Supporting & Serving (Fall 2026)

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SUPPORTING&SERVING @ Shared Support Services Uplifting the Human Spirit @

FALL 2026

OUR 2026-2027 GOALS WestCare Teammates, Our 2026–2027 Information Services Plan focuses on a practical question: How can Information Services (iServ) help you work more effectively and help the people we serve move forward? Our goals turn that question into priorities for all five departments.

This year, we are investing in our people.

Our goals include clearer career pathways, professional development, cross-training, and responsible AI training for iServ staff. Across WestCare, technology onboarding, application training, and stronger self-service resources will help teammates build confidence with the tools they use every day.

We are also strengthening how we plan and follow through. An Information Services Steering Committee and a more consistent approach to reviewing priorities will help connect operational needs with available resources. Clear ownership, regular progress reviews, and measurable results will help us show whether our work is making a difference.

For Data Analytics & Business Intelligence (DABI), this means more useful dashboards, stronger data governance, continued adoption of Cobblestone, and better stewardship of supplier relationships.

Information Security will strengthen email protection, staff awareness, and our readiness to respond to incidents. Information Technology will focus on dependable infrastructure, more responsive service, smoother onboarding, and stronger protections.

Marketing & Communications will expand purposeful storytelling, strengthen regional support, and make our content more consistent and accessible. Software Development will advance secure information exchange, improve CDS workflows, and pursue the UPLIFT client portal. These efforts share a goal: make it easier for people to find, receive, and deliver care.

We will pursue innovation thoughtfully, with human accountability, privacy, and sustainable funding built into our decisions. We also need your perspective. Please tell us where a process creates friction, where support falls short, or where a small improvement could make a meaningful difference.

Thank you for your work and your partnership. Our success will be measured in the support you experience and the opportunities we help create for those we serve.

Together, we will continue Uplifting the Human Spirit.

VOLUME 1 · ISSUE 4

DIFFERENT ROLES DIFFERENT REGIONS SHARED PRINCIPLES ONE MISSION WE ARE

IN THIS ISSUE 2

Shared Principles Spotlight

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Unleashing Power with Dashboards

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Abnormally Strong Email Protection

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Using AI @ WestCare

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What Serving Others Sounds Like

7

What’s Next for CDS

8

Calendar of Events & Observances

8

External Relations & Strategy

WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK We want to know what Shared Support Services you want to learn most about in the next issue of Supporting & Serving. Use the QR Code at the right or visit westcare.link/SSSurvey for a quick survey.

SHARED PRINCIPLES SPOTLIGHT Develop People with Purpose

A new teammate learns how to find the right resource. An experienced employee coaches someone through an unfamiliar task. A supervisor makes time for learning, then gives a team member the chance to apply it. These everyday choices put Develop People with Purpose into practice.

This Shared Principle calls us to intentionally develop people through mentoring, challenge, and empowerment. For Information Services, that means building the capabilities of our own teams while helping the wider organization use information and technology with confidence.

Information Services' goals for this fiscal year include updated career ladders across all five departments, development pathways for every active role, and cost-effective professional learning opportunities. Cross-training and documented procedures help teammates learn from one another while protecting continuity when someone is away. Regular supervisor conversations create space to connect an individual’s interests with the skills our mission needs.

Development also means preparing for change. Our goal of providing iServ staff with approved AI tools, role-based training, and competency validation reflects a broader expectation: learning should lead to sound judgment and practical ability. Completing a course is a starting point.

Applying the skill responsibly is what gives it value.

Technology training helps staff communicate, collaborate, manage files, and find support. Local expertise programs, including IT Heroes, WestCare Storytellers, and CDS Power Users, will extend that support closer to the people doing the work. DABI’s goals include helping teams understand and use performance measures, so data can guide improvements rather than simply fill a report.

When staff can use systems well, they are better equipped to help clients navigate digital resources and participate in their care. Accessible websites and client-facing tools can support that work. Staff guidance remains essential, especially for those with limited connectivity, language barriers, or little experience using technology. Supervisors can help by identifying one useful skill with each teammate and following up on how it improved daily work. Purposeful development strengthens the support WestCare can provide.

