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Street-Smart Tips for Staying Cool When the Temp Hits 90+!
July 13, 2026–Here we go again: The forecast for today and the next couple of days is for temps in the 90s! How do you stay cool when it gets so hot, especially when you’re out in the street? We put this question to our field team members who provide care in all kinds of weather, day in and day out, to our patients, members and clients in across New York City, Westchester and Long Island. Here are a few street-smart tips for staying cool from our team members out in the community… Freeze water in a water bottle “I freeze water in a water bottle overnight. I also like to add lemon or cucumber in the water to give it a little taste. I’ll also wear a light-colored t-shirt when I’m outside and then put on my VNS Health-branded top when I arrive at the client’s home.” Lenis McGarrell-ChangleeHome Health Aide,
Having a “Ripple Effect”—Meet Our 2026 CCSS Agent of the Year
July 8, 2026–For Stacie Rivera, who was recently named VNS Health’s 2026 Contact Center Shared Service Agent (CCSS) Agent of the Year, teamwork is everything. “Teamwork is central to everything we do,” she says. “I emphasize to our team that our work on the authorization team has a ripple effect across each member’s care. If there’s an incomplete notation, for example, it can leave a colleague without the answers they need.” Stacie also tells her team that every day is a new day… You need to put yourself in the caller’s shoes … Don’t take challenging calls personally. This philosophy sums up how Stacie has approached her job during her 20 years at VNS Health. In her position as Senior Authorization Coordinator on CCSS’s Medicare Authorization team, Stacie assists providers who are seeking authorizations for plan members’ Medicare procedures. She also spends considerable time supporting her fellow team members—training new hires, answering
VNS Health Marches in Pride Celebrations in the Bronx and Manhattan
June 30, 2026–Team members from across the organization were joined by family and friends as they marched to commemorate the 57th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and celebrate Pride in the Bronx on Saturday, June 20th and in Manhattan on Sunday, June 28. See the photos here below! Bronx Borough President & LGBTQIA+ Task Force Pride March Saturday, June 20 Manhattan Heritage of Pride March Sunday, June 28
Esther Conteh Speaks to the Importance of Integrated Care in Buffalo Healthy Living
June 29, 2026–
“Leadership Unlocked” Graduates Third Cohort of Leaders
June 24, 2026–The third cohort of Leadership Unlocked held its graduation on Tuesday, June 16th. The day marked the successful completion of the 15-week leadership development program. Throughout the program, 15 Vice Presidents and Directors from across the organization deepened their leadership capabilities through interactive learning experiences, coaching, assessments, VNS Health site visits, and internal networking opportunities. The cohort’s final capstone presentations focused on how their understanding of one VNS Health has changed as a result of being in this program, and how they, as leaders, can help move our organization forward. See the photos below! Congratulations to our third cohort graduates: Olga Akturk, Risikat Amolegbe, Ted Barszewski, Brady Brelinski, Lauren Caralyus, Tom Cocozza, Elizer Cooper-Audain, Kyle Crawford, Lissette Felix, Scott Gale, Jody Lee, Chantal Louisma, Grace McGhee, Tazia Myers, and Lynna Paulino-Reyes!
Catch Up Quick: Latest News Briefs Are Here!
June 22, 2026–Across VNS Health, a lot is happening! To help keep you informed and updated, here is our latest batch of News Briefs… Celebrating the Knicks and the World Cup! Photos! On Thursday, June 11, to celebrate the Knicks making history as well as the official start of the World Cup, many team members from all parts of our organization wore either Knicks blue and orange colors or their favorite World Cup team country colors. See the colorful photos here below! “Leadership Unlocked” Graduates Another Cohort of Leaders The third cohort of Leadership Unlocked held its graduation on Tuesday, June 16th. The day marked the successful completion of the 15-week leadership development program. Throughout the program, 15 Vice Presidents and Directors from across the organization deepened their leadership capabilities through interactive learning experiences, coaching, assessments, VNS Health site visits, and internal networking opportunities. The cohort’s final capstone presentations focused on how
Training Home Health Aides to Provide Exceptional Care
June 15, 2026–VNS Health’s more than 7,000 Home Health Aides (HHAs) make up our largest group of caregivers. Every day, these dedicated team members help thousands of New Yorkers age safely and independently in the comfort of their own homes—where they want to be. Behind every HHA, however, is another, much smaller team working tirelessly to ensure each HHA has the skills, knowledge, and support they need to provide exceptional care: our HHA Education Team. Comprised of 10 RNs, LPNs, and Support Assistants, the HHA Education Team trains, supervises, and evaluates HHAs, helping them deliver the safe, compassionate, mission-driven care that defines VNS Health. Their commitment runs deep. Combined, the team brings nearly 200 years of experience and has trained tens of thousands of HHAs throughout their careers, shaping generations of caregivers and helping ensure the highest quality care for the people we serve. Here’s just one example of the passion and
“Amazing Care!” “My Experience Was Outstanding!” See Our Latest Patient Letters and Commendations!
June 8, 2026–Over the last few months, dozens of team members and teams from across the organization provided such an outstanding consumer experience that people wrote letters, called, emailed, or posted about them. To view their grateful notes and comments, simply scroll down or click on any of the areas below: Bronx “I’m very grateful.” A Bronx Home Care patient called to commend his care team, stating that the nurses have been taking “great care” of him and that “I’m very grateful.” He wanted to especially express his gratitude to Nurses Kamika Grant-Barnett and Donna Marku for being “very wonderful” with him. “Amazing care.” A patient’s daughter posted this compliment for Nurse Donna Marku and Physical Therapist Jose Hernandez on social media: “Love VNS Health. My dad had an amazing nurse from June 2023 until he passed on Easter Sunday. Donna Marku was so much more than a VNS Health nurse, she
CCSS Launches AI Assistant to Support Contact Center Teams in Real Time
May 29, 2026–The Contact Center Support Services (CCSS) team recently launched Balto, a new AI-powered assistant designed to help representatives deliver faster, more consistent support to members and patients. Built to work alongside agents during live calls, Balto listens to conversations in real time and provides on-screen guidance, suggested next steps, reminders, and quick access to relevant tools and resources. The technology acts like a live coach, helping team members navigate complex conversations with greater confidence while reducing the need to search across multiple systems or rely solely on memory. All CCSS agents are now using Balto. The implementation team is working with Balto to continually improve the information and responsiveness of this AI tool, so agents can spend more time focused on solving complex problems and delivering an even better experience for our patients and members.