Workforce Solutions Jam | Addressing the Workforce Shortage Through Policy Change
2024-11-19 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Workforce Solutions Jam | Addressing the Workforce Shortage Through Policy Change

Translating Innovative Policy Solutions Into Action

Tuesday, November 19, 2024 | 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am MT / 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ETEvent Length: One Hour

Join us on Tuesday, November 19 for our next Workforce Solutions Jam! The Workforce Solutions Jam is a monthly webinar to build national momentum and encourage collaboration through the Center for Workforce Solutions.

The Workforce Solutions Jam will provide an opportunity to:

Learn innovative new practices

Stay informed about ongoing efforts

Engage with subject matter experts

Hear about new legislation and/or federal workforce efforts

Take action!

Register Now

The focus of this session will be on innovative policy solutions at the federal and state level aimed at addressing the workforce crisis. In September, The Kennedy Forum released a report titled, Building the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Workforce We Need, which examines the extent of the shortage and provides guidance for policymakers on payment and reimbursement, licensure and standardization, education and training, and data and technology. Representatives from The Kennedy Forum’s workforce committee will share highlights of the report, followed by a dialogue with state leaders implementing promising strategies aligned with the report.

Key highlights of this webinar include:

Review the policy recommendations set forth in The Kennedy Forum report and how and why they were developed

Explore innovative, promising strategies implemented by state leaders aligned with these policy recommendations

Speaker Information

Andrea Carlstrom has spent her entire career dedicated to health and wellness in a wide variety of environments and has served the community as Chaffee County Public Health’s (CCPH) Director for almost a decade. CCPH provides the county with over 30 programs and services, including chronic disease prevention and early intervention, communicable disease surveillance and investigation, emergency preparedness and response, maternal and family health, environmental health, aging well, immunizations, and so much more. In 2019, she and her colleagues were inspired to ignite a storytelling and advocacy movement to empower and unite the people of Chaffee County and to drive systems and policy change from the tales of lived experience from our own backyard which has become We Are Chaffee. We Are Chaffee is a catalyst for community conversations, and it is not uncommon for Andrea to be meeting with community partners and members of the public to hear about their experiences and to strategize on solutions to make living in Chaffee County a better place for all. As chief health strategists in the communities they serve, local public health directors have an opportunity to connect people and programming, leverage resources and expertise, and improve the health landscape with an equitable lens. Andrea is honored that she has such a unique role in such a special place that she calls home.

Nathaniel Z Counts, JD, is the Chief Policy Officer for The Kennedy Forum, where he advances a public policy agenda which aims to ensure that all individuals have access to the treatment, services, and insurance coverage that meets their needs and the supports necessary to promote prevention, recovery, and mental well-being. In previous roles, Nathaniel served as Senior Policy Advisor for Mental Health to the Commissioner of Health for the City of New York and the Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health Innovation for Mental Health America (MHA). His thought leadership and research have been published in journals such as JAMA Pediatrics, Lancet Psychiatry, and Nature Mental Health. He received his JD cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was a Student Fellow at the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, and his BA in biology from Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Erin Parks is a clinical psychologist, researcher, and co-founder of Equip, a virtual eating disorder program that delivers evidence-based treatment for lasting recovery. She has over 15 years of experience with adolescents and adults in inpatient, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient settings, where she has seen firsthand the disparity in who gets diagnosed and who has access to quality treatment. Erin is passionate about quality mental health treatment and helping families differentiate between treatment that feels good and treatment that works.

Dr. Helen Egger is a child psychiatrist, mental health epidemiologist, and digital health innovator. She is a highly sought world expert in the field of child psychiatry working with countries and global organizations on early interventions and measurement-based care. With over 19k citations to her name, 100+ peer-reviewed research articles, and dozens of NIH research grants, she deeply understands what works in mental health and what is just conjecture. She was recognized by Forbes 50 over 50 for co-founding Little Otter with her daughter, Rebecca Egger. Little Otter is a virtual child and whole family mental health company providing measurement-based and evidence-based care to children from birth to age 14 and their families.

Prior to Little Otter, Dr. Egger was Chair of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health (NYULH), Director of the NYU Child Study Center, and before that Vice-Chair and Chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Duke Medicine. She founded the WonderLab and Digital Design Lab at NYULH and the Early Childhood Mental Health Lab and Information and Information & Child Mental Health Initative at Duke.

As the creator of the PAPA, the gold standard and first diagnostic assessment for preschool children, Dr. Egger has shaped the science and practice of early childhood mental health. The PAPA is translated into more than 15 languages. Her work has proved that the rate of mental health disorders in children under the age of 6 are the same as the rates in older children and that early treatment is highly effective.

Dr. Egger attended Yale College and Yale School of Medicine, is a mother of four children, and lives in Durham, NC, right up the road from her daughter and co-founder, Rebecca Egger, and her first grandchild.

Dr. Anita Everett is the Director of the Center for Mental Health Services within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Serving in this role since 2018, she provides executive leadership for federal efforts to improve the nation’s mental health service systems.

Prior to SAMHSA, Dr. Everett served as the Section Chief of The Johns Hopkins Bayview Community and General Psychiatry in Baltimore, Maryland. She was on the faculty of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health. At Hopkins, she directed 22 community psychiatry programs that provided a range of services to individuals from preschool age to older adults, that included intensive acute services as well as recovery support services for persons with serious mental illnesses. More recently at Hopkins, she was involved with the leadership of health system behavioral health integration into accountable care structures.

Earlier in her career, Dr. Everett also served as the Senior Medical Advisor to SAMHSA where she worked on the promotion of access to quality services and access to medications in the Medicare prescription drug benefit. From 1999 to 2003, she served as the Inspector General to the Office of the Governor in the Department of Mental Health in Virginia. During this time, she completed over 80 inspections of Institutions operated and licensed to provide mental health services in Virginia. She received the Patrick Henry Award for outspoken advocacy.

Dr. Everett is a past president of the American Psychiatric Association, Maryland Psychiatric Society and the American Association of Community Psychiatry and has received commendation for her work in national healthcare reform and advocacy. She has served on the National Institute on Drug Abuse National Advisory Council, is currently an ex-officio member of the National Institute of Mental Health National Advisory Council and is also active in several professional organizations. She has been engaged in a number of international projects, including with the Global Leadership Exchange, and has provided consultation to the Ministries of Health, Department of Mental Health in Iraq and Afghanistan on the implementation of mental health services in these countries.

Lauren Moyer, LCSW, is the Executive VP of Clinical Innovation for Compass Health Network. She is a visionary servant leader with over 20+ years’ experience in the behavior health field, especially around shaping patient-centered approaches and filling gaps within our system of care. She is the current chair of Missouri’s 988 Taskforce and former chair of Missouri’s Suicide Prevention Network. Ms. Moyer’s multi-faceted experience has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the intricate complexities surrounding behavioral health and the transformative potential for change.

Compass Health Network (CHN) has been a long-standing Community Mental Health Center for 50 years, and now serves as one of the largest CCBHC’s in the nation. As a comprehensive health care provider in 47-counties throughout Missouri, spanning the I-70 corridor from St. Louis to Kansas City, our clinics are in diverse communities and counties, serving a multitude of Missouri with diverse backgrounds, socioeconomic status, and specifically targeting the marginalized and medically indigent who have historically lacked proper access to affordable and clinically effective treatment services. CHN is also an FQHC, a free-standing psychiatric in-patient hospital and a 988-crisis lifeline provider that includes the full continuum of crisis on-demand services such as Behavioral Health Crisis Centers (BHCC), providing 24-7 access to crisis services and support and assisting with hospital and detention center diversion. CHN has made investment in mobile crisis services, emergency room enhancement projects (placing staff members at local emergency room departments to support referral into after care, and most recently the addition of a youth behavioral health urgent care.

Moderators

Anthony Carter, LCSW is a Director, Practice Improvement and Consulting, for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. He leads initiatives for advancing the mental health and substance use treatment workforce. Prior to joining the National Council, he served as the data and quality assurance manager for Montgomery County, Md., Child Welfare Services, where he was responsible for agency data collection, analysis and reporting of key performance indicators. He started with Montgomery County as a child protective services social worker investigating child abuse and neglect allegations and is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-C) in Maryland. Prior to his career in social work, Carter was a program manager at Public Allies, a national workforce development and social justice nonprofit that advances new leadership to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation.

Peter Delia is a Federal Policy Manager for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Peter manages a number of federal policy portfolios for the National Council, including issues related to workforce, telehealth, equity, 988/crisis, and social determinants of health. Prior to coming to the National Council, Peter worked as a senior attorney for the Florida Senate, where he drafted and analyzed legislation related to behavioral health, Medicaid, child welfare, and elder care issues. Peter has also worked as a senior attorney for the Florida Department of Health, where he practiced administrative litigation and prosecuted disciplinary matters concerning physicians, optometrists, chiropractors, psychologists, and dentists. Peter is a South Florida native and currently lives in Tallahassee, FL with his wife, Eliza.

Background

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing launched the Center for Workforce Solutions in 2023 in partnership with The College for Behavioral Health Leadership and Health Management Associates. The partnership is leveraging Collective Impact to address the workforce crisis, and using a cross-sector approach to address the long-standing challenges for expanding and solidifying the behavioral health workforce.

Workforce Solutions Jam | Reducing Barriers to Licensure to Expand and Diversify the Behavioral Health Workforce
2024-12-17 13:00 - 14:00
Workforce Solutions Jam | Reducing Barriers to Licensure to Expand and Diversify the Behavioral Health Workforce

Creating a More Inclusive and Effective Workforce

Tuesday, December 17, 2024 | 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am MT / 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ETEvent Length: One Hour

Join us on Tuesday, December 17 for our next Workforce Solutions Jam! The Workforce Solutions Jam is a monthly webinar to build national momentum and encourage collaboration through the Center for Workforce Solutions.

The Workforce Solutions Jam will provide an opportunity to:

Learn innovative new practices

Stay informed about ongoing efforts

Engage with subject matter experts

Hear about new legislation and/or federal workforce efforts

Take action!

Register Now

As the demand for mental health and substance use treatment continues to grow, it is critical to develop a workforce that reflects the diverse populations it serves. Barriers to obtaining licensure remain a pressing challenge for many entering the field, as 57% of people who earn master’s degrees in mental health disciplines do not obtain clinical licensure due to financial, time, and regulatory constraints. This session will explore creative solutions, with insight into the Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact and spotlighting the work of the National Mental Health Workforce Acceleration Collaborative (NMHWAC), a program that aims to increase the number of qualified licensed mental health and substance use treatment clinicians, while increasing diversity in client-facing positions.

