CSS Roles
I can go here to find any information on CSS
What is the knowledge bank?
Before sending a file over to the CSS hub for assistance, we ask contacts or cases if
What is, "Would you like to receive a call from a Community Support Specialist to assist with your needs"?
There are ____ CSS hub triggers in total within the initial interview
What is four?
Living Situation, e.g., "How would you describe your living situation" = Unsheltered / Homeless / Car
Bathroom question ONLY if bathroom cannot be cleaned, e.g., “Can the bathroom be cleaned immediately before/after your use?" = No
Food, medical, mental health, social services, e.g., “Do you need any additional help with food or any other medical, mental health or social services?" = Yes
Vaccination, e.g., "Are you interested in receiving assistance to find a vaccination location near you or to make an appointment?" = Yes
Suffolk County Department of Health sends a list of these to the CSS Team every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
What are Suffolk County Cases and PUIs who have non-urgent CSS needs?
True or False: If a case or contact expresses a need the CT/CI should offer to assist them first
What is false?
If a case/contact has a CSS need please trigger the hub and remember to advise the case/contact that they will be receiving another phone call from a Community Support Specialist.
CSS work hours are
What is 9 AM to 7 PM / 7 days a week?
At least one CSS Lead will always be present during this time.
You should take this action if the Case or Contact has any of the following:
(i) has less than a 2-day supply of food or baby supplies; (ii) needs temporary housing or is homeless; (iii) has urgent medical needs (non-life threatening); (iv) has urgent mental health needs (non-life threatening); (v) safety concerns in the home (non-life threatening); or (vi) is symptomatic and has CSS needs
What is marking the file as a High Priority?
This is how a CT should address the situation in which an infant or toddler cannot separate from a parent or guardian and there are no other CSS needs
What is check off the box that says 'somewhat' for the question that asks 'are you able to isolate from one another in the home'?
VCIs should take these two steps if their Suffolk County Case/PUI has an urgent CSS need
What is (i) trigger the CSS Hub as a high priority with detailed notes; and (ii) email his/her supervisor.
If a Suffolk County Case/PUI has an urgent or high priority need (homeless; less than 2 day supply of food or baby supplies; low medication supply; non-life threatening medical or mental health need; or other need that may require immediate CSS assistance), then the VCI should trigger the CSS hub as high priority and send an email to his/her the supervisor.
True or False: CSS's offer paid hotels for contacts during quarantine that cannot effectively separate in their home
What is false?
We do not have access to paid hotels and cannot accommodate those requests. We ask that they isolate as best as they can at home and following the CDC guidelines
True or False: Community Support Specialists will always assist everyone with grocery shopping and set up delivery from local supermarkets
What is false?
CSS's do not give out free food to everyone who is in isolation/quarantine. The Case/Contact must have a financial hardship to receive these services and CSS will work with local food pantries or churches to assist a Case/Contact with basic food needs.
We guarantee contacts and cases
What is nothing?
While CSS's will do their best in providing assistance, nothing is guaranteed.
If a contact only has one bathroom in the household, we ask them if they are able to
What is clean the bathroom after each use?
True or False: The CI supervisor will automatically send Cases/PUIs with high-priority needs to the deputies.
What is False?
The CI Supervisor will first determine whether the Suffolk Case/PUI has an urgent need. Once it is determined that the Suffolk Case/PUI has an urgent need, then the Supervisor will escalate the file to the Deputies.
A contact that has a true need for food will receive
What are basic food items such as canned goods, pasta, and other non-perishable items?
Our resources typically do not have fresh produce, meat, or dairy. It is all based on the donations they receive.
True or False: As it relates to vaccinations, CSS's are only able to assist contacts and cases in locating vaccination sites.
What is false?
A contact or case can be sent to the CSS hub for either information on vaccines, assistance in locating a vaccination site, and/or making an appointment.
True or False: A family of five is in need of food and one of the children needs mental health assistance. We would only send one family member and mention all needs in that file.
What is False?
You would send in the main family member to the CSS hub for food and then send in the child for mental health assistance.
A contact is feeling symptomatic and expressed needs, the steps one must follow are
What is include the need in the top note and then state that the assigned CSS should convert to a PUI after assisting the case or contact with the need?
Do NOT convert to a PUI prior to sending to CSS.
True or False: After reviewing an escalated Suffolk Case/PUI file with high priority needs, the Deputies will automatically send the file to the CSS team.
What is False?
Upon receiving an escalated Suffolk Case/PUI file, the Deputies will determine whether the file should be handled by the CSS team or by another team.
These are examples of referrals for resources/information that Community Support Specialists provide to Cases and Contacts (please provide at least 3)
What are:
Food resources (both free and paid delivery services)
Baby supplies
Domestic violence resources
Health insurance
Testing Information
Vaccine Assistance
Information for undocumented immigrant services
SNAP/WIC
The CSS leads are
Who are Michael Lane, Jeffrey Ridley, Emma Travers, Shaina Waterbury-Shaw, and Simren Arnold?
When a contact that has already been serviced by CSS has a new need during a follow-up call, one must change
What is the status from 'complete' to 'pending'?
True or False: The CSS Hub cannot be triggered during daily follow-up monitoring.
What is False?
When CTs perform daily follow-ups, there is a question that asks if the Contact has any new needs. If the answer is marked “yes,” a note box pops up and the CSS Hub will be triggered. Please write detailed notes regarding the CSS need.
True or False: The Deputies will forward the Suffolk Case/PUI with high priority needs to the CSS Team leads.
What is True?
Once the Deputies determine that the Suffolk Case/PUI with high priority needs should be addressed by a CSS, the Deputies will forward the information to the CSS Leads and the CSS Leads will assign the Suffolk Case/PUI to an available CSS.
True or False: If you have ideas for resources or other ways to assist cases or contacts you should reach out to a CSS lead or team member.
What is true?
Yes! We are always open to hearing about new and different resources and a member of our resource team would be happy to vet that resource.