FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Further Information Contact:
Desiree M. Voinche
Manager, Communications and Outreach
voinched@dfmc.org

Delmarva Foundation Awarded Contract
to Ensure the Quality of Special Needs Services in South Carolina
Organization will Build Statewide Quality Assurance Review Program

Washington, D.C., April 17, 2007 – Delmarva Foundation has been awarded a 5-year contract from South Carolina’s Department of Disabilities and Special Needs to design and administer an extensive quality assurance review process. This process will directly impact the quality of services provided by the state to over 27,000 residents with lifelong disabilities, such as mental retardation, autism, and head and spinal cord injuries.

As part of the process Delmarva team members will conduct annual reviews of all local disability service agencies (called “DSN Boards”) , as well as some private service providers throughout South Carolina that administer services funded by the Department. The review process will encompass reviewing DSN records, interviewing consumers, family members, and staff to verify that services are implemented as planned and driven by consumer needs.

“For more than 25 years Delmarva has conducted quality assurance reviews for Medicaid programs in Maryland and the District of Columbia,” said Christian E. Jensen, MD, Delmarva Foundation’s President and CEO. “Our highly qualified team of reviewers is looking forward to contributing this expertise to South Carolina’s Quality Management Program.”  

Joining Delmarva on this project is Human Services Research Institute (HSRI), a non-profit organization with over 30 years experience in quality assurance, needs assessments, multi-state evaluations, and family support programs.

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About Delmarva Foundation
Delmarva Foundation is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality in over 20 states. Since 1973, Delmarva has assisted in improving care in hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, medical practices and health plans. Delmarva performs quality improvement, quality assurance, utilization review, external quality review and Program Safeguard activities. The company's corporate headquarters are located in Easton, Maryland with other offices in Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, DC; Columbia, South Carolina; Tampa, Florida; and Tallahassee, Florida. For more information, please visit Delmarva Foundation on the web at www.delmarvafoundation.org.