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Clinical Talent Management Best Practices – Models For Workforce Recruiting, Retention & Talent Optimization: The 2023 OPEN MINDS Seminar
With a little nudge from the global pandemic, digital health care has changed the relationship between clinical professionals and consumers. While this transformation happened before the pandemic, COVID forced it to occur more rapidly. So too, was the impact on the available workforce—COVID did not cause the shortage of health care professionals, but it did increase the gap and slowed down or even halted any efforts toward bridging it. As consumer demand and expectations continue to grow, executive teams must take a strategic approach to one of their most important resources—their talent.
During this seminar, executive attendees will take a deep dive into today’s workforce climate and peer into future outlooks. Our faculty will share strategies for recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce and ways to improve organizational performance to support today’s workforce. Compensation models, benefits packages, and recruitment efforts have changed. Executive teams need to understand today’s workforce—where they are, what they want, and what the competition is (hint, it isn’t just in health care). This can’t miss seminar is designed specifically for today’s health and human services landscape and the talent needed moving forward. Executive attendees will learn the following:
- How to determine the best strategy for recruitment and retention
- How to develop a performance-based model to use with staff
- Models for employee flexibility
- How technology can improve the employee experience
- How to become an “Employer of Choice”
Sharon Hicks
Sharon Hicks has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive experience and wide range of expertise in health plan management, in clinical operations management, and technology.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system and within its health plan division. Ms. Hicks served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, a managed behavioral health organization. She was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. In addition Ms. Hicks managed the day-to-day operations of including human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served as the Vice President, Internet Strategy, UPMC Insurance Services Division and, since 2002, as the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, Inc. since May of 2002. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth of the company, profitability of the company, and the direction of software development.
Ms. Hick started her impressive health care career as a psychiatric social worker before being promoted to Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her executive promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
Ramona Osburn
Ramona Osburn, MBA, MHA, FACHE, brings 20 years of experience in the behavioral health field to OPEN MINDS. Prior to joining the OPEN MINDS team, Ms. Osburn served as the Regional Vice President of Operations, Strategic Behavioral Health, providing leadership, strategy, and operational support to behavioral health hospitals and outpatient centers in multiple states. In that role, she created numerous outpatient telehealth programs, developed a strategy for community-based care programming, and was responsible for business development and marketing planning.
Previously, Ms. Osburn was the Chief Executive Officer for Summit Behavioral Health. At Summit, Ms. Osburn led a program to integrate the operations of a large addiction treatment center; an addiction medicine practice with more than 40 addictionologists and psychiatrists, and a medical health care system. She facilitated the development of a strategy for the newly-integrated system, developed its marketing plan, created a physician council, and negotiated its payer contracts including pay-for-performance arrangements.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Osburn was the Market Chief Executive Officer for Universal Health Services (UHS). She was recruited to design, build, and open a new behavioral health hospital and multiple outpatient centers to support a partnership with a regional medical center. Ms. Osburn was also responsible for the operations of four other behavioral health hospitals, managing the CEOs of those facilities. In this role, Ms. Osborn also recruited psychiatrists, led a initiative to integrate behavioral health into the medical center’s emergency services, and negotiated numerous health plan contracts and partnerships.
Before UHS, Ms. Osburn was the Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health for Texas Health Resources. In that role, she provided operational leadership for multiple behavioral health hospitals, residential addiction treatment centers, eating disorder programs, and outpatient centers. She developed the organization’s direct employer contracting strategy and negotiated Center of Excellence contracts with health plans. Ms. Osborn also led Texas Health Resources involvement in an ACO initiative to integrated behavioral health with primary care and created a systemwide mobile assessment team for 55 hospital emergency departments in the greater Dallas metro area.
Ms. Osburn received her MBA and MHA from Texas Women’s University and Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Excelsior College at the University of New York.
How To Develop A New Service Line: The 2023 OPEN MINDS Seminar On Building A Diversification Strategy & Conducting A Feasibility Analysis
In the current environment of changing consumer expectations and new financial models, two essential skills that all executives need to master is the ability to evaluate and modify existing services as well as to develop new services to meet the challenges in the changing market, including being more financially viable and relevant to consumers. In this exciting session, OPEN MINDS Senior Associates will review everything you need to know about developing a new service line starting with analyzing your current service lines to determine strategic options for diversification. Executive attendees will learn how to:
- Create a structured approach for selecting new services for your organization while ensuring they are financially sustainable
- Develop a costing model for launching new services
- Create a structured service line feasibility analysis and development process
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM, Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Deanne Cornette, MHA, GPC
Deanne Cornette, MHA, GPC, brings over 20 years of experience in the behavioral health field. Ms.Cornette currently serves as a Senior Associate for OPEN MINDS and brings to the OPEN MINDS team noted expertise in strategic planning, grant writing and revenue development.
Previously, Ms. Cornette was the Vice President of Strategic Development for Tampa Family Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center. In this role, she managed grants, contracts, front desk operations, training, quality assurance special assignments (risk assessments and responses to complaints), credentialing and billing functions. In a very short time period, she successfully procured funding to integrate behavioral health services, brought a system of processes to track health indicators and improve value-based care payment and service and became proficient in utilizing HRSA’s reporting portals.
As Counsel for Strategic Development at Agency for Community Treatment Services, Inc. (ACTS) and Vice President of Business Development for Gracepoint (merger), Ms. Cornette directed strategic development, contract negotiations, revenue development, marketing and grants. In this capacity, she targeted funding sources and built a lucrative cash flow that provided needed services to vulnerable populations in need of behavioral health treatment.
Some of her most successful negotiations created best practice services for veteran’s programs, women’s services, as well those involved with the criminal justice system. Her portfolio includes a wide array of awards from a multitude of agencies including, but not limited to: SAMHSA, HUD, Centers for Medicaid, and the Department of Transportation and collaborations with private, non-profit and government entities. Most recently, she worked with Gracepoint to develop Hillsborough’s Centralized Receiving Facility, one of the first funded in the State of Florida. From a system of care for jail diversion to evidence based practices for individuals who are homeless with behavioral health needs, her awards have netted over $80 million dollars to our community.
In addition, Ms. Cornette served as the Vice President for the National Contract Management Association Suncoast Chapter, Vice President of ACTS Affordable Housing Board of Directors, Vice President of ACTS Foundation Board of Directors, and was a member of Hillsborough County Health Care Advisory Board. She is the recipient of University of South Florida’s 2018 Florida Outstanding Women of the Year in Public Health. Her Centralized Receiving Facility collaborative won a 2018 WEDU PBS Be Brilliant / Innovation Award. Her concept of Housing, Engagement and Retention Tenancy (HEART) program won the 2018 Heart for Homeless award through the Housing and Education Alliance.
Ms. Cornette received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and her Masters Degree in Health Administration from the University of South Florida.
Exhibit Hall Grand Opening
Sponsored By: 
Join us for an unveiling of all of our great exhibitors!
Breakfast & Registration
If you haven’t registered yet, check in with us at the registration desk and then enjoy breakfast in the exhibit hall!
Managed Care Perspectives On Whole Person Care: Keys For Success In A Changing Health System
Every managed care organization is plotting their plan to build the integrated delivery systems necessary to deliver whole person care. But what do those integrated delivery systems look like? And how do provider organization executive teams prepare to be part of an integrated approach to service delivery? For a first hand perspective, join Briana Duffy, the president of external markets for Carelon, in this exciting session on the state of integrated care. Ms. Duffy will share some of the integrated care initiatives at Carelon as well as her perspectives on the challenges to bringing a ‘whole person care’ experience to consumers. In addition, she will provide insights into how provider organizations can build the management team – and the roadmap – for success in integrated care.
Briana Duffy
Briana Duffy, National Market President for Carelon Behavioral Health (formerly Beacon Health Options), has over 25 years of leadership experience within the provider and payer behavioral health and developmental disability service sectors. Briana’s expertise is in building and transforming organizations to create stakeholder value. Common across positions held is a commitment to fulfilling mission while simultaneously leveraging strategically focused continuous quality improvement. Accomplishments include designing the model of care for one of the country’s first dual eligible programs, implementing Medicaid managed care reform across multiple states and raising a successful and overall good human, her son. She is a LSW and holds a Master’s Degree in Business Management from Cambridge College.
Thought Leader Discussion
Join our keynote and take this time to ask your own questions and continue the conversation.
Briana Duffy
Briana Duffy, National Market President for Carelon Behavioral Health (formerly Beacon Health Options), has over 25 years of leadership experience within the provider and payer behavioral health and developmental disability service sectors. Briana’s expertise is in building and transforming organizations to create stakeholder value. Common across positions held is a commitment to fulfilling mission while simultaneously leveraging strategically focused continuous quality improvement. Accomplishments include designing the model of care for one of the country’s first dual eligible programs, implementing Medicaid managed care reform across multiple states and raising a successful and overall good human, her son. She is a LSW and holds a Master’s Degree in Business Management from Cambridge College.
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S., Chief Executive Officer and Senior Associate, is the founder of OPEN MINDS. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. Ms. Oss is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field. She has unique expertise in payer financing models, provider rate setting, and service pricing. She has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, managed care programs, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
Best Practice Models For Financial Management Of Performance-Based Contracts
In contracting with health plans, specialty provider organizations must take a metrics-based approach where financial management is crucial to managing performance. Executives of health and human service provider organizations’ executives involved in performance-based contracts must focus on financial data, key performance indicators (KPIs), and measurement of results (lower costs, better quality services, and improved health outcomes). In this session, attendees will learn:
- Designing tools to provide critical financial information that executive teams need for success
- Developing financial performance metrics and management reporting systems
- Ongoing review of performance data and analysis of financial metrics
Ken Carr
Ken Carr brings over 20 years of finance, technology, data analysis and reporting experience in the health and human service field to OPEN MINDS. He currently ia a Senior Associate with the OPEN MINDS consulting practice. In this role, he served as a subject matter expert in the OPEN MINDS consulting practice where he has led numerous engagements in strategic planning, merger and acquisition prospecting, business process improvement, financial analysis of service lines, and technology selection.
Before joining the OPEN MINDS team, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of The Centers, a community mental health center in Ocala, Florida. In this position, Mr. Carr led a realignment of the organization’s financial management functions. This included revenue cycle management, EHR bill implementation and reporting, cash management enhancement, and strategic financial analysis.
Prior to his role at The Centers, Mr. Carr served as Chief Financial Officer of Guild Incorporated, an organization providing residential and community based mental health services in St. Paul, Minnesota. As CFO, Mr. Carr led the financial, billing, IT, quality, informatics, compliance, and facilities activities. During his tenure at Guild Incorporated, Mr. Carr used his expertise in change management and business process improvement to lead the EHR implementation team, align service data reporting and financial performance, and lead the financial and data capture activities for new service initiatives.
Mr. Carr has also held the positions of Administrative Director and Finance Director at the St. Paul National Testing Laboratory, a biomedical testing facility of the American Red Cross. In those positions he oversaw activities to enhance inventory management, align financial results to industry standards, and improve financial and facilities performance through problem analysis and quality management initiatives. He also was involved in directing human resource functions during laboratory closing near the end of his tenure.
Mr. Carr earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota, and a Master of Divinity Degree from Sioux Falls Seminary. He maintains an active CPA license with the State of South Dakota.
Managed Care Models For I/DD Services
Traditional funding of services for people with intellectual development delays, including waivers and special programs, is giving way to managed care initiatives through programs like Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) and Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) federal waivers. I/DD service provider organizations must familiarize themselves with managed care processes, billing, and performance standards. During this session, hear the steps organizations should take to learn payer expectations and ensure their success under these new models.
Patrick Maynard, Ph.D.
Dr. Patrick Maynard is an expert in managing publicly funded services. He is a champion of the social-entrepreneurial model, which encourages collaboration, drives continuous improvement, and improves service delivery for social service organizations.
Like many psychology graduates, Dr. Patrick Maynard assumed he would spend his career helping people one at a time by providing therapy in a one-on-one environment. However, just as he was launching his career, the movement to deinstitutionalize government-run mental health facilities was taking place across the country. Dr. Maynard immediately recognized both the potential and the pitfalls of that movement, and a lifelong passion was born.
Over his three decades of service to people with complex needs, Dr. Maynard has honed a talent for revitalizing struggling or stagnant nonprofit organizations— infusing them with new energy and putting them on a path to growth and sustainability. He excels at examining challenges from a macro perspective while keeping in mind the unique needs of the individual seeking services.
