Bruce W. McCollum

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Most Denials Are Preventable — If You Know What Insurers Are Actually Checking For

A denied claim isn’t always a fight worth having — sometimes it’s a process problem that could’ve been avoided entirely. Coding errors, missing documentation, and authorization gaps interrupt cash flow far more often than genuine payer disputes do. Direct Care Training’s Group Living Course #1217: Overcoming Billing Denials When Working with Insurers (4 CEUs) tackles […]

The Gateway to Funding Complex Residents Runs Through One Contract

Medicaid Waiver Agents are often the deciding factor in whether your group home can take on residents with more complex needs — and a poorly understood or poorly negotiated contract can leave real money and stability on the table. Direct Care Training’s Group Living Course #1218: Contracting with Medicaid Waiver Agents — The Why and […]

A Great Outing Doesn’t Happen by Chance — It’s Planned That Way

Field trips are some of the most meaningful moments residents with developmental disabilities get — real community engagement, new experiences, genuine enjoyment. They’re also where planning gaps show up fastest if staff haven’t prepared for them. DCTRC’s Group Living Course #1225: Tips on Organizing Field Trips for Those with Developmental Disability (4 CEUs) gives staff […]

A Good Corrective Action Plan Fixes the Problem, Not Just the Paperwork…

A citation or incident report is only half the story — what happens next determines whether the same issue shows up again at your next survey. Too many corrective action plans get written to satisfy a checkbox rather than actually fix the root cause. Direct Care Training’s Group Living Course #1235: Strategies for Creating Corrective […]

The Air Quality Problem You Can’t See Coming Until It’s Already a Problem…

Mold and microbial growth don’t announce themselves — by the time visible signs show up, moisture has usually been building in bathrooms, kitchens, or HVAC systems for a while, and medically fragile or elderly residents are especially vulnerable to the respiratory issues that follow. Direct Care Training’s Group Living Course #1213: Controlling Humidity to Prevent […]

More Care Plans Include It Now — Is Your Home Ready to Handle It Correctly?…

As medical cannabis becomes a more common part of resident treatment plans, Michigan AFC and group home providers need clear protocols — not guesswork — to handle it safely and legally. DCTRC’s Group Living Course #1211: Medical Cannabis in the Group Home — Why, How, Protocols, Cautions (6 CEUs) gives staff exactly that clarity. The […]

Recommending a Nursing Home Doesn’t Mean You’ve Failed…

Discharge planners and AFC administrators often feel pressure to keep a resident in the least restrictive setting possible — but sometimes a nursing home genuinely is the safest, most appropriate option, and knowing how to recognize that is its own skill. Direct Care Training’s Group Living Course #1215: When a Nursing Home Might Be the […]

Catching It Early Is the Difference Between a Nuisance and an Outbreak…

Bed bugs spread fast in shared living environments, and by the time an infestation is obvious, it’s usually already expensive and disruptive to fix. Direct Care Training’s Group Living Course #1228: Strategies to Prevent and Eradicate Bed Bugs (4 CEUs) gives staff the early-detection skills that make the real difference. The course covers how to […]

Independence May Look Different For Them — But It Can Still Be the Goal…

Caring for a resident with quadriplegia touches nearly every part of daily support — respiratory health, skin integrity, bowel and bladder management, nutrition — while never losing sight of the emotional and social life that makes it worth doing well. DCTRC’s Group Living Course #1234: Special Considerations for the Quadriplegic Resident gives staff the full […]

A Great Week Can Be Just as Telling as a Hard One…

Bipolar disorder doesn’t only show up as a depressive episode staff can easily recognize — a sudden burst of energy, reduced sleep, or a string of impulsive decisions can be just as significant a mood shift, and just as easy to miss. DCTRC’s Group Home Living Course #1239: Understanding and Assisting Residents with Bipolar Disorder […]