N.C. Child and Family Improvement Initiative Already Proving Successful
North Carolina, June 14, 2022 – As part of the NC Child and Family Improvement Initiative, launched on May 1, 2022, North Carolina’s six Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations (LME/MCOs) have assembled North Carolina child welfare subject matter experts and thought leaders to create a statewide solution to the current pressing challenges of the service delivery system.
Responding to the most significant issues raised by members of the General Assembly, county Departments of Social Services (DSS), providers and families, the NC Child and Family Improvement Initiative will create ease of movement for children who relocate throughout the state to ensure continuity of care without delay or interruption and will alleviate administrative burden on providers who are involved in those inter-county movements.
Immediately following launch of the NC Child and Family Improvement Initiative, the LME/MCOs have quickly developed nine critical objectives for a statewide model that will support seamless access to quality care for children in foster care, regardless of where they live in North Carolina.
- Establish a statewide provider network to ensure access to residential treatment and the other services these youth need.
- Ensure a standardized, seamless process for children moving from one LME/MCO region to another or changing custody to a new DSS.
- Establish rapid access to care by reducing authorization barriers for residential treatment.
- Increase capacity for crisis care across the state.
- Co-locate LME/MCO care managers across North Carolina’s County and regional DSS offices, tailoring the approach to the unique needs of each county DSS.
- Establish a standardized reimbursement rate at 100% of the rate floor for out-of-network community-based providers.
- Adopt standardized child-specific In Lieu Of Services across all LME/MCOs.
- Develop a standardized, statewide referral system for all residential and Therapeutic Foster Care providers.
- Standardize case escalation frameworks in collaboration with local DSS departments.
“We applaud the rapid collaboration from the state’s LME/MCOs to develop a coordinated statewide strategy so that children and families who are in the foster care system have a seamless experience of quality care,” said Kevin Leonard, Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC). “The immediate and significant efforts of the NC Child and Family Improvement Initiative support the NCACC’s request that NCDHHS pause implementation of a statewide CFSP, which would allow time for LME/MCO results to be measured, and also would allow all stakeholders an opportunity to have dialogue that will assist in developing a long-term and sustainable solution to best serve the children in foster care programs across the entire state.”
The LME/MCOs plan to vet these objectives with key representatives from local DSS agencies and service providers over the coming weeks to gather their input and finalize a plan for full implementation. Karen McLeod, president and chief executive officer of Benchmarks, an umbrella non-profit advocacy group for children and family service agencies, praised the development of the NC Child and Family Improvement Initiative saying, “We are really pleased that the LME/MCOs are working collectively to prioritize youth in foster care.” McLeod stated that Benchmarks looks forward to working with the group to vet the objectives, which are designed to improve the administration of services behind the scenes. The commitment of all six LME/MCOs to partner on a shared health care model for youth in foster care “will go a long way toward providing statewide continuity of care for these children,” McLeod added.
John Eller, Director of Social Services for Mecklenburg County Government adds, “Departments of Social Services (DSS) need solutions to the current challenges we are experiencing and more readily available access to services for the children and families in our community will help us with prevention both ‘upstream and downstream.’ Between the NC Child and Family Improvement Initiative, planning being done by NCDHHS, support from the General Assembly, and advocacy from providers, counties and their DSS agencies, we hope all of these efforts coupled with Medicaid Transformation will culminate into a cohesive system reform that complements each component. We applaud the LME/MCOs for engaging DSS stakeholders in the Initiative. We look forward to participating in these discussions and seeing the Initiative’s collective objectives achieved.”
As the NC Child and Family Improvement Initiative workgroups continue their efforts in the coming days and beyond, more details, including dates for delivery of the objectives, will be shared. The immediate improvements resulting from this partnership will be fully functional before the December 2022 launch of the North Carolina Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plans.
ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA LME/MCOs
North Carolina’s six Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations (LME/MCOs) are responsible for managing Medicaid, state and local funding for North Carolinians who are uninsured or who receive Medicaid and seek services for mental health (MH) needs, substance use disorders (SUDs), intellectual/ developmental disabilities (IDD), and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
The LME/MCOs are the cornerstone of North Carolina’s public MH/SUD/IDD/TBI managed care system designed to improve quality and timely access to care for individuals and families.Established by the General Assembly in 2011, the LME/MCOs are built on a 50-year legacy of county area programs with deep local, community roots. The LME/MCOs ensure access to high quality provider networks, strong community collaboration to support robust System of Care, and budget predictability through the efficient and effective use of public funds and resources.
North Carolina’s LME/MCOs include:
Alliance Health
Eastpointe
Partners Health Management
Sandhills Center
Trillium Health Resources
Vaya Health
Contact Information
Name: Rachel Porter
Email: rporter@partnersbhm.org
Job Title: Partners Chief Administrative Officer
MICHELIN Guide Reveals Inaugural Florida Selection
- 15 restaurants in Miami, Orlando and Tampa earn MICHELIN Stars, including L’Atelier de JoËl Robuchon Miami with two MICHELIN Stars
- Selection also highlights 29 Bib Gourmands, plus two special awards
- 118 restaurants, 35 different cuisine types in the selection
ORLANDO, Fla., June 9, 2022 — The inaugural edition of the MICHELIN Guide Miami, Orlando and Tampa has been revealed, with inspectors finding 14 One-MICHELIN-Star restaurants and a Two-MICHELIN-Star restaurant.
