IMPOWER, Inc.

IMPOWER achieves its mission by
providing mental health, substance abuse and child well-being services statewide. Our
strategic plan outlines the following global goals. Each year the Board reviews
our progress and outlines specific items related to each area for
implementation. 

 - High Quality and Effective
Service Delivery

- Highly Dedicated and Committed
Staff Implementing Mission

- Diversified and Active Governing
Board to Provide Fiduciary Responsibility and Promote Community Visibility and
Philanthropic Development

- Funding and Financial Portfolio
that is Strong and Diversified

IMPOWER understands that the
roles of non-profits are quickly changing. It is our intent to remain educated
and ahead of the curve in order to provide high quality and effective services
in all of our programs. Those we serve are always our top priority; therefore,
innovation and partnership are key in order to sustain and grow as an agency.
Age old business models in our area of reach are becoming outdated. Our
outcomes are all related to sustaining market share, growing by serving unmet
needs, and inspiring individuals to reach their full potential. Examples of how
we are achieving our mission and goals include:

   a) For those in
need of mental health services, we understand the complications of accessing
quality care (transportation, missed work, lack of practitioners, cultural
competence, etc.). To address this, we have sought new methods of care and
implemented telehealth. It is our intent to expand throughout the agency and later
to create a self-sustaining external entity that can feed our non-profit to
create less of a dependency on state dollars and diversify our funds. We are
also pioneering this strategy in our child well-being programs by utilizing the
platform for staffings, integrated medical visits, etc.

To accomplish our goals
outlined above, IMPOWER has identified several key strategies. First,
IMPOWER has fully implemented our telehealth strategy, and we have hired our
former consultant as an employee. She
now is responsible for growing our program statewide and nationally. IMPOWER is working with multiple Medicaid
Insurance plans, commercial insurance, and private pay models to implement
innovative telehealth solutions. We contine
to partner with multiple agencies to design a system, break down funding
silos and create family/individual centered services that empower individuals
and ensure sustainable outcomes for families.  We contract with the local
Managing Entity, CARES, to treat uninsured individuals with mental illness in
the Central Florida area.   IMPOWER is the "go to agency" for
telehealth knowledge and practice in the State of Florida for the treatment of
mental illness.  

We have been simultaneously working
to ensure strong financial stewardship and careful budgeting to get to this
pivotal point in our organization's history. The years 2014 and 2015 were very difficult
financial years for the organization.  Both of our major program lines
(mental health and child wellbeing/wellcare) went through significant changes
statewide and those trickled down to the agencies providing the services on the
front line. We made some difficult decisions mid-year to "right size"
the agency and are beginning to see the positive impact of the plan that our
Board and staff implemented.  We hope to see full recovery this fiscal
year.  The last several fiscal years have improved from a financial standpoint as we
continue to utilize our dashboard to identify strategies in each program
area. Much of the work done in the
previous two years is showing results. We need to continue to proceed strategically and thoughtfully over the
next several months to ensure continued stability and financial growth. 

As outlined above, the Board and
staff have worked diligently to implement a plan to right-size the agency and
the efforts are making an impact.  We have spent much time developing our
data reporting and proactive review of performance and outcomes - both quality
and financial.  Our agency is now able to track and understand what needs
to be done, and when at a much earlier stage in our data review.   Accountability
has been a word immersed into our culture.  IMPOWER leadership depends on
the expertise many of our Board members bring (Attorneys, Entrepreneur, former foster youth, Child Wellbeing expert, etc.) to help
guide us through our current finances and future growth.  

We are members of multiple groups
that include experts in Telehealth nationwide, child welfare, mental health,
homelessness, and substance abuse. This regular exposure helps us to keep
abreast of changes on the horizon and brings together folks that generate
innovative discussion where ideas are created.  

IMPOWER, through our telehealth
initiative, has resolved our ability to attract enough practitioners to meet
the needs of those we serve. We have a
zero wait list for psychiatric services, and have a wait list of practitioners
wanting to work with us. As we continue
to expand and obtain new funding avenues, we are well suited to meet the needs
of many more clients that we already reach. We are working hard to get on commercial insurance panels (although
these entities do not currently pay for telehealth services due to questions on
potential legislation related to parity). We will continue to refine our model of service delivery in both
psychiatry and therapy services to ensure open access and financial stability.
 We have added Physician's Assistants and partner with NOVA University for
a psychiatric rotation in our programs.  This will, over the long term,
increase revenue, stabilize critical programs and generate revenue to utilize
for services that are currently unfunded (or underfunded) and desperately
needed for those in our community.