Vermont Care Partners Centers of Excellence
We are working to continually improve services and supports for Vermonters.
Purchase the Vermont Care Partners Centers of Excellence Manual 2.0:
The VCP “System of Excellence” is a vision of the VCP Network that guides each 16 network agencies in becoming a Center of Excellence and known to the entire community as, “…a great place to get care and a great place to work,” (Jarvis, 2014). VCP has developed the Vermont Care Partners Centers of Excellence (VCP-COE) modeled after the five areas of the National Council’s Centers of Excellence (Jarvis, 2014). The VCP-COE promotes quality improvement and high quality services through agency review by expert peers from the network and from the Jeffords Institute for Quality at the University of Vermont. Our work toward a System of Excellence includes agreeing on standards and measures, and onsite peer review using measures aligned with local and national measure sets that inform continuous quality improvement across all services.
Watch our VCP-COE Celebration video by clicking the logo:
The 5 core tenets of a VCP Network Center of Excellence are:
1. World class customer service
- 5,000 people were employed across the VCP Network
- 90% of people surveyed said they were treated with respect by agency staff
- Agencies continue to engage in continuous quality improvement decreasing wait times for services
2. Excellent outcomes
- People supported by VCP network agencies are hospitalized and readmitted less than the national average saving taxpayer dollars
- People told us that services made a difference (90%) and that their quality of life improved as a result of the services they received (87%)
- People with significant mental illness and with intellectual and developmental disabilities are employed at higher rates than the national average
- 86% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who were enrolled in a higher education program were employed upon graduation
3. Easy access
- Network agency facilities and programs are located in your community where you live, work, learn, and recreate
- 100% of mental health supporting agencies provided supports in integrated health care environments
- 91% of supervisory unions had VCP Network Staff embedded within their schools in clinical, case management, and direct support positions
4. Comprehensive care
- Network agencies serve more people with mental health needs than the national average reducing the need for more expensive and restrictive hospitalization programs
- Network agencies provide a broad array of supports and services for people with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities and coordinate with community agencies to promote seamless care
5. Excellent value
- Network agencies provide high quality care through efficient and effective services with a strong evidence base
- Agencies provide effective programs that decrease the need for more expensive services, such as mental health crisis beds and public inebriate programs
Agencies In Process:
- Lamoille County Mental Health
- Champlain Community Services
- Green Mountain Support Services
- Northeast Kingdom Human Services
With Support From:
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number D06RH27764 Rural Health Network Development Program. This information or content and conclusions are those of VCP and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.