“As you can see, Miami, Orlando and Tampa have very much to offer to international food and wine enthusiasts,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. “These talented chefs and their committed teams create culinary experiences matched only by the amazing attractions of each city. This very first selection of the MICHELIN Guide in Florida highlights glittery Miami, storied Orlando and breathtaking Tampa, offering a unique blend of international cuisine and Florida flavors. Local foodies as well as travelers will enjoy exploring these mesmerizing and rich Florida culinary destinations.”
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami, led by Director of Culinary Operations Alain Verzeroli, received two MICHELIN Stars. Here’s what the inspectors had to say about it:
L’Atelier de JoËl Robuchon Miami (French cuisine)
The menu offers both tasting portions and large plates; but go with the seasonal prix fixe. The bread basket is a lovely opener, arriving in advance of such thrilling bites as a seared sea scallop with toasted spices. The Design District setting bears all the beloved hallmarks with its counter and open kitchen.
Here are the One MICHELIN Star restaurants, with inspector notes from each (inspector comments in full on the MICHELIN Guide website and mobile app):
Ariete (Miami, Contemporary cuisine)
Chef Michael Beltran’s Coconut Grove mainstay is immediately welcoming with a menu that weaves together Cuban and French influences to dazzling effect.
Boia De (Miami, Contemporary cuisine)
A neon-pink exclamation mark that glows above the front door is impossible to miss. Surprising is certainly an apt descriptor for Chefs Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer’s distinctive and impressive menu.
Cote Miami (Miami, Korean cuisine/steakhouse)
Owner Simon Kim and his team know what they’re doing in this highly stylized Korean steakhouse, which almost feels like a temple to beautifully marbled and aged beef, much of it on display in a nearby room.
The Den at Sushi Azabu Miami (Miami Beach, Japanese cuisine/sushi)
Tucked away in the Stanton South Beach hotel through Sushi Azabu’s dining room and behind a sliding door is this intimate temple to sushi. Fish flown in a few times a week is treated and dressed minimally, often with just a single brush of nikiri.
Elcielo Miami (Miami, Colombian cuisine)
The menu offers diners a taste of traditional Colombian cuisine presented in a modern and dramatic manner. Colombian-born Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos’ culinary artistry has garnered international fame, with various locations, including Washington, D.C.
Hiden (Miami, Japanese cuisine)
This spot is indeed hidden in the thick of bustling Wynwood. Chef Shingo Akikuni sticks to tradition, sourcing most of his product from Japan — beautiful slabs of tuna, sweet botan ebi and generous portions of uni are highlights in a tasting menu that never feels stuffy or overly reverent.
Le Jardinier Miami (Miami, French cuisine)
Stylish from head to toe, this dining room is a celebration of the seasons. The menu is a study of vibrant tastes and smart compositions that pack big flavor minus the heaviness.
Los FËlix (Miami, Mexican cuisine)
This is cooking that sends guests on a gustatory trip — at the hands of servers who are armed with ample information about the provenance of each ingredient. Recent highlights have included hearty pork cheek carnitas with myriad salsas and snapper crudo topped with shavings of jicama and avocado aïoli.
Stubborn Seed (Miami Beach, Contemporary cuisine)
Stubborn Seed is sexy and sleek with its industrial chic décor and glass-fronted display kitchen. Chef Jeremy Ford brings the heat, and his ambitious and brashly creative cooking is best enjoyed by way of the tasting menu.
The Surf Club Restaurant (Surfside, American cuisine)
Located within the elegantly restored landmark, now in league with the Four Seasons, The Surf Club is a prime location for Thomas Keller’s first Florida venture. Sauces are what this team does best, starting with the scallop crudo with buttermilk-basil dressing; followed by the brilliantly reimagined Maine lobster thermidor with sauce Américaine.
Capa (Orlando, Steakhouse)
At the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World; this steakhouse also flaunts a decidedly Spanish accent. Kick things off with ace tapas before indulging in a main dish, like flame-kissed ribeye with tamarind-ancho sauce.
Soseki (Orlando, Fusion/sushi)
This tiny operation with Chef Mike Collantes at the helm is an ideal illustration of a contemporary meal expressed by way of an omakase. A laser-like focus on local Florida produce results in a menu that changes monthly.
Kadence (Orlando, Japanese cuisine/sushi)
The omakase opens with hot dishes and cool sashimi. This is food that’s free-spirited, yet manages to honor the classic methods. Pacing is on point in sashimi like hamachi and hirame. Nigiri, like snapper with lemon and sea salt, will have you yearning for more.
Knife & Spoon (Orlando, Steakhouse)
This iteration from Chef John Tesar inside the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, is the picture of plush. Care and skill are the hallmarks of this team, as they turn out contemporary steakhouse fare woven with seafood.