Key highlights of this webinar include:

Understand barriers to obtaining licensure in mental health disciplines

Gain insight into the Social Work Interstate Licensure Compact, including recent updates

Explore actionable models and strategies to expand and diversify the behavioral health workforce

Register Now

Speaker Information

Amy Conway, MPH is Director of Community Health for Kaiser Permanente. She oversees the management and execution of programs including Housing for Health, Economic Opportunity, and Food & Nutrition Security. Amy has worked at Kaiser Permanente (KP) for two decades in several different roles. After receiving her Master’s in Public Health from Tulane University in the nineties, she began her career as a health educator at the KP clinic in Hayward, California. She then led regionwide tobacco dependence prevention and cessation initiatives and smoking cessation counselor trainings throughout Northern California. Mid-career she left KP to become the executive director of a nonprofit organization whose mission was to teach people mindfulness meditation. She then returned to KP as a senior managerial consultant working closely with Primary Care Chiefs and Managers to lead performance improvement and strategic projects. Amy served as Regional Director of KP’s perinatal substance abuse program for eight years. Outside of work, Amy enjoys playing tennis, hiking, and snowboarding in Colorado where she lives with her partner Michael, her dog Eddie, and two quirky cats.

Dr. Karen E. Goodenough, PhD, MSW, LGSW, is Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers – Minnesota Chapter. Dr. KG has worked in direct practice, non-profit program management, has been a consultant in evaluation, data utilization, and strategic planning, and has served as adjunct faculty in numerous BSW and MSW programs throughout Minnesota. Her dissertation research focused on exemptions from licensure, and she is a member of the MN Board of Social Work Advisory Committee and Legislation and Rules Committee. Dr. KG chairs the NASW Licensure Task Force, was on the document writing team for the Social Work Interstate Compact, and is the NASW representative to the Compact Commission.

Andrea S. Meyer Stinson, Ph.D., LMFT is the Director of Workforce Strategy & Initiatives for Resilient Georgia.

As Director of Workforce Strategy & Initiatives, Dr. Andrea Meyer Stinson leads the National Mental Health Workforce Acceleration Collaborative Program. She is dedicated to growing and strengthening Georgia’s workforce of trauma informed professionals, while simultaneously identifying barriers, facilitators and solutions related to Georgia’s mental health workforce shortages. She was co-founder of Resilient Middle Georgia where she helped to build awareness about positive and adverse childhood experiences (PACEs), resilience, and trauma informed care across an 11-county area.

Dr. Meyer Stinson has worked therapeutically with children, couples, families, and communities since 2001. She has trained extensively in Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), and Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and an American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Approved Supervisor. With more than two decades of experience working in academia, she has taught undergraduate, graduate, and medical students as a professor in Mercer University’s School of Medicine in the Master of Family Therapy program. She is past president for the Georgia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (GAMFT) and a former board member for Resilient Georgia. She earned her doctoral degree from The Florida State University, master’s degree from Purdue University, and two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Georgia.

Julia Pavon Rojas M.S, NCC, is a pre-licensed, bilingual mental health counselor whose primary focus is providing individual and group counseling to adults, adolescents and children. Julia works for Ser Familia, a non-profit organization with offices all across the metro-atlanta area. Ser Familia provides mental health and prevention services for Latino families in Spanish. Julia graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.S in Psychology and criminal justice studies, and completed her M.S in mental health counseling at Oklahoma State University.

Emmaly Perks, MA, CCRP, is an experienced leader in mental health and education, with over a decade of expertise leading workforce and leadership programs. She holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a master’s degree in curriculum, instruction, and assessment. As the current Director of the National Mental Health Workforce Acceleration Collaborative for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, she oversees a $15MM national program aimed at addressing the mental health workforce crisis through recruitment, training, and retention of mental health clinicians from diverse backgrounds. Previously, Ms. Perks was Director of the Office of Education and Training for the University of Colorado’s Department of Psychiatry, where she led programs in workforce and organizational development.

Amy René, LCSW has over 30 years of social work experience in the Metro Atlanta area. She graduated from The University of Georgia in 1993 with a Bachelor of Social Work degree and began her career in child welfare with DFCS. She has worked at DFCS until 2004 when she went to work for Hillside, Inc., one of the oldest non-profits in Atlanta. Amy obtained her MSW in 2004 from the University of Georgia.

Amy has worked at Hillside for 20 years and has served in multiple roles including the Vice President of Community Operations and Clinical Services. She was intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy by Dr. Tom Lynch and Dr. Adam Payne in 2006 with the original cohort of therapists and staff at Hillside. She has also participated in advanced DBT trainings with Dr. Shari Manning and Dr. Marsha Linehan. She has participated in intensive continuing education training in the areas of Family Preservation, Foster Care, Kinship, Wraparound, Family Finding, Trauma, and Child Welfare.

Amy lives in North Atlanta with her husband of 15 years and 13 year old daughter.

Background

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing launched the Center for Workforce Solutions in 2023 in partnership with The College for Behavioral Health Leadership and Health Management Associates. The partnership is leveraging Collective Impact to address the workforce crisis, and using a cross-sector approach to address the long-standing challenges for expanding and solidifying the behavioral health workforce.

CBHL Leadership Community | Equity as a Foundation for Leadership
2025-01-09 15:00 - 16:00
Thursday, January 9, 2025Theme: Integrating Data Equity Frameworks and Culturally Responsive Behavioral Health Approaches 12:00 pm PT / 1:00 pm MT / 2:00 pm CT / 3:00 pm ET

Register Now

As a leader, are you:

Ready to cultivate an understanding of how inequity is perpetuated by and in behavioral health systems?

Interested in how to practice intersectional allyship?

Curious about integrating data equity frameworks and culturally responsive approaches?

Aware of the importance of engaging in co-production and community-driven practices, but need a little support in doing so?

Prepared to demonstrate transformational leadership to improve communities?

If the answer is yes to any of the above, then this leadership community is for you!

Register Now

Join us together with Ebony Chambers, CBHL’s Director of Equity-Grounded Leadership, at our newest leadership community – Equity as a Foundation for Leadership – for a bi-monthly leadership community designed for any CBHL member interested in developing their knowledge, skills, and leadership behaviors as an equity-grounded leader. You are encouraged to register and join the full series.

Background: Equity-grounded leadership shifts the focus of leaders towards intersectionality, equity, and anti-racism to drive behavioral health systems transformation. The equity-grounded leadership concept was co-produced with cross-sector behavioral health leaders from around the country, who developed equity-grounded leadership competencies, or Principles of Change. Each of the five Principles is accompanied by the necessary knowledge, values, skills, and operational practice behaviors associated with each principle.

What is a CBHL Leadership Community?

CBHL Leadership Communities connect leaders, organizations, and systems eager to learn and work across sectors in pursuit of a shared goal.

What is the purpose of a CBHL Leadership Community?

Improve knowledge and skills of behavioral health leaders through collaboration, the exchange of ideas, and professional dialogue.

Facilitate informed and collaborative leadership for improved individual, organizational, and community outcomes.

Encourage organic connections among CBHL members through ongoing collaboration around a shared interest.

Register Now

Leadership Community Host

Ebony Chambers is the Director of Equity-Grounded Leadership for The College for Behavioral Health Leadership. In this role, she oversees the delivery, facilitation, content, and progress of the Equity-Grounded Leadership (EGL) Fellow Program.

Ebony has over 18 years of experience working with issues of social justice, equity, education, mental health and diversity.

Synergy in Action: Bringing Concepts Beyond DEI into the Mental Health Workplace
2025-01-14 13:00 - 14:00
Synergy in Action: Bringing Concepts Beyond DEI into the Mental Health Workplace

Join us to learn how to integrate DEI with wellbeing into the very fabric of mental health workplaces through the powerful concept of “Synergy”. This experiential webinar will demonstrate creativity and agency to cultivate a more supportive and effective system for both the workforce and those they serve.

Register via Zoom

Synergy is the energy that we feel when we just know that healing is happening. According to Dr. Richard Katz, “Synergy is out there. The universe is synergistic. We just haven’t learned to open ourselves to it.”

The goals of this webinar are to:

increase understanding about the concept of Synergy, a philosophy of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion integrated with Wellbeing,

exemplify taking responsibility for wellness at each level of a mental health system – from clients to the workforce to the system as a whole.

learn how to nurture Synergy in action in our current mental health care systems,

and identify ways we can collectively work towards transforming mental health care towards more Synergistic approaches in each of our contexts.

Participants will learn about the definition and history of the concept of synergy, including the major strands of synergy in action, and discuss examples of synergy in action on individual, interpersonal, and collective levels. Participants will be able to interact with the presentation through discussion questions throughout.

This event is open to all!

Tuesday, January 14, 202510:00 am PT / 11:00am MT / 12:00pm CT / 1:00 pm ET

Register via Zoom

About Stepped Care Solutions

Stepped Care Solutions (SCS) is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization, and the creators of Stepped Care 2.0 (SC2.0©) – an innovative and transformative model that leverages collaborative efforts and technology to transform mental health and substance use health systems for better access and outcomes. SCS exists to help organizations and communities reframe, rethink, and redesign the delivery of mental health care services.

Bolstered by principles and driven by evidence, SCS collaborates with government, business, health care, and more, to promote and implement an equitable and visionary approach to mental health care, and ensure every individual receives care that is uniquely suited to their needs.

Recommended reading:

Stepped Care 2.0: The Power of Conundrums 1st ed. 2023 Edition

Indigenous Healing Psychology: Honoring the Wisdom of the First Peoples 2017

Synergy, Healing, & Empowerment: Insights from Cultural Diversity

Defining Synergy | Dr. Gillian Berry(video)

Speaker Information

Dr. Gillian Berry, Senior Advisor of Culture & Workforce Development

Dr. Gillian Berry is Senior Advisor of Culture & Workforce Development at Stepped Care Solutions. She is a published author and a clinical social worker, with over 35 years of experience as an educator and practitioner. She has overseen the counseling and psychological services at George Washington University, leading a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals through the implementation of the Stepped Care 2.0 approach into their service delivery. She has been a faculty member at the University of Botswana’s Department of Social Work Southern Africa and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Her clinical interests are strongly influenced by her grandfather’s Indigenous philosophy, and she provides short-term solution-focused services/therapy from this perspective.