Develop People with Purpose We intentionally cultivate a culture of conscious development through mentoring, challenging, and empowering individuals to reach their full potential, ultimately strengthening both team and mission.

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TECHNOLOGY TRAINING UPDATE WestCare’s Technology Training Program helps staff build practical skills, feel more confident with everyday tools, and spend less time struggling with technology.

Whether you are learning a system for the first time or discovering a better way to complete a familiar task, the program connects learning to the work you do. Through onboarding, webinars, and self-service resources, we are helping teammates communicate, collaborate, and solve everyday problems so they can focus more fully on serving others. Recent offerings have included: Technology Onboarding: Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, an introduction to Copilot, and where to find help. The July invitation welcomed employees hired within the previous six months.

Microsoft Teams Fundamentals: essential skills and troubleshooting common problems.

SharePoint and OneDrive Fundamentals: navigation, organizing and finding files, and using sync and version history tools.

The Information Services Plan calls for continued monthly seminars and updated self-service guides.

Supervisors can support the program by sharing invitations, making time for participation, and suggesting topics tied to real work.

What would you like to learn next? Topics being considered for upcoming webinars include Outlook, Word, Excel, Copilot Chat, PowerPoint, OneNote, Microsoft Edge, and iPhone skills. Tell us which tools you would like to understand better and which everyday tasks could use a little help.

Send your preferences and suggestions to Hayley Ortbals, your Technology Training Manager, at hayley.ortbals@westcare.com. Whether you need the basics or are ready to explore more advanced features, your feedback will help shape useful, relevant learning opportunities.

UNLEASHING POWER WITH DASHBOARDS Using Power BI to Support Better Decisions

Leaders need information they can use to ask better questions and take timely action. WestCare’s Power BI dashboards bring important information into focused views, helping authorized users explore workforce, financial, and grant-related needs without starting every conversation with a new spreadsheet request.

DABI has developed five dashboards: Vacancies, EDRs & Investigations, Exit Interviews, Financial, and Grants.

Together, they offer starting points for conversations about staffing, organizational resources, and the work required to sustain our programs.

The vacancies dashboard can support discussion about staffing needs and service capacity. Exit interview information can prompt questions about the employee experience.

Financial and grants dashboards can help leaders focus followup conversations with Accounting, Grants, and program teams.

Sensitive workforce information requires particular care and should be used only by people authorized to review it.

Start with a question: What decision are you trying to make?

Which program and reporting period matter? What context would help explain the result? Agree on what you need to understand and what action might follow.

Before drawing a conclusion, check the selected filters, reporting period, and available refresh information. Ask DABI when a definition or result is unclear. A number may reflect a reporting cutoff, incomplete source information, or a difference in how data is recorded. Those details matter when comparing programs or discussing performance.

Access to one dashboard does not mean access to every dashboard. If your role would benefit from a dashboard, contact DABI to discuss the appropriate view and permissions.

Please treat downloaded information and screenshots with the same care as the underlying records.

JOIN US @ COBBLESTONE CAFE Have a question about WestCare’s contract process?

The planned Cobblestone Cafe sessions will offer a recurring opportunity to build confidence with our contract lifecycle management platform.

Cobblestone is WestCare’s contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform, helping us organize agreements and manage the work surrounding them, from requests and reviews to renewals and ongoing obligations. As adoption expands, we are using it to bring contract records, responsibilities, and important dates into a more consistent process. The goal is to make it easier for authorized staff to find information, understand next steps, and keep commitments on track while supporting the programs and partnerships that advance our mission.

The Information Services Plan calls for monthly CLM Cafe sessions to reinforce adoption and effective use as Cobblestone continues rolling out across WestCare.

Useful questions to bring include: Where can I find a contract or check its progress?

What information will help a review move forward?

How should our team track upcoming dates and obligations?

The broader work includes clearer procedures, more visible contract workflows, and stronger tracking of deliverables. The Cafe will help connect those improvements to everyday practice.

Watch for session announcements and participation details. In the meantime, keep a list of the contract questions your team encounters most often. Bringing real examples will help make the conversation useful.