Bib Gourmands
The MICHELIN Guide inspectors found 29 restaurants worthy of the Bib Gourmand designation, which recognizes great food at a great value. These are restaurants where one can have two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for under $49. There were 19 in the Miami area, seven in the Orlando area and three in the Tampa area.
Special Awards
In addition to the highly anticipated Bib Gourmand and Star awards, the Guide announced two special awards. Sommelier of the Year, presented by Wine Access, was awarded to Victoria James and her team at Cote Miami. The Exceptional Cocktails Award was awarded to Ruben Rolon and his teams at L’Atelier de JoËl Robuchon Miami and Le Jardinier Miami.
The MICHELIN Guide Star Revelation event is presented with the support of Capital One.
The 2022 Miami, Orlando and Tampa restaurant selection will join the MICHELIN Guide selection of hotels, which features the most unique and exciting places to stay in Florida and around the world. Visit the MICHELIN Guide website, or download the free app for iOS and Android, to book unforgettable hotels and make restaurant reservations through partners OpenTable, Resy and SevenRooms.
About Michelin North America, Inc.
Michelin, the leading mobility company, is working with tires, around tires and beyond tires to enable Motion for Life. Dedicated to enhancing its clients’ mobility and sustainability, Michelin designs and distributes the most suitable tires, services and solutions for its customers’ needs. Michelin provides digital services, maps and guides to help enrich trips and travels and make them unique experiences. Bringing its expertise to new markets, the company is investing in high-technology materials, 3D printing and hydrogen, to serve a wide variety of industries — from aerospace to biotech. Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, Michelin North America has approximately 22,500 employees and operates 34 production facilities in the United States and Canada. (michelinman.com)
About Capital One
At Capital One we’re on a mission for our customers – bringing them best-in-class products, rewards, service, and experiences. Capital One is a diversified bank that offers products and services to individuals, small businesses and commercial clients. We use technology, innovation, and interaction to provide consumers with products and services to meet their needs. Through Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment, we provide our rewards cardholders with access to unforgettable experiences in the areas they’re passionate about, including dining, music and sports. Learn more at capitalone.com/dining and capitalone.com/entertainment.
For more information, contact:
Andrew Festa
Michelin North America
andrew.festa@michelin.com
Devon Gunn
Capital One
devon.gunn@capitalone.com
Phone: 571-308-4762
Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. Acquires Charter Seed Co.
Tolono, IL (June 1, 2022)
Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. (IFSI) continues to grow.
IFSI announced today the acquisition of Charter Seed Co., a vegetable seed production and vegetable seed sales company based in Nampa, ID.
The purchase of Charter Seed Co. provides Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. with a talented and experienced vegetable seed production team renowned for high-quality seed and exceptional customer service.
“We are pleased to add the Charter Seed operations and employees to our team,” says Clinton Naugle, CEO of Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. “IFSI and Charter Seed have developed a strong working relationship over the past decade, sharing similar values and a commitment to provide an exceptional client experience. IFSI is dedicated to servicing the seed industry through our advancements in vegetable seed research, licensing world-class dent corn genetics, seed production and distribution services. The addition of Charter Seed enhances our ability to bring quality vegetable seeds to the market.”
Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. will integrate the Charter Seed Co. team into daily operations and retain Charter Seed Co.’s Nampa and Melba, ID warehouse and office locations.
“We are excited for this opportunity to expand our vertical integration and product offering in vegetable seed,” continues Naugle. “This acquisition allows us to build on a commitment to both our clients and our employees, that IFSI will be intent on providing a high-quality product while protecting the client experience from order to delivery.”
Gene Hayes, owner of Charter Seed Co., agrees. “Charter Seed Company has always valued the best quality in our products, great customer service and grower relationships. We’re excited to join IFSI, which shares the same values.”
Headquartered in Tolono, IL, Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. is a leading research, product development, licensing and production company established in 1937. For over 85 years, in locations worldwide, the IFSI commitment to development and dedication to exceptional quality has remained the same. The IFSI name means you can count on industry-leading products, research, licensing, and service.
Contact Information
Name: Clinton Naugle
Email: cnaugle@ifsi.com
Job Title: CEO
LexisNexis InterAction’s Hybrid Cloud CRM Platform Celebrates a 150 Percent Increase in Customer Adoption Globally
Firms of all sizes, across jurisdictions are buying into LexisNexis InterAction’s cloud vision as they adapt to a hybrid working environment
LONDON, U.K. / RALEIGH, NC, 7th June 2022 – LexisNexis InterAction, the leading client relationship management (CRM) solution specifically designed for legal and professional services, has demonstrated that adoption of its hybrid cloud platform is gaining significant momentum globally since the pandemic. Firms of all sizes, most notably across countries in Northern Europe, the United States, Chile, South Africa, Australia and India, are investing in the InterAction hybrid cloud solution, driven by the imperative to empower both attorneys and business development strategists to leverage firm-wide relationship intelligence with this business-critical CRM tool in remote and hybrid working environments, triggered by the pandemic. Since January 2021, the solution has seen a 150 percent increase in the number of firms deploying the solution, with individual user numbers growing by 94 percent.