When Dr. Maynard first arrived at Boundless, the organization had an annual budget of approximately $25 million and only served adults in Central Ohio. Fast-forward five years, Boundless is now a $90-million family of nonprofit companies serving thousands of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral health challenges throughout Ohio.
A self-described natural optimist, Dr. Maynard’s biggest reward comes from seeing the positive impact on the people served by Boundless. One of his favorite stories is of a young man who came to Boundless with multiple needs, requiring round-the-clock care of many staff. A year later, that same young man attended a picnic with his family and was tearing up the dance floor in obvious joy. “That young man will stay in my memory forever,” says Dr. Maynard.
A native of Wooster, OH, Dr. Maynard graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, completed a master’s degree from Pepperdine University in community and clinical psychology. He later completed his PhD at Ohio University in applied behavioral sciences and educational leadership while serving as superintendent of the Fairfield County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Maynard has completed post-doctoral work on organizational change and government affairs from The Kennedy School at Harvard University. He was named president & CEO of I Am Boundless, Inc., and the Boundless family of companies in 2015.
Patrick is speaking during Managed Care Models For I/DD Services.
Jennifer Riha
Jennifer Riha is the VP, Programs for I Am Boundless and its affiliated companies, based in Worthington, Ohio. Jennifer is a long-time health and human services executive with experience leading clinical treatment and recovery services, intellectual and developmental disability and autism support services, technology and innovation, and business operations. As a mother of a neurodiverse son and experienced leader in the field, Jennifer is passionate about leading organizations to implement sound business practices, evidence-based care and treatment, and demonstrate the value of the services provided. Jennifer has built her career leading teams toward growth, improvement, and innovation including roles as the VP of Operations, VP of Strategic Business Development, Chief Administrative Officer, and VP of Performance Improvement and Service Delivery in organizations across Ohio.
Jennifer is a frequent speaker across the country on key issues in the health and human services sector and is a strong advocate for parity, recognition, and elevation of the importance of the work provided by the IDD and behavioral health sectors. In addition to her role with I Am Boundless, she also serves as a Technical Assistance provider and Behavioral Health Consultant for providers and peer-led organizations across the country. She serves on many state and national taskforces and workgroups as part of her advocacy, including the Alternative Payment Models workgroup led by ANCOR focused on innovation in the provision of care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Jennifer is speaking during Managed Care Models For I/DD Services.
Chris Wolf
Chris Wolf is the Executive Vice President for I Am Boundless, Inc. With 30 years of experience in the health and human services field, Mr. Wolf is currently responsible for Program Development, Community Outreach, Information Technology, Human Resources, and Health/Business Analytics. He has a Master of Science degree in Allied Therapies from the University of Dayton, and is currently a Doctoral Student for HealthCare Administration, at Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. Through different merge and acquisition opportunities, and innovative program development Mr. Wolf has been a part of the high growth, high quality strategy at Boundless that saw the agency grow from $20 million to $90 million in revenue and from serving fewer than 1,000 a year to serving 5,000 people year over the past six years. Mr. Wolf enjoys writing and arranging instrumental music in his free time, having played his first professional show at the age of 14. If you listen to “Well Being a Boundless Podcast” you will hear several of his music pieces as intro and exit music.
Chris is speaking during Managed Care Models For I/DD Services.
Sharon Hicks
Sharon Hicks has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive experience and wide range of expertise in health plan management, in clinical operations management, and technology.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system and within its health plan division. Ms. Hicks served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, a managed behavioral health organization. She was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. In addition Ms. Hicks managed the day-to-day operations of including human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served as the Vice President, Internet Strategy, UPMC Insurance Services Division and, since 2002, as the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, Inc. since May of 2002. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth of the company, profitability of the company, and the direction of software development.
Ms. Hick started her impressive health care career as a psychiatric social worker before being promoted to Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her executive promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
Knowledge Partner Session
Sponsored By: 
Addressing Workforce Issues In I/DD Service Delivery
The workforce shortage affecting the entire country has significantly impacted direct care positions. The need for more direct support positions (DSPs) is particularly detrimental to people with I/DD who need assistance with daily living activities and presents challenges to the growth and stability of providers. Currently, there is no career path for a DSP, and many DSPs still earn under $15 an hour. Providers and care management agencies compete with businesses such as Starbucks and Target, willing to pay the same or more per hour and offer benefits and management opportunities. What can we do to restabilize the workforce? In this session, learn approaches that have proven successful for provider organizations dealing with the workforce issue.
Virginia Gabby
Virginia Gabby has been a Merakey team member since 2019. She has held different roles during her tenure and is currently the Executive Director for IDD Program Development for California. Ms. Gabby leads development initiatives to improve and expand service lines offered within California for individuals with intellectual and/developmental disabilities. She is responsible for development oversight as well as project management and program support. Responsibilities in Virginia’s prior role as a Regional Director with Merakey included operational leadership and management in Northern California.
Virginia’s experience includes the implementation of statewide assessment processes and tools in California and in Michigan for adolescents and adults living with disabilities. Ms. Gabby has served as a Director of Student Services in higher education supporting under-resourced college students and has also worked as a government partner for resource and community coordination with the American Red Cross disaster relief services. Ms. Gabby’s professional focus is addressing barriers that may exist for individuals who have traditionally been underserved and may lack adequate access to support systems. Virginia has been committed to advocacy in both the professional and political arenas, dedicating her time and energy to encourage systemic change for vulnerable populations.
Virginia resides in Northern California with her fiancé and their three charming Chihuahuas. She is actively involved with her local community and enjoys weekend excursions to the redwoods, gardening and dinners with family and friends.
Virginia is speaking during Addressing Workforce Issues In I/DD Service Delivery.
Ray Wolfe, J.D.
Raymond “Ray” Wolfe, J.D. brings over 40 years of experience in the health and human services sector to the OPEN MINDS team. Mr. Wolfe currently serves as a Senior Associate, a position in which he utilizes his expertise to successfully lead varying projects for OPEN MINDS. His areas of expertise include managed care and value-based reimbursement models, financial analysis and management, mergers and acquisitions, CCBHC certification, integrated care, performance improvement, and strategic planning.
Before joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Wolfe served in a 22-year tenure with Pittsburgh Mercy Health System in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most recently, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), where he was responsible for oversight of all system operations, strategic planning, and performance management. Under his direction Pittsburgh Mercy achieved Certified Behavioral Health Center status, earned over $850K in value-based reimbursement contract quality bonus awards, integrated three organizations through merger/acquisition, opened a primary care service that was integrated into programming for the severe and persistent mentally ill and homeless populations, and adopted a new performance management program for managers.
Before acting as Pittsburgh Mercy’s COO, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and was responsible for the development of internal costing methodologies, contract rate negotiations, and financial forecasting activities. In addition, he coordinated an integrated care program with local partner hospitals to develop a series of diversion and respite programs, as well as specialized primary care, integrated care management, and high utilizer teams, while maintaining 15 straight years of profitability.
Mr. Wolfe was promoted to CFO after serving as the Director of Fiscal and Information Security/Compliance for the health system. In this role, he was responsible for managing the transition of service contracts from fee-for-service (FFS), leading all compliance activities, and implementing a next-generation electronic health record (EHR) system.
Prior to his time at Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, Mr. Wolfe served as Chief Fiscal Officer with the Summit Center for Human Development in Clarksburg, West Virginia, where he was responsible for reporting and budgeting functions and preparing Summit Center’s programs for FFS billing.
Previously, Mr. Wolfe served in billing and collections for two Pennsylvania-based hospitals. First, in his role as a manager for Healthcare Corporation of America (HCA) and as an Accounts Receivables Manager for Brownsville General Hospital in Brownsville, PA, where he managed the accounting and billing system transition systems. Later as a Patient Account Manager for St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, where he improved collections to hit a 95% rate through the implementation of new billing software and department reorganization.
Prior to working in the health and human services market, Mr. Wolfe spent five years practicing as a Lawyer with at Law Offices of Arch A. Moore in Moundsville, WV. In this role, he provided general legal practice, created and established bylaws for multiple corporations, and handled West Virginia licensing of first vision insurance plan.
Mr. Wolfe earned his Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University School of Law in Morgantown, WV and his Bachelor’s degree with a focus in Political Science and Sociology from West Liberty University, Wheeling, West Virginia, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Assuring Continuity Of Care & Positive Consumer Experience In Whole Person Care Models
How consumers perceive their health care experiences with provider organizations is directly related to their engagement in care, better health outcomes, and the use of unnecessary and emergency resources. Creating a positive consumer experience involves attending to the quality of and access to care, among other factors. Join experts as health care executives discuss how they are enhancing the quality of care and consumer experience, focusing on the following:
- Designing “front door” care by utilizing hybrid, digital, and in-home models in service delivery
- Delivering whole-person care by integrating primary care, behavioral health, and social services
- Measuring consumer health care access and engagement for effectiveness
Dawn Henson
Dawn is speaking during Assuring Continuity Of Care & Positive Consumer Experience In Whole Person Care Models.
Colin LeClair
Colin LeClair joined Connections Health Solutions in 2019. Colin brings 20 years of experience implementing value-based healthcare delivery systems and improving healthcare access for our nation’s most vulnerable patients.
Prior to joining Connections Health Solution, Colin led business development, product development, and implementation for ConcertoHealth, growing revenue more than 8x over 4 years. Prior to ConcertoHealth, Colin was the P&L leader for OPTUMCare’s ACO business in California. Under his leadership, OPTUM’s ACOs led the nation in healthcare quality, medical cost savings, and patient outcomes.
Prior to Optum, Colin held a range of progressively expanding leadership roles at several of the nation’s most successful private equity-backed managed healthcare organizations, including WellCare Health Plans, Bravo Health, and HealthSpring.
Colin holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the Walter A. Haas School of Business at The University of California at Berkeley.
Colin is speaking during Assuring Continuity Of Care & Positive Consumer Experience In Whole Person Care Models.
Laura Buckley, MBA
Laura Buckley is the Chief Operating Officer at Connections where she oversees national operations and supports initiatives to scale the company’s clinical model and shared services operations. Laura brings more than 15 years of operational expertise to Connections with a proven track record of building and scaling high-performing organizations.
Prior to joining Connections, Laura spent eight years building and launching new products and services for chronically ill patients at Fresenius Medical Care, the world’s leading provider of products and services for individuals with kidney diseases. She also held various market operations and product leadership roles at WellCare Health Plans, overseeing business process improvement, Medicaid expansion efforts, and Medicaid health plan operations.
Laura holds both a B.A. in Management and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Central Florida.
Laura is speaking during Assuring Continuity Of Care & Positive Consumer Experience In Whole Person Care Models.
Deanne Cornette, MHA, GPC
Deanne Cornette, MHA, GPC, brings over 20 years of experience in the behavioral health field. Ms.Cornette currently serves as a Senior Associate for OPEN MINDS and brings to the OPEN MINDS team noted expertise in strategic planning, grant writing and revenue development.
Previously, Ms. Cornette was the Vice President of Strategic Development for Tampa Family Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center. In this role, she managed grants, contracts, front desk operations, training, quality assurance special assignments (risk assessments and responses to complaints), credentialing and billing functions. In a very short time period, she successfully procured funding to integrate behavioral health services, brought a system of processes to track health indicators and improve value-based care payment and service and became proficient in utilizing HRSA’s reporting portals.
As Counsel for Strategic Development at Agency for Community Treatment Services, Inc. (ACTS) and Vice President of Business Development for Gracepoint (merger), Ms. Cornette directed strategic development, contract negotiations, revenue development, marketing and grants. In this capacity, she targeted funding sources and built a lucrative cash flow that provided needed services to vulnerable populations in need of behavioral health treatment.
Some of her most successful negotiations created best practice services for veteran’s programs, women’s services, as well those involved with the criminal justice system. Her portfolio includes a wide array of awards from a multitude of agencies including, but not limited to: SAMHSA, HUD, Centers for Medicaid, and the Department of Transportation and collaborations with private, non-profit and government entities. Most recently, she worked with Gracepoint to develop Hillsborough’s Centralized Receiving Facility, one of the first funded in the State of Florida. From a system of care for jail diversion to evidence based practices for individuals who are homeless with behavioral health needs, her awards have netted over $80 million dollars to our community.