Dr. Catie Greene, Faculty of Culture & Workforce Development

Catie Greene, PhD, LPC is a counselor educator and supervisor. Catie has worked as a clinician in college counseling centers and group practice, and an educator in Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate programs for over 11 years and joined Stepped Care Solutions as a faculty consultant on synergy, beyond diversity, equity, and inclusion in 2020. Catie’s research and practice is grounded in Relational Cultural Theory.

Register via Zoom

CBHL 2025 Membership Information Call
2025-01-16 13:00 - 14:00
Are you interested in joining CBHL and want to learn more?

Are you a current CBHL member curious about what’s to come in 2025?

Join us for our 2025 Membership Information Call!

Register via Zoom

The College for Behavioral Health Leadership is a place for leaders to collaborate to empower communities to thrive. We convene leaders to share expertise, cross-pollinate ideas, provide hands-on experiences, and develop actionable skills. We are committed to equity, believe recovery is the expectation, and strive for wellbeing across the lifespan.

Our members are individuals and organizations representing emerging and experienced leaders from both public and private cross-sector organizations whose work either focuses directly on or intersects with behavioral health. We define leader not by title, but by the ability and deep desire to effect change. Our membership reflects a diversity of experience, expertise, and perspective, and serve as active participants in our work.

Join us to learn more about CBHL 2025 member benefits, upcoming initiatives, and to meet your colleagues. Additionally, meet our new CEO, Charly Weldon, MBA, and learn more about our new member management system, Glue Up!

This event is open to all!

When: Thursday, January 16, 2024 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am MT / 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ET

Register via Zoom

Workforce Solutions Jam | Bridging the Gap: Advancing a Diverse and Resilient Workforce for SUD Treatment
2025-01-21 13:00 - 14:00
Workforce Solutions Jam | Bridging the Gap: Advancing a Diverse and Resilient Workforce for SUD Treatment

Innovative Strategies to Strengthen the SUD Workforce and Support Recovery

Tuesday, January 21, 2025 | 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am MT / 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ETEvent Length: One Hour

Join us on Tuesday, January 21 for our next Workforce Solutions Jam! The Workforce Solutions Jam is a monthly webinar to build national momentum and encourage collaboration through the Center for Workforce Solutions.

The Workforce Solutions Jam will provide an opportunity to:

Learn innovative new practices

Stay informed about ongoing efforts

Engage with subject matter experts

Hear about new legislation and/or federal workforce efforts

Take action!

Register Now

The substance use disorder (SUD) treatment landscape is facing an unprecedented workforce crisis. Recent data from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) predicts the demand for addiction counselors will increase by 62%, while the supply of addiction counselors is expected to decrease by 13%. The stark reality is that current workforce capacity can only support approximately half of those seeking recovery services—a gap that demands immediate, innovative solutions.

Addressing the SUD crisis requires a robust and ready workforce that is not only skilled but also reflects the diversity of the communities they serve. This Workforce Solutions Jam will focus on actionable strategies to recruit, train, and retain a workforce capable of meeting the unique needs of individuals affected by substance use.

Key highlights of this webinar include:

Discover strategies to create a more diverse and representative SUD workforce

Explore model legislative frameworks to systematically address SUD workforce development challenges

Understand approaches to developing workforce competencies that improve care quality and recovery outcomes

Gain insights into building partnerships that support recovery-focused employment opportunities

Speaker Information

Alexandra Plante is a Senior Advisor of Substance Use at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and works alongside the United Nations Office of Drug Control Policy (UNODC) on unethical practices in substance use disorder treatment and recovery. Previously she has served as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies and state policymakers, international agencies, and private entities such as Google. Her writing has been featured in outlets such as Harvard Health Publications, Psychology Today, and The Fix. She holds a M.A. in Quantitative Research in Communications, and previously served as a Director at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School – Recovery Research Institute, and DynamiCare Health.

Philip Rutherford is the Vice President for Substance Use in the Strategy and Growth Office at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. In this role, he expands the organization’s impact in addressing the quality, effectiveness, accessibility and affordability of substance use programs and services for National Council members. He is also tasked with charting a course for progress, transformation and equity.

Rutherford has managed strategy and operations for several recovery-focused organizations. He is a member of committees at the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and other federal agencies. He serves on several nonprofit boards, including Serve Minnesota, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and the Police Treatment and Community Collaborative. Prior to the nonprofit world, he spent most of his career at Microsoft, Micron Electronics and the Taylor Corporation. Rutherford is an active member of the recovery community and has considerable experience in the areas of reentry and equity.

William Stauffer is in long-term recovery and leads PRO-A, the statewide RCO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Stauffer is a writer on the history and future of the American Recovery Movement. In 2019 he was honored as the Vernon Johnson Award Individual Recovery Advocate award by Faces & Voices of Recovery. In December of 2023, he testified to the US Senate Special Committee on Aging for the second time to highlight challenges and opportunities related to the growing problem of substance use disorders in older adults. He recently completed a fellowship at the Hazelton and Betty Ford Foundation in Center City MN through the A.A. Heckman Endowed Fellowship. As part of passing the torch to the next generation, International esteemed author and recovery thought leader William White asked Mr. Stauffer to open the First National Conference on Addiction Recovery Science held by NIDA, NIAAA and the Recovery Research Institute at Harvard with his remarks. He is an adjunct Professor of Social Work at Misericordia University in Dallas PA.

Shelly Weizman is a human rights lawyer who currently serves as the associate director of the Center on Addiction and Public Policy at the O’Neill Institute at Georgetown Law and as faculty at Georgetown’s Master of Science in Addiction Policy and Practice. She previously worked in the governor’s office in New York, where she oversaw policy and operations related to addiction, mental health, and disabilities, and began her legal career as a civil rights attorney in New York City. Before law school, she worked with youth and families at a variety of addiction treatment programs. She is also a person living and thriving in long-term recovery from addiction.

Background

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing launched the Center for Workforce Solutions in 2023 in partnership with The College for Behavioral Health Leadership and Health Management Associates. The partnership is leveraging Collective Impact to address the workforce crisis, and using a cross-sector approach to address the long-standing challenges for expanding and solidifying the behavioral health workforce.

Candid Conversations with Charly Weldon, MBA | Meet & Greet with CBHL's New CEO
2025-02-06 14:00 - 15:00
Members-Only

CBHL Candid Conversations provide an informal platform for connecting and networking with other CBHL members, fostering an environment where we can learn from one another’s experiences.

Led by a CBHL member or partner, these sessions are designed to facilitate the exchange of valuable leadership insights, skills, and support. Occurring at least once a month, Candid Conversations are open to all CBHL members.

Thursday, February 6, 202511:00 am PT / 12:00 pm MT / 1:00 pm CT / 2:00 pm ET

Register Here!

Charly Hubenak Weldon, MBA is the Chief Executive Officer of The College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL). For the last 20 years, Charly has been an innovative change driver for Houston’s most impactful nonprofits and programs that support homeless and at-risk populations. She is recognized as a leader whose passion to serve empowers and motivates organizational teams, board members, and community members alike. Charly holds a Master of Business Administration degree from East Texas A&M University, and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston, Downtown. View Charly’s Full Bio

We invite members to come with any questions they may have for Charly!

Register Now

The purpose of CBHL Candid Conversations is to:

Network and Collaborate: Meet and engage with fellow CBHL colleagues in an informal, small group environment that encourages collaboration and the building of meaningful connections

Learn and Innovate: Acquire new skills and exchange fresh ideas with experienced leaders in a supportive and trusting environment, fostering personal and professional growth

Showcase Success: Highlight successful member programs or best and promising practices that demonstrate potential for scaling and broader application.

CBHL Leadership Community | Synergy in Action: Bringing Concepts Beyond DEI into the Mental Health Workplace
2025-02-11 13:00 - 14:00
Members Only

Join us to learn how to integrate DEI with wellbeing into the very fabric of mental health workplaces through the powerful concept of “Synergy”. Synergy is the energy that we feel when we just know that healing is happening. According to Dr. Richard Katz, “Synergy is out there. The universe is synergistic. We just haven’t learned to open ourselves to it.”Join us for 3 follow up opportunities for CBHL members to practice the skills learned in the Synergy in Action: Bringing Concepts Beyond DEI into the Mental Health Workplace webinar. These consultation sessions (50 minutes) will be held once per month for the next three months (February, March, April).

February 11, 202510:00am PT / 11:00am MT / 12:00pm CT / 1:00pm ET

Register via Zoom

We invite participants to bring conundrums or areas of need to the sessions and be ready to practice these skills in their workplaces and lives. The sessions will be informed by a 2 question participant interest survey and each subsequent session will be co-designed to the unique needs and challenges the participants are facing in their current contexts.

When registering for the session, please answer the following questions:

What challenges are you currently facing with regards to diversity, equity, inclusion and/or workforce culture?

What would you like to see as a result of participating in these sessions?

Participants will be able to ask questions, receive feedback, and support one another to better apply each of the synergy strands on individual, interpersonal, and collective levels in their particular workplace and lives.

Register via Zoom

What is a CBHL Leadership Community?
CBHL Leadership Communities connect leaders, organizations, and systems eager to learn and work across sectors in pursuit of a shared goal.

What is the purpose of a CBHL Leadership Community?
CBHL leadership communities are created based on member interest with a focus on a specific topic or leadership population. They are recurring over a specific period of time and open to all CBHL members.

Encourage organic connections among CBHL members through ongoing collaboration around a shared interest.

To improve knowledge and skills of behavioral health leaders through collaboration, the exchange of ideas, and professional dialogue.

To facilitate informed and collaborative leadership for improved individual, organizational, and community outcomes.

Leadership Community Hosts

Dr. Gillian Berry, Senior Advisor of Culture & Workforce Development

Dr. Gillian Berry is Senior Advisor of Culture & Workforce Development at Stepped Care Solutions. She is a published author and a clinical social worker, with over 35 years of experience as an educator and practitioner. She has overseen the counseling and psychological services at George Washington University, leading a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals through the implementation of the Stepped Care 2.0 approach into their service delivery. She has been a faculty member at the University of Botswana’s Department of Social Work Southern Africa and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Her clinical interests are strongly influenced by her grandfather’s Indigenous philosophy, and she provides short-term solution-focused services/therapy from this perspective.