The most common reasons cited by firms for adopting LexisNexis InterAction’s hybrid cloud platform include trust in the reputation of LexisNexis as the gold standard in legal data management, a proven CRM solution for professional services firms, advanced relationship intelligence capability, sophisticated business development-related functionality, and workflow-driven integration with Microsoft Office. The hybrid cloud platform is being adopted, both by current clients and net new customers. Over the last 15 months, 15 new firms with over 3,268 combined users, have chosen InterAction for their relationship intelligence needs.
Magdalena Engel, Communications Manager at Carey, Chile’s largest law firm, explains, “We made the decision to move to the InterAction hybrid cloud application so that the lawyers can easily access InterAction, as they work remotely due to COVID; and for the IT department, to lessen their burden of keeping up with updates and patches. We have relied heavily on the InterAction Professional Services team to lead us on this journey. We have complete trust in the advice they offer, which is always with our best interests in mind.”
Despite the unforeseen disruption caused by the pandemic, InterAction customers have been able to successfully stay connected and collaborative with clients and maintain their focus on meeting expected service levels. This is evidence that InterAction remains the best CRM and business development tool for law firms – regardless of dispersed teams, firm sizes, jurisdictions and regional locations.
The number of users seeing the value and results of the InterAction hybrid cloud solution continues to increase. Many of the larger, multi-regional law firms are incrementally rolling out the hybrid cloud solution, positioning themselves ahead of their competition by harnessing the power of the Strategic Data capability offered by LexisNexis InterAction. This functionality is enabling firms to align their business development strategies and overall objectives, taking a data-driven approach to decision-making in today’s uncertain and still evolving post pandemic environment. With a dispersed workforce, this kind of cloud-based capability is viewed as business critical for commercial insight, business development, pipeline management and ultimately, client satisfaction.
Similarly, many small to mid-sized law firms who have ambitious plans to grow, are attracted to LexisNexis InterAction as they too can take full control over where data is stored, leveraging patented technology to securely access data where and when it is needed.
George Tsivin, General Manager, LexisNexis Legal Business Solutions, says, “Firms of all sizes and across all jurisdictions are buying into our modern, data-driven approach to CRM and business development, alongside our cloud vision for the InterAction platform. Our hybrid cloud InterAction solution has been designed to allow firms to adopt cloud capability, based on their business requirements and individual appetite for the technology. We don’t believe in an ‘all or nothing’ approach to the cloud. Rather than expecting customers to adapt their way of working to fit the application, our solution flexibly accommodates clients’ priorities. Clearly, our approach to cloud is resonating with the market.”
LexisNexis InterAction Hybrid Cloud combines the benefits of SaaS whilst offering customers full control over where their data is stored. Firms can select to store data on-premises behind a firewall, in a private cloud, or in a public cloud environment. LexisNexis’ patented methodology means that data is never stored at rest in the LexisNexis InterAction cloud. Powerful client relationship data is delivered when and where it is needed most, so firms can offer improved client service and a strong pipeline for new business opportunities. Designed with the way firms work in mind, the solution embeds vital client data into existing workflows, streamlining processes and improving user adoption and data quality across the entire firm. Private and secure mobile access to data and insights allows seamless access to the existing InterAction ecosystem on users’ chosen device, from anywhere.
About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis Legal & Professional® provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 10,500 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
About LexisNexis® InterAction
LexisNexis® InterAction® is the leading client relationship platform for law and professional services firms. For almost three decades, InterAction has helped firms of all sizes drive business relationships, accelerate firm growth, and increase revenue by embedding client intelligence at the heart of every engagement. We aim to be a partner that helps you grow your book of business through an innovative portfolio that enables you to uncover value in your contacts while improving your ability to deliver meaningful relationship experiences. Discover more at interaction.com.
Media Contact
Vidushi Patel
TagusPR
P: +44 7958474632
E: vidushi@taguspr.co.uk
Nicole Merson
Product Marketing Manager, LexisNexis Legal Business Solutions
E: nicole.merson@lexisnexis.com
With Nexis® for Development Professionals, the Path to Finding High-Potential Donors is Simplified
New Donor Profiles will save time and help drive increased donations for charitable, nonprofit and educational institutions
NEW YORK – June 1, 2022 –LexisNexis® has introduced a powerful new Donor Profile feature to its research platform for development professionals, Nexis® for Development Professionals (NDP). The feature adds a new layer of insights to the online research tool, which has long been the go-to resource for charitable, nonprofit and educational institutions’ donor prospecting efforts, streamlining donor research and helping to solve one of its users’ most common problems—a lack of time.
“We know that development professionals have a tough job, which is why we’re so passionate about helping them find donors who care about their cause—quickly and efficiently,” said Danielle McCormick, VP Product, Nexis Solutions at LexisNexis. “Our new Donor Profiles do just that, tapping into Nexis’ deep set of trusted data to serve up the right donor details in a simple, streamlined way.”