For more information contact Veronica Mendez, your Director of Contract Lifecycle Management, at veronica.mendez@westcare.com.

This year’s priorities include additional Foundation dashboards and clinical performance dashboards developed with clinical leadership. Your feedback can help shape useful measures and clearer views. Tell us what question you need to answer, how often you need the information, and what decision it will support.

For access or help using the dashboards, contact Marc Cannon, your VP of Data Analytics & Business Intelligence, at Marc.Cannon@WestCare.com.

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ABNORMALLY STRONG EMAIL PROTECTION Better Email Security through AI

A convincing email can arrive with a familiar name, polished wording, and a request that seems entirely reasonable. It may ask you to change a payment, open a document, or help a colleague with an urgent problem. Recognizing these messages takes more than looking for spelling mistakes.

WestCare is strengthening its email defenses with Abnormal AI, a security platform designed to identify suspicious messages by examining communication patterns and context.

This adds another layer of protection to the work InfoSec and IT already do to safeguard our staff, systems, and information.

Abnormal’s approach considers signals such as sender relationships and unusual message behavior. That can help identify attempts to impersonate a leader, steal sign-in credentials, or redirect a payment, including messages that do not contain an obvious malicious attachment. The platform is designed to detect and remove harmful email, helping reduce exposure before a request becomes an incident.

No security tool can guarantee that every harmful message will be stopped. Pause when a message asks you to bypass a normal process, share a password or verification code, change financial information, or keep a request secret. A familiar display name alone does not establish that the sender is trustworthy. Verify unusual requests through a known contact method. For example, use an established phone number to confirm a payment change instead of replying to the questionable email or calling a number provided in it. Keep existing approval procedures in place even when a request appears to come from a senior leader.

When a suspicious message reaches you, report it promptly so the security team can review it. If you already clicked a link, opened an attachment, entered credentials, or approved an unexpected sign-in request, contact IT or Information Security immediately and explain what happened. Early reporting helps the team respond. Email connects us with colleagues, partners, funders, and communities. Stronger detection, careful verification, and consistent reporting help protect those relationships and the people who depend on us.

If you have questions about email security, contact Ricky Hamilton, your Director of Information Security at Ricky.Hamilton@WestCare.com.

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HOW TO REPORT PHISHING Phishing can arrive in polished emails, texts, or calls.

Watch for: Pressure or secrecy: Urgent demands, accountclosure threats, or instructions to bypass normal approvals.

Mismatched details: An unfamiliar sender address, a slightly misspelled website, or an unexpected link destination.

Requests for money or secrets: Gift cards, payment changes, passwords, verification codes, or confidential information.

Unexpected documents: Shared files, invoices, voicemail notices, or electronic signature requests that unexpectedly require you to sign in.

QR code traps: Requests to scan a code to view a document, fix an account, or complete a security update.

Device-code phishing: Messages asking you to enter a supplied code on a Microsoft sign-in page.

Even a genuine page can authorize an attacker’s access.

Unexpected approvals: Repeated sign-in prompts or someone asking you to approve a login you did not initiate.

Convincing impersonation: Messages or calls posing as a leader, coworker, or IT support. AI can imitate voices and produce convincing wording.

Fake browser checks: Instructions to paste commands into your computer to “prove you are human” or fix a problem.

A familiar name, logo, or voice does not establish trust.

Pause, verify through a known contact method, and report anything suspicious.

If an email looks suspicious, use Outlook’s Report Phishing option to flag it for review.

On desktop or the web: Select the suspicious message and look for Report > Report phishing in the toolbar. The location can vary with your Outlook version and WestCare’s configuration.

On mobile: Open the message, tap the three-dot menu, and look for Report Junk, then Phishing.

Avoid clicking links, opening attachments, or replying while you decide whether the message is legitimate.

You do not have to prove it is malicious before reporting the email.

If the reporting option is missing or you are unsure how to use it, contact IT for help. You can also choose to forward the email to phishing@westcare.com.

USING AI @ WESTCARE

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility Artificial intelligence can help with everyday work: organizing ideas, explaining an unfamiliar concept, or developing a first draft. Used thoughtfully, it can give staff more time to focus on people. Using it well also requires clear boundaries and human judgment.

