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Excellus BCBS Circle of Excellence Award Honors Bassett's NYCAMH For Innovative, High-Quality Patient Care - December 6, 2024

Excellus BCBS honored NYCAMH in November with a Circle of Excellence Award for its meaningful impact in the quality of patients' lives through clinical leadership and vision to promote continuous improvement in the healthcare system.

This award highlights NYCAMH's Farm Partners Program (FPP) and its program coordinator, Clinical Case Worker Heather Chauncey, for providing free and confidential case management and therapeutic counseling to the farming community and individuals with occupational health issues.

The program connects clients with a wide array of resources, including assistance filing and applying for services, as well as funding for living expenses, shelter, medical costs and emergencies. Chauncey has also advocated for the agricultural community with the NY legislature and state organizations as well as the New York State Department of Education and assisted in completing the first farm vehicle modification for a disabled farmer in 20 years.

"NYCAMH's programs strive to improve the lives, health, safety and well-being of New York's farmers, their families, and their employees," says Chauncey. "Farmers work hard for long hours, so we meet them where they are—on their land and by conducting trainings and support groups in their milking parlors and barns. It's a model that reminds me of the old-fashioned house calls. Getting to know farmers, farm families and farm workers, I see how grateful they are for the help my coworkers and I provide them. I also see the challenges they face. They motivate me to worker harder and go above and beyond to help." For more information about this program, visit our Farm Partners page.