuelson
Linda and Sherman Saperstein
Brooks T. Hozier and Alan M. Schiffman
Financial Commitment to JFCS
Claire and Seymour Schonwetter The Sheldon R. Roth Family and Cypress HomeCare Solutions
Tracy and Marc Schwimmer (a company owned by the Roth Family) recently announced they are
Sinai Mortuary of Arizona, Inc.
Edna and Arthur Sitelman increasing their financial commitment to JFCS over the next four years
Valerie D. Smilovic and Yehuda Waxman Sheldon and Bob Roth to $200,000.
Ken Smith Sheldon R. Roth said, “We must continue to fund and increase our gifts to great agencies
Carol and Scott Snyder
like JFCS who take care of so many people in need. My family and I are very fortunate, and
Susan and Paul Stander
Laura and Richard Traulsen we’ve had a very special and close relationship with JFCS over the last several years. We see the
Unity Church of Practical Christianity challenges they face and other agencies like them, particularly in the Phoenix Jewish community.
Joan and Ron Yagoda We challenge others to step up and give more to JFCS this year.”
Young Jewish Phoenix
In recognition of the Roth family’s generosity, the JFCS community hospital chaplain, Rabbi
Michael R. Zent
Robert Kravitz, will now serve on behalf of JFCS as The Sheldon R. Roth Family Hospital Chaplain.


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Save the Date!
Join us for Dine Out for a Cause
the Brighter
Tomorrow at Tommy V’s
Luncheon
Feb. 22, 2012 and Sauce
For more info During the month of February, you and your friends can
www.jfcsaz.org enjoy a delicious Italian meal at either Tommy V’s Urban Kitchen
and Bar or Sauce’s Scottsdale Waterfront location and make a positive difference in our
community. Tommy V’s will donate 10% of every dining bill to JFCS each Wednesday
in February (excluding Happy Hour menu and drinks). Sauce will donate 20% of food
and beverage sales (excluding alcohol) to JFCS on Tuesday, February 7.

Jewish Career Services Tommy V’s Urban Kitchen and Bar
5-10 p.m. every Wednesday in February
7303 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale
Know someone needing a job? www.tommyvscottsdale.com • (480) 427-2264
Jewish Career Services
Sauce (Scottsdale Waterfront location)
• Screening
5-9 p.m. Tuesday, February 7, 2012
• Counseling 7135 E. Camelback Road, Suite 260, Scottsdale
• Career Coaching www.foxrc.com • (480) 321-8844
For more info, call 602-452-4627


JFCS Winter Newsletter 2011

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