Today’s CEOs are facing more challenges than ever, as demonstrated by the two-decade high in turnover for healthcare CEOs, instability in the global (and national) economy, and an increasingly competitive and rapidly changing post-pandemic health and human service. Despite these pressing challenges, there are key directional trends in the field that are known— such as integrated care models, payviders, retail health care and consumerism, reimbursement tied to performance, price sensitivity, and the end of the public health emergency.
For executives, envisioning the opportunities and future market positioning in the ever-evolving landscape will be a key leadership competency and a critical piece of organizational success. The OPEN MINDS Chief Executive Officer Learning Path was created to equip today’s CEOs with the critical skills and competencies needed to embrace current challenges, make informed decisions, and lead their organizations into the future with confidence.
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Making Health Plan Partnerships Work: The 2025 OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar On Current Contract Optimization & Creating New Opportunities
Across the country, managed care organizations are successfully delivering treatment services to large populations and doing it in a way that saves states significant sums of money. These demonstrated savings show that value-based reimbursement and managed care arrangements aren’t going anywhere. For executives, this means they must find a way to position themselves to work closely with managed care companies. And provider organizations need to move from an understanding of the key competencies required in the VBR model to tactical initiatives for implementing the talent, technology, and systems that deliver quality and value.
How? By developing relationships with the payers in your market, considering what metrics they are tied to and how you can help them to meet their performance requirements, discussing how you can align programs and services with the goals of the payers and health plans in your market, and providing data that proves your service lines can achieve both high quality outcomes and lower costs. In this crucial seminar, we will discuss:
- How to start strategic conversations with health plans
- How to confirm the foundational components of infrastructure needed for VBR are in place and demonstrate your organization’s value in a way that will capture health plan’s interest
- How to secure and optimize service agreements with health plans and implement approaches to realign service models to ensure success in a value-driven market
Michael Allen
Michael Allen brings over 30 years of experience in the non-profit behavioral healthcare industry to the OPEN MINDS team. He currently serves as an Executive Vice President in our consulting practice, where he provides executive oversight and leadership to provider and payer client engagements for OPEN MINDS.
Mr. Allen was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of SummitStone Health Partners, the largest non-profit behavioral health service provider in Larimer County, CO. In this role Mr. Allen was responsible for the planning deployment, communication and accomplishment of SummitStone Health Partners’ overarching corporate strategy. He managed a budget of $80Million and was responsible for more than 750 full time employees and over 12,000 clients annually.
Prior to SummitStone Health Partners, Mr. Allen served as the Vice President of Managed Care & Operations at AspenPointe (now Diversus Health). At AspenPointe he developed and managed a system of accountability for monitoring and evaluating provider performance in seven Colorado counties. He was also responsible for the quality management oversight of all business lines, as well as managing a substance abuse treatment contract with the Colorado Division of Behavioral Health and a child welfare services agreement with El Paso County Department of Human Services.
Previously, Mr. Allen was the Director of Clinical Care for Connect Care, (rebranded as AspenPointe in 2010). In this position Mr. Allen provided supervision to the clinical staff, as well as developing clinical guidelines and services. He was also the project director for the 4th Judicial District Family Reunification Grant and he oversaw care coordination and voucher management functions for Colorado Access to Recovery Grant.
Before Connect Care, Mr. Allen was the Director of Child Welfare Services for Signal Behavioral Health Network, a non-profit that has been managing and expanding substance use prevention, treatment and recovery services in northeast Colorado for over 25 years. Mr. Allen managed a network of Substance Use Disorder treatment providers, programs and services across 35 Colorado counties.
Mr. Allen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Design/Psychology from Brigham Young University, a Masters in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University, and a Masters in Business Administration from Colorado State University. He is a Licensed Social Worker and a Certified Addictions Specialist in Colorado.
