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ISAAC

Resto Reyes is a practice manager for Evergreen's Center for Behavioral Health, overseeing administrative operations for both mental health and substance use services. "My role is really about making sure our workflows run smoothly," said Isaac. "I also facilitate communication between patient and providers." A typical day for Isaac includes checking in with staff, reviewing reports, coordinating with providers and leadership, troubleshooting any patient or system issues and ensuring all processes align with Evergreen’s standards of care.

Isaac gets a great deal of satisfaction seeing the impact his teams have on patient access and experience, as well as seeing how comfortable patients feel discussing their needs. "It's rewarding to see how grateful our patients can be when they feel listened to and understood."

"One of the ongoing challenges is balancing administrative efficiency with the human side of care," said Isaac. "We need to balance structure, rules and policies with empathy and developing streamlined systems while ensuring that patients and staff feel valued and respected."

Sharing insight into his impact throughout the organization, Amanda Honan, vice president of behavioral health noted, "Isaac exemplifies what it means to be a team player, contributing not only to his own responsibilities but to the success of the entire department." She added, "Isaac has grown with the organization and uses his experiences to create positive change for patients, CBH and the organization as a whole. Isaac’s innovative thinking has influenced our team interacts with patients, uses data and technology and how projects move forward in meaningful ways."

Evergreen's mental health and substance use programs play a major role in working toward our BHAG of eradicating health inequity through unconditional care. "Our work on the administrative side supports that mission by maintaining organized systems and removing administrative barriers. We help make access to behavioral health services equitable and respectful. Unconditional care starts at the front desk with the way we greet patients, how we communicate and how we make them feel supported regardless of their background or situation they are facing."

Isaac would like to see Evergreen's Behavioral Health programs continue to grow. "I’d love to see our programs and access to them expand. There is a lot of need out there, along with barriers that communities are facing, especially fear of the healthcare system. I want people to know that we are here to help!"

When it comes to Evergreen’s culture, Isaac describes it as, "authentic, inclusive, and mission driven." He said, "I can feel and see the commitment to harm reduction, diversity and compassion. You’re allowed to show up as yourself, and that creates a sense of belonging and purpose that’s rare to find nowadays."

Isaac grew up in Cidra, a small town in Puerto Rico. "I moved to Buffalo and have worked in different roles that have always centered around service and coordination, from logistics in the U.S. Army Reserve to program support roles in healthcare. I joined Evergreen in 2019 because I wanted to be part of an organization that leads with compassion. I was drawn to the mission of providing unconditional care and the sense of community here. For me, Evergreen is the perfect place to blend structure with heart."

Outside of work hours, Isaac enjoys fitness and wellness. "The gym is my personal reset button." He also enjoys reading, concerts, traveling and learning about other cultures. "It gives me perspective and reminds me how connected we all are." He is very family oriented. "I keep in touch with my family all the time. "

Isaac leaves us with his favorite phrase. "'The person who takes risks is someone who knows how far they can go.' That’s something I live by. Every big step in my life — moving to Buffalo, learning a new language, school, Army Reserve, work and personal life balance, etc. — came from trusting that growth happens outside of our comfort zone. Taking risks, for me, isn’t about being reckless; it’s about believing in your potential and having faith that even challenges can lead to something meaningful."

Thank you Isaac for all you do for our patients. You are very much appreciated!

Publisher/Layout

John Carocci

Copy Editors

Jean Conway

Emily McGorry

Kristy Mangel

Maggie Carrig

Contributors

Eric Poniatowski

Collin Ranney

James Thompson

Adiah Powell

Connections is the official monthly newsletter for employees and board members of Evergreen Health and Community Access Services. You can submit photos, comments or a "hello" via Outlook at Evergreen Connections.

THRIVE Wellness opened its doors to staff and patients to show off its array of programs and services. There was accupuncture, healthy cooking classes, art displays from Art Therapy Group participants, snacks, and more.

Evergreen's Food Pantry had an unprecedented month in November. When SNAP benefits fell through for over 140,000 of our Erie County neighbors, the food pantry teams at Evergreen and Community Access Services (CAS) became first responders to a food insecurity crisis. Though SNAP benefits have resumed, this moment exposed how one safety net falling through can leave so many families in our community without the nutrition they need to be healthy.

Monitoring the government shutdown, our staff began preparations at the end of October to be ready if the shutdown continued into November. In the first week of November alone, we served over 250% more people than an average week. We quickly mobilized to recruit Evergreen staff to help make and distribute grocery bags. We also increased our ordering from FeedMoreWNY and used our own funding to purchase a supplemental order from commercial stores thanks to the Procurement Team of Chelest, David and Jayden. This ensured Evergreen received an additional 5,000 pounds of food to bolster our resources. At no point in the month did we run out of food despite extreme demand.

Throughout the month, we heard people's stories at the check-in desk. Many were patients and community members we see regularly; folks who needed that lifeline of food. We also saw people who found themselves in need for the first time. Some reported that their SNAP benefits were stolen the moment the government reopened. This can happen with card skimming machines or remotely, the same way someone might perform identity theft by obtaining personal information.