The latest data from the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy Outlook for Charitable Giving suggests that total giving will continue its upward trajectory from 2021, with an anticipated growth of 5.7% in the next year. NDP is designed to ensure development professionals are well equipped to seize this opportunity, offering key insights into a potential donor’s past, present, and now, future.
A Robust Picture
NDP’s new Donor Profiles feature automatically sorts and streamlines an incomparable amount of data—including demographics, donation history, wealth indicators, and personal connections of individuals and companies—into a singular view. Each profile creates a robust picture of who someone is and what they care about, saving time and energy. Collectively, this data offers development professionals valuable insight into the best targets for future fundraising, as well as the hard-to-find contact information needed to reach them.
“Analysis of a donor’s giving history can be very manual and time consuming,” said McCormick. “With the new donation analysis within donor profiles, what would have taken hours is now visualized in seconds.”
Donor Profiles now also include automated donor insights, streamlining researchers’ paths from search to story and laying the groundwork for strong, lasting relationships. This includes details about each donor’s propensity and capacity to give, how much they’re likely to donate and information on which causes they have most frequently given to in the past—uncovering their affinities for causes.
The Depth and Breadth Development Pros Expect
The new features are built atop the existing depth and breadth of donor information users have come to expect from NDP. LexisNexis’ extensive library of licensed content stretches back more than 45 years, offering access to millions of diverse sources, including news, company information, individual records, donor history and much more. Here’s just a sampling of what NDP provides:
- Key wealth markers and giving indicators
- Financial Data and company news on 240 million+ quoted and private companies across the world
- Biographical information on 75 million+ executives
- Details on potential donors’ business and real estate assets
- Multilingual source coverage
- Negative news and risk factors
Peak fundraising performance starts with NDP. For more information on the platform’s new features, or to request a demo, visit Nexis for Development Professionals online.
About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis Legal & Professional®provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 10,500 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
About Nexis Solutions
Nexis Solutions, as part of LexisNexis and the global RELX corporate family, connects customers to market-leading data through a flexible suite of scalable solutions, including our award-winning, flagship Nexis research platform. By enabling fast access to a vast universe of enriched data with intelligent technologies, Nexis Solutions empowers business, media, non-profit, government and academic organizations worldwide to quickly discover actionable insights that enable confident, performance-driving decisions.
Contact Information
Name: Megan Burnside
Email: megan.burnside@lexisnexis.com
Job Title: Director, Product Marketing
LME/MCOs Launch Initiative to Ensure Seamless, Statewide Care for Foster Children
North Carolina, May 27, 2022 – North Carolina’s six Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations (LME/MCOs) have launched the NC Child and Family Improvement Initiative to collaboratively improve care for children, youth and families served by the child welfare system. Building on a 50-year legacy of established local partnerships and the strengths of North
Carolina’s public managed care system for mental health, substance use disorder, intellectual/developmental disability (IDD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), the LME/MCOs have joined together to implement a statewide model to ensure seamless access to quality care for these children and families regardless of where they live in North Carolina.
LME/MCOs have long worked together with their counties to effectively serve children in the foster care system. For those children with very complex behavioral health needs, often inclusive of IDD needs, there are regularly challenges in securing needed treatment. Severe provider capacity issues and workforce shortages across the state have exacerbated these challenges. Following recent decisions by 20 counties that were formerly assigned to Cardinal Innovations to realign with other LME/MCOs, there is ground-breaking work taking place that is improving care for youth with complex needs. North Carolina’s LME/MCOs have intensified their efforts to address the challenges facing children, families and county Department of Social Services (DSS) offices while leveraging North Carolina’s existing infrastructure in order to be good stewards of public funds, and to bring rapid change to this critical population.
As part of the NC Child and Family Improvement Initiative, the LME/MCOs have assembled North Carolina child welfare subject matter experts and thought leaders to create a statewide solution to the current pressing challenges of the service delivery system. Responding to the most significant issues raised by members of the General Assembly, county Departments of Social Services, the Provider Community and families, the Initiative will create ease of
movement for children who relocate throughout the state to continue to receive services without delay or interruption and will alleviate any administrative burden on providers who are involved in those inter-county movements.
As the NC Child and Family Improvement Initiative workgroups continue their efforts in the coming days and beyond, specific elements and dates for delivery will be shared. The immediate improvements resulting from this partnership will be fully functional before the December 2022 launch of the North Carolina Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plans.
ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA LME/MCOs
North Carolina’s six Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations (LME/MCOs) are responsible for managing Medicaid, state and local funding for North Carolinians who are uninsured or who receive Medicaid and seek services for Mental Health (MH), Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Substance Use Disorders (SUD) or Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).
The LME/MCOs are the cornerstone of North Carolina’s public Managed Behavioral Health/IDD/TBI system designed to improve quality and timely access to care for individuals and families. Established by the General Assembly in 2011, the LME/MCOs are built on a 50- year legacy of county area programs with deep local, community roots. The LME/MCOs ensure access to quality provider networks, strong community collaboration to support a robust System of Care, and budget predictability through the efficient and effective use of public funds and resources.
