Cenpatico Blog

ARIZONA – On Wednesday, October 8, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano along with Senator Rebecca Rios, Representative Barbara McGuire, Health Director January Contreras, and Casa Grande Mayor Bob Jackson toured Sun Life’s Casa Grande facility.

The tour was followed by an informal health issues roundtable focusing on “Kids as a Basis for Developing a Healthy Community.”

Joining Sun Life and the Governor in the roundtable discussion were CEO of Cenpatico Arizona Terry Stevens, Director of the Pinal Division of Public Health Tom Schryer, Pinal Regional Coordinator Aimee Kempton-Sarosi, Pinal Regional Coalition Chair Chair Barbara Mezzio, and Empowerment Systems Project Manager Russell Smith.

The Governor lead discussions of four key topics: Immunization, Access to Care (AHCCCS/KidsCare), Oral Health, and Community Collaboration.

“It’s always a pleasure to visit this part of Pinal County,” Governor Napolitano said. “I’m impressed by the good work and good thinking that is occuring at the Sun Life Center.”

-Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc. 2008

This entry is filed under News.

This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. – March 3, 1933 Inaugural Address, Franklin D. Roosevelt

Keep Calm and Carry On.
Poster produced by the British Ministry of Information, 1939

Above are two of my favorite quotes that personally help me as I, like many Americans, listen to all the grim news about our economy.  Both of these speak to the fact that fear can be a very destructive force.  In fact, FDR was a great psychologist; he just didn’t know it.

Our brains are primed and ready to protect us in the face of danger.  When we are facing danger, the brain, through powerful chemicals, produces all kinds of physical changes in our bodies to prepare us for “fight or flight.”  These chemicals released by our brains can produce changes in our body in less than half a second!  Evolution did an excellent job.  Think about it; primitive human beings didn’t have time to reason things out if they thought they saw, for example, a saber tooth tiger in the shadows ready to pounce.  Once the danger passed, either through successful flight from danger, or, perhaps in the case of a tiger jumping on you, fight, our brains should stop producing these chemicals allowing our bodies to relax.

The problem is today the dangers we think we face are much less immediate and life threatening.  In fact, as I once heard a woman at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting state very eloquently, 90% of everything we fear is simply a waste of time.  Most of what we fear is not the immediate danger of any sort but rather what we imagine COULD happen, those images and thoughts in our heads.  Our brain doesn’t know the difference.  Whether we imagine it or hear it daily in the news, all our brain understands is DANGER.  This is where evolution has not caught up.  Our brains continue to react as if the tiger is about to pounce and the result is a continuous release of chemicals in our body to prepare us for fight or flight.  The continuous release of these chemicals from our brain is simply bad for our body over time: weakened immune system, insomnia, mood disorders, substance abuse, etc.  The result is what is commonly referred to as stress.

So FDR had it right long before the psychological research: fear is in itself a very damaging and destructive force on our brains and bodies.  I offer you following steps to combat the fear:

1. Silence the Alarm in your brain.  Remember, most of what we fear comes from thoughts and images in our head about what MIGHT happen.  Try to be aware of the stuff going through your head.  Instead, stay in the present.  Turn off the TV with its steady stream of bad news.  (Research studies in fact have shown that those who watch fewer hours of television are less anxious!)
2. Take action.  Physical activity and exercise.  Get together with your supports, your friends, family, and talk about your fears.  Avoid the impulse to withdraw. Don’t get paralyzed.
3. Develop a spiritual program.  Again, research demonstrates over and over that those who have a spiritual program cope much more effectively during stressful times.  This does not mean you have to believe in God or attend church.  To get in touch with one’s spiritual side means finding the answers to the fundamental questions of why we exist and what is the purpose of our life.
4. Above all, keep calm and carry on.

This entry is filed under Blog.

“Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” -Japanese proverb

Welcome to my blog on our new, exciting web site! This is my first attempt at blogging anywhere and I hope that you will take this as an opportunity to post your reactions and comments to what I write. I’m looking forward as much to hearing your reactions and comments as I am to writing my entries.

I started with the proverb above to focus this first entry on what is commonly referred to as the “vision thing”. We are in the process of rolling out a tool, a campaign called “Inspiring Hope”, so that all of you understand the vision, mission and goal of Cenpatico. Our vision for this company is that Cenpatico will become the industry leader in recovery and resiliency based managed behavioral healthcare for the publically funded consumer.

Think of the vision statement above as the top of a triangle and moving down are the building blocks that support this statement which ultimately become a foundation, the actions we must take as a company. The vision answers the question WHERE we want to end up, but not the HOW and WHY. The “why” has to be answered by a strong mission that supports our vision. Our mission for this company is that together we inspire hope for a better life. That is why I get out of bed in the morning. Yes, increasing share holder value for Centene is critical and understood, however, that is true of every great company, and, I think you will agree, is hardly by itself an inspiring mission. I believe that every one of us has to understand that regardless of our role, each of us has the power to make a difference in our consumers’ lives; each of us can inspire hope!

So, we have the “where”, we have the “why”, and now for the “how”. Think about your favorite companies and what is it you love about them. Obviously they have to have a great product, but don’t they also have great customer service? And sometimes when the product falters, don’t these same companies also make it up to you, again, with great customer service? I still remember an American Airlines service agent when I showed up with 5 minutes to spare, grabbing me and my suitcase and escorting me down the ramp to the plane before they closed the door. Once on the plane, there was no overhead space, she then grabbed my bag and rushed it down the stairs outside to ensure that it made it into the plane’s baggage compartment. See, I still remember her and she reflected well for her airline.

Customer service is not a department. CSR’s are not just a specific group of employees. In our business we are all CSR’s. We can do most of what our competitors do, however, it is a crowded field and we have to stand out. I believe our employees set us apart from our competitors. If we are to get to our vision, we have to show the world we “walk the talk” with our mission. Cenpatico’s primary goal, the engine for the vision and mission, is customer service that consistently demonstrates Cenpatico’s value. Thus, our goal, the “how”: “Demonstrate value to our customers in everything you do”.

So there you have it. Our vision, mission, and goal (bolded above for your convenience) which answer the questions: Where is this company going — Why are we going there — How are we going to get there.

Sam Donaldson, Ph.D.
CEO & President
Cenpatico

This entry is filed under Blog.

Cenpatico today announces that Manager of Program Development, Michele Flatbush of Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona (Cenpatico) has been awarded The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections Outstanding Contractor of the Year Award. Flatbush was chosen for her work with incarcerated youth in a Juvenile Correction facility where she helped ensure seamless transitions for these children to their homes or to behavioral health placement, if warranted. Flatbush has made a career of working with youth having spent the last six years at Academic Behavioral Alternatives (ABA) and Cenpatico.

“I was very pleased to hear about the award,” Flatbush said.  “It was uplifting to hear that the efforts on behalf of our incarcerated youth are recognized and cheered.”

This entry is filed under News.

Cenpatico will be a major sponsor of the 3^rd Annual National Alliance on Mental Illness Walk (NAMI Walk) for the Mind of America on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 8 a.m. at Auditorium Shores in Austin, Texas. The Cenpatico team has the largest number of walkers of any team this year. To date, they have raised $3,000 for the walk and a staff member is listed as one of the top five fundraisers overall. Last year, the Cenpatico team raised over $4,465 for the NAMI Walk.

“I am proud of our amazing team at Cenpatico and their desire to be involved in the community. It is crucial to raise awareness for mental illness as well as break down the barriers and stigma that prevent people from seeking treatment” said Sam Donaldson Ph.D., CEO and President of Cenpatico.

Click here to see photos from the 2008 NAMI Walk

This entry is filed under News.