Margaret Mays
Margaret Mays brings over 20 years of health care industry experience to the OPEN MINDS team. Ms. Mays currently serves as a Senior Associate at OPEN MINDS. Her areas of expertise include quality program design and metrics-based programs, training development, health care processing systems, policy development, and accreditation/regulatory requirements.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Mays served as the Vice President of Quality Improvement at Magellan Health Services, where she provided comprehensive quality leadership, developed high-performance teams, and improved metrics. She launched the Magellan Lean Six Sigma Training Institute resulting in an ROI of $1.7 million. Ms. Mays cultivated a high-performance team of over 20 staff members and improved department productivity through mentoring and coaching.
Prior to her role at Magellan Health, Ms. Mays served as the Director of Quality Management at TLC Family Care Healthplan, a division of Amerigroup, where she successfully managed MCO NCQA accreditation and directed all HEDIS processes. Ms. Mays helped produce a 27% improvement in Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment. She also achieved 95% and above performance on state audits through a full-spectrum quality improvement program.
Previously, Ms. Mays served as the Director of Quality and Compliance at Magellan Health Services, where she managed a wide range of quality processes, developed high impact reporting, and collaborated with cross functional teams to improve data accuracy. At Magellan, Ms. Mays achieved a track record of exemplary audit scores through implementing state-of-the-art practices.
Ms. Mays received a Doctor of Health Sciences from A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona. She holds a master’s degree in Health Administration from the University of Washington. She previously earned a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Administration from the University of Alabama.
Leading Top Clinical Teams: The 2025 OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar On Optimizing Clinical Performance With The Right Metrics
Sponsored By: 
In this masterclass, we will explore the evolving landscape of clinical performance management, looking beyond the typical playbook. Our experts will delve into the current workforce climate and forecast future trends. Gain insights into innovative tactics and strategies for attracting and keeping your top performers while measuring the right metrics to meet the demands of the current challenging market.
Discover revamped approaches to compensation models, benefits packages, and cutting-edge recruitment techniques tailored to health care and the wider competitive market. This seminar is designed to help executive teams decode today’s workforce’s preferences and aspirations and empower you to position your organization as the winning choice for talent.
During this session, you’ll develop a playbook of strategies to:
- Personalize recruitment and retention strategies and leverage technology for an enhanced employee experience
- Develop performance-driven models to elevate your team’s output and implement flexible frameworks to accommodate employee needs
- Establish the metrics that are right for your organization to streamline clinical performance
Sharon Hicks, MSW, MBA
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.
Kim Bond, MS, LMFT
Kimberly Bond, MS, LMFT, brings over thirty years of experience providing behavioral health treatment in the public and community settings to the OPEN MINDS team. She currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Business Development. In this role, Ms. Bond focuses on growing the OPEN MINDS client portfolio across all nine verticals of OPEN MINDS business.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Bond served concurrently as a Program Coordinator III and Clinical Manager of Adult Services and a Program Coordinator II and Clinical Manager of Recovery Services for the Ozark Guidance Center. In these roles, Ms. Bond was responsible for the administrative and clinical oversight of the adult outpatient and adult intensive mental health services on the Springdale Campus as well as the adult recovery/co-occurring services, including domestic violence and anger management treatment.
Prior to joining the Ozark Guidance Center, Ms. Bond served as the Executive Vice President of Center Point, Inc, a large substance abuse provider agency in California. In this role, Ms. Bond was responsible for the clinical and administrative supervision of all community-based programs as well as the women and children residential programs. In addition, Ms. Bond also managed budgets, interacted with funding agencies, and built positive relationships with all stakeholders. Ms. Bond was also in charge of proposal and grant writing, staff management, and training, facilities’ licensing and certifications renewals. Additionally, she prepared and submitted monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports to various funders.
Previously, Ms. Bond served as the President and CEO of Mental Health Systems, Inc. Ms. Bond was very instrumental in growing the agency from $12M in annual revenue to over $100M and becoming one of the largest providers of behavioral health services in California. In this role, Bond was responsible for the strategic, clinical, financial, and administrative health of the agency, including direct supervision of Senior Executive Staff. In addition, Bond ensured contract compliance of the agency’s 125 different contracts across federal and state agencies and eight counties.