North Carolina’s LME/MCOs include:
Partners Health Management Sandhills Center
Trillium Health Resources Vaya Health
For More Information:
Rachel Porter, Partners Chief Administrative Officer
Mobile: 980-293-3978
Email: rporter@partnersbhm.org
Four LexisNexis Legal & Professional Products Named CODiE Award Finalists
NEW YORK — LexisNexis®Legal & Professional, a leading global provider of information and analytics, today announced that four of its products have earned prestigious industry recognition as finalists for the SIIA Business Technology 2022 CODiE Awards. Finalists represent the best products, technologies, and services in software, information and business technology.
LexisNexis was recognized as a finalist in the following categories:
Best Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Content Solution
- Lexis+ is a feature-rich, premium legal solution that integrates advanced research, practical guidance, litigation analytics, brief analysis, legal news and enhanced tools with a modern user experience to deliver data-driven insights, greater efficiency and better outcomes.
Best Business Information or Data Delivery Solution
- Nexis connects researchers to an unrivaled information universe of news, business, legal and IP content so that they can quickly discover, compile and share insights necessary to fuel newsrooms and boardrooms alike.
Best Business Intelligence Solution
- Nexis Newsdesk is an all-in-one media intelligence tool that offers the latest news and media content for customers to uncover insights and drive business decisions.
Best Library Reference or Educational Database
- Nexis Uni is an intuitive research solution where university students access global news, trade journals, company reports and legal sources—all in an environment that encourages collaboration and development of skillsets necessary for their future careers.
“We are honored to be recognized for providing innovative resources that help legal professionals do their jobs more effectively and efficiently,” said Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO, LexisNexis North America, UK & Ireland. “We are committed to providing cutting-edge solutions that are designed for the way attorneys work and quickly deliver accurate, data-driven results.”
“We are pleased to be recognized for the seventh year in row for Nexis Newsdesk and the third year in a row for Nexis Uni. Our flagship news and business research tool, Nexis, has evolved significantly over the past several years to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers. We are delighted to have this work recognized and validated by the industry,” added Todd Larsen, President, Global Nexis Solutions. “We will continue our focus of empowering people to find the insights that enable confident, performance-driving decisions.”
Acknowledged as the premier awards program for the software and information industries for over 35 years, the SIIA CODiE Awards are produced by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software, education, media and digital content industries. LexisNexis was honored among 137 finalists across 43 business technology categories.
The SIIA CODiE Awards are the industry’s only peer-recognized awards program. Business technology leaders including senior executives, analysts, media, consultants and investors, evaluate assigned products during the first-round review. Their scores determine the SIIA CODiE Award finalists and account for 80 percent of the overall score. SIIA members and industry leaders vote on the finalist products, and the scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners. Business technology category winners will be announced during the winner announcement celebration winner announcement celebration June 8, 2022.
For a list of this year’s CODiE Award finalists, visit https://siia.net/codie/codie-finalists.
About the SIIA CODiE™Awards
The SIIA CODiE Awards, is the only peer-reviewed program to showcase financial information, business, and education technology’s finest products and services. Since 1986, thousands of products, services and solutions have been recognized for achieving excellence. For more information, visit siia.net/CODiE.
About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis Legal & Professional®provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis®and Nexis®services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 10,500 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
Media Contacts
Dana Greenstein
Director, Corporate Communications
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
212-448-2163
dana.greenstein@lexisnexis.com
Many small law firms are thinking big when it comes to the tech they need to see them through another period of profound change
More than 80% of small and medium law firms reported financial performance at or better than expectations. But the post-COVID boom is receding, and the ‘great resignation’ has led to renewed pressure. Ambitious firms are turning to legal tech to help them thrive.
LONDON, UK, 16th May, 2022 – Today, LexisNexis Legal & Professional released the 10th Anniversary edition of the Bellwether, titled “Transformation troubles”. Building on a decade of sharing insights on the independent legal market, this report suggests that the post-lockdown boom has continued into 2022. 91% of the market voiced confidence in the future of their firm and 33% noted they had outperformed revenue expectations – maintaining the highs of 2021.
Having endured several tough years, firms are starting to feel the benefits of the tough decisions they made to survive. However, external pressures continue to challenge profitability. A staggering 81% of respondents, with knowledge of their PII, reported that their costs had increased at renewal.
Whilst there remains a clear desire to grow organically, the number of firms actively open to a merger or acquisition has climbed almost 10% since 2021. This may be because we are seeing signs that the post-pandemic growth boom is plateauing. 51% of respondents stated they were growing, a notable slip from the 66% in 2021 and 57% in 2019.
Just as growth projections return to the pre-pandemic ‘normal’, the traditional problems for the sector have also returned. The ‘great resignation’ has left its mark on the sector. Around 50% of contributors commented that recruiting and retaining good lawyers is now one of their top 3 challenges, with sizeable unease that they would be able to compete effectively for talent. This is clearly causing pain, as winning new business is seen as an equally big challenge.
