New Enhanced Caseload Coordination Unit Manager Announced

Dr. CJ Cook, DBABlog

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Inland Regional Center (IRC) is forming a new unit to provide coordination of services at a 1 to 40 coordinator to consumer ratio for clients in underserved communities with low or no purchased services (POS). This unit is called the Enhanced Service Coordination Unit.

The Enhanced Service Coordination Unit at IRC, also known as the 1:40 caseload unit, will soon be an available service option for our low to no POS clients who live in underserved communities. This unit was created to fulfill the enhanced service coordination mandate from DDS which is “intended to improve service access and delivery” by providing clients with “focused support and increased service coordination.” The uniqueness of enhanced service coordination includes the consideration of cultural, linguistic, systemic, and societal barriers and implementation of best practices to reduce such barriers through a service access and equity lens.

Lilliana Garnica, IRC’s newest Program Manager, will take charge of the new unit. Lilliana was born in Yuma, Arizona to Mexican immigrant parents, and is the youngest of three children. Her parents, now in their 70s, were both farm workers for over 20 years.

As a child, Lilliana was often her parents’ interpreter.  As she got older, she became their advocate, exposing her at a young age to social injustices and discrimination. Over the years, she watched her parents struggle, overcome, and achieve. Lilliana learned the value of hard work, determination, sacrifice, and discovered her calling in advocating for those in need. Although her parents only had a second and third grade education from Mexico, they instilled in their family the importance of attaining an education. They aspired to see their children graduate high school and work in an office that had air conditioning— hoping they wouldn’t have to endure what they did in 115-degree heat, while hand-harvesting grapes, strawberries, lettuce, and cotton in those never-ending fields.

Lilliana graduated from Ganesha High School in Pomona, CA. Lilliana went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Healthcare Management, and a Master of Science in Human Services.

Lilliana will start to build a team of dedicated Services Coordinators over the next few months to offer case management to the underserved communities with low or no purchased services (POS), with the goal of identifying and provided needed services. Lilliana said, “The opportunity to be a part of creating the Enhanced Service Coordination Unit is both exciting and humbling. This initiative will provide the possibility to connect with our most vulnerable clients and families by utilizing service access and equity tools that we’ve collected and learned from as a result of disparity related efforts. I look forward to building this team and continuing to serve our clients and families with heart and dedication.”

Welcome the management team, Lilliana!

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Dr. CJ Cook, DBA

As Program Administrator, CJ is responsible for the proactive oversight of various units within IRC, including Community Management, Service Access and Equity, and Training and Development. CJ's oversight extends to Language Access and Cultural Competency (LACC), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), equity in the Purchase of Service (POS), and the National Core Indicator (NCI) project. Furthermore, CJ is tasked with managing the IRC's Performance Contract with DDS and overseeing Emergency Services.

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