Ms. Bond received her bachelor’s degree in psychology, with honors, and her master’s degree in counseling education from San Diego State University. She is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in both California and Arkansas.
The Future Of Value-Based Contracting In Autism & I/DD Services: A Fireside Chat
This panel will explore the emerging landscape of value-based contracting in autism and I/DD services. Experts from provider and payer organizations will discuss how value-based care models are improving outcomes for individuals in this population, by focusing on quality over quantity of care. Panelists will examine the opportunities and challenges associated with shifting from fee-for-service models to value-based contracts, with insights into cost efficiency, personalized care, and better coordination of care. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the potential impacts on service delivery, payment structures, and patient outcomes, as well as the future of autism and I/DD services in an increasingly data-driven environment.
Neil Hattangadi, M.D.
Healthcare innovation is Neil’s driving passion. Drawing on his training as a physician and scientist, Neil has spent his career leading, advising, and investing in the medical and biotech industries. His experience spans established, market-leading corporations to groundbreaking, early-stage start-ups. Neil holds degrees from Duke University, Harvard Medical School, and Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar.
Matt Holder, M.D., MBA
Dr. Matthew Holder is recognized as an international leader in the care of individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD).
Dr. Holder began working on what would result in Developmental Medicine becoming a recognized medical expertise soon after starting his career. In 2002, he took over the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD). Since then the AADMD has set the curriculum and standards that guide medical students, residents and fellowship-level physicians to better treat and understand patients with IDD. Medical schools and residency programs around the world have implemented curriculum changes based on the work done by Dr. Holder and the AADMD.
In 2005 Dr. Holder became Global Medical Advisor for the Special Olympics. Dr. Holder has trained thousands of healthcare providers in addressing the health needs of athletes with IDD. He also assists the American Medical Association and the American Dental Association in developing and passing resolutions that improve the lives and healthcare of IDD patients.
Dr. Holder, alongside colleague Dr. Henry Hood, designed and developed a unique, interdisciplinary patient care and teaching model that meets the health needs of adults with IDD living in the community – the first of its kind in the nation. Today the Lee Specialty Clinic exists as a testament their shared vision.
Dr. Holder is a graduate of the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
Innovative Approaches To Treating Serious Mental Illness With Solace Behavioral Health
Explore cutting edge strategies and emerging models in the treatment of serious mental illness (SMI), including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and sever depression. Featuring advances in pharmacological therapies, digital mental health tools, and community-based interventions, these case studies will provide evidence-based, patient-centered innovations that improve outcomes and quality of life for individuals living with SMI.
Hear from Solace Behavioral Health, a behavioral health and addiction treatment center with three locations in Florida, on their use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), as well as ketamine and other psychedelics, to treat serious mental illness.
Attendees of this session will:
- Understand the clinical and operational benefits of using alternative approaches to treating SMI
- Identify key challenges and solutions for integrating these therapies into existing practices
- Gain actionable insights for navigating regulatory, training, and implementation hurdles
Tanveer Chaudhry, M.D.
Dr. Chaudhry is the Chief Executive Officer of Solace Behavioral Health. With over 20 years of experience, he is expanding the footprint of Solace Behavioral Health to several centers in multiple counties, as well as expanding their scope of services through integrating care with lifestyle modifications and chronic disease management to improve outcomes. Dr. Chaudhry received his Doctor of Psychiatric Medicine from the University of Miami School of Medicine, and has clinical expertise in the inpatient, outpatient, and forensic settings.
How To Approach Government Relations In Times Of Chaos: A Panel Discussion
This panel discussion will focus on the evolving landscape of behavioral health service delivery, with a special emphasis on the critical role of government and legislative bodies in shaping the future of care. Through expert perspectives, the panel will explore key challenges and innovative solutions aimed at transforming accessibility, quality and efficiency of behavioral health services, even through times of chaos. Attendees will gain a better understanding of how providers can improve their relationships with governing bodies, creating positive legislative action, funding and policy reforms that are pivotal in driving systemic change, now more than ever, to meet the growing needs of individuals and communities.