To combat these threats, ambitious firms are investing in cloud-based tech to drive greater efficiencies and win more business. 36% had already increased their investment in technology and 24% were planning to do so. When asked which tech tools are currently in place, perhaps unsurprisingly, teleconferencing software such as Microsoft Teams had the highest adoption rate at 79%. This was followed by legal research tools, such as LexisNexis, at 69%.
Whilst some firms have welcomed technology with open arms, 47% say they have no plans to invest in any technology at all. 74% say they still use Google for free research and guidance – even though 63% of the survey acknowledged this was riskier and slower than using legal tech.
The divide in the industry continues when looking at business generation activities and ways of working. Only 46% are investing in their marketing spend and 55% are developing a social media strategy. Almost 50% are insisting their teams come into the office 5 days a week.
Rakhee Patel, Senior Marketing Manager and the report’s author, commented “It is wonderful to see that the industry has found its feet again after such a challenging period. But with continued challenges with recruitment and business generation, firms must be open to embracing new technologies so that they can survive, grow and thrive.”
Read the report here: https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/research-and-reports/bellwether-2022.html
Rakhee Patel is available for comment.
About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis Legal & Professional® is a leading global provider of legal, regulatory and business information and analytics that helps customers increase productivity, improve decision-making and outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 10,500 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
Contact Information
Matthew Leopold
Head of Brand and PR
0207 400 2508
Matthew.Leopold@lexisnexis.co.uk
Delaware Museum of Nature and Science opens to the public May 23 after $10.8 renovation
Fifty years after originally opening to the public, the fully-renovated and re-imagined Delaware Museum of Nature and Science welcomes the public starting May 23
After an extensive $10.8 million, 17-month renovation project, the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science opens to the public on Monday, May 23. The museum, formerly the Delaware Museum of Natural History, closed at the end of 2020 for the project. All of the exhibits – many in place since 1972 – were removed and the walls were taken down to the studs. Installation of the new exhibits has been ongoing since the end of 2021.
“We’ve completely shed that dusty, old museum perception. The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science is dynamic, engaging, interactive, relevant, and modern,” Executive Director Halsey Spruance said. “Our focus is on what we know about nature and science, why it matters to us, and what we can do to protect the environment. There’s a huge emphasis on how we are all connected and how our actions matter.”
New galleries include:
- Regional Journey Gallery: Stroll across a giant floor map of the state and explore deciduous and mixed forests, the Bald Cypress Swamp, a saltmarsh, dunes, and the Delaware Bay. Designated areas such as the Fair Play Foundation Field Station and the DuPont Research Headquarters provide an opportunity to learn what is happening in our local region and beyond.
- Alison K. Bradford Global Journey Gallery: A giant floor map of the world occupies the center of this gallery, surrounded by three land-based ecosystems, including a tropical rainforest, Arctic tundra and African savanna, along with three different ocean environments (shallow, mid-water, and deep). The ecosystems demonstrate nature’s diversity, the interdependency of life, and how humans play the biggest role in change.
- Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation PaleoZone: Meet the creatures that lived in the Mid-Atlantic during the Cretaceous Period. Skeletons of the fearsome Dryptosaurus dinosaur, the flying “bat lizard” Nyctosaur, and the aquatic giant Mosasaur are joined by smaller Cretaceous specimens.
Other new exhibit spaces include the Tree of Life in the atrium with a visual interpretation of the Tree of Life, depicting the evolution of organisms over billions of years and the relationships between them in increasingly diverse branches. Adjacent to the Atrium, the Bill & Denise Spence Discovery Gallery offers rotating, hands-on exhibits. Opening exhibits include Delaware Mineralogical Society, First State Robotics and the University of Delaware, in addition to the museum’s Collections & Research Division.
New amenities include the Rest, Relax, Recharge café with prepackaged sandwiches, salads and snacks from Jamestown Catering, along with coffee, water, and other beverages. The Delaware Community Foundation Respite Room is a dedicated, calming space for visitors with sensory challenges and developmental disorders to take a break, as well as being a quiet and private option for nursing parents.
Visit Information: The museum will be open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Admission price is $12.95 for ages 3 and up, $3.95 for toddlers ages 1-2, and free for infants under 12 months. There is a $1 discount for tickets purchased in advance online.
Admission is free for DelMNS members. For the first year, members of Delaware Art Museum, Hagley Museum & Library, Mt. Cuba, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, and Tyler Arboretum also receive free general admission.
About the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science
Everywhere you look, our dynamic Earth is full of diverse life. At the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, discover how nature connects us all in surprising ways and explore how we all have a role to play in caring for our environment and the planet. In addition to all-new exhibits, the museum offers nature and science programs and events including programs for schools and community organizations, summer camp, and rental opportunities. Above the galleries are millions of scientific specimens, including some of the largest mollusk and bird collections in the country. Learn more at delmns.org or on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or TikTok.
Contact Information
Name: Jennifer Acord
Email:jacord@delmns.org
Job Title: Director of Communications
The MICHELIN Guide makes reservations in Toronto
- MICHELIN Guide inspectors will discover and celebrate Toronto’s restaurants
- Toronto becomes the first MICHELIN Guide destination in Canada
TORONTO, May 10, 2022 — Michelin and Destination Toronto today revealed an expansion of The MICHELIN Guide, with the announcement of the MICHELIN Guide Toronto, making it the first Canadian destination for the selection.