In addition, Ms. Cornette served as the Vice President for the National Contract Management Association Suncoast Chapter, Vice President of ACTS Affordable Housing Board of Directors, Vice President of ACTS Foundation Board of Directors, and was a member of Hillsborough County Health Care Advisory Board. She is the recipient of University of South Florida’s 2018 Florida Outstanding Women of the Year in Public Health. Her Centralized Receiving Facility collaborative won a 2018 WEDU PBS Be Brilliant / Innovation Award. Her concept of Housing, Engagement and Retention Tenancy (HEART) program won the 2018 Heart for Homeless award through the Housing and Education Alliance.
Ms. Cornette received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and her Masters Degree in Health Administration from the University of South Florida.
Business Continuity Planning – What It Is & How It Is Distinct From Disaster Recovery Planning
Brought to light by the pandemic, provider organizations are thinking about business continuity planning with more urgency. Whether it be the effects of a global pandemic, natural disaster, or cyber-attack, executives need to have a plan to keep their operations up and moving in the event of an emergency. Hear case studies from organizations that:
- Successfully navigated through a business operations crisis
- Are developing strategies for continued sustainability during and after a crisis
- Best practices in crisis planning for prevention and recovery
Rene Hurtado, MBA
Rene Hurtado was born and raised in El Paso and has over 25 years of experience in healthcare operations and public policy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at El Paso.
Mr. Hurtado has extensive experience in both the public and private sectors of healthcare delivery systems along the U.S.-Mexico border. He has designed communication initiatives in different areas of public health to include trauma & crisis communications, children’s outreach and poison control centers. He has also led marketing and public affairs initiatives for one of the largest hospital systems in El Paso, where he designed multi-media communications initiatives for various healthcare product lines including pediatrics, kidney transplant and oncology. In the area of public policy and government relations, he served as Director of Public Affairs for Spectrum Communications where he advocated for effective telecommunications legislation.
He currently serves as Chief of Staff for Emergence Health Network, the designated mental health authority for El Paso County responsible for designing and maintaining the public mental health/developmental disability service delivery system for the region to include crisis services and suicide prevention. He oversees community affairs, human resources, training & education, and government relations.
Mr. Hurtado also works and has held leadership positions with various community agencies. He has served as chair of the public relations committee for the Paso Del Norte Health Foundation and chair of the government relations division for the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. He also volunteered with Leadership El Paso, Creative Kids and various community agencies. Mr. Hurtado is a graduate of the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund Leadership Program, Leadership El Paso and the El Paso Creative Cities Leadership Group.
Recently Mr. Hurtado was appointed to One Fund El Paso, which provided guidance and resources for victims of the El Paso August 3rd 2019 Walmart Shooting and has advocated for increased access to mental health services as a result of this tragic mass shooting.
Rene is speaking during Business Continuity Planning – What It Is & How It Is Distinct From Disaster Recovery Planning.
Rene Navarro, MPA
Rene is speaking during Business Continuity Planning – What It Is & How It Is Distinct From Disaster Recovery Planning.
Carol Clayton, Ph.D.
Carol Clayton brings over 30 years of experience in the health and human service fields to the OPEN MINDS team. She has a wealth of experience both in clinical work and in executive management. Her areas of expertise include data-driven strategy development and management, performance measurement and outcomes reporting, quality improvement, and growth strategies.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Dr. Clayton served as the Vice President of Behavioral Health Solutions Integration for Relias, an online training solution for health care providers. At Relias, Dr. Clayton led the development of analytics-focused market solutions. Her areas of focus were performance measurement systems, management team dashboards, and analytics for managing value-based reimbursement.
Prior to her role at Relias, Dr. Clayton served as the Chief Executive Officer for Care Management Technologies (CMT), an analytics solution organization of which she was a minority owner. With CMT, Dr. Clayton worked with state and county governments and provider collaboratives to develop shared performance management and performance improvement platforms. Her work included creating solution-specific health information exchanges promoting data sharing between multiple payer and provider organizations.
Prior to joining Care Management Technologies, Dr. Clayton served as the Executive Director for the North Carolina Council of Community Programs. In this role, she worked with both public agencies and private provider organizations during the evolution of the North Carolina MH/DD/SA service delivery system to a new managed care model. Her work involved both advocacy to public policy makers and the legislature, as well as working with member organizations on improving their delivery system.
Previously, Dr. Clayton also served as Executive Director for Magellan Behavioral Health. In this role, she was responsible for the Magellan book of business – at-risk managed care, administrative service organization (ASO) contracts, and employee assistance program (EAP) contracts for two million lives across four states.
Dr. Clayton started her career as a Staff Psychologist at John Umstead Hospital. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Special Education from Appalachian State University, and her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
A Better IDD Future Through Technology-Enabled Person-Centered Services
Sponsored By: 
In 1978 Sen. Robert F. Kennedy addressed the nation for a need to change services to persons with mental health concerns. His speech followed the national scandal and exposé of the Willowbrook training school in NYC presented across media by a young reporter named Geraldo Rivera.
What did we do after Geraldo Rivera’s Willowbrook, NY exposé? What did we get right? Where did we, as an industry, go wrong? And most importantly, what can we do to shape a better future for the people we serve while retaining and motivating our staff? We will unveil several opportunities for technology adoption focused toward invigorating innovation and renewing focus on individualized, person-centered services.
Terence Blackwell Jr., L-BCBA, SAS
School Principal (permanent NY) Board Certified Behavior Analyst (Licensed) – Executive Management Consulting
In addition to earning his M.S. in Psychological Services from the University of Pennsylvania, including attendance at the Wharton School, Terence is a Licensed School Principal, Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), and Certified Addictions Specialist. He earned his B.S. in Psychology from Saint Peter’s University.
Terry brings more than three decades of diverse leadership experience serving the needs of people with disabilities. Recently, he served as president and CEO of the not-for-profit Chimes International. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Manhattan-based Serving the Underserved, providing services to people with intellectual disabilities, behavioral health, mental health, substance abuse issues and veterans’ services in various coordinated and integrated care models. Terry has also worked as a Direct Care Counselor for a large community-based residence leading the development and operation of preschool programs for children with disabilities under the authority of the New York State Educational Department. He also launched his own consulting practice for not for profits and government-funded agencies and led program expansion and business development efforts for a large not for profit that provides job opportunities for people with barriers to independent employment.
Notably, Terry helped lead the development of the country’s only I/DD focused ACO. During the establishment of these entities, he worked with NCQA to impact national policy to accommodate the special needs of the I/DD and ASD (Autistic Spectrum) populations.
Terry is a regular presenter at the National level for Applied Behavior Analysis International and most recently was an invited speaker on “How to implement evidence-based practices to obtain enhanced rates for adult I/DD services.”
Emily Del Vecchio
Emily Del Vecchio brings over 14 years of experience in strategic, customer-focused, and results-driven marketing in retail and the behavioral health field. Ms. Del Vecchio is the Executive Vice President of Partnerships for OPEN MINDS.
Previously, Ms. Del Vecchio was the Marketing and Communications Manager II for Cleveland Clinic. As Cleveland Clinic’s global interests grew, Ms. Del Vecchio was promoted to manage international marketing and support for International Operations, Global Patient Services, international business development, and global expansion efforts. She was instrumental in setting up the London Marketing and Communications function ensuring the UK-based team was connected to US resources and providing corporate oversight for all foundational marketing elements including recruitment advertising campaigns, grand opening promotional strategy and events, and the creation of a localized website and online tools for patients and referring doctors. She also served as a senior member of the cross-departmental “Digital Optimization Team” that was responsible for strategic oversight of all digital lead generation campaigns, designing, executing, and analyzing testing strategies to roll out scalable programs; and managed day-to-day relationship with digital agency and marketing automation partners.
Prior to Cleveland Clinic, Ms. Del Vecchio was Senior Manager, Affiliate Marketing for Gen3 Marketing. Ms. Del Vecchio led the day-to-day management and strategic development of affiliate marketing programs for some of Gen3’s highest-profile clients ranging from financial services to high-end, luxury retail. She operated as an extension of the client’s internal marketing team to support key initiatives, drive increased sales and maintain set budgets. Ms. Del Vecchio established strong relationships with publishers and network teams on behalf of clients to effectively structure and negotiate terms, secure paid placements, and ensure overall brand presence across affiliate sites. She tracked campaign performance, identified trends and growth opportunities, and analyzed key metrics.
Before Gen3, Ms. Del Vecchio advanced to Online Marketing Specialist, Affiliate Marketing for QVC, Inc. Here she managed QVC’s affiliate marketing program, which had 1K+ publisher partners and generated over $200M in annual revenue. She oversaw daily program activities, implemented strategic plans and offer strategies, managed a multi-million dollar budget, and exceeded aggressive revenue goals. Ms. Del Vecchio ran QVC’s most successful publisher optimization campaign at the time, which generated $300K+ in incremental sales among mid-tier publishers in one month. Ms. Del Vecchio and her team provided creative briefs for print and television, attended photo and video shoots, and oversaw projects from concept to execution.
Ms. Del Vecchio received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration for Marketing at Elon University, Elon, NC.
Lunch On Your Own
Regulatory & Funding Changes are Coming – How to be Ready to Track Value-based Care Outcomes for IDD Services
With the evolving changes for I/DD service provider organizations, learn vital essential tips to ensure that your agency stays up to date on billing and regulatory compliance requirements and how your EHR can play a key role in the tracking and reporting process for IDD organizations. During this lunch and learn, you’ll hear about:
- New and competing mandates and what they mean for your agency
- How to ensure the capture of all revenue due
- Compound licensing requirements
- How VBR will impact IDD service providers
- Best practices for tracking outcomes
Julia McConnell
Julia is a Senior Solutions Consultant at Qualifacts, advising agencies on technology adoption to support growth strategies and improve consumer experience in complex care environments. Before joining Qualifacts in 2015, Julia worked for over 35 years as a clinician, administrator and executive in IDD and behavioral health agencies, building and managing residential and day service programs. She has a Master of Public Administration in Healthcare from Rutgers University, and prior to that attended Juilliard for piano.
Ray Wolfe, J.D.
Raymond “Ray” Wolfe, J.D. brings over 40 years of experience in the health and human services sector to the OPEN MINDS team. Mr. Wolfe currently serves as a Senior Associate, a position in which he utilizes his expertise to successfully lead varying projects for OPEN MINDS. His areas of expertise include managed care and value-based reimbursement models, financial analysis and management, mergers and acquisitions, CCBHC certification, integrated care, performance improvement, and strategic planning.
Before joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Wolfe served in a 22-year tenure with Pittsburgh Mercy Health System in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most recently, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), where he was responsible for oversight of all system operations, strategic planning, and performance management. Under his direction Pittsburgh Mercy achieved Certified Behavioral Health Center status, earned over $850K in value-based reimbursement contract quality bonus awards, integrated three organizations through merger/acquisition, opened a primary care service that was integrated into programming for the severe and persistent mentally ill and homeless populations, and adopted a new performance management program for managers.
Before acting as Pittsburgh Mercy’s COO, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and was responsible for the development of internal costing methodologies, contract rate negotiations, and financial forecasting activities. In addition, he coordinated an integrated care program with local partner hospitals to develop a series of diversion and respite programs, as well as specialized primary care, integrated care management, and high utilizer teams, while maintaining 15 straight years of profitability.
Mr. Wolfe was promoted to CFO after serving as the Director of Fiscal and Information Security/Compliance for the health system. In this role, he was responsible for managing the transition of service contracts from fee-for-service (FFS), leading all compliance activities, and implementing a next-generation electronic health record (EHR) system.
Prior to his time at Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, Mr. Wolfe served as Chief Fiscal Officer with the Summit Center for Human Development in Clarksburg, West Virginia, where he was responsible for reporting and budgeting functions and preparing Summit Center’s programs for FFS billing.
Previously, Mr. Wolfe served in billing and collections for two Pennsylvania-based hospitals. First, in his role as a manager for Healthcare Corporation of America (HCA) and as an Accounts Receivables Manager for Brownsville General Hospital in Brownsville, PA, where he managed the accounting and billing system transition systems. Later as a Patient Account Manager for St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, where he improved collections to hit a 95% rate through the implementation of new billing software and department reorganization.
Prior to working in the health and human services market, Mr. Wolfe spent five years practicing as a Lawyer with at Law Offices of Arch A. Moore in Moundsville, WV. In this role, he provided general legal practice, created and established bylaws for multiple corporations, and handled West Virginia licensing of first vision insurance plan.