Susan Ellenberg
Rafael Vaquerano, MPH
Rafael Vaquerano is the President and CEO of Gardner Health Services located in San Jose, CA. Rafael holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and a Masters of Public Health degree from the University of New England.
Rafael is responsible for the management and performance of Gardner Health Services, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), serving the underserved and under-represented communities in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Gardner Health Services has 11 locations, and two mobile units providing Primary Care, Specialty Behavioral Health, and ancillary services.
Rafael has worked in the healthcare industry for over 18 years, of which has served in a leadership capacity for 12 years. Prior to joining Gardner Health Services, Rafael served as the Vice President of Practice Development and Innovation at John Muir Health. Rafael has also held a variety of roles which include Director of FQHC at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, System Director Patient Access and Revenue Operations at Alameda Health System, and Clinics Manager at San Mateo Medical Center.
Rafael has wide-ranging experience in healthcare administration, continuous process improvement, strategy-growth and development. Rafael is a firm believer in servant and facilitative leadership, and enjoys creating a community of problem solvers while developing future leaders in achieving organizational objectives.
Creating A Culture Of Safety For Staff & Clients: Case Studies From Eagleville Hospital & Vivant Behavioral Health
In this session, we will explore the critical role of fostering a culture of safety within inpatient units and health care settings. Participants will gain insight into practical strategies for enhancing safety protocols, supporting health care staff, and improving client outcomes. The session will highlight real world examples of proactive safety measures and programs that have been successfully implemented, showcasing lessons learned, challenges and best practices.
Hear from Eagleville Hospital, a 305-bed, non-profit addictions and behavioral health treatment and educational organization located outside of Philadelphia. Their mission has remained true to treating stigmatized diseases that affect all of society, while consistently focusing on patients who are underserved.
Then hear from Vivant Behavioral Health, an autism and behavioral health organization focused on providing trauma-informed care and nonviolent crisis interventions. Vivant has a commitment to Zero Harm that supports the conditions for individuals and families to heal and grow. They are committed to promoting non-violent treatment interventions that respect individual safety, dignity and autonomy during the treatment journey.
In this session, attendees will:
- Gain actionable tools for cultivating a safer environment for both health care professionals and patients
- Hear strategies to ensure quality of care, reducing incidents and promoting a culture of continuous improvement
- Discover the improved outcomes from creating a culture of safety in both inpatient adult settings and children’s services
Tess Hughes, Ph.D., LPC, LMHC, CCTP
Tess currently serves as the Chief Clinical Officer for Vivant Behavioral Healthcare. During her two decades of behavioral healthcare experience, Tess has experience in direct care, clinical operations, and executive leadership across community-based and inpatient settings. In her role overseeing Vivant’s clinical service models, Tess is driven to create trauma-informed, accountable, and inclusive behavioral health services through the implementation of research-supported clinical and patient safety best practices.
Tess has obtained her Doctorate of Philosophy in Education and is a licensed clinician in Iowa and Arizona. In addition, Tess is also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), a trained trainer for Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), and an advocate and member with the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH).
Denise Hennessey
Sara Dodge, MSW, LSW
Managing Profitability Of Home-based Services
In today’s fast-paced market, effective financial management is crucial for optimizing operations and ensuring long-term success. This session will present a practical case study from an organization that has successfully implemented best practices in financial management to optimize mobile data usage, improve productivity, enhance position control, and streamline consumer communication and reporting. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how these strategies can drive operational efficiency, boost service quality, and improve financial performance.
Key Takeaways:
- Real-world examples of how optimizing mobile data enhances service delivery and reduces operational costs
- Proven strategies for improving workforce productivity and controlling service positions to maintain cost-effectiveness
- Case studies demonstrating the impact of transparent consumer communication and accurate reporting on financial sustainability.
Ensuring The Harmony Of Clinical & Office Teams Post Merger: A Case Study From PathPoint & Oceans Healthcare
Mergers can present unique challenges, especially when it comes to aligning different team cultures, workflows, and communication practices. Join us as we delve into key tactics for fostering collaboration, creating team dynamics, and driving organizational success in post-merger environments. Whether you’re managing a small practice or a larger health care organization, this session will provide actionable insights to help bridge gaps for one of the hardest aspects of a merger that is often forgotten– combing cultures.