Dr. Catie Greene, Faculty of Culture & Workforce Development

Catie Greene, PhD, LPC is a counselor educator and supervisor. Catie has worked as a clinician in college counseling centers and group practice, and an educator in Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate programs for over 11 years and joined Stepped Care Solutions as a faculty consultant on synergy, beyond diversity, equity, and inclusion in 2020. Catie’s research and practice is grounded in Relational Cultural Theory.

About Stepped Care Solutions

Stepped Care Solutions (SCS) is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization, and the creators of Stepped Care 2.0 (SC2.0©) – an innovative and transformative model that leverages collaborative efforts and technology to transform mental health and substance use health systems for better access and outcomes. SCS exists to help organizations and communities reframe, rethink, and redesign the delivery of mental health care services.

Bolstered by principles and driven by evidence, SCS collaborates with government, business, health care, and more, to promote and implement an equitable and visionary approach to mental health care, and ensure every individual receives care that is uniquely suited to their needs.

Recommended reading:

Stepped Care 2.0: The Power of Conundrums 1st ed. 2023 Edition

Indigenous Healing Psychology: Honoring the Wisdom of the First Peoples 2017

Synergy, Healing, & Empowerment: Insights from Cultural Diversity

Defining Synergy | Dr. Gillian Berry (video)

Workforce Solutions Jam | Behavioral Health Workforce 2025: Critical Insights and Emerging Challenges
2025-02-18 13:00 - 14:00
Workforce Solutions Jam | Behavioral Health Workforce 2025: Critical Insights and Emerging Challenges

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 | 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am MT / 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ETEvent Length: One Hour

The behavioral health landscape continues to experience ongoing and multi-pronged complexity, with systemic challenges intersecting workforce needs, technological innovation, and evolving policy developments. This session hosts long-term behavioral health workforce experts in a discussion on current workforce challenges, emerging solutions, and lessons learned in how to maintain a focus and attention to workforce initiates throughout policy shifts.

Join us for a conversation on insights around navigating increasingly complex environments marked by evolving policy frameworks and heightened demand for adaptive, resilient workforce strategies. The ability to anticipate, understand, and proactively respond to these systemic shifts will be paramount for workforce sustainability in 2025 and beyond.

Register Now

Speaker Information

Jonah C. Cunningham currently serves as President and CEO of the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD). In this role he proactively advocates for national policies that recognize and support the critical role counties play in caring for people affected by mental illness, addiction, and developmental disabilities. In this capacity he also serves as Executive Director of the National Association for Rural Mental Health.

Prior to joining NACBHDD, Jonah worked at Trust for America’s Health, a public health think tank, where he focused extensively on ways to reduce mortality from substance misuse and suicide. Additionally, he worked as a congressional staffer for several years in the office of Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (CA) where he helped to reestablish the Congressional Mental Health Caucus and created a Suicide Prevention Task Force within the Caucus.

Michael Hoge, Ph.D. is Professor Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine and the Director of Yale Behavioral Health. For four decades at Yale, he has been developing and managing comprehensive systems of behavioral health care and a broad range of clinical, rehabilitative, educational, vocational, outreach, and recovery-oriented services for children, adolescents and adults. Simultaneously, he has worked to develop and evaluate innovative services, including alternatives to hospitalization, crisis response systems, programs for the homeless, and therapeutic schools.

Dr. Hoge, a clinical psychologist, is a nationally recognized expert on behavioral health workforce development. He is a founding member and the Senior Science and Policy Advisor of The Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce. He is the senior editor or author of three major works by the Coalition: the SAMHSA-funded national Action Plan on Behavioral Health Workforce Development; the Alaskan Core Competencies for Direct Care Workers in Health and Human Services; and the SAMHSA and HRSA-funded Core Competencies for Integrated Behavioral Health and Primary Care. Over the past five years he has developed the Coalition’s intensive Recruitment and Retention Learning Collaboratives in Behavioral health and launched these collaboratives across the nation.

Michael has presented and published widely on behavioral health services and workforce development. He has consulted to the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and to numerous federal and state agencies, foundations, and provider organizations. He has been a member of two National Academy of Medicine (IOM) Committees that addressed workforce issues and Chaired the Behavioral Health Professional and Technical Advisory Committee of The Joint Commission.

Marcy Melvin, MA is a pivotal executive with over 25 years of experience in behavioral health policy, training, and clinical practice. As a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas her experience includes providing direct clinical and supervisory services to children, youth, parents, and young adults in various clinical settings including residential, in-home, outpatient, private practice, primary, secondary, and post-secondary locations. Marcy is extremely passionate about advancing health equity and reducing disparities and disproportionality; this has been a culmination of her life’s work in various clinical, organizational and systems settings.

Wendy Morris, RN, MSN, CS, has enjoyed various roles in patient care and leadership across the continuum in behavioral health for more than three decades, including inpatient, outpatient, and home health services as well as state government. She served as commissioner for Kentucky’s Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities for several years and is currently a Senior Behavioral Health Advisor at the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD).

Ms. Morris holds a Master of Science in Community Health Nursing from the University of Kentucky and is credentialed as a Public Health Clinical Nurse Specialist by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Reyna Taylor, Senior Vice President, Public Policy, National Council for Mental Wellbeing

Ms. Taylor brings extensive experience with federal public policy initiatives to protect access and affordability to her role as Vice President, Policy & Advocacy at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing where she leads public policy and government affairs activities, supervises legislative matters and guides overall public policy strategy. With nearly two decades of specialty pharmaceutical and medical device experience, Ms. Taylor has a wide range of knowledge on public policy issues, including Medicare, Medicaid and commercial management of managed care organizations, hospitals, pharmacies and mental health centers. She holds a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from Bates College and earned a Master of Science in biotechnology and Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. Currently, she serves on the board of the Mental Health Liaison Group.

Moderator

Josh Rubin, MPPVice President, Client SolutionsHealth Management Associates

The Workforce Solutions Jam is a monthly webinar to build national momentum and encourage collaboration through the Center for Workforce Solutions.

The Workforce Solutions Jam will provide an opportunity to:

Learn innovative new practices

Stay informed about ongoing efforts

Engage with subject matter experts

Hear about new legislation and/or federal workforce efforts

Take action!

Background

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing launched the Center for Workforce Solutions in 2023 in partnership with The College for Behavioral Health Leadership and Health Management Associates. The partnership is leveraging Collective Impact to address the workforce crisis, and using a cross-sector approach to address the long-standing challenges for expanding and solidifying the behavioral health workforce.

CBHL Leadership Community | Supporting the Uptake of Behavioral Health Apps and Technology
2025-03-06 14:00 - 15:15
Members-Only

Are you grappling with how to address unmet or undermet needs among specific population groups in your community or organization? Have you considered the possibility of integrating behavioral health apps or new technologies into services? Do you feel stuck by how to choose the right technology, or how to implement successfully?

Thursday, March 6, 202511:00 am PT / 12:00 pm MT / 1:00 pm CT / 2:00 pm ET

Register Now

The increasing demand for behavioral health services, coupled with challenges in the workforce, creates a compelling reason to take a closer look at forward-thinking solutions. Behavioral health apps and other technologies have the potential to supplement existing services by increasing access and engagement among specific communities or population groups. This quarterly CBHL Leadership Community series is designed for any CBHL member interested in the successful integration of behavioral health apps and technology as a complement to existing practices. You are encouraged to register and join the full series.

Guest Speaker

Laura Galbreath, MPP, is the director of behavioral health and workforce at the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). In her role, Laura collaborates with state and federal policymakers to design evidence-based initiatives that enhance mental health and addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services. With a focus on bridging policy and practice, Laura advises state health leaders on integrated care delivery models, workforce strategies, and financing solutions for behavioral health initiatives. With years of experience in technical assistance and stakeholder engagement, Laura is passionate about fostering research-driven policies that can positively impact state health systems across the nation. As a skilled health care executive, Laura has dedicated her career to improving access to behavioral health services for individuals across the nation. Prior to joining NASHP, she was a consultant and vice president at the National Council for Community Behavioral Health, where she led the nation’s first national center providing knowledge and technical assistance to support the integration of primary and behavioral healthcare. Laura holds a Master of Public Policy from George Mason University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida.

Leadership Community Hosts

Dr. Gastfriend is an addiction psychiatrist. At Harvard Medical School, he directed addiction research at Massachusetts General Hospital and was an investigator in the NIDA Cocaine Collaborative Study, NIAAA’s COMBINE Study and NIDA’s Clinical Trials Network. As Vice President at Alkermes, Inc., he directed scientific publications on Vivitrol in clinical, criminal justice and health economics research.

His research led most states to endorse the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Criteria. His 150 scientific publications include the books The ASAM Criteria and Addiction Treatment Matching. His ASAM CONTINUUM – The ASAM Criteria Decision Engine ® and ASAM’s CO-Triage ® tools are being adopted nationwide.

In 2016, he co-founded DynamiCare Health, a nationally-scalable technology for Contingency Management and predictive analytics, winning awards from HarvardBusiness School, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Governor of Ohio, and the New York Times. He has consulted to governments in Belgium, China, Iceland, Israel, Norway, Russia and the U.S.

Garrett E. Moran, Ph.D., serves as the the Principal Investigator for the Academy for Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care, a program sponsored by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and served as Project Director of the Academy from 2010 until 2018. He is deeply committed to advancing holistic, person-centered health care. Dr. Moran retired in 2021 from his role as the Associate Director of Services and Policy Innovation in the Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute, and Professor in the School of Public Health and the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at West Virginia University (WVU). Before coming to WVU he was a Vice President and Associate Director at Westat where he worked for 29 years.

Dr. Moran has more than 50 years of experience in public policy, program evaluation, research, and management. His career has included key leadership roles on projects for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), as well as consulting roles with states working on health reform and care integration. His major areas of substantive expertise include integrated healthcare delivery, health care financing, health information technology, and program evaluation. Dr. Moran directed the consultant support and writing contract for the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in the early 2000s, and subsequently served as an Advisor and Consultant to the States of Maryland and Ohio as they developed mental health transformation plans.

Background:

Significant interest in our November 2023 webinar, Revolutionizing Behavioral Health: The Role of Behavioral Health Apps in Addressing the Workforce Crisis, sparked a follow up roundtable dialogue where CBHL members delved into the potential of behavioral health apps as a transformative technology supporting both mental and physical wellbeing. Participants explored challenges faced by organizations in determining how to select the right technology, considerations for how to implement as a complement to existing services, and additional support members might need to feel more informed and better equipped to successfully integrate behavioral health apps and technology into existing practices.

