You might not know it, but there are a ton of rules and regulations associated with our work. Even as we help the teens under our care grow and thrive, we need to show the State of California, insurance companies, and other oversight agencies that we’re doing everything by the book. To ensure we’re always on top of keeping the best possible clinical notes, ensuring the highest quality of care, and following the best practices prescribed by national commissions, we have a compliance department that checks in with our staff members regularly.
That’s where Ashtar comes in. As the Director of Compliance & Onboarding, she is the rulebook! Check out what she does to guarantee our success today.
Born to the Book
Ashtar has a background in applied behavioral analysis, having worked one on one with kids who struggle with autism and down syndrome. After spending a few years with LAUSD, she decided she wanted to explore a different side of psychology and moved onto admissions and insurance billing at a nonprofit substance abuse facility that housed 130 residents. There, she built her own insurance department before deciding it was time to move on to something bigger.
She soon started working for an electronic medical records company that catered specifically to substance abuse facilities. She became the client success manager for clients all across the Western United States, and Ascend Healthcare just happened to be her very first client. As she was helping us build our system from the ground up, she realized that she had an intense connection to our team. She eventually came to work for Ascend directly and continues to build on our system to promote seamless documentation for our clients.
Why Ashtar Loves Ascend
Ashtar’s connection with Ascend developed when she was still a contractor outside of our company. But even then, she realized that the people who work here are all amazing individuals. She loves their sense of humor and positivity — an essential trait when you’re working with so many kids that have such sad stories. We all strive so hard to maintain an uplifting and nurturing environment, ensuring everyone gets the support they need — whether they’re a client or a staff member.
Ashtar loves that Ascend puts the care of our clients at the top of any and every list. She knows we really care, and she feels grateful to be part of a shared goal.
Ashtar Is a Shining Star
Without proper and timely documentation, we can’t get the support we need to provide essential services for our teens from insurance and healthcare providers. Ashtar is all about making sure every note and signature is in the right place. She spends her days onboarding new staff, training our team on documentation requirements, and auditing paperwork and notes for completion in a timely manner. While she collaborates with our entire management team, like our Director of Operations, Jaq, she also touches base with every single employee as their point of contact for training, questions about compliance, and even HR concerns.
With so much on her plate, she somehow manages to make more hours in the day to ensure she can stay up to speed on everything that needs to get done. We swear, she’s some kind of time wizard — maybe she even has a Time Turner?
Ashtar is also one of those people who is constantly seeking to improve. She currently has her sights set on gaining new certifications that will help streamline her job and improve processes within her department.
Being a Pro Outside of Ascend
Even though Ashtar dedicates so much time to Ascend, she still somehow finds time to explore her other passions and interests — including dodgeball! If you ever thought dodgeball was over in middle school, boy, were you wrong. Ashtar competes in elite dodgeball internationally, having played throughout the United States, and even in Canada and Italy! When she’s not going through our paperwork, you can find her dodging, diving, ducking, dipping, and dodging on the court with one of our other team members, Seamus!
More to Love at Ascend
Ashtar’s resilience, grit, and passion for her work inspire so many people on our team. Even though she may not work with any of our clients directly, she has a critical role in ensuring they get the best care possible.
If you’re curious about more behind-the-scenes content at Ascend, make sure to keep up with our blog for more staff spotlights, announcements, and guides for your mental health!