A special thank you to ALL the staff who volunteered to make bags and manage our sign-in sheet to keep everything moving remarkably smoothly. In November, we had 41 staff who volunteered to fill 83 person-hours of pantry service, helping to make and distribute bags and manage the sign-in for smooth sailing. Kudos to the Marketing and Communications team for helping us get the word out, and to Steve Jagord for helping us acquire additional monetary donations by making the pantry the centerpiece of our annual appeal. An additional special thank you to staff who donated food to the pantry all month to help bolster our own reserves! We also received monetary donations to help our purchasing power, including a $10,000 donation from Highmark. Other community partners such as Beacon Grill Restaurant on Allen Street generously donated 45 turkeys and full Thanksgiving meal fixings.

As of November 20, we served 900 people in the pantry at 206, with several days in the month to go. For context, a normal month for us is around 750-800 people served. To keep up with demand, Evergreen ordered 20,000 pounds of food this month, allowing for an additional buffer through Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season. This is over double the typical amount of food ordered, as we usually go through about 8,000 pounds of food. Weremain committed to addressing critical hunger needs in our community and can’t thank everyone for their unconditional support to ensure our patients never go hungry. - James Thompson, director of health & wellness

Jessica Stack

Daniel Cheng

Richard Manuel

Brian Orlikowski

Jacob Perrello

David Marciniak

December 1

December 2

Alexandria Jansens ............................... December 2

Britney Campbell

December 2

Mia Romeo December 2

Anna Ihle

December 3

Marquis Steele December 4

Brittney McDonald-Allen December 5

Adriane Argo December 5

Julie Mayer

Robin Matos

Valerie Francis ........................................

Denise Hutchison

Susan Hanners

Heather Czaska

Melinda Felix ...........................................

Nicolas Warren

Dabrielle Wright

Juliana Chris

Alissa Green

Carly Casali

December 5

December 6

December 7

December 8

December 10

December 11

December 12

December 14

Matthew Crehan Higgins December 15

Thomas O'Kell

Daniele Verzelloni

December 15

Andrew Kiener ........................................ December 16

James Gerwitz

December 17

Melissa Delgado December 17

Christopher Cline December 18

Rebekah Beckwith ................................. December 19

Ann Marie Didio-Harbin December 20

Joel Arce December 21

Brooke Zybczynski December 21

Stefanie Warnick December 21

Jarod Seagrave

Jillian Fanning

Toni Hernandez

December 22

December 23

Kyle Erlandson December 23

Christina Parker ...................................... December 24

Lakisha Montgomery December 24

Lisa Holmes December 24

Mekhi Moore. December 25

Laura Pasquarella .................................. December 25

Darius Henry December 26

Justin Azzarella. December 27

Damaris Medina December 27

Round 2 of Annual Trainings

Due on December 31

The second round of 2025 Annual Trainings are now available on Evergreen University and are due December 31, 2025. As a reminder, all Evergreen Health and Community Access Services employees are required to complete all mandatory trainings each year.

Alzheimers Association of WNY Presentation

Friday, December 12 | 11 – 11:30am (virtual)

Learn about resources and services offered by the Alzheimer's Association of WNY, how to link patients to these services, and ask questions. This training is required for all Care Coordination team members, however, staff from other areas at Evergreen and Community Access Services are welcome to participate. Care Coordination team members do not need to register in Evergreen University. Sign up HERE

Basic Life Support CPR/AED

Friday, December 19 | 1 – 4pm (in person)

Evergreen Commons Sanctuary, 67 Prospect Avenue, Buffalo, 14201

Please confirm with your job description if CPR/AED is required for your job. A CPR/AED certification must be renewed every 2 years. The training is led by Buffalo CPR.

Obtain supervisor approval and department cost code to bill for the $49 CPR/AED fee. Sign up on Evergreen University. Email evergreentraining&development@evergreenhs. org the department cost code to bill for CPR/AED.

INthis new regular series, we’ll take a closer look at what our patients are telling us — spotlighting key data points, highlighting emerging trends, and celebrating what’s working well across our organization. By examining the numbers and the narratives behind them, we strengthen our understanding of the patient experience and identify opportunities to reinforce our commitment to delivering unconditional care.

Building a strong word-of-mouth reputation and cultivating patient loyalty depend on delivering consistently exceptional service. Great patient experience extends far beyond a single interaction; it is shaped by every member of our team and every part of our system’s infrastructure. Our goal is to use direct patient feedback as a meaningful driver to enhance staff engagement, expand patient support, and advance our mission of achieving full health equity. This work helps increase patient retention and fosters stronger connections to the wrap-around services offered throughout Evergreen Health.

Between January and November 2025, our data shows continued excellence in these areas:

• 98% of patient responses reported they would recommend Evergreen Health to others.

• 94% feel they receive helpful service when they call or visit.

• 97% feel encouraged to share ideas, opinions, and beliefs about their care.

These insights come from multiple feedback channels, including Patient Pulse after-visit surveys, comment cards, and submissions through our main website, and will continue to guide our ongoing efforts to improve the Evergreen experience for every patient we serve.

Watch for more Evergreen Insights in future issues of Connections.

- Collin Ranney, patient experience manager