What is a CBHL Leadership Community?
CBHL Leadership Communities connect leaders, organizations, and systems eager to learn and work across sectors in pursuit of a shared goal.

What is the purpose of a CBHL Leadership Community?
CBHL leadership communities are created based on member interest with a focus on a specific topic or leadership population. They are recurring over a specific period of time and open to all CBHL members.

To improve knowledge and skills of behavioral health leaders through collaboration, the exchange of ideas, and professional dialogue.

To facilitate informed and collaborative leadership for improved individual, organizational, and community outcomes.

Encourage organic connections among CBHL members through ongoing collaboration around a shared interest.

CBHL Leadership Community | Synergy in Action: Bringing Concepts Beyond DEI into the Mental Health Workplace
2025-03-11 13:00 - 14:00
Members-Only

Join us to learn how to integrate DEI with wellbeing into the very fabric of mental health workplaces through the powerful concept of “Synergy”. Synergy is the energy that we feel when we just know that healing is happening. According to Dr. Richard Katz, “Synergy is out there. The universe is synergistic. We just haven’t learned to open ourselves to it.”Join us for 3 follow up opportunities for CBHL members to practice the skills learned in the Synergy in Action: Bringing Concepts Beyond DEI into the Mental Health Workplace webinar. These consultation sessions (50 minutes) will be held once per month for the next three months (February, March, April).

Tuesday, March 11, 202510:00am PT / 11:00am MT / 12:00pm CT / 1:00pm ET

Register via Zoom

We invite participants to bring conundrums or areas of need to the sessions and be ready to practice these skills in their workplaces and lives. The sessions will be informed by a 2 question participant interest survey and each subsequent session will be co-designed to the unique needs and challenges the participants are facing in their current contexts.

When registering for the session, please answer the following questions:

What challenges are you currently facing with regards to diversity, equity, inclusion and/or workforce culture?

What would you like to see as a result of participating in these sessions?

Participants will be able to ask questions, receive feedback, and support one another to better apply each of the synergy strands on individual, interpersonal, and collective levels in their particular workplace and lives.

Register via Zoom

What is a CBHL Leadership Community?
CBHL Leadership Communities connect leaders, organizations, and systems eager to learn and work across sectors in pursuit of a shared goal.

What is the purpose of a CBHL Leadership Community?
CBHL leadership communities are created based on member interest with a focus on a specific topic or leadership population. They are recurring over a specific period of time and open to all CBHL members.

Encourage organic connections among CBHL members through ongoing collaboration around a shared interest.

To improve knowledge and skills of behavioral health leaders through collaboration, the exchange of ideas, and professional dialogue.

To facilitate informed and collaborative leadership for improved individual, organizational, and community outcomes.

Leadership Community Hosts

Dr. Gillian Berry, Senior Advisor of Culture & Workforce Development

Dr. Gillian Berry is Senior Advisor of Culture & Workforce Development at Stepped Care Solutions. She is a published author and a clinical social worker, with over 35 years of experience as an educator and practitioner. She has overseen the counseling and psychological services at George Washington University, leading a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals through the implementation of the Stepped Care 2.0 approach into their service delivery. She has been a faculty member at the University of Botswana’s Department of Social Work Southern Africa and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Her clinical interests are strongly influenced by her grandfather’s Indigenous philosophy, and she provides short-term solution-focused services/therapy from this perspective.

Dr. Catie Greene, Faculty of Culture & Workforce Development

Catie Greene, PhD, LPC is a counselor educator and supervisor. Catie has worked as a clinician in college counseling centers and group practice, and an educator in Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate programs for over 11 years and joined Stepped Care Solutions as a faculty consultant on synergy, beyond diversity, equity, and inclusion in 2020. Catie’s research and practice is grounded in Relational Cultural Theory.

About Stepped Care Solutions

Stepped Care Solutions (SCS) is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization, and the creators of Stepped Care 2.0 (SC2.0©) – an innovative and transformative model that leverages collaborative efforts and technology to transform mental health and substance use health systems for better access and outcomes. SCS exists to help organizations and communities reframe, rethink, and redesign the delivery of mental health care services.

Bolstered by principles and driven by evidence, SCS collaborates with government, business, health care, and more, to promote and implement an equitable and visionary approach to mental health care, and ensure every individual receives care that is uniquely suited to their needs.

Recommended reading:

Stepped Care 2.0: The Power of Conundrums 1st ed. 2023 Edition

Indigenous Healing Psychology: Honoring the Wisdom of the First Peoples 2017

Synergy, Healing, & Empowerment: Insights from Cultural Diversity

Defining Synergy | Dr. Gillian Berry (video)

Workforce Solutions Jam | Understanding Interstate Licensure and Its Impact on the Behavioral Health Workforce
2025-03-18 13:00 - 14:00
Workforce Solutions Jam | Understanding Interstate Licensure and Its Impact on the Behavioral Health Workforce

Unlocking Opportunities for Expanded Workforce Mobility and Enhanced Access to Care

Tuesday, March 18, 2025 | 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am MT / 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ETEvent Length: One Hour

This webinar is hosted as a partnership between the College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL), The National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and Health Management Associates (HMA).

Interstate licensure compacts offer an opportunity to address long-standing and emerging challenges for the behavioral health workforce such as expanding access, addressing rural and regional gaps in care, opening flexibility for providers, and potentially offering value in times of regional disaster and emergency response efforts. As provider shortages persist and the mental health crisis deepens, understanding these cross-state practice opportunities has become essential for the future of behavioral healthcare.

Join us for an in-depth exploration of how interstate compacts present an opportunity for behavioral health workforce expansion and mobility. Our expert panel will share frontline insights on implementation strategies, regulatory considerations, and emerging opportunities.

Key highlights:

Understand the current landscape of key behavioral health interstate licensure compacts and reciprocity agreements

Explore implementation challenges and success stories from states with existing interstate licensure agreements

Discover future trends and anticipated developments in interstate practice

Register Now

Speaker Information

Janet Orwig, MBA, CAE, has led the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) as its executive director since 2015. In her position, she supports the Compact’s governing body, the PSYPACT Commission. Janet manages the day-to-day operations of PSYPACT, including implementing compact and regulatory compliance. She plays an integral part in developing new services and programs, securing and managing large government grants, and furthering stakeholder relations. Her 29-year career in association management includes experience in customer service, communications, public relations, advocacy, strategic planning and implementation, leadership development, and project and program management. Janet earned her Paralegal Certificate and undergraduate degree from Huntingdon College and her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Phoenix. She is also a Certified Association Executive (CAE).

Greg Searls is the Executive Director of the Counseling Compact Commission. He is a licensed funeral service practitioner in Wyoming, beginning his regulatory career in 2010 when appointed by the Governor to the Board of Funeral Service Practitioners. In 2016, he transitioned to an Executive Director role within the Wyoming Professional Licensing Board office.

Throughout his tenure, Greg has served as the Executive Director for various boards, including the Mental Health Professions Licensing Board, Board of Registration in Podiatry, Board of Midwifery, Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Board of Hearing Aid Specialists, Board of Athletic Trainers, and Board of Occupational Therapy. During his leadership, Wyoming enacted statutes to join the ASLP-IC, Occupational Therapy Compact, and Counseling Compact. He initially served as the ex-officio representative to the Counseling Compact Commission for AASCB until Wyoming joined the compact, at which point he was appointed commissioner.

Jeff Shumway, Director, Office of Professional Licensure Review, Utah Department of CommerceJeff Shumway helped launch the Office of Professional Licensure Review in July 2022. Prior to accepting that role, Jeff worked with The Bridgespan Group and Social Finance where he advised major nonprofits, philanthropies, and government agencies. As director of the Office of Professional Licensure Review, Jeff leads a team of employees who take a critical look at all state licensure requirements to inform the state legislature on necessary changes and updates to those requirements. Jeff holds a degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a degree in Economics from Brigham Young University.

Background

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing launched the Center for Workforce Solutions in 2023 in partnership with The College for Behavioral Health Leadership and Health Management Associates. The partnership is leveraging Collective Impact to address the workforce crisis, and using a cross-sector approach to address the long-standing challenges for expanding and solidifying the behavioral health workforce.

Candid Conversations with Marcy Melvin and Fran Silvestri | Leadership in Motion: Adapting to a Changing Political Landscape
2025-03-20 14:00 - 15:00
Members-Only

Join CBHL Board members Marcy Melvin and Fran Silvestri for a discussion focused on navigating leadership challenges in today’s dynamic political landscape. This facilitated open dialogue will explore the implications of the new administration and emerging opportunities in our field. This interactive session, developed in response to member feedback, provides a unique opportunity to share experiences and insights with peers who understand the complexities of behavioral health leadership. Connect with colleagues and contribute to a meaningful discussion about the future of behavioral health in this changing environment.

Leadership in Motion: Adapting to a Changing Political LandscapeThursday, March 20, 202511:00am PT / 12:00pm MT / 1:00pm CT / 2:00 pm ET

RSVP via Zoom

Please note: this conversation is open to CBHL members.

CBHL Board Member, President-Elect

Marcy Melvin, MA is a pivotal executive with over 25 years of experience in behavioral health policy, training, and clinical practice. As a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas her experience includes providing direct clinical and supervisory services to children, youth, parents, and young adults in various clinical settings including residential, in-home, outpatient, private practice, primary, secondary, and post-secondary locations. Marcy is extremely passionate about advancing health equity and reducing disparities and disproportionality; this has been a culmination of her life’s work in various clinical, organizational and systems settings.

Marcy has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Fisk University.

CBHL Board Member, President

Fran Silvestri, MBA, recently left the role as founding President and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Leadership Exchange (GLE), formerly the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) and International Initiative for Disability Leadership (IIDL), which he helped organize in 2003. GLE is jointly funded by ten countries, to build partnerships between mental health leaders in order to rapidly exchange knowledge of best and promising practices internationally.

Before his work with GLE (formerly IIMHL), Fran was CEO of Monadnock Family Services (MFS) in Keene, NH. In this role he looked internationally to identify, and then replicate, innovative services that promote recovery and social inclusion for consumers of mental health services. Such services have included the Wyman Way Cooperative, an independent, non-profit corporation managed and operated by consumers of mental health services (based on the Trieste model). He was a founder of a state wide Integrated MH network in New Hampshire owned by six hospitals, 10 MH centers and the largest physician practice in the state.