WestCare’s Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy provides those boundaries.

Only AI and automation tools approved by IT and Information Security may be used. A tool being popular, free, or available on your device does not establish approval for WestCare business. Public or consumer AI services may not process WestCare data or communications without authorization through the internal review process.

Protect the information entrusted to us. Do not enter client information, employee records, passwords, or other confidential or regulated information into a general-purpose AI chat. Follow the data restrictions for the specific approved tool and use. Removing a person’s name does not necessarily make the remaining information safe to share. When in doubt, ask before submitting it.

Keep people accountable. AI output can be inaccurate, incomplete, or biased, even when it sounds confident. Review facts, calculations, citations, and tone before relying on a response. AI must not replace required human review or serve as the sole basis for clinical, legal, or operational decisions.

Approved AI features within CDS have a defined purpose and do not authorize copying client records into other tools.

Be transparent. Our Acceptable Use Policy requires AIgenerated content to be clearly designated as AI-assisted and reviewed by a person before distribution. Use respectful, culturally appropriate language, and check for wording that could stigmatize clients or communities. You remain responsible for the content you share and decisions you make.

Learn before expanding use. Complete designated training and bring new AI ideas to Information Services for review. That includes software with AI features, browser extensions, and tools that connect to WestCare systems. Report suspected unauthorized AI use to IT so it can be assessed.

USING COPILOT CHAT For WestCare work, use our approved Copilot Chat experience, signed in with your WestCare account at https://m365.cloud.microsoft/chat. Microsoft provides enterprise data protection, and your prompts and responses are not used to train its underlying AI models.

Use this approved experience instead of free consumer services such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Grok, which operate under different privacy terms and may use conversations for model training, depending on their settings. WestCare’s data restrictions still apply: do not enter client, employee, or other confidential information unless specifically authorized for that use.

Try these prompts: Plan a meeting “Create a 20-minute agenda for a team discussion about improving handoffs. Include three discussion questions.”

Learn a skill “Explain Excel pivot tables to a beginner using a fictional office-supply example.”

Organize a task “Create a checklist for planning a small community outreach event.”

Improve public wording “Rewrite this approved public event description in plain language. Keep the facts unchanged.”

Prepare a presentation “Create a five-slide outline for a staff presentation about welcoming new teammates. Include brief speaker notes.”

Draft a friendly reminder “Draft a friendly reminder asking coworkers to complete a fictional training session by Friday. Keep it under 75 words.”

Start with a small, approved task using non-sensitive information. Give clear instructions, review the result, and decide whether it improves your work.

For more information about Artificial Intelligence at WestCare, reach out to Sean Harrigan, your VP of Information Technology at Sean.Harrigan@WestCare.com.

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WHAT SERVING OTHERS SOUNDS LIKE Launching the Voices of Service Campaign

Across WestCare, our teams learn valuable lessons about helping people find stability, connection, and hope.

Those lessons deserve an audience beyond the meeting room or program office. Voices of Service, our thought leadership series, creates space to share that knowledge with the communities and partners who care about this work.

The 52-week campaign began in July and brings together perspectives from executive, regional, and program leadership.

Articles are written for people who may know little about our organization but care deeply about the issues we address. The aim is to offer a useful idea, explain a challenge, or help someone see a familiar issue differently.

The series connects leadership experience with practical concerns such as access to care, recovery, family stability, prevention, stewardship, and community partnership. Planned distribution includes WestCare’s blog, LinkedIn newsletter, and approved social media channels, giving each article several opportunities to reach readers.

This fall’s topics reflect the work around us. The editorial calendar includes recovery and peer support in September; prevention, basic needs, and family response in October; and subjects that connect our mission with the season’s broader conversations. Articles can help readers understand why a ride to treatment matters, how community relationships support prevention, and what families need when they ask for help.

Thought leadership works best when it is clear, useful, and grounded in experience. It does not require impressive language or a perfect success story. A thoughtful explanation of a barrier, a lesson learned, or a practical approach can help a reader understand the value of community-based services.

When an article is published, consider sharing the approved link with relevant partners or through appropriate channels.

