Several UMass Medical School employees are among those being honored by the 2016 Commonwealth of Massachusetts Performance Recognition Program.
The program gives formal recognition to state employees who make meaningful contributions that distinguish them from their peers. The special awards focus attention on consistent, positive achievements by both individual and teams of state employees, and recognize those who demonstrate innovation and dedication to their work, concern for the public trust and a commitment to excellence.
“For 32 years, the Performance Recognition Program has been an important means to publicly acknowledge and encourage an individual or team’s outstanding performance, “said UMass President Martin T. Meehan, announcing the UMass recipients.
A special event for recipients will be held later in October at the State House.
The following individuals were honored with the Commonwealth Citation for Outstanding Performance:
Tamara Ohler, PhD, senior policy analyst at the Center for Health Law and Economics of Commonwealth Medicine; Michael F. Baker, MA, registrar; Lisa Beittel, MBA, assistant professor of psychiatry; An Dinh, institutional research analyst; Kimberly LaPerle, executive assistant; Kendall Knight, PhD, professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology; and, Mary Zanetti, EdD, assistant professor of quantitative health sciences.
Additionally, the State Supplemental Program (SSP) and the Enhanced Coordination of Benefits program at the Center for Health Care Financing at Commonwealth Medicine were recognized, including program coordinator Sandra Stickney; specialty projects health benefits coordinator Renee Grenier; and health benefit coordinators Janice Allen, Sharon Beausoleil, Lori Bosak, Nevelle Faly, Anna Guinta, Mary Hajjar, Julie Roselund, Rachel Ross-Jenkinson, Yasmine Salvador and Danielle Zenus.
The SSP is a federally mandated cash assistance program that services more than 200,000 low-income, blind and/or disabled residents. The SSP team was recognized for helping residents receive their cash benefits in a seamless, uninterrupted fashion. In 2010, UMass Medical School took over SSP program administration from the Social Security Administration, and saved the commonwealth more than $85 million from 2012 to 2016.
The Enhanced Coordination of Benefits Program was recognized for its role in working with medically complex members of MassHealth, the Massachusetts Medicaid program, to identify and access new or existing commercial health insurance. Health benefit coordinators meet with families, educate them and guide them through the health insurance maze, coordinating insurance with hospitals, clinicians and financial services.