Hear from PathPoint, a behavioral health provider since 1980, serving consumers in multiple counties in California, on their post-merger journey to create a corporate culture that enabled the organizations to still feel connected to their origins, while becoming a new entity.
In this session, key takeaways include:
- Steps for creating a cultural integration plan during a merger or acquisition
- The process, challenges and approaches to merging HR and administrative teams
- Strategies for leadership alignment and maintaining a focus on patient care during transitions
Harry Bruell
Harry Bruell, CEO/President, has led PathPoint since 2017 and has been a leader in the nonprofit sector for more than 30 years. PathPoint supports people flourish by partnering with children, adults, and families to find hope and empowerment, build life skills, access systems of support, and develop meaningful relationships. PathPoint’s 500 employees support 3,750 people through employment, residential, community integration, and counseling services in five southern and central California counties. Harry’s dedication to PathPoint’s mission comes from a deep personal understanding of some of the challenges faced by individuals supported by PathPoint and their families. He serves as the Vice-Chair for Policy and Board Member for the California Behavioral Health Association, as the Policy Chair and Board Member of the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder, and as a Board Member of California ASPE. Harry is the previous Treasurer of the California Disability Services Association and serves on several workgroups and committees of the California Department of Developmental Services. Harry is also an active member of the Los Angeles Coalition of Service Providers and the Lanterman Coalition. Prior to joining PathPoint, Harry served for 26 years in the conservation corps field, including 13 years as President and CEO of Conservation Legacy, a national agency based in Colorado. During the Obama Administration, the Secretary of the Interior appointed Harry as chair of a federal advisory committee to grow the corps movement. He graduated with honors from Rice University.
A Revenue Diversification Strategy For Turbulent Times: A Managing Through Chaos Roundtable Discussion
Join OPEN MINDS CEO Monica E. Oss and Chief Strategy Officer Paul Duck, for a discussion on up-to-the-minute changes shaping the health and human services landscape and the revenue diversification strategy that organizations need to prep for the post-chaos market. Revenue diversification is a key link to remaining sustainable in uncertain times.
The current market is being shaped by many forces – from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley, from Main Street to Wall Street. Understanding how these factors will impact your communities and being prepared are critical to sustainability and growth. Join us for a lively panel discussion and leave with tools that will have you feeling confident in your plan for the future.
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. 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. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement, rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, 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.
Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.
Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.
Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.
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.
Transforming Care: How Magellan Health Is Improving Access & Enhancing Outcomes For High-Risk Consumers
Magellan Health is paving the way to improved access to care for complex consumers through the latest integrated care models to support providers where they are in providing care. As the health care environment becomes more intricate, organizations are tapping innovative approaches to meet the complex needs of at-risk customers. Join keynote Caroline Carney, who will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how Magellan Health is implementing integrated care models to identify, diagnose, and treat at-risk consumers, thus improving access to care and clinical outcomes both in the short and long-term. Plus, how they’re measuring quality in behavioral health on a national scale.
Magellan Health is a leading health plan organization with almost 20 million members in over 250 locations world-wide. With over 50 years in the behavioral health sector and a team of over 5,000 employees, they are passionate about helping people lead healthy, vibrant lives.
Caroline Carney, M.D., MSc, FAPM, CPHQ
Dr. Caroline Carney is the president of behavioral health and the chief medical officer of Magellan Health, a company focused on improving the quality and delivery of behavioral health care across health plan, Medicare, Medicaid, Exchange and Federal services covered lives. An active clinician, she is board-certified in both psychiatry and internal medicine. Her previous experience at Magellan Health includes serving as the Chief Medical Officer for Magellan Rx Management where she led the development of patient-centered clinical programs, quality, and drug information. She also served as SVP Chief Medical Officer of Magellan Behavioral Health and Magellan Specialty Health. Her prior managed care experience included the role of chief medical officer for regional health plans where she gained experience in Medicaid, Medicare, Exchange, and commercial populations.