Mr. Wolfe earned his Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University School of Law in Morgantown, WV and his Bachelor’s degree with a focus in Political Science and Sociology from West Liberty University, Wheeling, West Virginia, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Sharon Hicks
Sharon Hicks has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive experience and wide range of expertise in health plan management, in clinical operations management, and technology.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system and within its health plan division. Ms. Hicks served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, a managed behavioral health organization. She was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. In addition Ms. Hicks managed the day-to-day operations of including human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served as the Vice President, Internet Strategy, UPMC Insurance Services Division and, since 2002, as the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, Inc. since May of 2002. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth of the company, profitability of the company, and the direction of software development.
Ms. Hick started her impressive health care career as a psychiatric social worker before being promoted to Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her executive promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
Post Lunch Pick Me Up
Don’t miss this after lunch break in the exhibit hall for a special treat!
Leveraging Technology In The Delivery Of I/DD Services
As health care service delivery embraces technology, including wearables and smart monitoring devices, opportunities exist to use these devices to extend staffing capabilities, empower service recipients, extend the opportunities for safety monitoring into the community, and more. Many see technology development as a means to address the growing direct support position (DSP) shortage. In this session, attendees will hear from organizations that have used newer technologies with their service populations and learn about best practices for evaluating and implementing technology in the I/DD space.
Amy Jacobs-Schroeder
Amy Jacobs-Schroeder is the CEO and Co-Founder of Happy Ladders, a SaaS-based, parent-led, early intervention therapy platform. Amy has worked directly with parents of autistic children and the wider developmental disability population to develop a truly innovative approach to helping parents help their own children, decreasing dependence on professionals.
Amy is also the author of the Parent-Led Revolution ( parent-led.com ). Parent-Led Revolution seeks to empower parents while navigating their child’s journey through specialized needs and services, while living the life they want to live.
A mother of five and a runner, Amy has been providing autism therapy services for 20 years. She is a board member of the non-profit, Walk with Austin, and a pioneer in the parent-led autism therapy movement.
Amy is speaking during Leveraging Technology In The Delivery Of I/DD Services.
Jamie Garrett
Jamie is responsible for directing the Project Management Office and M&A integrations for Community Based Care. Jamie has a wide range of experience in the Healthcare industry, with a more recent focus on efficiently capitalizing on growth opportunities, data analytics, process improvement and project management.
Jamie holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and a Six Sigma Black Belt Certification.
Jamie is speaking during Leveraging Technology In The Delivery Of I/DD Services.
Michael Vallejo, MS
Michael is responsible for developing and implementing the technology strategy for CBC which enables our caregivers to most efficiently achieve our mission to support the best health and fullest lives for the people we serve.
Michael has more than 20 years of experience in the Information Technology industry, focusing on innovation and process improvement. His experience has included several sectors such as manufacturing, state, and federal government, but more than half of his career has been in healthcare. Prior to Community Based Care he was the CIO at Care Hospice, one of the fastest growing hospice providers in the country.
Michael is speaking during Leveraging Technology In The Delivery Of I/DD Services.
Sarah Chestnut, MSW
Sarah has a passion for developing creative solutions to solve complex problems and increasing access to whole-person care for historically marginalized populations. In spring 2021, Sarah joined Benchmark Human Services as Director of Development Strategies, where she leads the company’s growth initiatives, service line development, and strategic partnerships.
Previously, she spent six years at INARF (Indiana’s principal membership organization representing IDD provider organizations), serving most recently as the Director of Public Policy and Technical Assistance. She has also worked for Stone Belt Arc, Inc., a non-profit IDD service provider in southern Indiana.
Sarah holds a master’s degree in social work with a concentration on Leadership from Indiana University.
Sarah is speaking during Leveraging Technology In The Delivery Of I/DD Services.
Robert Taylor
Robert is speaking during Leveraging Technology In The Delivery Of I/DD Services.
Sharon Hicks
Sharon Hicks has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive experience and wide range of expertise in health plan management, in clinical operations management, and technology.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system and within its health plan division. Ms. Hicks served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, a managed behavioral health organization. She was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. In addition Ms. Hicks managed the day-to-day operations of including human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served as the Vice President, Internet Strategy, UPMC Insurance Services Division and, since 2002, as the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, Inc. since May of 2002. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth of the company, profitability of the company, and the direction of software development.
Ms. Hick started her impressive health care career as a psychiatric social worker before being promoted to Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her executive promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
Making Strategy Work – Best Practices For Implementing Your Strategic Plan
You’ve developed your strategic plan – now what? How do you ensure the successful implementation of that strategic plan once it’s complete? In this session, attendees will hear tips used by executive leaders on doing just that, including goal setting, achieving early wins, continually measuring results, and adjusting the plan as necessary. Join industry experts as they discuss the following:
- Overcoming the barriers and challenges of implementing your strategic plan
- Measuring progress and keeping focused on the big strategic picture
- Developing your workforce for successful implementation of the plan
Debra Manners
Debra Manners will be speaking in Making Strategy Work – Best Practices For Implementing Your Strategic Plan.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM, Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Preparing For CalAIM – Innovative Best Practices Serving Complex Adults & Youth (Enhanced Care Management & Community Support)
California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) is a long-term commitment to transform and strengthen CA Medicaid (Medi-Cal), offering 14M+ beneficiaries a more equitable, coordinated, and person-centered approach to maximizing their health.
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is transforming the Medi-Cal delivery system moving Medi-Cal towards a population health approach that prioritizes prevention and whole person care. CalAIM will offer Medi-Cal enrollees coordinated and equitable access to services that address physical, behavioral, developmental, dental, and long-term care needs. In the multi-year implementation, some provisions went live in 2022, including new managed care plan contracts with specialty provider organizations/CBOs to deliver Enhanced Care Management and Community Support services for adults with severe mental illness. Similar contracts will begin in 2023 for youth (SED), and the final provisions of CalAIM are projected to go live by 2027.
As populations eligible for services continue to expand under CalAIM in 2023, so do the opportunities for provider organizations to grow new services for new populations, i.e., children and adolescents. The question for specialty care and primary care organization executives is how to develop a sustainable strategy for new service delivery, evidence-based practices, service process management, and new reimbursement approaches.
The session will cover:
- Overview of expanding populations of focus under CalAIM
- Best practice approaches for service line development using evidence-based practices
- Keys to successful service process management and coordinated client care
- Strategies for sustainability in the competitive California Medicaid landscape
Richard Louis, III
Richard Louis, III, brings extensive experience in public and for-profit behavioral healthcare administration and business development to the OPEN MINDS team. Mr. Louis was formerly the Executive Director of Strategic Development and Planning, Pacific Region, for Providence Service Corporation.
Prior to OPEN MINDS, Mr. Louis served as the Assistant Director of the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health, the 4th largest county behavioral health system in California, where he was responsible for day-to-day operations of a system serving over 50,000 unduplicated consumers annually through 31 county-operated facilities and 60 contract provider organizations.
Prior to his work with San Bernardino County, Mr. Louis was the Vice President of Government Operations for College Health Enterprises. In this role, he pioneered the development of public sector partnerships, contracts, and community mental health system joint ventures in California by creating some of the first inpatient psychiatric hospital-based, outpatient, day treatment, and institutional specialty treatment programs for county, state, and federal government agencies including L.A. County Department of Mental Health, L.A. County Probation Department, California Youth Authority, California Department of Developmental Disabilities, California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, and U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security.
Mr. Louis has served in a number of leadership roles with several organizations in the community including: the California Hospital Association – Center for Behavioral Health, Advisory Board, and SCAN Health Plan – Advisory Board; the Board of Directors of the Forensic Mental Health Association of California, College Hospitals, and the Intercommunity Child Guidance Center of Whittier; and testified on behalf of the National Association of Psychiatric Healthcare Systems before President Bush’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. Mr. Louis is currently a volunteer police officer with the City of Monterey Park Police Department in East Los Angeles serving since 1987 and currently holds the rank of Captain. Mr. Louis was recently appointed to the City of Claremont Police Commission in Los Angeles County.
He is a graduate of Whittier College and of the Police Academy of Rio Hondo College.
Developing & Contracting For Community Support Services For High-Risk, High-Needs Consumers
Successful treatment requires focusing on the needs of the consumer. In developing services for consumers with multiple behavioral, medical, and social support needs, provider organizations are turning to new delivery models such as in-home care, telehealth, and remote monitoring. In addition, value-based treatment incentivizes higher service quality, keeps consumers out of the more costly hospital and emergency services, and facilitates innovation to meet the needs of consumers with high demands. This session will cover:
- Serving consumers where they are and opening up access points
- Integrating robust data and reporting capabilities into service delivery
- Developing a mindset of innovation to meet consumer needs and take on risk
Ontson Placide
Ontson is speaking during Developing & Contracting For Community Support Services For High-Risk, High-Needs Consumers.
Ramona Osburn
Ramona Osburn, MBA, MHA, FACHE, brings 20 years of experience in the behavioral health field to OPEN MINDS. Prior to joining the OPEN MINDS team, Ms. Osburn served as the Regional Vice President of Operations, Strategic Behavioral Health, providing leadership, strategy, and operational support to behavioral health hospitals and outpatient centers in multiple states. In that role, she created numerous outpatient telehealth programs, developed a strategy for community-based care programming, and was responsible for business development and marketing planning.
Previously, Ms. Osburn was the Chief Executive Officer for Summit Behavioral Health. At Summit, Ms. Osburn led a program to integrate the operations of a large addiction treatment center; an addiction medicine practice with more than 40 addictionologists and psychiatrists, and a medical health care system. She facilitated the development of a strategy for the newly-integrated system, developed its marketing plan, created a physician council, and negotiated its payer contracts including pay-for-performance arrangements.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Osburn was the Market Chief Executive Officer for Universal Health Services (UHS). She was recruited to design, build, and open a new behavioral health hospital and multiple outpatient centers to support a partnership with a regional medical center. Ms. Osburn was also responsible for the operations of four other behavioral health hospitals, managing the CEOs of those facilities. In this role, Ms. Osborn also recruited psychiatrists, led a initiative to integrate behavioral health into the medical center’s emergency services, and negotiated numerous health plan contracts and partnerships.
Before UHS, Ms. Osburn was the Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health for Texas Health Resources. In that role, she provided operational leadership for multiple behavioral health hospitals, residential addiction treatment centers, eating disorder programs, and outpatient centers. She developed the organization’s direct employer contracting strategy and negotiated Center of Excellence contracts with health plans. Ms. Osborn also led Texas Health Resources involvement in an ACO initiative to integrated behavioral health with primary care and created a systemwide mobile assessment team for 55 hospital emergency departments in the greater Dallas metro area.
Ms. Osburn received her MBA and MHA from Texas Women’s University and Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Excelsior College at the University of New York.
Developing Home Care Programs For Consumers With Behavioral Health Needs: A Case Study Presentation
With rising demand for home-based care and more types of provider organizations entering this space, health and human service executives are considering adding home-based services to their portfolios. With new consumer and payer needs, telehealth, remote monitoring, and other digital technologies, it’s hard to know where to start. Join OPEN MINDS for a case study discussion on home-based care models to serve consumers with behavioral health needs, where panelists will discuss the following:
- How home-based services fit into your overall organizational strategy
- Designing home-based services for different consumer groups and needs
- Integrating technology into the service delivery model
April Rhodes, MBA, LAMFT
April Rhodes, MBA, LAMFT is President and Chief Executive Officer for Spectrum Healthcare Group. Through statewide community solutions, and focused care, April and her team are meeting the whole health needs of Arizona’s populations.
April has served at the forefront of healthcare and human services management for nearly two decades. Her unique brand of leadership has successfully launched whole healthcare delivery into new heights of innovation, defragmentation, integration, and cohesion.
April has a Master of Advanced Study in Marriage and Family Therapy from Arizona State University and a Master of Business Administration from University of Arizona. April is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist.
April Rhodes currently serves on the Board of Directors for Arizona Council of Human Service Providers, Yavapai County Board of Health, and Yavapai College Foundation Board. Additionally, she serves on the Contexture Board, the health information exchange for Arizona and Colorado. April is considered a subject matter expert on topics relating to leadership, whole-person healthcare, value-based purchasing, access to care, and criminal justice and mental health related community-based services.
April is speaking during Developing Home Care Programs For Consumers With Behavioral Health Needs: A Case Study Presentation and Leveraging Technology To Improve Productivity & Consumer Engagement In Home-Based Programs.