Through his work with GLE, he has assisted in building international collaborations resulting in the rapid transfer of innovations and creative practices from one country to another.

The unique week long GLE Leadership Exchange is held every two years and is a unique global experience for key MH leaders to meet international colleagues, share knowledge and build partnerships. GLE also has facilitated a series of ongoing collaborations on specific topics and has partnered with the WHO on their Special Initiative working with 10 low and middle income countries to link key national mental health leaders to support developments.

What are CBHL Candid Conversations?
CBHL Candid Conversations provide an informal platform for connecting and networking with other CBHL members, fostering an environment where we can learn from one another’s experiences. Led by a CBHL member or partner, these sessions are designed to facilitate the exchange of valuable leadership insights, skills, and support. Occurring at least once a month, Candid Conversations are open to all CBHL members.

The purpose of CBHL Candid Conversations is to:

Network and Collaborate: Meet and engage with fellow CBHL colleagues in an informal, small group environment that encourages collaboration and the building of meaningful connections

Learn and Innovate: Acquire new skills and exchange fresh ideas with experienced leaders in a supportive and trusting environment, fostering personal and professional growth

Showcase Success: Highlight successful member programs or best and promising practices that demonstrate potential for scaling and broader application.

CBHL Leadership Community | From Burnout to Breakthrough: Hope and Resilience in Behavioral Health Leadership
2025-04-08 13:00 - 14:00
Members-Only

Caring for others during a difficult time can be stressful and overwhelming, but support can be found through connection and community. This final session of our leadership community series on Synergy in Action will explore burnout, supporting each other through community, and finding flexibility and adaptability in ourselves and others. As we wrap up our series, this will be a conversation (50 minutes) on supporting each other through community and connection.

Join our session, From Burnout to Breakthrough: Hope and Resilience Behavioral Health Leadership to learn how to integrate hope and resiliency into the very fabric of mental health workplaces through the powerful concept of “Synergy”. Synergy is the energy that we feel when we just know that healing is happening. According to Dr. Richard Katz, “Synergy is out there. The universe is synergistic. We just haven’t learned to open ourselves to it.”

Tuesday, April 8, 202510:00am PT / 11:00am MT / 12:00pm CT / 1:00pm ET

Register via Zoom

Discussion will include:

increasing understanding about the concept of Synergy and integrating this concept with wellbeing

exemplify taking responsibility for wellness at each level of a mental health system – from clients to the workforce to the system as a whole.

learn how to nurture Synergy in action in our current mental health care systems,

and identify ways we can collectively work towards transforming mental health care towards more Synergistic approaches in each of our contexts.

Participants will be able to ask questions, receive feedback, and support one another to better apply each of the synergy strands on individual, interpersonal, and collective levels in their particular workplace and lives.

Background: In January, CBHL and Stepped Care Solutions hosted an experiential webinar to demonstrate creativity and agency to cultivate a more supportive and effective system for both the workforce and those they serve. This leadership community series was developed as a follow up to that discussion.

Register via Zoom

What is a CBHL Leadership Community?
CBHL Leadership Communities connect leaders, organizations, and systems eager to learn and work across sectors in pursuit of a shared goal.

What is the purpose of a CBHL Leadership Community?
CBHL leadership communities are created based on member interest with a focus on a specific topic or leadership population. They are recurring over a specific period of time and open to all CBHL members.

Encourage organic connections among CBHL members through ongoing collaboration around a shared interest.

To improve knowledge and skills of behavioral health leaders through collaboration, the exchange of ideas, and professional dialogue.

To facilitate informed and collaborative leadership for improved individual, organizational, and community outcomes.

Leadership Community Hosts

Dr. Gillian Berry, Senior Advisor of Culture & Workforce Development

Dr. Gillian Berry is Senior Advisor of Culture & Workforce Development at Stepped Care Solutions. She is a published author and a clinical social worker, with over 35 years of experience as an educator and practitioner. She has overseen the counseling and psychological services at George Washington University, leading a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals through the implementation of the Stepped Care 2.0 approach into their service delivery. She has been a faculty member at the University of Botswana’s Department of Social Work Southern Africa and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Her clinical interests are strongly influenced by her grandfather’s Indigenous philosophy, and she provides short-term solution-focused services/therapy from this perspective.

Dr. Catie Greene, Faculty of Culture & Workforce Development

Catie Greene, PhD, LPC is a counselor educator and supervisor. Catie has worked as a clinician in college counseling centers and group practice, and an educator in Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate programs for over 11 years and joined Stepped Care Solutions as a faculty consultant on synergy, beyond diversity, equity, and inclusion in 2020. Catie’s research and practice is grounded in Relational Cultural Theory.

About Stepped Care Solutions

Stepped Care Solutions (SCS) is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization, and the creators of Stepped Care 2.0 (SC2.0©) – an innovative and transformative model that leverages collaborative efforts and technology to transform mental health and substance use health systems for better access and outcomes. SCS exists to help organizations and communities reframe, rethink, and redesign the delivery of mental health care services.

Bolstered by principles and driven by evidence, SCS collaborates with government, business, health care, and more, to promote and implement an equitable and visionary approach to mental health care, and ensure every individual receives care that is uniquely suited to their needs.

Recommended reading:

Stepped Care 2.0: The Power of Conundrums 1st ed. 2023 Edition

Indigenous Healing Psychology: Honoring the Wisdom of the First Peoples 2017

Synergy, Healing, & Empowerment: Insights from Cultural Diversity

Defining Synergy | Dr. Gillian Berry (video)

Workforce Solutions Jam | Strengthening Workforce Pathways: The Role of Higher Education in Training Future Behavioral Health Professionals
2025-04-15 13:00 - 14:00
Workforce Solutions Jam | Strengthening Workforce Pathways

The Role of Higher Education in Training Future Behavioral Health Professionals

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 | 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am MT / 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ETEvent Length: One Hour

This webinar is hosted as a partnership between the College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL), The National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and Health Management Associates (HMA).

Higher education plays a critical role in preparing the next generation of behavioral health professionals. This session will explore how institutions are adapting to meet workforce demands by modernizing curriculum, expanding access to education and training, and equipping students with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving field. Speakers will share strategies for strengthening education-to-workforce pathways and addressing challenges in workforce preparation to build a more sustainable and prepared behavioral health workforce.

Register Now

Key highlights of this webinar include:

Understand how institutions are adapting to meet workforce demands

Learn strategies for strengthening education-to-workforce pathways

Hear from leaders on what they are seeing in the field

Speaker Information

Dr. Kevin Doyle, EdD, LPC, LSATP is a counselor educator and higher education administrator who was named the President/CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School in January 2022. His career has included over 35 years as a licensed professional counselor, clinical supervisor, and non-profit executive. Prior to joining Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School, he was a professor in the counselor education program at Longwood University (Farmville, VA), where he also served as chair of the Department of Education and Counseling. Dr. Doyle has served multiple terms as a member of counselor licensing boards and has been highly active in the collegiate recovery movement. He has published widely in counseling professional journals and other publications.

Sarah Reives-Houston, is the Director of Behavioral Health Springboard at the UNC School of Social Work. She has a Ph.D. in education psychology from Capella University and is completing her PsyD in clinical psychology and trauma from California Southern University. Dr. Reives-Houston is certified as a family trauma specialist and as a child and adolescent trauma specialist and engages in research and conducts training on recognizing, managing, and mitigating the impacts of trauma on client populations and service providers. Prior to coming to UNC, she was on the faculty at NC Central University, where she taught courses and oversaw research projects and evaluation programs. She has also developed training and curriculum materials on mental health, substance abuse, systems of care for individuals and families.

Cayman Tirado, MA, LCDC, CPS, RYT-200, is the director of the Mental Health and Addiction Studies Program at San Jacinto College. Additionally, she is a board member for INCASE, the International Coalition for Addiction Studies Education.

Cayman has worked in the substance use disorder field since 2004, starting as a prevention specialist for underserved youth. Additional roles include IOP counselor, sober living case manager, and clinical case manager for homeless adults with co-occurring disorders. She is also a certified yoga instructor and is passionate about incorporating this into recovery.

She has been teaching at San Jacinto College since 2015 and has worked for many years to develop a pedagogical approach that supports the current and future health and wellbeing of students going into the behavioral health professions.

Additional speaker information coming soon.

Background

The Workforce Solutions Jam is a monthly webinar to build national momentum and encourage collaboration through the Workforce Solutions Partnership. The partnership is leveraging Collective Impact to address the workforce crisis, and using a cross-sector approach to address the long-standing challenges for expanding and solidifying the behavioral health workforce.

The Workforce Solutions Partnership is the new name for the partnership between the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Health Management Associates and the College for Behavioral Health Leadership. The Center for Workforce Solutions continues to operate as an initiative of the National Council.

CBHL Leadership Community | Equity as a Foundation for Leadership
2025-04-17 15:00 - 16:00
Thursday, April 17, 2025Theme: Engaging in Co-Production and Community Driven Practices12:00 pm PT / 1:00 pm MT / 2:00 pm CT / 3:00 pm ET

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As a leader, are you:

Ready to cultivate an understanding of how inequity is perpetuated by and in behavioral health systems?

Interested in how to practice intersectional allyship?

Curious about integrating data equity frameworks and culturally responsive approaches?

Aware of the importance of engaging in co-production and community-driven practices, but need a little support in doing so?

Prepared to demonstrate transformational leadership to improve communities?

If the answer is yes to any of the above, then this leadership community is for you!

Register Now

Join us together with Ebony Chambers, CBHL’s Director of Equity-Grounded Leadership, at our leadership community – Equity as a Foundation for Leadership – for a bi-monthly leadership community designed for any CBHL member interested in developing their knowledge, skills, and leadership behaviors as an equity-grounded leader. You are encouraged to register and join the full series.

Background: Equity-grounded leadership shifts the focus of leaders towards intersectionality, equity, and anti-racism to drive behavioral health systems transformation. The equity-grounded leadership concept was co-produced with cross-sector behavioral health leaders from around the country, who developed equity-grounded leadership competencies, or Principles of Change. Each of the five Principles is accompanied by the necessary knowledge, values, skills, and operational practice behaviors associated with each principle.

What is a CBHL Leadership Community?

CBHL Leadership Communities connect leaders, organizations, and systems eager to learn and work across sectors in pursuit of a shared goal.

What is the purpose of a CBHL Leadership Community?