Keeping the original context intact helps the message travel accurately.

By sharing what service teaches us, we can build understanding and help more people see a path toward support.

For more information about the Voices of Service, reach out to Gabriela Swartwood, your VP of Marketing & Communications at Gabriela.Swartwood@WestCare.com.

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MARKETING RESOURCE HUB Need a brand resource, a marketing request, or a starting point for sharing your program’s work? Visit the Marketing & Communications SharePoint site: westcare.link/marketing.

The site brings together: Assets for your region and the Brand & Style Guide.

Marketing Requests and the Website Update Form.

WestCare ProShop and Teams backgrounds.

The Express newsletter and links to WestCare’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages.

You will also find the Marketing Team directory and resources to guide your communications.

Start with the appropriate request form and include your audience, purpose, timing, and the information the team needs to help. Using the shared resources supports a recognizable WestCare identity across regions.

For questions or help finding a resource, contact marketing@westcare.com. Bookmark the site so it is easy to return when your next project begins.

REMEMBER MEDIA RELEASES Before taking or sharing photos, names, or identifying details, confirm that the individuals are eligible to be featured and that the appropriate Media Release Consent Forms have been completed. Individuals currently receiving treatment may not be photographed or featured publicly. Releases are required for eligible staff, alumni, volunteers, partners, and event participants.

This helps safeguard both the people we serve and the organization as a whole. You can obtain copies of the Media Release Consent Forms at westcare.link/mediareleaseform or by scanning this QR code.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR CDS

Secure Exchange and a New Client Portal When the right information is available to the right person, care can move more smoothly. Two Software Development priorities aim to strengthen that connection: improving the Clinical Data System’s ability to exchange information securely and advancing UPLIFT as a mobile client portal.

WestCare is working toward a standards-based connection that allows approved applications and partners to exchange information with CDS. The standard, called FHIR, provides a common way to organize and share health information. For staff and clients, the intended benefit is better coordination and less dependence on disconnected, manual processes.

We will be working with a partner named Stabilify to complete this project. Their scope focuses on building a secure interface and the authorization controls that determine who can access which information. WestCare’s internal team remains responsible for preparing the CDS data foundation. The work includes testing access and consent rules, recording activity, and preparing documentation so our team can operate the completed solution.

A secure interface creates the foundation for future connections. Each connection will still require its own approved scope, testing, and readiness work. Protecting sensitive information remains central to how connections are designed.

Working with AWS partner Cloudelligent, UPLIFT will be a mobile app with capabilities that include intake document submission, self-screenings, treatment-plan signatures, secure two-way messaging, and updates to contact information.

The app would also provide an entry point to scheduled telehealth sessions. These features are intended to make it easier for clients to complete routine steps and stay connected with their care team. CDS would remain the authoritative source for the underlying client and treatment information, with WestCare’s developers providing the required application connections. Availability for operational use will be communicated as the work is approved and completed.

Clinical teams and Operations will help shape this work. Tell us about difficult handoffs, repeated data entry, and barriers clients encounter so we can focus on improvements that matter in practice.

For more information about our Clinical Data System, please reach out to Diane Ludens, your VP of Software Development at Diane.Ludens@WestCare.com.

On Call to Better Serve You APPLICATION SUPPORT WestCare’s work continues long after traditional office hours. An evening admission, a weekend discharge, or an urgent documentation need can become more difficult when a critical application is unavailable. Staff need a clear way to seek help when a technology problem interrupts essential services.

Software Development is expanding its approach to after-hours support with planned Application Support coverage for urgent problems affecting CDS and other critical production applications. The rotation will cover evenings, weekends, and holidays, with escalation when additional technical expertise is needed.

This effort strengthens the connection between the people using our applications and the teams supporting them. Understanding what staff are trying to accomplish, and how an interruption affects services, helps the team assess urgency and identify the appropriate response.

What qualifies?

A critical application outage or work stoppage that prevents essential activities such as admissions, discharges, or required documentation and cannot reasonably wait until the next business day.

What can wait?