Frank Gutierrez
Frank has worked in healthcare IT departments since 2002 where he got his start at Siemen’s International, supporting branches of the Tenet Healthcare hospitals in Southern California. He studied programming in college from machine code to C++, where he discovered that he actually liked working and interacting with people instead of computer screens. With a base understanding of computer science, Frank has primarily been self-taught in modern programming languages, servers, systems, networks and business solutions for healthcare IT. For over eight years, he managed and supported the Northern Arizona region of LabCorp sites. He designed and wrote several custom programs for LabCorp, some of which are still in use today. He has also provided IT consulting services for various physicians and group practices in Arizona. He currently works as the VP of Information Technology at Spectrum Healthcare, where he can regularly be found providing services to patients or filling in wherever the need is greatest at the agency.
Frank is speaking during Developing Home Care Programs For Consumers With Behavioral Health Needs: A Case Study Presentation and Leveraging Technology To Improve Productivity & Consumer Engagement In Home-Based Programs.
Dawn Vo-Jutabha, Ph.DExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Wayfinder Family Services
Dawn Vo-Jutabha, Ph.D
Dawn is speaking during Developing Home Care Programs For Consumers With Behavioral Health Needs: A Case Study Presentation.
Tony Weaver, LCSW
Tony is speaking during Developing Home Care Programs For Consumers With Behavioral Health Needs: A Case Study Presentation.
Dee DeWitt
Dee DeWitt has extensive experience as a consultant and corporate leader in the healthcare field. Mr. DeWitt brings over 28 years of experience in healthcare finance and operations, M&A, use of technology, strategic planning, and change management in healthcare organizations to OPEN MINDS as a Senior Associate.
Previously, Mr. DeWitt was the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Momentum for Health, a CARF-accredited non-profit behavioral health organization providing services to individuals with a diagnosed serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance abuse disorder, in San Jose, California. During his tenure, Mr. DeWitt increased outpatient productivity by 25% and contributed to growing revenues from $55 million to a projected $71+ million for the fiscal year of 2023. Mr. DeWitt also oversaw Momentum ‘s pilot with Santa Clara County’s transition to Netsmart Provider Connect and led a successful grant award and implementation of a multi-year paid intern program in partnership with Santa Clara University, San Jose University, and Palo Alto University.
Mr. DeWitt was also the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Veridian Financial Group, a strategic consulting firm specializing in performing long-term, on-site C-level and Director roles, evaluating and implementing financial strategies, strategic operational planning, and development strategies for companies that are poised for significant growth, change, or require turnaround attention, in San Jose, California. During his time at Veridian Financial Group, Mr. DeWitt focused primarily on healthcare, finance, technology, and private equity and coordinated licensing, compliance, and external audits for 42 state licenses, including managed care organizations, managed care plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and service provider organizations.
In addition, Mr. DeWitt served as Chief Financial Officer and a Consultant in Strategic Planning and Finance for Home Recovery – Home Aid, Inc., a private equity-backed, for-profit company that provides personal care and skilled care in 35 locations and in-home care throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. During his time there, Mr. DeWitt was a member of the company’s executive management team, audit team, and License & Compliance team. Mr. DeWitt also served as Chief Financial Officer of Professional Healthcare Resources, Inc., a for-profit holding company comprised of 5 home health companies, 4 hospice companies, and 2 private duty/personal care companies. Mr. DeWitt has also been the Chief Financial and Technology Officer for The Filson, a nationally renowned non-profit archive and research institute, and Director of Strategic Development for Signature Healthcare, LLC, a national private equity-backed for-profit, long-term care company operating over 180 facilities, with 18,000 employees, and over $1 billion in revenues.
Mr. DeWitt also held the positions of Deputy Director of Behavioral Health at the County of Ventura, CA Behavioral Health Services Department, and Director of Finance and Management Services of the Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services (SEABHS), a joint commissioned accredited non-profit.
Mr. DeWitt graduated from the University of Louisville, Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and a Master’s in Political Science with a concentration in Economics and Public Policy.Edit Speaker
Models Of Reimbursement & Payment For I/DD Service Delivery
While managed care and value-based payment arrangements are growing in the traditional mental health and substance use markets, the I/DD landscape is just beginning to see these processes becoming more commonplace. In this session, attendees will hear from executive leaders to learn about best practices and pain points for I/DD provider organizations in adapting to these newer payment models, as well as aligning incentives to provide the most service value to people with developmental disabilities and their families.
Marco Damiani
Marco Damiani has spent his entire career in disability rights, fighting for full inclusion of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities into their communities. Starting as a Direct Support Professional, working for a non-profit at the Willowbrook State School as it began closing, he quickly realized the power of collective advocacy on behalf of people who are perceived as different. As Marco’s career progressed, he devoted much of his energy in working to achieve health equity for people with disabilities, playing a major role in developing integrated care models for people frequently underserved by the conventional healthcare system.
As CEO of AHRC NYC, a Forbes Best American mid-size company, he leads a staff of 5,000, supporting 15,000 individuals with IDD and their families.
Marco is an appointee to the NYU College of Dentistry Dean’s Strategic Advisory Council and is a recipient of the Kriser Medal, the College’s highest honor, a recipient of Pace University’s Opportunitas-in-Action Medal, The Arc of the United States National Convention of Executives Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award, a Certificate of Special U.S. Congressional Recognition for outstanding and invaluable service to the community, Crain’s Business and Empire BCBS Whole-Healthcare Hero and The Excellence in Autism Award from Mental Health News Education. He has also received Citations from The NYS Assembly and the Bronx Borough President for Meritorious Advocacy and Community Service.
He is a Mayoral Appointee of the NYC Community Services Board, a member of NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ Transition Team, Board Member of the Inter-Agency Council of IDD Agencies, NY Disability Advocates, Care Design NY, Metro Community Health Centers, and Cafe Joyeux U.S., an international network of cafes staffed primarily by neurodiverse people. He has published articles in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities and the Journal of Social Work in Disability and Rehabilitation, among others. Marco has a BS in psychology from Manhattan College, a Masters in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University, and is ABD in Educational Psychology from New York University.
Marco is speaking during Models Of Reimbursement & Payment For I/DD Service Delivery.
Scott Doolan, RN BSN, MBA
Scott Doolan is the Assistant Vice President of Health Care Management at Partnerships Solutions working on behalf of Partners Health Plan (PHP) and Care Design New York (CDNY) he joined PHP in September of 2018 and has worked in several capacities since then, including as the Care Coordination Supervisor for the New York City Region, the Director of Healthcare Programs and now as the AVP of Health Care Management. Prior to joining PHP Scott worked as the Director of Nursing for several DD agencies in Residential, Day Habilitation, Recreation, Respite and Camping.
In his current role Scott works with the Care Coordination, Quality and Clinical teams at PHP & CDNY to oversee various healthcare programs and initiatives aimed at supporting our members to achieve the best health outcomes and improve the overall quality of life.
Scott received his Bachelor of Nursing Science from St. Angela’s College an affiliate of the National University of Ireland. In addition, Scott holds a Master of Business Administration with a healthcare focus from Grand Canyon University, AZ. Scott holds professional licensure as a Registered Nurse in New York State, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Scott has dedicated his career to working on healthcare innovations and improving the quality of services for vulnerable populations through the creation of high-quality reliable systems of care that are person centered and support a holistic approach to healthcare.
Scott is speaking during Models Of Reimbursement & Payment For I/DD Service Delivery.
Ray Wolfe, J.D.
Raymond “Ray” Wolfe, J.D. brings over 40 years of experience in the health and human services sector to the OPEN MINDS team. Mr. Wolfe currently serves as a Senior Associate, a position in which he utilizes his expertise to successfully lead varying projects for OPEN MINDS. His areas of expertise include managed care and value-based reimbursement models, financial analysis and management, mergers and acquisitions, CCBHC certification, integrated care, performance improvement, and strategic planning.
Before joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Wolfe served in a 22-year tenure with Pittsburgh Mercy Health System in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most recently, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), where he was responsible for oversight of all system operations, strategic planning, and performance management. Under his direction Pittsburgh Mercy achieved Certified Behavioral Health Center status, earned over $850K in value-based reimbursement contract quality bonus awards, integrated three organizations through merger/acquisition, opened a primary care service that was integrated into programming for the severe and persistent mentally ill and homeless populations, and adopted a new performance management program for managers.
Before acting as Pittsburgh Mercy’s COO, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and was responsible for the development of internal costing methodologies, contract rate negotiations, and financial forecasting activities. In addition, he coordinated an integrated care program with local partner hospitals to develop a series of diversion and respite programs, as well as specialized primary care, integrated care management, and high utilizer teams, while maintaining 15 straight years of profitability.
Mr. Wolfe was promoted to CFO after serving as the Director of Fiscal and Information Security/Compliance for the health system. In this role, he was responsible for managing the transition of service contracts from fee-for-service (FFS), leading all compliance activities, and implementing a next-generation electronic health record (EHR) system.
Prior to his time at Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, Mr. Wolfe served as Chief Fiscal Officer with the Summit Center for Human Development in Clarksburg, West Virginia, where he was responsible for reporting and budgeting functions and preparing Summit Center’s programs for FFS billing.
Previously, Mr. Wolfe served in billing and collections for two Pennsylvania-based hospitals. First, in his role as a manager for Healthcare Corporation of America (HCA) and as an Accounts Receivables Manager for Brownsville General Hospital in Brownsville, PA, where he managed the accounting and billing system transition systems. Later as a Patient Account Manager for St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, where he improved collections to hit a 95% rate through the implementation of new billing software and department reorganization.
Prior to working in the health and human services market, Mr. Wolfe spent five years practicing as a Lawyer with at Law Offices of Arch A. Moore in Moundsville, WV. In this role, he provided general legal practice, created and established bylaws for multiple corporations, and handled West Virginia licensing of first vision insurance plan.
Mr. Wolfe earned his Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University School of Law in Morgantown, WV and his Bachelor’s degree with a focus in Political Science and Sociology from West Liberty University, Wheeling, West Virginia, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Executive Networking Reception
Sponsored By:
End your day by unwinding with your peers, colleagues, thought leaders and vendors. Join us in the exhibit hall and enjoy a cocktail and hors d’oeurvres!
Breakfast
Join us for a hot breakfast and coffee in the exhibit hall to start your day!
The Future Of Health Plans In A VBR World: A Fireside Chat
Join Sachin Jain, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at SCAN Health Plan and The SCAN Group, and Monica E. Oss, Chief Executive Officer at OPEN MINDS, for a fireside discussion where they will explore health plans and essential management best practices, including how to address the challenges of moving toward provider reimbursement based on value.
Learn from Dr. Sachin’s first-hand experience as SCAN Health Plan and SCAN Group work through a pending merger with CareOregon to become the HealthRight Group—a $7 billion non-profit organization serving 800,000 Medicare and Medicaid members across five states (see SCAN Group & CareOregon To Combine As HealthRight Group). Dr. Jain has also been recognized as one of the “100 Most Influential People in US Healthcare” and for his excellence in clinical care with the “Golden Heart Award.”
Sachin Jain, M.D., MBA, FACP
Improving Your Revenue Cycle Management & Revenue Optimization in FFS, Bundled Rates & Capitated Contracts
To achieve sustainability in turbulent times, health and human service provider organization executives are adjusting their strategies and operations, including revenue cycle management. Measurable workflows, staff communications, technology integration, and regular oversight are crucial to revenue cycle management. How do you go about ensuring that your strategy supports sustainability? Hear from executives on how they are:
- Enhancing administrative functions for capturing consumer service revenue
- Configuring billing and EHR systems with contracting and tracking of outcomes data
- Managing performance data, contracts review, and payer relationships
Heather Stratford
Heather is speaking during Improving Your Revenue Cycle Management & Revenue Optimization in FFS, Bundled Rates & Capitated Contracts.
Ken Carr
Ken Carr brings over 20 years of finance, technology, data analysis and reporting experience in the health and human service field to OPEN MINDS. He currently ia a Senior Associate with the OPEN MINDS consulting practice. In this role, he served as a subject matter expert in the OPEN MINDS consulting practice where he has led numerous engagements in strategic planning, merger and acquisition prospecting, business process improvement, financial analysis of service lines, and technology selection.
Before joining the OPEN MINDS team, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of The Centers, a community mental health center in Ocala, Florida. In this position, Mr. Carr led a realignment of the organization’s financial management functions. This included revenue cycle management, EHR bill implementation and reporting, cash management enhancement, and strategic financial analysis.