Previously, Dr. Carney served as the medical director for the Indiana Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning, helping to launch the Medicaid expansion product as well as the behavioral health transformation for the state’s community mental health services. While in Indiana, she served on the Governor’s Mental Health Commission. She is a frequent speaker about behavioral health services, integrated and collaborative care, the role of digital technologies in health care, the importance of self-care during and following the pandemic, and parenting in a digital age.
Dr. Carney is a published author and co-author for over 100 peer and non-peer reviewed publications focusing on issues surrounding comorbid medical and behavioral health conditions. She was a tenured associate professor of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry at Indiana University, and developed the psychosocial oncology program for Indiana University’s NCI accredited cancer center.
She started her medical and academic career at the University of Iowa where she earned her medical degree, as well as a master’s degree, and directed the Med-Psych residency program. She continues to engage in regular clinical work through supporting the behavioral health team at a federally qualified health center.
Developing An Intensive Community Treatment Program: The Kaiser Permanente & Telecare Corporation Case Study
Join us for this special case study to learn how Kaiser Permanente, a major health plan and hospital system, and an external provider, Telecare Corporation, married their programs together to address the needs of high risk patients. Discover the outcomes, benefits, and challenges that stemmed from the administrative collaboration, the integration of their EHR and technology platforms, and the creation of a bundled payment model.
Telecare Corporation is an award winning provider of recovery-focused services for persons with mental illness and complex needs across five states. They design their services to respond to local needs and function as a strategic, accountable, and experienced partner within systems of care.
During this session, attendees will take away:
- The challenges and opportunities of a complex collaboration model
- Specific criteria for quality measures and how they exceeded those criteria
- The successes from such a partnership, including intensive treatment for the most complex consumers resulting in reduced readmission rates, and support for internal staff
Jennifer Hinkel, Ed.D.
Shannan Taylor, MFT
Stuart Buttlaire, Ph.D., MBA
Stuart Buttlaire has over 35 years of clinical, management, and leadership experience. His career includes diverse experience in both the public and private sectors of healthcare providing leadership and direction in healthcare delivery.
Dr. Buttlaire currently serves as the Regional Director of Behavioral Health and Addiction Medicine for Kaiser Permanente. In this role, Dr. Buttlaire designs and oversees a broad continuum of services and programs for both inpatient, ambulatory, and emergency settings for mental health and addiction medicine. Dr. Buttlaire previously served as the Regional Director of Inpatient Psychiatry and Continuing Care at Kaiser Permanente and the lead Mental Health Representative within Kaiser Permanente’s State Program Initiatives including Medicaid and Medicare.
Additionally, Dr. Buttlaire served as a regional leader in the development of best practices at Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Buttlaire developed and led major program redesigns including Integrated Urgent Services for adults and youth with mental health and substance use disorders, Kaiser Permanente Post-Acute Center (SNF) Behavioral Health Program, mental health and emergency room consultation and suicide prevention, multi-family groups for adults and teens in treatment of severe psychiatric conditions, and intensive outpatient treatment programs for adults and youths. Recently, Dr. Buttlaire implemented a mobile application for eating-disordered patients that won Kaiser’s Innovation Award. Dr. Buttlaire also developed and implemented two psychiatric inpatient units at Kaiser Permanente, one of them was a medical/psychiatric unit to treat those members with both medical and psychiatric co-morbidities and the other, was a free-standing psychiatric health facility.
Additionally, Dr. Buttlaire often provides expertise and consultation on state and federal legislation and its impact on behavioral health within Kaiser Permanente, the State of California, and nationally. Dr. Buttlaire is currently the Board President of the Institute for Behavioral Health Improvement. He was selected to the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board for Western Section after serving as AHA’s Chair of Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse section. He is currently on the Board of Directors of NAMI California, and the California Hospital Association’s Advisory Board of Behavioral Health.