Improve knowledge and skills of behavioral health leaders through collaboration, the exchange of ideas, and professional dialogue.

Facilitate informed and collaborative leadership for improved individual, organizational, and community outcomes.

Encourage organic connections among CBHL members through ongoing collaboration around a shared interest.

Register Now

Leadership Community Host

Ebony Chambers is the Director of Equity-Grounded Leadership for The College for Behavioral Health Leadership. In this role, she oversees the delivery, facilitation, content, and progress of the Equity-Grounded Leadership (EGL) Fellow Program.

Ebony has over 18 years of experience working with issues of social justice, equity, education, mental health and diversity.

Candid Conversations with Taina Martinez-Laing, MSW, NYCPS | Rising Together: Empowering Peer Leadership and Community Impact
2025-04-24 14:00 - 15:00
Members-Only

Join us for a one-hour Candid Conversations event exclusively for CBHL members, focused on advancing peer support, advocacy, and leadership. This engaging session is designed to inspire, empower, and connect behavioral health leaders who are dedicated to creating meaningful change in their communities.

Register via Glue Up

Led by Taina Martinez-Laing, MSW, NYCPS, an accomplished peer leader and CBHL board member, this conversation will explore essential strategies for thriving in peer leadership roles that require both professional expertise and deep personal resilience.

Participants will gain valuable insights into sustainable leadership practices tailored to the unique challenges of behavioral health and peer support. The discussion will also cover strategies for navigating systemic change, managing complex systems, and prioritizing self-care as a leader.

This intimate gathering offers CBHL members the opportunity to deepen their commitment to peer leadership, community integration, and professional growth. Through collaborative dialogue, participants will explore how community-centered approaches can strengthen organizations and open pathways for ongoing learning and leadership development.

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Taina Martinez, MSW, NYCPS, has been employed at Baltic Street Wellness Solutions (formerly Baltic Street AEH, Inc.) since 2002 and was appointed as the new CEO as of September 2020. Taina brings over 20 years of peer supervision, advocacy, and vocational services to individuals with mental health and substance use/misuse diagnoses. Taina is passionate about advocacy that addresses equality and service disparities in low socioeconomic communities. She believes in the power of peer specialists and the integration of peer advocates in all areas of recovery and support. Taina often states, “Peer advocacy supports are integral to all social determinants of health! We cannot allow social or health policies to be written without the inclusion of the peer perspective and insight.”

Taina participates on several committees and boards across New York State; she is the Treasurer of the Alliance for Rights and Recovery (formerly New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS)), is President of the New York State Peer Certification Board, is a member of the Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) board, a member of WCNY-IPA, and is a professional participant in developing and overviewing the exam of the MHA National Certified Peer Specialist. Taina graduated from Stony Brook University with her MSW, is a New York State Certified Peer Specialist and is looking forward to pursuing her Ph.D. in researching transgenerational trauma and the links of systematic oppression within the mental health and justice system.

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What are CBHL Candid Conversations?
CBHL Candid Conversations provide an informal platform for connecting and networking with other CBHL members, fostering an environment where we can learn from one another’s experiences. Led by a CBHL member or partner, these sessions are designed to facilitate the exchange of valuable leadership insights, skills, and support. Occurring at least once a month, Candid Conversations are open to all CBHL members.

The purpose of CBHL Candid Conversations is to:

Network and Collaborate: Meet and engage with fellow CBHL colleagues in an informal, small group environment that encourages collaboration and the building of meaningful connections

Learn and Innovate: Acquire new skills and exchange fresh ideas with experienced leaders in a supportive and trusting environment, fostering personal and professional growth

Showcase Success: Highlight successful member programs or best and promising practices that demonstrate potential for scaling and broader application.

Virtual Networking Chat and Member Meet & Greet
2025-05-06 13:00 - 14:00
Join us for an exciting virtual networking opportunity exclusively for CBHL members on Tuesday, May 6, at 10:00 am PT / 1:00pm ET!

Connect with fellow behavioral health leaders in a relaxed online environment where you can expand your network, share insights, and discover potential collaborations.

This interactive session provides the perfect platform to meet new faces, reconnect with colleagues, and exchange ideas that can benefit your CBHL membership journey. We look forward to seeing you there!

Register via Glue Up

CBHL Members: If you have not yet activated your member account in Glue Up, don’t worry – register for the event using the same email associated with your CBHL membership and it will guide you through the process! Contact Chelsey Gutierrez cgutierrez@leaders4health.org if you have any questions.

Webinar | Reorganization, Rescission, & Budget Resolutions: A Federal Policy Update on Behavioral Health
2025-05-12 11:00 - 12:00
Monday, May 12, 2025

11:00 am PT / 12:00 pm MT / 1:00 pm CT / 2:00 pm ET

This event is open to all!

This timely webinar offers behavioral health professionals, administrators, and advocates a comprehensive update on recent federal policy changes affecting mental health and substance use disorder services.

Learn More & Register

Jonah Cunningham, President and CEO of National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD) will provide context and background on current policy developments on the federal level including budget rescissions, the proposed restructuring of key agencies, and legislative actions that impact behavioral health funding and service delivery. Attendees will be given timely information on how recent policy developments may affect their organizations and communities as well as resources for engagement.

Key Outcome:

Policy Navigation Framework: Participants will receive a clear understanding of recent federal budget resolutions, rescission measures, and reorganization efforts affecting behavioral health programs, with specific attention to funding streams, reporting requirements, and compliance timelines.

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Speaker Information

Jonah C. Cunningham currently serves as President and CEO of the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD). In this role he proactively advocates for national policies that recognize and support the critical role counties play in caring for people affected by mental illness, addiction, and developmental disabilities. In this capacity he also serves as Executive Director of the National Association for Rural Mental Health.

Prior to joining NACBHDD, Jonah worked at Trust for America’s Health, a public health think tank, where he focused extensively on ways to reduce mortality from substance misuse and suicide.  Additionally, he worked as a congressional staffer for several years in the office of Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (CA) where he helped to reestablish the Congressional Mental Health Caucus and created a Suicide Prevention Task Force within the Caucus.

Jonah C. Cunningham has received numerous awards and recognition for his commitment to the field of behavioral health and those served by the nation’s behavioral health system. Jonah has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Utah and a Master of Public Policy from The George Washington University.  In his free time, he enjoys learning how to cook and is an avid Jiu-Jitsu practitioner.

CBHL Leadership Community | Equity as a Foundation for Leadership
2025-05-15 15:00 - 16:00
Thursday, May 15, 2025Theme: Demonstrating Transformational Leadership to Improve Communities 12:00 pm PT / 1:00 pm MT / 2:00 pm CT / 3:00 pm ET

Register Now

As a leader, are you:

Ready to cultivate an understanding of how inequity is perpetuated by and in behavioral health systems?

Interested in how to practice intersectional allyship?

Curious about integrating data equity frameworks and culturally responsive approaches?

Aware of the importance of engaging in co-production and community-driven practices, but need a little support in doing so?

Prepared to demonstrate transformational leadership to improve communities?

If the answer is yes to any of the above, then this leadership community is for you!

Register Now

Join us together with Ebony Chambers, CBHL’s Director of Equity-Grounded Leadership, at our leadership community – Equity as a Foundation for Leadership – for a bi-monthly leadership community designed for any CBHL member interested in developing their knowledge, skills, and leadership behaviors as an equity-grounded leader. You are encouraged to register and join the full series.

Background: Equity-grounded leadership shifts the focus of leaders towards intersectionality, equity, and anti-racism to drive behavioral health systems transformation. The equity-grounded leadership concept was co-produced with cross-sector behavioral health leaders from around the country, who developed equity-grounded leadership competencies, or Principles of Change. Each of the five Principles is accompanied by the necessary knowledge, values, skills, and operational practice behaviors associated with each principle.

What is a CBHL Leadership Community?

CBHL Leadership Communities connect leaders, organizations, and systems eager to learn and work across sectors in pursuit of a shared goal.

What is the purpose of a CBHL Leadership Community?

Improve knowledge and skills of behavioral health leaders through collaboration, the exchange of ideas, and professional dialogue.

Facilitate informed and collaborative leadership for improved individual, organizational, and community outcomes.

Encourage organic connections among CBHL members through ongoing collaboration around a shared interest.

Register Now

Leadership Community Host

Ebony Chambers is the Director of Equity-Grounded Leadership for The College for Behavioral Health Leadership. In this role, she oversees the delivery, facilitation, content, and progress of the Equity-Grounded Leadership (EGL) Fellow Program.

Ebony has over 18 years of experience working with issues of social justice, equity, education, mental health and diversity.

Workforce Solutions Jam | Solving Together: Celebrating Year One of Workforce Solutions Jams
2025-05-20 13:00 - 14:00
Workforce Solutions Jam | Solving Together: Celebrating Year One of Workforce Solutions Jams

Tuesday, May 20, 2025 | 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am MT / 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ETEvent Length: One Hour

This webinar is hosted as a partnership between the College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL), The National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and Health Management Associates (HMA).

Join us for an inspirational webinar as we mark the first anniversary of our Workforce Solutions Jams! In this milestone event hear from our three partner organizations on their reflections over the last year and what’s ahead. Come connect with cross-sector organizations and change-makers to reflect on a year of collaborative problem-solving and innovation.

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What to Expect:

A retrospective of key takeaways and recurring themes from our Jam sessions

Stories from organizations that are implementing meaningful changes based on Jam insights

Introduction of exciting new opportunities for engagement and collaboration

Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or are curious about joining our community, this webinar offers valuable perspectives on addressing behavioral health workforce challenges through collective intelligence and shared experience.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with peers, celebrate our achievements, and discover new ways to participate in shaping the future of behavioral health workforce solutions.

Join us on Tuesday, May 20 for our next Workforce Solutions Jam! The Workforce Solutions Jam is a monthly webinar to build national momentum and encourage collaboration through the Workforce Solutions Partnership.

Register Now

Resources and Links

Crosswalk of 400 recommendations on behavioral health workforce

Call to Action

Previous Jam Recordings

Speaker Information

Mary Beth Fessler LPCC, LADC has been working in the field of substance use disorders and mental health since 2008. She obtained her Masters Degree from the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies and is dually licensed as a LADC and LPCC. She has had a strong passion for working with women since 2010 when she started working at Wayside House. Mary Beth spent 6 years working with mental health residential programs (IRTS) and also has experience in case management services. Her areas of interest include secondary trauma, work-life balance, infertility, and leadership development. When not working, Mary Beth spends time with her husband, Branden, Daughter, Sloane and yorkies, Indy & Koda. She is a huge NFL fan, a MN Vikings season ticket holder, and is in a couple’s bowling league. Mary Beth is a new mom and thrilled to again be working with women and families.

