Key Takeaways
- Grove removes paperwork burdens so behavioral health practitioners can focus on client care.
- Concord Counseling’s Grove pilot is backed by an OMHAS grant and Ohio State evaluation.
- Early results show increased clinical capacity, better retention, and improved documentation compliance.
- Northwoods extends its child welfare model to behavioral health, addressing shared burnout challenges.
- The pilot supports World Mental Health Day’s focus on caring for care providers too.
The need for behavioral health services has never been greater. Yet the professionals delivering this critical care—therapists, case managers, care coordinators, and more—are often stretched beyond capacity.
Instead of spending their days focused on clients, they’re buried under progress notes, referrals, records requests, and endless documentation.
As Linda Jakes, executive director of Concord Counseling, explained:
"Staffing shortages and burnout are huge issues, and a big piece of burnout has to do with the amount of paperwork that needs to be done. As much as that can be taken off providers’ plates, it will expand time with clients."
That’s exactly where Grove (formerly Case Aide Services) comes in.
Shifting Time From Paperwork to Peoplework
The idea behind Grove is simple: Remove administrative burdens so practitioners can focus on client care.
As Amy Drapcho, senior manager of External Affairs at Northwoods, described it:
“The idea behind Case Aide Services [Grove] is to let practitioners focus on the people they signed up to help, while our Case Aides [Grove team members] handle the behind-the-scenes, time-consuming paperwork.”
For community-based behavioral health agencies, this means more clinical hours, more billable activity, and ultimately, more patients served.
The Concord Pilot: A New Model of Support
Ohio’s Concord Counseling is one of the first agencies piloting Grove for behavioral health. An Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services (OMHAS) innovation grant and evaluation from The Ohio State University support this initiative.
Linda Jakes shared why this partnership matters:
“People get to come in and do what they either went to school for or what they love doing, and that is working and helping clients.”
Through this pilot, we’re learning in real time how Grove can make a serious difference:
- Increase clinical capacity by offloading documentation tasks.
- Reduce stress and burnout, leading to better retention.
- Improve compliance by ensuring timely, accurate documentation.
- Accelerate reimbursement and support agency growth.
World Mental Health Day: Supporting the People Who Provide Care
Every October 10, World Mental Health Day reminds us of the importance of supporting both those seeking care and those providing it.
This year, as agencies everywhere grapple with growing demand and limited resources, Grove offers a new way forward. Our Grove team provides real, practical help for the professionals carrying the weight of behavioral health systems.
By giving practitioners time back, we’re not just improving efficiency. We’re protecting the well-being of the people we count on to care for others.
Beyond Child Welfare: Expanding Grove to Behavioral Health
Northwoods has long supported child welfare agencies with Grove, helping them reduce burnout and turnover.
Extending this model to behavioral health reflects a growing recognition that frontline workers across human services face the same challenge: too much paperwork, not enough time.
As Linda emphasized, removing administrative and operational burden is critical to keeping practitioners in the field—and keeping clients connected to care.
What’s Next for the Concord Pilot with Grove
The Concord pilot is just the beginning. By pairing human expertise with smart technology, like purpose-built Traverse software, Grove offers a sustainable way to give behavioral health workers the support they deserve.
We’ll continue to share what we learn as the pilot progresses.
One thing is already clear: When you lighten the load, everyone wins—workers, agencies, and most importantly, the people they serve.
Read stories from the health and human services agencies who trust Northwoods.
Discover What Grove Could Mean for Your Behavioral Health Team
The Concord pilot is showing what happens when practitioners get their time back. With Grove, your team gets access to expert services, leading to more focus, less burnout, and better client care.
Get in touch with us at Northwoods if that sounds like what your team needs. We’d love to hear what’s weighing your staff down and see how we can lighten the load.