Dr. Buttlaire is a graduate from the University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business with a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Management, Finance, and Marketing. Dr. Buttlaire also graduated from the California Institute of Integral Studies with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Additionally, Dr. Buttlaire holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from California State University, Humboldt, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Colorado.
An Update On Innovative New Payer Programs At The Association For Behavioral Health & Wellness & CVS Health/Aetna: A Roundtable
Join our payer panel to hear the latest in innovative programs that top health plan industries are implementing today. This series will feature different payers from across the nation at each 2025 event.
Debbie Witchey, MHA
Debbie Witchey began her tenure as the President and CEO of the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) in 2024. ABHW member companies provide coverage to over 200 million people in both the public and private sectors to treat mental health, substance use disorders, and other behaviors that impact health and wellness.
Previously, Debbie served for more than 20 years as the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of the Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC), an alliance of leading health industry CEOs representing all sectors of health care. She also built an award-winning community health program for a hospital system in Charleston, SC and served as deputy assistant secretary at the US Treasury Department in both a Republican and Democrat administration.
Debbie has a master’s in health administration from the Medical University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in public policy from Duke University.
Deborah Fernandez-Turner
The Next Generation Of Integrated Care: Making It Work With Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County & The Children’s Institute
Weighing the importance of social determinants of health in addition to your clinical services is a must in today’s world of integrated care. Join us for two case studies from leading provider organizations who are taking a person-centered approach to address not only a patient’s clinical needs, but that are also assisting with social needs to thwart chronic illnesses and poverty.
Children’s Institute is a provider organization with three main locations in California and that impacts 30,000 children and families annually. Hear their whole family approach that provides support across generations at critical stages throughout consumer’s lives, and their pilot program consisting of a door to door household assessment which fosters a continued relationship with consumers and allows for intervention before chronic illnesses have a chance to develop.
Then hear from Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, an organization that helps people of all cultures and beliefs rise up out of poverty and overcome the barriers to self-sufficiency and wellness. Their Footsteps initiative is a consumer-centric approach to behavioral health care which leads families out of poverty long-term, by not just focusing on food or housing or jobs or health care, but a combination of those things to address what is unique for each individual or family.
Monica Dedhia, LCSW
Shaping A Chaotic Market At The State Level: A State Association Executive Discussion
As the policies of the new federal administration take shape, it is apparent that many more decisions about health and human services are going to be made at the state level. The question for executives is how best to shape state policy to protect the consumers and assure a functional service delivery system. This session features association executives with decades of experience working with state legislators and governors’ offices on legislative, regulatory, and funding issues. These executives will share their insights on how best to affect state policy—and what they see as the critical issues for state advocacy in the year ahead.
Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Ph.D.
Dr. Clark Harvey received a B.A. in psychology from Cal Poly Pomona, an M.S. in community counseling, and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
While pursuing her Ph.D., she was licensed as a Professional Counselor and practiced in community and hospital settings in Wisconsin for 5 years. She completed a pre-doctoral internship at USC’s Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and a post-doctoral fellowship at UCLA’s Mattel Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Clark Harvey was a Social Justice Fellow at the Center for Policy Analysis, where she researched the mental health provisions of the Affordable Care Act. She was a Science and Technology Fellow at the California Senate, where she worked as a fellow and then Principal Consultant in the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development (BPED) Committee. She served as the Chief Consultant to the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions before transitioning to the California Behavioral Health Association, where she served as the Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs before her appointment to CEO. She also serves as the Executive Director of the California Access Coalition.
Dr. Clark Harvey was appointed by the California Lieutenant Governor to the CIRM Board and is an appointee to SAMHSA’s Advisory Committee for Women’s Services. She is a Board member of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and the California Association of Nonprofits, and is a past Board member of the American Psychological Association, the Association of Black Psychologists, the First 5 California Advisory Committee, the Sacramento Children’s Coalition, and the Sacramento County Public Health Advisory Committee. She is an alumna of the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders Program and an American Leadership Forum fellow.
Kyle Kessler
Closing Keynote
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. 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. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement, rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, 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.
Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.
Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.
Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.