Prior to his role at The Centers, Mr. Carr served as Chief Financial Officer of Guild Incorporated, an organization providing residential and community based mental health services in St. Paul, Minnesota. As CFO, Mr. Carr led the financial, billing, IT, quality, informatics, compliance, and facilities activities. During his tenure at Guild Incorporated, Mr. Carr used his expertise in change management and business process improvement to lead the EHR implementation team, align service data reporting and financial performance, and lead the financial and data capture activities for new service initiatives.
Mr. Carr has also held the positions of Administrative Director and Finance Director at the St. Paul National Testing Laboratory, a biomedical testing facility of the American Red Cross. In those positions he oversaw activities to enhance inventory management, align financial results to industry standards, and improve financial and facilities performance through problem analysis and quality management initiatives. He also was involved in directing human resource functions during laboratory closing near the end of his tenure.
Mr. Carr earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota, and a Master of Divinity Degree from Sioux Falls Seminary. He maintains an active CPA license with the State of South Dakota.
Innovative Program Approaches To Home-Based Services For Children
Early childhood home-based services are a service delivery strategy for families to achieve positive parenting and healthy child development outcomes. Educational, family, and referral services are critical components of home-based programs. Based on decades of research, these service designs aim to support the healthy functioning of families, parenting, and child development. Communities use various home-based models, each targeting a different group of families and focusing on achieving different outcomes. Can home-based services improve outcomes more efficiently? Can the overall effects be strengthened for vulnerable families who enroll but fail to benefit from current models? These are questions that will be addressed as attendees learn:
- What works and for whom
- Examples of innovative program approaches
- Ways to improve target outcomes through home-based services
Don Taylor
Don Taylor is the regional executive director of the Bay Area for Pacific Clinics. In this capacity, he oversees the clinical programs in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Alameda Counties, plus neighboring counties, through our foster care and adoptions program. Having nearly 30 years of experience in mental health, Taylor has served in various clinical roles with progressive levels of responsibility, including director, clinical manager, clinician and family specialist, as well as led the regional quality assurance and improvement team. Prior to joining Pacific Clinics, he worked at nonprofits in Rhode Island and Chicago. Taylor is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and received his master’s in social work from San Jose State University.
Don is speaking during Innovative Program Approaches To Home-Based Services For Children.
Anna Fernandez, LMFT
Anna Fernandez is the Director of Mental Health for Hope Services. Since 1952, Hope Services has delivered a range of services to thousands of people with developmental disabilities. In this capacity, she oversees the clinical programs in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz plus neighboring counties, through Hope’s Mental Health Services. Having nearly 25 years of experience in mental health, Anna Fernandez has served in various clinical roles with progressive levels of responsibility, including Director, Clinical manager, Coordinator and Clinician. Anna Fernandez is also serving as the vice-president of the Behavioral Health Contract Association of Santa Clara County. Anna Fernandez is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and received his master’s in marriage and family therapy from Santa Clara University.
Anna is speaking during Innovative Program Approaches To Home-Based Services For Children.
Tara Beckman, LCSW
Tara Beckman, LCSW is the Chief Program Officer (CPO) at Hope Services. In this role, she has oversight of all programs and is responsible for driving the exploration of new programmatic opportunities. With more than 20 years of experience in human services, Tara has dedicated her career to advocacy, directing programs that provide a wide range of services to diverse populations, increasing access to supportive services, and improving service delivery.
Previously, Tara held various administrative roles including Regional Executive Director at Caminar in San Mateo County, Director of Services at Caminar in Solano County and Deputy Director at Alameda County Court Appointed Special Advocates Program (ACCASA). Tara is a graduate of the University of Memphis and earned her Master of Social Work, with an emphasis in Community Mental Health, from California State University, East Bay. She also holds a Mediation certification from Steven Rosenberg Mediation Center.
Tara is speaking during Innovative Program Approaches To Home-Based Services For Children.
Dee DeWitt
Dee DeWitt has extensive experience as a consultant and corporate leader in the healthcare field. Mr. DeWitt brings over 28 years of experience in healthcare finance and operations, M&A, use of technology, strategic planning, and change management in healthcare organizations to OPEN MINDS as a Senior Associate.
Previously, Mr. DeWitt was the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Momentum for Health, a CARF-accredited non-profit behavioral health organization providing services to individuals with a diagnosed serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance abuse disorder, in San Jose, California. During his tenure, Mr. DeWitt increased outpatient productivity by 25% and contributed to growing revenues from $55 million to a projected $71+ million for the fiscal year of 2023. Mr. DeWitt also oversaw Momentum ‘s pilot with Santa Clara County’s transition to Netsmart Provider Connect and led a successful grant award and implementation of a multi-year paid intern program in partnership with Santa Clara University, San Jose University, and Palo Alto University.
Mr. DeWitt was also the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Veridian Financial Group, a strategic consulting firm specializing in performing long-term, on-site C-level and Director roles, evaluating and implementing financial strategies, strategic operational planning, and development strategies for companies that are poised for significant growth, change, or require turnaround attention, in San Jose, California. During his time at Veridian Financial Group, Mr. DeWitt focused primarily on healthcare, finance, technology, and private equity and coordinated licensing, compliance, and external audits for 42 state licenses, including managed care organizations, managed care plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and service provider organizations.
In addition, Mr. DeWitt served as Chief Financial Officer and a Consultant in Strategic Planning and Finance for Home Recovery – Home Aid, Inc., a private equity-backed, for-profit company that provides personal care and skilled care in 35 locations and in-home care throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. During his time there, Mr. DeWitt was a member of the company’s executive management team, audit team, and License & Compliance team. Mr. DeWitt also served as Chief Financial Officer of Professional Healthcare Resources, Inc., a for-profit holding company comprised of 5 home health companies, 4 hospice companies, and 2 private duty/personal care companies. Mr. DeWitt has also been the Chief Financial and Technology Officer for The Filson, a nationally renowned non-profit archive and research institute, and Director of Strategic Development for Signature Healthcare, LLC, a national private equity-backed for-profit, long-term care company operating over 180 facilities, with 18,000 employees, and over $1 billion in revenues.
Mr. DeWitt also held the positions of Deputy Director of Behavioral Health at the County of Ventura, CA Behavioral Health Services Department, and Director of Finance and Management Services of the Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services (SEABHS), a joint commissioned accredited non-profit.
Mr. DeWitt graduated from the University of Louisville, Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and a Master’s in Political Science with a concentration in Economics and Public Policy.Edit Speaker
The Cigna/Evernorth Centers Of Excellence Model: A Briefing & Discussion Session
William M. Lopez, M.D., CPE
As the National Medical Director for Virtual Care Dr. Will Lopez is the clinical leader in the implementation of Evernorth and Cigna Healthcare’s national virtual care strategy. In this role he is directly involved in coverage policy development, reimbursement, government affairs issues, and assessing new technologies coming to market. In addition he oversees a medical director’s team responsible for medical necessity reviews, case management, and claims activities. He provides clinical expertise to Cigna’s sales and marketing teams during client and stakeholder meetings.
Prior to joining Cigna in 2006, Dr. Lopez was a staff psychiatrist and Medical Director for psychiatric services at Snowden at Fredericksburg, a private behavioral health center in Virginia. Dr. Lopez was a captain in the U.S. Air Force where he practiced aerospace medicine. As a veteran of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, he is passionate about supporting and leading veteran related initiatives.
Dr. Lopez lives in Asheville, NC with his wife and youngest daughter who is a junior at NC State University. When not at work, he enjoys outdoor activities including hiking, bicycling, and whitewater rafting.
Will is speaking during The Cigna/Evernorth Centers Of Excellence Model: A Briefing & Discussion Session.
New Approaches For Community Reentry Services For Corrections-Involved Consumers
In providing services for justice-involved consumers, policymakers, payers, and provider organizations focus on services related to the transition of justice-involved consumers from incarceration to community. The needs for services involve medical, behavioral health, housing, employment, and family support. The goal is to innovate and improve access to and quality of care for incarcerated and post-release populations to assist with reentry into the community. Hear from a panel of experts on the following:
- Overcoming barriers to successful reentry and achieving optimal outcomes
- Attaining the right service line portfolio for stable jobs, housing, family support, etc.
- Best practices and guidelines for reducing recidivism and managing costs
Ronnie Cansler
The visionary behind Ella’s Foundation with over 30 years experience as a business owner, Mr. Cansler brings a natural ability to follow his vision. Ella’s Foundation was named after Mr. Cansler’s mother, “Ella”. Those who knew “Ms. Ella” knew she was quick to fix a plate for anyone that was hungry and as the word spread through the neighborhoods, her house became a safe haven for people to have a place to lay their head or receive just a little help to get them back on their feet. It was in this spirit that Ella’s Foundation was established.
Mr. Cansler is skilled in persuasive presentation and known for his contagious passion for excellence. He has also forged partnerships with the community and government agencies such as Los Angeles County Probation and Los Angeles Department of Mental Health and organized community fairs to bring awareness to social issues in Los Angeles. As a result of Mr. Cansler’s collaboration with some of LA’s most prominent agencies and his tenacity to service the Los Angeles communities, this has made Ella’s Foundation one of the most respected housing providers in the greater Los Angeles surrounding area. Mr. Cansler’s works further the confidence of his clients and colleagues that he will bring all the elements necessary to ensure a successful business.
Ronnie is speaking during New Approaches For Community Reentry Services For Corrections-Involved Consumers.
Fernando Cruz, LCSW
Fernando Cruz is the Institutional Mental Health Pre-Release Coordinator for the California Institution for Men (CIM) in Chino, CA. Mr. Cruz has experience as a clinician in the mental health crisis bed (MHCB), medication court administrator, and as a mental health liaison for 58 counties. Mr. Cruz has a master’s in social work with an emphasis in Community Capacity Building (CCB) from the California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a Bachelor’s in social work from California State University, Los Angeles. Mr. Cruz leads the Prison to Community meeting where various county mental health, probation, parole, and community base organizations get together to problem solve. The group effort is to work together in helping client’s successfully transition back to the community.
Before CDCR, Mr. Cruz was a school-to-career transition specialist (at-risk) with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE). His worksites were Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, Central Juvenile Hall, Community Day Schools (CDS), and charter schools. Mr. Cruz was able to provide positive outcomes for students in need of support and guidance.
Fernando is speaking during New Approaches For Community Reentry Services For Corrections-Involved Consumers.
Richard Louis, III
Richard Louis, III, brings extensive experience in public and for-profit behavioral healthcare administration and business development to the OPEN MINDS team. Mr. Louis was formerly the Executive Director of Strategic Development and Planning, Pacific Region, for Providence Service Corporation.
Prior to OPEN MINDS, Mr. Louis served as the Assistant Director of the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health, the 4th largest county behavioral health system in California, where he was responsible for day-to-day operations of a system serving over 50,000 unduplicated consumers annually through 31 county-operated facilities and 60 contract provider organizations.
Prior to his work with San Bernardino County, Mr. Louis was the Vice President of Government Operations for College Health Enterprises. In this role, he pioneered the development of public sector partnerships, contracts, and community mental health system joint ventures in California by creating some of the first inpatient psychiatric hospital-based, outpatient, day treatment, and institutional specialty treatment programs for county, state, and federal government agencies including L.A. County Department of Mental Health, L.A. County Probation Department, California Youth Authority, California Department of Developmental Disabilities, California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, and U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security.
Mr. Louis has served in a number of leadership roles with several organizations in the community including: the California Hospital Association – Center for Behavioral Health, Advisory Board, and SCAN Health Plan – Advisory Board; the Board of Directors of the Forensic Mental Health Association of California, College Hospitals, and the Intercommunity Child Guidance Center of Whittier; and testified on behalf of the National Association of Psychiatric Healthcare Systems before President Bush’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. Mr. Louis is currently a volunteer police officer with the City of Monterey Park Police Department in East Los Angeles serving since 1987 and currently holds the rank of Captain. Mr. Louis was recently appointed to the City of Claremont Police Commission in Los Angeles County.
He is a graduate of Whittier College and of the Police Academy of Rio Hondo College.
Replication Of Successful Service Lines – Strategies For Market Expansion
Successful service lines align with consumer preferences and payer needs and generate a positive margin. Strategies that take them to scale, like geographic expansion and remote technologies, maximize the organization’s mission impact and financial sustainability. This session will focus on case studies of organizations that have successfully expanded the market for their services.
- Identifying markets for service expansion
- Financial modeling for market expansion
- Using technology to facilitate service line replication
Robert Poznanovich
Robert is speaking during Replication Of Successful Service Lines – Strategies For Market Expansion.