Routine questions, training, report requests, enhancement requests, and ordinary password resets generally remain business-hours work. Keeping those requests in the regular support process helps preserve after-hours capacity for urgent needs.

Help us understand the impact When seeking help, describe the affected application and location, when the problem began, how many users are affected, and whether a workable alternative exists.

Explain the task you cannot complete and any error messages. Share screenshots or other details through approved channels to protect confidential information.

While an issue is being assessed, keep your supervisor informed and follow established downtime procedures.

Some problems require coordination with additional specialists or vendors before service can be restored.

The purpose is practical: strengthen continuity, support staff during urgent disruptions, and help our programs keep serving the people who depend on WestCare.

To contact us, call (702) 410-7595 or ext 10200 (Option 2) or email Application.Support@westcare.com.

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WestCare Calendar of EVENTS & OBSERVANCES Help us celebrate community, culture, and compassion across our WestCare programs around the world in 16 U.S. States, four U.S. territories, and two independent republics.

September 2026 National Recovery Month Suicide Prevention Month National Preparedness Month Hunger Action Month Labor Day (September 7) [WestCare Paid Holiday] Direct Support Professional Recognition Week (September 13 - 19) National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) California Native American Day (September 25)

October 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Month Domestic Violence Awareness Month National Bullying Prevention Month National Disability Employment Awareness Month Palau Independence Day (October 1) Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 4 - 10) World Mental Health Day (October 10) Red Ribbon Week (October 23 - 31) Nevada Day (October 30) [observed]

November 2026 National Family Caregivers Month Native American Heritage Month Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) Month National Adoption Month Veterans Day (November 11) [WestCare Paid Holiday] Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (November 15 - 21) Día de la Puertorriqueñidad (Puerto Rican Heritage Day; November 19) Thankful Thursday [WestCare Wellness Observance] International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (November 21) Thanksgiving Day (November 26) [WestCare Paid Holiday] Black Friday (November 27) [WestCare Paid Holiday] As we move through these months, may these observances remind us of the many communities, identities, histories, and needs represented across WestCare. Every day gives us another opportunity to serve with dignity, respect, stewardship, and hope.

The iServ Division extends gratitude to every staff member who embodies WestCare’s mission daily through collaboration, compassion, and courage. As we step into a new quarter, may our systems be secure, our data insightful, and our service unwavering. Together, we continue our mission of Uplifting the Human Spirit through innovation, stewardship, and heart.

SUPPORTING SERVING 8

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Support Spotlight EXTERNAL RELATIONS & STRATEGY WestCare’s ability to serve depends in part on relationships beyond our own walls. Community partners help connect people with resources. Public leaders make decisions that affect service access and funding. Professional networks create opportunities to learn, collaborate, and bring local needs into a wider conversation.

External Relations & Strategy helps strengthen those connections. Its work focuses on relationships with external stakeholders and public policy that supports WestCare’s mission and the people we serve. As introduced in our first issue, the function brings several related areas of support together.

Government advocacy involves engagement with local, state, and federal officials and policymakers on legislation, regulations, and funding relevant to our services. Clear explanations of program needs and community impact can help decision-makers understand what is at stake for the people who depend on care.

Community relations and partnership development support Operations in building relationships with community organizations, leaders, and other stakeholders. The work includes identifying potential partnerships that can extend WestCare’s reach and connect complementary strengths around shared needs.

Public awareness and strategic events help bring the mission into broader conversations. This includes awareness efforts around the issues WestCare addresses, as well as leadership summits and participation in industry conferences. Coordination with Marketing & Communications helps connect those efforts with clear, consistent messaging.

For a local program, a useful starting point might be an invitation to a community roundtable, a potential partner with a complementary service, or an opportunity to explain a recurring barrier to care. Involving the appropriate leaders early gives WestCare time to understand the opportunity and prepare a coordinated response.

You can help by documenting the community need, the people or organizations involved, the requested action, and any deadline.

Share that information through your operational leadership so the right support can be engaged. Protect confidential client information when describing local experiences.

Connecting local experience with broader strategy helps WestCare show up as an informed, reliable partner in the communities we serve.

For more information about External Relations and Strategy, contact Lisa Stewart at lisa.stewart@westcare.com.