About Life Coping

Life Coping, Inc (LCI) was founded in 1993 by Ellen Curelop, RN, BS, CMC. Life Coping is a private case management agency whose mission is to assist the elderly and disabled to remain at home independently.

In addition to the private care management services Life Coping Inc. has worked for many years with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services on a variety of publice programs for the elderly and disabled.

These include the Home and Community Based Care Waiver for the Elderly and Chronically Ill (HCBC-ECI); the Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders demonstration grant, and the New Hampshire Nursing Home Transition Program. Life Coping also works with the Multiple Sclerosis Society, New England Chapter.

Since 1993, the organization has grown to be the largest privately owned case management agency in New Hampshire.

Ellen Curelop, President

Ms. Curelop’s specialty is providing care primarily in elderly and chronically ill populations in need of advocacy.

A graduate of Skidmore College, she serves on the BEAS Medical Care Advisory Committee, Real Choices Consumer Advisory Committee, and the American Society on Aging. Ms. Curelop is a member ofthe National Association of Professional Geriatric Case Managers, the National Gerontologic Nursing Association, and participated in the New Hampshire Nursing Home Transition Project.

Ms. Curelop is an avid advocate for the practice of self-reliance, and empowerment of individuals in making their own choices about their lives. She supports educating people so that they can make informed and appropriate decisions about their care. She promotes individualized and consumer-directed care plans.

Prior to founding Life Coping, Inc., Ms. Curelop had leadership roles at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the former Memorial Hospital in Nashua, New Hampshire. She also gained legislative experience working for United States Senator Warren Rudman.

Alison Rossiter, Senior Project Specialist

Rita Lynch, Education Director

Rita Lynch has thirty five years of nursing experience with a specialty in psychiatric care and counseling. Rita has a background in program development for home and community-based care of seniors and mentally-ill patients as well as broad clinical management experience. As Training Director at Life Coping, Rita trains all new staff and supervises all current staff with an emphasis on best practices in case management

Melissa Trembley, Director of Case Management for Developmental Disabilities

Melissa Trembley has 20 years experience working with people with disabilities under the NH Medicaid waiver programs. She has brought her experience to Life Coping and has been with us for seven years. Melissa has worked with the local Area Agencies and has been a program manager for several vendors who provide services to people with developmental disabilities (DD) and acquired brain disorder. Melissa has been responsible for the management of forensic cases, has developed expertise as an experienced behaviorist, and has clinically supervised home provider settings.

In her role as DD Program Coordinator (or whatever your title is/you want it to be) for Life Coping Melissa has defined an independent case management program specific to persons with developmental disabilities. She has developed performance standards for the case management role and training materials to use in the orientation of case management professionals relative to the services available to the DD waiver population.

Melissa also functions as a consultant to her LCI colleagues and other professionals who may seek direction for clients relative to the appropriateness and benefits of the DD waiver. As such, she reviews potential cases and explores and/or suggests approaches or options for services for a potential client. She takes the lead in the development of contracts with the area agencies for clients requesting independent case management and works with the client, family and case manager to develop the individual support plan.

Life Coping, Inc. is currently the only independent case management agency in New Hampshire that provides this specialized case management option for those eligible for the NH DD waiver.

Additional Staff