Ken Carr
Ken Carr brings over 20 years of finance, technology, data analysis and reporting experience in the health and human service field to OPEN MINDS. He currently ia a Senior Associate with the OPEN MINDS consulting practice. In this role, he served as a subject matter expert in the OPEN MINDS consulting practice where he has led numerous engagements in strategic planning, merger and acquisition prospecting, business process improvement, financial analysis of service lines, and technology selection.
Before joining the OPEN MINDS team, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of The Centers, a community mental health center in Ocala, Florida. In this position, Mr. Carr led a realignment of the organization’s financial management functions. This included revenue cycle management, EHR bill implementation and reporting, cash management enhancement, and strategic financial analysis.
Prior to his role at The Centers, Mr. Carr served as Chief Financial Officer of Guild Incorporated, an organization providing residential and community based mental health services in St. Paul, Minnesota. As CFO, Mr. Carr led the financial, billing, IT, quality, informatics, compliance, and facilities activities. During his tenure at Guild Incorporated, Mr. Carr used his expertise in change management and business process improvement to lead the EHR implementation team, align service data reporting and financial performance, and lead the financial and data capture activities for new service initiatives.
Mr. Carr has also held the positions of Administrative Director and Finance Director at the St. Paul National Testing Laboratory, a biomedical testing facility of the American Red Cross. In those positions he oversaw activities to enhance inventory management, align financial results to industry standards, and improve financial and facilities performance through problem analysis and quality management initiatives. He also was involved in directing human resource functions during laboratory closing near the end of his tenure.
Mr. Carr earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota, and a Master of Divinity Degree from Sioux Falls Seminary. He maintains an active CPA license with the State of South Dakota.
Leveraging Technology To Improve Productivity & Consumer Engagement In Home-Based Programs
Impacted by the recent pandemic, individuals, families, employment, child-care, and supports for these groups and activities spiraled. As a result, challenges such as stress, lack of caregiving options, and lack of treatment access increased. A great need existed for home-based services, while traditional service delivery could have been improved. The shift to virtual services was introduced by funding flexibility in service reimbursement and evaluation requirements. This presented an opportunity to utilize technology to engage care in home-based settings. Home-based service programs quickly swiveled during this time, strengthening access to high-quality services through technology to support gaps in care for families and individuals. Effective strategies included providing access to the internet, technology tutorials, and increased access to care. Virtual services were already seen as promising to access, engage, improve the quality of care, and engage homebound individuals before the pandemic.
So, how can an organization work to improve productivity while engaging patients in home-based programs? In this session, attendees will learn:
- Examples of technology used to improve staff productivity
- Models of consumer engagement
- How to maintain a high rate of service provision (e.g., maintenance of services, home visitor caseloads, program completion rates)
April Rhodes, MBA, LAMFT
April Rhodes, MBA, LAMFT is President and Chief Executive Officer for Spectrum Healthcare Group. Through statewide community solutions, and focused care, April and her team are meeting the whole health needs of Arizona’s populations.
April has served at the forefront of healthcare and human services management for nearly two decades. Her unique brand of leadership has successfully launched whole healthcare delivery into new heights of innovation, defragmentation, integration, and cohesion.
April has a Master of Advanced Study in Marriage and Family Therapy from Arizona State University and a Master of Business Administration from University of Arizona. April is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist.
April Rhodes currently serves on the Board of Directors for Arizona Council of Human Service Providers, Yavapai County Board of Health, and Yavapai College Foundation Board. Additionally, she serves on the Contexture Board, the health information exchange for Arizona and Colorado. April is considered a subject matter expert on topics relating to leadership, whole-person healthcare, value-based purchasing, access to care, and criminal justice and mental health related community-based services.
April is speaking during Developing Home Care Programs For Consumers With Behavioral Health Needs: A Case Study Presentation and Leveraging Technology To Improve Productivity & Consumer Engagement In Home-Based Programs.
Frank Gutierrez
Frank has worked in healthcare IT departments since 2002 where he got his start at Siemen’s International, supporting branches of the Tenet Healthcare hospitals in Southern California. He studied programming in college from machine code to C++, where he discovered that he actually liked working and interacting with people instead of computer screens. With a base understanding of computer science, Frank has primarily been self-taught in modern programming languages, servers, systems, networks and business solutions for healthcare IT. For over eight years, he managed and supported the Northern Arizona region of LabCorp sites. He designed and wrote several custom programs for LabCorp, some of which are still in use today. He has also provided IT consulting services for various physicians and group practices in Arizona. He currently works as the VP of Information Technology at Spectrum Healthcare, where he can regularly be found providing services to patients or filling in wherever the need is greatest at the agency.
Frank is speaking during Developing Home Care Programs For Consumers With Behavioral Health Needs: A Case Study Presentation and Leveraging Technology To Improve Productivity & Consumer Engagement In Home-Based Programs.
Dawn Vo-Jutabha, Ph.DExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Wayfinder Family Services
Dawn Vo-Jutabha, Ph.D
Dawn is speaking during Developing Home Care Programs For Consumers With Behavioral Health Needs: A Case Study Presentation.
Tony Weaver, LCSW
Tony is speaking during Developing Home Care Programs For Consumers With Behavioral Health Needs: A Case Study Presentation.
Dee DeWitt
Dee DeWitt has extensive experience as a consultant and corporate leader in the healthcare field. Mr. DeWitt brings over 28 years of experience in healthcare finance and operations, M&A, use of technology, strategic planning, and change management in healthcare organizations to OPEN MINDS as a Senior Associate.
Previously, Mr. DeWitt was the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Momentum for Health, a CARF-accredited non-profit behavioral health organization providing services to individuals with a diagnosed serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance abuse disorder, in San Jose, California. During his tenure, Mr. DeWitt increased outpatient productivity by 25% and contributed to growing revenues from $55 million to a projected $71+ million for the fiscal year of 2023. Mr. DeWitt also oversaw Momentum ‘s pilot with Santa Clara County’s transition to Netsmart Provider Connect and led a successful grant award and implementation of a multi-year paid intern program in partnership with Santa Clara University, San Jose University, and Palo Alto University.
Mr. DeWitt was also the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Veridian Financial Group, a strategic consulting firm specializing in performing long-term, on-site C-level and Director roles, evaluating and implementing financial strategies, strategic operational planning, and development strategies for companies that are poised for significant growth, change, or require turnaround attention, in San Jose, California. During his time at Veridian Financial Group, Mr. DeWitt focused primarily on healthcare, finance, technology, and private equity and coordinated licensing, compliance, and external audits for 42 state licenses, including managed care organizations, managed care plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and service provider organizations.
In addition, Mr. DeWitt served as Chief Financial Officer and a Consultant in Strategic Planning and Finance for Home Recovery – Home Aid, Inc., a private equity-backed, for-profit company that provides personal care and skilled care in 35 locations and in-home care throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. During his time there, Mr. DeWitt was a member of the company’s executive management team, audit team, and License & Compliance team. Mr. DeWitt also served as Chief Financial Officer of Professional Healthcare Resources, Inc., a for-profit holding company comprised of 5 home health companies, 4 hospice companies, and 2 private duty/personal care companies. Mr. DeWitt has also been the Chief Financial and Technology Officer for The Filson, a nationally renowned non-profit archive and research institute, and Director of Strategic Development for Signature Healthcare, LLC, a national private equity-backed for-profit, long-term care company operating over 180 facilities, with 18,000 employees, and over $1 billion in revenues.
Mr. DeWitt also held the positions of Deputy Director of Behavioral Health at the County of Ventura, CA Behavioral Health Services Department, and Director of Finance and Management Services of the Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services (SEABHS), a joint commissioned accredited non-profit.
Mr. DeWitt graduated from the University of Louisville, Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and a Master’s in Political Science with a concentration in Economics and Public Policy.Edit Speaker
Lunch On Your Own
Post Lunch Pick Me Up
Need an after lunch break? Come pick up a snack in the exhibit hall!
Business Management Best Practices In Community-Based Organizations
Having exceptional practice management processes allows provider organizations to run more efficiently and effectively. This includes better revenue cycle management, workflows, and administrative operations. During this case study session, attendees will learn techniques on how to improve revenue reimbursement and streamline systems in their overall, day-to-day operations, including:
- Improving financial performance, e.g., managing accounts receivable
- Preparing for compliance, audits, and financial reporting
- Enhancing administrative workflows for maximum efficiency
Sharon Hicks
Sharon Hicks has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive experience and wide range of expertise in health plan management, in clinical operations management, and technology.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system and within its health plan division. Ms. Hicks served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, a managed behavioral health organization. She was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. In addition Ms. Hicks managed the day-to-day operations of including human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served as the Vice President, Internet Strategy, UPMC Insurance Services Division and, since 2002, as the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, Inc. since May of 2002. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth of the company, profitability of the company, and the direction of software development.
Ms. Hick started her impressive health care career as a psychiatric social worker before being promoted to Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her executive promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
Home-Based Service Models For Consumers With Cognitive & Physical Health Challenges
Behavioral health and health care is moving from the office to the home. Home health care aims to promote, maintain, restore, or maximize the level of independence of care recipients while minimizing the effects of disabilities and illnesses. Home health care includes various medical and therapeutic services, including applied behavior analysis (ABA), 24-hour residential support, Enhanced Case Management, Severe Behavior Services, and Crisis Intervention. A growing number of healthcare services are provided in the care recipient’s home due to the urgency of continuing care plans, specialty needs, and as an extension or adjunct to primary care. Home health care offers the advantages of cost efficiencies, support in place, and independence. Understanding the needs of providers and care recipients is vital to optimizing whole-person health.
Attendees will learn the following:
- What is a “home” setting (group home, individual home)
- How to define the difference between home vs. community care
- Model programs, case study examples and supports that are effective in the home-based models versus the community-based model to provide effective treatment, quality of life, and comfort of care
Paula Pompas-Craven
Dr. Paula Pompa-Craven brings over 25 years of experience in non-profit leadership positions to OPEN MINDS as an Advisory Board Member.
In addition to her work with OPEN MINDS, Dr. Pompa-Craven is the Chief Clinical Officer and a Licensed Psychologist at Easterseals Southern California. In this role, Dr. Pompa-Craven leads the autism service line throughout an eight-county region in Southern California, including operations, clinical, project, and program management. She is responsible for the clinical and operational oversight including service provision to 12,000 individuals with autism and their families and 1400 staff throughout Southern California. Dr. Pompa- Craven also oversees the clinical case consultation for multi-diagnoses and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) clinical teams in this role. Dr. Pompa-Craven oversees a research lab focused on client outcomes, satisfaction, advocacy and staff retention. Dr. Pompa-Craven has several recent publications in peer reviewed journals.
In her long tenure at Easterseals Southern California, Dr. Pompa-Craven has held multiple positions. Prior to becoming Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Pompa-Craven was Regional Vice President of Easterseals Southern California. In this position, she led the start-up and development of a Residential Service line resulting in the development of 15 homes in the community for a number of people who had previously spent most of their lives in instinctual settings. Dr. Pompa-Craven also supervised The Directors of Residential Services and Support Living Services in this role. Dr. Pompa-Craven was also the Director of Foundations and Grants at Easterseals Southern California. In this position, she led and collaborated with the foundation’s team to develop appropriate funding targets and maintain grants and the foundation database. She researched, wrote, and provided consultation to Easterseals programs for federal, state, and community grants and foundation requests. Additionally, Dr. Pompa-Craven held the position of Northern and Western Los Angeles County Regional Director for Easterseals Southern California, where she led the operations of infant, child, and adult social service programs in the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, Lancaster, and West Los Angeles areas.
After receiving her doctorate, Dr. Pompa-Craven was a Registered Psychology Assistant for Rene Folse, Inc., J.D., Ph.D. In this role, Dr. Pompa-Craven conducted psychological assessments on children and adults for regional center eligibility, social security benefits, requests for conservatorship, and individual educational planning. She also provided behavioral planning for individuals residing in a group home and provided training and monitoring of written behavioral plans.
Dr. Pompa-Craven was also a Consultant for the Kern Regional Center in California, where she provided and managed the person-center assessment, evaluation, and planning with individuals moving from State Development Center and provided technical assistance and training to the Inyo and Mono County Self-Determination Initiative. Dr. Pompa-Craven also participated in state-wide committees and conference presentations for both projects.
