New Nellis program to help with care for injured Airmen Published Oct. 7, 2009 By Airman 1st Class Michael Charles Nellis Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The first Recovery Care Coordination Program for injured servicemembers in Air Combat Command was activated here Sept. 22. This new program is a non-medical support program with the goal of improving how care and support is delivered to wounded, severely injured or ill servicemembers and their families. "The intent of the RCC program is to complement existing care from the medical professionals and the Airman and Family Readiness Center by making the RCC more readily available to the recovering servicemember," said Mr. Jeffrey McClish, Nellis recovery care coordinator. "This program makes sure that the servicemembers and their families aren't alone during their recovery process." Any service member who may benefit from the program can participate by self-referral or a non-medical referral. The program provides the support of a recovery care coordinator who assesses each individual's condition to determine if the program can help. If it is determined the program will be of benefit, the RCC then works with a servicemember to develop a patient-centered Comprehensive Recovery Plan that guides eligible servicemembers on their road to recovery. This plan identifies professional goals and provides the services and resources to achieve them. "Assistance can be as simple as making a phone call to clarify an issue or as in-depth implementing a comprehensive recovery plan to help the Airmen establish goals for recovery, track the non-medical issues and all points of contact," Mr. McClish. "Many times, individuals don't know or fully understand all their benefits and entitlements or sometimes accept an answer because they assume it is right. My job is to ensure the recovering servicemember can focus on their care and not the obstacles of life that will present them." The RCC works closely with a recovery team to provide access to the services required during recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration, as identified in the Comprehensive Recovery Plan. Services such as the Wounded Warrior Resource Center and the National Resource Directory are customized to the needs of each recovering servicemember to minimize the time it takes for them to recover completely. "Due to my nine years of experience as an Air Force first sergeant and knowledge of the Nellis community, I am used to helping those who need it most," said Mr. McClish. "I think this is a wonderful opportunity to help individuals within our community that need assistance." The Recovery Coordination Program was developed in compliance with the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. It is managed by the Department of Defense's Office of Transition Policy and Care Coordination. Currently there are 31 Recovery Care Coordinators including 16 Air Force wide. The Recovery Coordination Program acts as a conduit for recovering Airmen at Nellis. For more information about the Recover Coordination Program contact Jeffrey McClish at (702)-652-4022.