A new chapter begins in Toronto, which features global eats and charming cafes as well as high-end dining experiences. It’s a city where top chefs want to establish a presence and where emerging chefs nurture their culinary talent – both drawing on locally produced ingredients unique to Ontario.
The inaugural edition of the MICHELIN Guide Toronto will be announced in fall 2022, with a selection of restaurants receiving honors. Inspectors award MICHELIN Stars – One, Two or Three – to unparalleled cuisine. They also bestow Bib Gourmand ratings on restaurants that offer great quality food at good prices, and they award the MICHELIN Green Star to restaurants involved in sustainable gastronomy.
“For the first time in its history, the MICHELIN Guide lands in Canada, and our inspectors are excited to experience the impressive culinary landscape of Toronto,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the MICHELIN Guides. “This first selection for Canada’s largest city, and our first in the country, will represent the local flavors, international inspiration, and distinct creativity that makes Toronto’s dining scene world-class.”
In order to present a full and independent selection in the fall, Michelin inspectors already have begun visiting restaurants in Toronto. They will continue during the next few months. Michelin inspectors are meticulous in maintaining their anonymity. They make dining reservations anonymously and pay for all their meals to ensure they are treated the same as any other customer.
“This is an exciting moment for our city as Toronto will become the first MICHELIN Guide destination in Canada,” said Mayor John Tory. “This further bolsters our reputation as a world destination for food and cuisine. Our diverse city, along with the many renowned chefs who call Toronto home, have helped us get to this point and to be able to showcase all of the wonderful restaurants. A big thank you to everyone who has made this possible: MICHELIN, Destination Toronto, Destination Ontario and Destination Canada. While we await the guide, I encourage Toronto residents to continue supporting and celebrating the revival of Toronto restaurants by dining in locally to sample the diverse culinary offerings our restaurants have to offer.”
“Toronto’s culinary scene is as diverse as the city itself, and the MICHELIN Guide Toronto is the perfect way to celebrate our culinary community,” said Scott Beck, President & CEO of Destination Toronto. “It will be a powerful way to share our culinary capabilities with new audiences from around the world. We’re so proud to partner with Michelin and our destination partners Destination Ontario and Destination Canada, to bring the MICHELIN Guide to Canada for the first time.”
The MICHELIN Guide is constantly observing the evolution of culinary destinations around the world, and the discovery process began in Toronto four years ago. Michelin works with Destination Marketing Organizations, or tourism boards, to promote the travel industry in the respective locations; however, the MICHELIN Guide selections process remains completely independent. While selections remain fully independently determined by Michelin inspectors, Michelin is working with Destination Toronto on marketing and promotion activities only.
The upcoming MICHELIN Guide Toronto selection will follow Michelin’s historical methodology, based on five universal criteria, to ensure each destination’s selection equity: 1) quality products; 2) the mastery of flavors; 3) the mastery of cooking techniques; 4) the personality of the chef in the cuisine; 5) consistency between each visit (each restaurant is inspected several times a year).
The new restaurant selections will join Michelin’s selection of extraordinary hotels in Toronto, curated by Tablet Hotels, the hotel experts at the MICHELIN Guide.
Michelin in Canada
Michelin opened its first North American tire production facilities in Canada in 1971 in Bridgewater and Pictou County, Nova Scotia. It’s now a major contributor to the Canadian economy in the field of sustainable mobility, with activities in the tire sector but also around and beyond tires. The company currently employs around 4,000 people in Canada.
About Michelin North America, Inc.
Michelin, the leading mobility company, is working with tires, around tires and beyond tires to enable Motion for Life. Dedicated to enhancing its clients’ mobility and sustainability, Michelin designs and distributes the most suitable tires, services and solutions for its customers’ needs. Michelin provides digital services, maps and guides to help enrich trips and travels and make them unique experiences. Bringing its expertise to new markets, the company is investing in high-technology materials, 3D printing and hydrogen, to serve a wide a variety of industries—from aerospace to biotech. Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, Michelin North America has approximately 22,500 employees and operates 34 production facilities in the United States and Canada. (michelinman.com)
About Destination Toronto
Toronto’s visitor economy is a vital economic engine for the city, generating more than $10 billion in economic activity and supporting 70,000 jobs in 2019. Destination Toronto’s mandate is to reflect the breadth and diversity of Toronto’s people, places and culture to inspire residents and visitors to meet, visit and explore our city. Operating in partnership with the City of Toronto, the Greater Toronto Hotel Association and the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, Destination Toronto markets and promotes the city to locals and visitors, attracts and supports major meetings and events, and supports local businesses to maximize the opportunities of visitor spending. For more information, please visit DestinationToronto.com.
For more information, contact:
Andrew Festa
Michelin North America – External Communications
andrew.festa@michelin.com
Kathy Motton
Destination Toronto – Senior Communications Manager
kmotton@destinationtoronto.com