Dr. Pompa-Craven graduated with a Doctorate in Psychology from Pepperdine University in 2000. Dr. Pompa-Craven also holds a Master’s in Psychology from Pepperdine University in 1995. In 991, Dr. Pompa-Craven graduated from the University of California Los Angeles. Dr. Pompa-Craven is also a member of numerous boards and committees including the American Psychological Association, the Association for Behavior Analysis, the California Psychological Association, the Conejo Valley Parent Teacher Student Association, the Kaiser Permanent Autism Service Steering Committee, the Autism Society of America, California Associate for Behavior Analysis, Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce, Easterseals Autism Spokesperson Network, and National Charity League Vista Robles Chapter.
Paula is speaking during Home-Based Service Models For Consumers With Cognitive & Physical Health Challenges.
Angela Yen
Angela Yen is a dedicated behavior analyst with over 15 years of experience working with complex, underserved populations. After receiving her master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in autism spectrum disorders, she pursued her certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Since then, she has worked in a variety of settings, including schools, residential facilities, and community organizations, helping individuals with developmental disabilities, mental health disorders and other unique needs.
Angela has demonstrated a commitment to delivering innovative and effective individualized interventions for her clients. She has also provided training and consultation to other professionals and organizations, helping to expand the use of evidence-based practices in the field.
At Easterseals Southern California, Angela oversees both the Consultation Services and the Crisis Support Services Departments. She believes in collaborative approach that emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with individuals and their systems of support to create linkages and build capacity.
Angela is interested in research topics related to trauma informed care and organizational behavior management. She is passionate about what she does and looks forward to continuing to make a difference in the lives of those she serves.
Angela is speaking during Home-Based Service Models For Consumers With Cognitive & Physical Health Challenges.
Rick Gutierrez, Ph.D., BCBA
Rick Gutierrez is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Licensed Psychologist in California. He has a Doctorate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology as well as a Masters in Psychology with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. He has over 25 years of applied experience working in the clinical, community, and school settings. He has provided numerous workshops on Applied Behavior Analysis across Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America. Further, he has provided international consultation to clinics serving individuals diagnosed with a developmental disability around the globe.
Currently, Dr. Gutierrez is the Vice President of Operations and Clinical Strategy for Easterseals Southern California Autism Services. He is responsible for the oversight of the intake, contracting, new development, and network provider services provided by Easterseals Southern California. Dr. Gutierrez has extensive experience in staff training, employee retention, employee engagement, as well as the treatment of individuals diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities. He is an emotional intelligence trainer. He has published research in The Analysis of Verbal Behavior. His research interests are in social skills, verbal behavior, problem behavior, and organizational behavior management.
Rick is speaking during Home-Based Service Models For Consumers With Cognitive & Physical Health Challenges.
Deanne Cornette, MHA, GPC
Deanne Cornette, MHA, GPC, brings over 20 years of experience in the behavioral health field. Ms.Cornette currently serves as a Senior Associate for OPEN MINDS and brings to the OPEN MINDS team noted expertise in strategic planning, grant writing and revenue development.
Previously, Ms. Cornette was the Vice President of Strategic Development for Tampa Family Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center. In this role, she managed grants, contracts, front desk operations, training, quality assurance special assignments (risk assessments and responses to complaints), credentialing and billing functions. In a very short time period, she successfully procured funding to integrate behavioral health services, brought a system of processes to track health indicators and improve value-based care payment and service and became proficient in utilizing HRSA’s reporting portals.
As Counsel for Strategic Development at Agency for Community Treatment Services, Inc. (ACTS) and Vice President of Business Development for Gracepoint (merger), Ms. Cornette directed strategic development, contract negotiations, revenue development, marketing and grants. In this capacity, she targeted funding sources and built a lucrative cash flow that provided needed services to vulnerable populations in need of behavioral health treatment.
Some of her most successful negotiations created best practice services for veteran’s programs, women’s services, as well those involved with the criminal justice system. Her portfolio includes a wide array of awards from a multitude of agencies including, but not limited to: SAMHSA, HUD, Centers for Medicaid, and the Department of Transportation and collaborations with private, non-profit and government entities. Most recently, she worked with Gracepoint to develop Hillsborough’s Centralized Receiving Facility, one of the first funded in the State of Florida. From a system of care for jail diversion to evidence based practices for individuals who are homeless with behavioral health needs, her awards have netted over $80 million dollars to our community.
In addition, Ms. Cornette served as the Vice President for the National Contract Management Association Suncoast Chapter, Vice President of ACTS Affordable Housing Board of Directors, Vice President of ACTS Foundation Board of Directors, and was a member of Hillsborough County Health Care Advisory Board. She is the recipient of University of South Florida’s 2018 Florida Outstanding Women of the Year in Public Health. Her Centralized Receiving Facility collaborative won a 2018 WEDU PBS Be Brilliant / Innovation Award. Her concept of Housing, Engagement and Retention Tenancy (HEART) program won the 2018 Heart for Homeless award through the Housing and Education Alliance.
Ms. Cornette received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and her Masters Degree in Health Administration from the University of South Florida.
Re-energizing Your Team After Post Pandemic Burnout
Even before the pandemic, long-term stress and burnout was significant issue facing the health and human service industry. Symptoms may include increased fatigue or irritability, lack of focus and concentration, physical or mental illness, diminished productivity, and apathy. However, by providing a culture where middle managers feel supported, provider organizations can reduce burnout and improve retention and productivity. Hear organizational case studies on how health and human service providers are approaching stress and burnout among middle managers, including:
- Developing a middle management wellness and support plan
- Creating a positive work culture
- Recruiting and retaining the right staff
Amanda Nugent Divine, Ph.D., MA, MS, LMFT
Dr. Amanda Nugent Divine, is the CEO of Kings View, a behavioral health and Information Technology company operating in thirty-six counties throughout the fifty-eight in California. As a Chief Executive Officer, Amanda brings experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit health related businesses. She is an enthusiastic leader dedicated to creating a positive and productive work culture, setting impactful strategies, building an effective and healthy executive team and company culture, and developing data driven processes that get results.
She holds a BA in Sociology, an MS in Clinical Psychology, a Master of Arts in Media Psychology, and a PhD in Psychology with a focus in Media and Technology. She is also a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California and has worked as a Subject Matter Expert Consultant for the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences for over 5 years.
Additionally, Amanda serves as a board member for California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies and has experience working as a Clinical Director in both mental health and substance use disorder treatment settings, and teaching Psychology as adjunct faculty.
You might hear Amanda on KMJ, where she delivers regularly the “Mental Health Minute with Amanda Nugent Divine.”
Amanda attended university on a theater scholarship and worked in the film industry as an actress, writer, producer, and director for ten years in Los Angeles before meeting her husband Eric Divine and relocating to Fresno assuming her current role. In her free time, Amanda loves spending time outdoors traveling to remote corners of the world and hiking with her husband, their six children and their three dogs.
Amanda is speaking during Re-energizing Your Team After Post Pandemic Burnout.
Joe Avelino, RN, BSN, MHSA, CPHQ
Joe is speaking during Re-energizing Your Team After Post Pandemic Burnout.
Ray Wolfe, J.D.
Raymond “Ray” Wolfe, J.D. brings over 40 years of experience in the health and human services sector to the OPEN MINDS team. Mr. Wolfe currently serves as a Senior Associate, a position in which he utilizes his expertise to successfully lead varying projects for OPEN MINDS. His areas of expertise include managed care and value-based reimbursement models, financial analysis and management, mergers and acquisitions, CCBHC certification, integrated care, performance improvement, and strategic planning.
Before joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Wolfe served in a 22-year tenure with Pittsburgh Mercy Health System in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most recently, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), where he was responsible for oversight of all system operations, strategic planning, and performance management. Under his direction Pittsburgh Mercy achieved Certified Behavioral Health Center status, earned over $850K in value-based reimbursement contract quality bonus awards, integrated three organizations through merger/acquisition, opened a primary care service that was integrated into programming for the severe and persistent mentally ill and homeless populations, and adopted a new performance management program for managers.
Before acting as Pittsburgh Mercy’s COO, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and was responsible for the development of internal costing methodologies, contract rate negotiations, and financial forecasting activities. In addition, he coordinated an integrated care program with local partner hospitals to develop a series of diversion and respite programs, as well as specialized primary care, integrated care management, and high utilizer teams, while maintaining 15 straight years of profitability.
Mr. Wolfe was promoted to CFO after serving as the Director of Fiscal and Information Security/Compliance for the health system. In this role, he was responsible for managing the transition of service contracts from fee-for-service (FFS), leading all compliance activities, and implementing a next-generation electronic health record (EHR) system.
Prior to his time at Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, Mr. Wolfe served as Chief Fiscal Officer with the Summit Center for Human Development in Clarksburg, West Virginia, where he was responsible for reporting and budgeting functions and preparing Summit Center’s programs for FFS billing.
Previously, Mr. Wolfe served in billing and collections for two Pennsylvania-based hospitals. First, in his role as a manager for Healthcare Corporation of America (HCA) and as an Accounts Receivables Manager for Brownsville General Hospital in Brownsville, PA, where he managed the accounting and billing system transition systems. Later as a Patient Account Manager for St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, where he improved collections to hit a 95% rate through the implementation of new billing software and department reorganization.
Prior to working in the health and human services market, Mr. Wolfe spent five years practicing as a Lawyer with at Law Offices of Arch A. Moore in Moundsville, WV. In this role, he provided general legal practice, created and established bylaws for multiple corporations, and handled West Virginia licensing of first vision insurance plan.
Mr. Wolfe earned his Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University School of Law in Morgantown, WV and his Bachelor’s degree with a focus in Political Science and Sociology from West Liberty University, Wheeling, West Virginia, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Raffle Prize Drawing
Held in the exhibit hall – join us to see if you’ve won any of the great prizes provided by our generous exhibitors!
Paul Duck
Paul M. Duck brings over 25 years of experience in leadership and management focusing on managed care, health information technology organizations, strategy, business development, and market expansion, and customer experience optimization to the OPEN MINDS team.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Duck served as the Vice President, Strategy & Development at Beacon Health Options. In this role, Mr. Duck led the organization’s strategy and business development efforts – responsible for a 30% increase in net revenue and initiated over $1 billion in revenue generation. Mr. Duck was active in national behavioral health initiatives as an executive of Beacon Health Options, including participating as a speaker at national and state association meetings.
Before joining Beacon Health Options, Mr. Duck was the Vice President of Business Development at Netsmart Technologies. During his tenure, Mr. Duck was responsible for business planning, including, the oversight of strategic activities including acquisitions, development, and execution of strategic initiatives, and positioning, and sales of large strategic customers. He also led the rollout of the company’s benchmarking and data analytics product suite.
Prior to Netsmart, Mr. Duck served as the Chief Executive Officer for Coastal Orthopedics and Pain Management, a large group practice with five clinic locations and two ambulatory surgical centers. As the organization’s chief executive officer, Mr. Duck was responsible for significant positive changes in leadership and corporate culture, financial and operational performance, compliance, and governance. Mr. Duck improved net collections by over $1 million per month and grew the practice through negotiating better contract rates with payers. He also implemented an organizational rebranding initiative and launched a new marketing campaign.
Prior to Coastal Orthopedics and Pain Management, Mr. Duck served as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Florida Radiology Imaging, one of the largest outpatient diagnostic imaging service companies serving the greater Orlando market. During his tenure, Mr. Duck led the construction of three new, full modality, diagnostic imaging locations. Mr. Duck revolutionized the company’s culture by creating a highly attractive and functional work environment.
Mr. Duck earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Case Western Reserve University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Electronic Engineering Technology from the Electronic Technology Institute. Mr. Duck received an award by Inc Magazine for leading Florida Radiology Imaging as one of America’s fastest-growing companies. Mr. Duck recently served as a contributing author to the book The New Health Age: The Future of Health Care in America.
Going The Distance – Managing Through Times Of Uncertainty
Navigating through market turbulence in the health and human services industry rests on building a strong foundation. To keep systems and processes on track, while making strategic adjustments when markets shift, requires excellence in management and implementation of best practices throughout the organization. In getting the best out of serving consumers with complex needs, today’s leaders need to stay focused on talent management, service line optimization, maintaining peak performance, making wise technology investments, and more. Join us for our closing keynote with OPEN MINDS Chief Executive Officer, Monica E. Oss, as she discusses the organizational and management skills that executive leaders need to be successful and go the distance.
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S., Chief Executive Officer and Senior Associate, is the founder of OPEN MINDS. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. Ms. Oss is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field. She has unique expertise in payer financing models, provider rate setting, and service pricing. She has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, managed care programs, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.