The Workforce Solutions Jam provides an opportunity to:

Learn innovative new practices

Stay informed about ongoing efforts

Engage with subject matter experts

Hear about new legislation and/or federal workforce efforts

Take action!

Background

The Workforce Solutions Jam is a monthly webinar to build national momentum and encourage collaboration through the Workforce Solutions Partnership. The partnership is leveraging Collective Impact to address the workforce crisis, and using a cross-sector approach to address the long-standing challenges for expanding and solidifying the behavioral health workforce.

The Workforce Solutions Partnership is the new name for the partnership between the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Health Management Associates and the College for Behavioral Health Leadership. The Center for Workforce Solutions continues to operate as an initiative of the National Council.

Using Force Field Analysis to Assist in Strategic Directions
2025-05-22 13:00 - 14:00
Thursday, May 22, 202510am PT / 11am MT / 12pm CT / 1pm ET

Complimentary for CBHL Members$50 for Non-CBHL Members

Learn More & Register

In today’s rapidly changing landscape, successfully implementing innovations and strategic initiatives requires more than just good ideas—it demands a keen understanding of the forces that will help or hinder your success. This practical webinar introduces participants to an adapted approach to Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Analysis, a powerful diagnostic tool that helps leaders objectively assess the driving and restraining forces affecting their strategic directions.

Whether you’re launching a new project, implementing organizational change, or advancing an innovative idea, understanding the human dynamics at play can mean the difference between success and failure. Through real-world examples and interactive exercises, you’ll learn how to systematically map out the individuals and factors supporting or opposing your initiatives, allowing you to develop more effective implementation strategies.

Key Learning Objectives

Become familiar with an adapted approach to Lewin’s Force Field Analysis and how it can be applied to modern organizational challenges

Learn how to use Force Field Analysis to objectively identify and assess who supports or opposes your innovations or projects—and more importantly, understand their motivations

Receive a comprehensive outline template for conducting your own Force Field Analysis, enabling immediate application to your current strategic initiatives

Who Should Attend

This webinar is ideal for executives, managers, project leaders, change agents, and anyone responsible for implementing strategic initiatives or driving innovation within their organization.

Learn More & Register

Meet the Speaker

Fran Silvestri, MBA, recently left the role as founding President and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Leadership Exchange (GLE), formerly the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) and International Initiative for Disability Leadership (IIDL), which he helped organize in 2003. GLE is jointly funded by ten countries, to build partnerships between mental health leaders in order to rapidly exchange knowledge of best and promising practices internationally.Before his work with GLE (formerly IIMHL), Fran was CEO of Monadnock Family Services (MFS) in Keene, NH. In this role he looked internationally to identify, and then replicate, innovative services that promote recovery and social inclusion for consumers of mental health services.

Such services have included the Wyman Way Cooperative, an independent, non-profit corporation managed and operated by consumers of mental health services (based on the Trieste model). He was a founder of a state wide Integrated MH network in New Hampshire owned by six hospitals, 10 MH centers and the largest physician practice in the state.Through his work with GLE, he has assisted in building international collaborations resulting in the rapid transfer of innovations and creative practices from one country to another.The unique week long GLE Leadership Exchange is held every two years and is a unique global experience for key MH leaders to meet international colleagues, share knowledge and build partnerships. GLE also has facilitated a series of ongoing collaborations on specific topics and has partnered with the WHO on their Special Initiative working with 10 low and middle income countries to link key national mental health leaders to support developments.

CBHL Leadership Community | Supporting the Uptake of Behavioral Health Apps and Technology
2025-06-05 14:00 - 15:15
11:00 am PT / 12:00 pm MT / 1:00 pm CT / 2:00 pm ET

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Are you grappling with how to address unmet or undermet needs among specific population groups in your community or organization?

Have you considered the possibility of integrating behavioral health apps or new technologies into services?

Do you feel stuck by how to choose the right technology, or how to implement successfully?

The increasing demand for behavioral health services, coupled with challenges in the workforce, creates a compelling reason to take a closer look at forward-thinking solutions. Behavioral health apps and other technologies have the potential to supplement existing services by increasing access and engagement among specific communities or population groups. This quarterly CBHL Leadership Community series is designed for any CBHL member interested in the successful integration of behavioral health apps and technology as a complement to existing practices. You are encouraged to register and join the full series.

Background:

Significant interest in our November 2023 webinar, Revolutionizing Behavioral Health: The Role of Behavioral Health Apps in Addressing the Workforce Crisis, sparked a follow up roundtable dialogue where CBHL members delved into the potential of behavioral health apps as a transformative technology supporting both mental and physical wellbeing. Participants explored challenges faced by organizations in determining how to select the right technology, considerations for how to implement as a complement to existing services, and additional support members might need to feel more informed and better equipped to successfully integrate behavioral health apps and technology into existing practices.

What is a CBHL Leadership Community?

CBHL Leadership Communities connect leaders, organizations, and systems eager to learn and work across sectors in pursuit of a shared goal.

What is the purpose of a CBHL Leadership Community?

CBHL leadership communities are created based on member interest with a focus on a specific topic or leadership population. They are recurring over a specific period of time and open to all CBHL members.

To improve knowledge and skills of behavioral health leaders through collaboration, the exchange of ideas, and professional dialogue.

To facilitate informed and collaborative leadership for improved individual, organizational, and community outcomes.

Encourage organic connections among CBHL members through ongoing collaboration around a shared interest.

Guest Speakers

Dr. Mohr received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona. He was on the faculty at the University of California, San Francisco from 1994 to 2006, when he moved to join the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University. He is the founder and director of the Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies (CBITs). Dr. Mohr has been elected as a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and of the Society for Behavioral Medicine.

Dr. Mohr’s work focuses on the design and implementation of digital mental health treatments that fit into the fabric of people’s lives and can be sustainably implemented in real-world settings. His research integrates user centered design processes to incorporate stakeholder input into the creation and evaluation of digital mental health services. He is also examining methods of harnessing sensor data from devices such as smartphones to identify behaviors, states, and environmental conditions, and using these to design digital mental health tools that are more effective and easier for people to use.

Stephen Schueller, PhD is a Professor of Psychological Science and Informatics at the University of California, Irvine. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Riverside, his PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco as part of the Public Health and Minority Cluster at San Francisco General Hospital.  As a clinical psychologist and mental health services researcher, Dr. Schueller’s work focuses on how technology can improve mental health services by expanding access and improving accessibility. This includes the development, evaluation, and implementation of digital mental health treatments in diverse settings and populations.  At UCI, he directs the Technology and Mental Health (TEAM) Lab, is the Director of the Dissemination and Implementation Unit for the Institute of Clinical and Translation Science and is a member of UCI’s Connected Learning Lab and the Jacobs CERES Center.

Leadership Community Hosts

Dr. Gastfriend is an addiction psychiatrist. At Harvard Medical School, he directed addiction research at Massachusetts General Hospital and was an investigator in the NIDA Cocaine Collaborative Study, NIAAA’s COMBINE Study and NIDA’s Clinical Trials Network. As Vice President at Alkermes, Inc., he directed scientific publications on Vivitrol in clinical, criminal justice and health economics research.

His research led most states to endorse the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Criteria. His 150 scientific publications include the books The ASAM Criteria and Addiction Treatment Matching. His ASAM CONTINUUM – The ASAM Criteria Decision Engine ® and ASAM’s CO-Triage ® tools are being adopted nationwide.

In 2016, he co-founded DynamiCare Health, a nationally-scalable technology for Contingency Management and predictive analytics, winning awards from HarvardBusiness School, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Governor of Ohio, and the New York Times. He has consulted to governments in Belgium, China, Iceland, Israel, Norway, Russia and the U.S.

Garrett E. Moran, Ph.D., serves as the the Principal Investigator for the Academy for Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care, a program sponsored by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and served as Project Director of the Academy from 2010 until 2018. He is deeply committed to advancing holistic, person-centered health care. Dr. Moran retired in 2021 from his role as the Associate Director of Services and Policy Innovation in the Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute, and Professor in the School of Public Health and the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at West Virginia University (WVU). Before coming to WVU he was a Vice President and Associate Director at Westat where he worked for 29 years.

Dr. Moran has more than 50 years of experience in public policy, program evaluation, research, and management. His career has included key leadership roles on projects for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), as well as consulting roles with states working on health reform and care integration. His major areas of substantive expertise include integrated healthcare delivery, health care financing, health information technology, and program evaluation. Dr. Moran directed the consultant support and writing contract for the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in the early 2000s, and subsequently served as an Advisor and Consultant to the States of Maryland and Ohio as they developed mental health transformation plans.

Candid Conversations with Sean Fitzpatrick, PhD, LPC | Leading with (Self) Compassion
2025-06-11 13:00 - 14:00
Wednesday, June 1110:00am PT / 11:00am MT / 12:00pm CT / 1:00 pm ET

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This conversation is for CBHL members.

Join Sean Fitzpatrick, PhD, LPC, executive director of The Jung Center in Houston, for this candid conversation about the limits of self-care and the work of leading with compassion when our organizations are in crisis.

What are CBHL Candid Conversations?
CBHL Candid Conversations provide an informal platform for connecting and networking with other CBHL members, fostering an environment where we can learn from one another’s experiences. Led by a CBHL member or partner, these sessions are designed to facilitate the exchange of valuable leadership insights, skills, and support. Occurring at least once a month, Candid Conversations are open to all CBHL members.

The purpose of CBHL Candid Conversations is to:

Network and Collaborate: Meet and engage with fellow CBHL colleagues in an informal, small group environment that encourages collaboration and the building of meaningful connections

Learn and Innovate: Acquire new skills and exchange fresh ideas with experienced leaders in a supportive and trusting environment, fostering personal and professional growth

Showcase Success: Highlight successful member programs or best and promising practices that demonstrate potential for scaling and broader application.

Workforce Solutions Jam | Skilling Up the Behavioral Health Workforce: Practical Solutions from Higher Education
2025-06-17 13:00 - 14:00
Workforce Solutions Jam | Skilling Up the Behavioral Health Workforce: Practical Solutions from Higher Education

Tuesday, June 17, 2025 | 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am MT / 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ETEvent Length: One Hour

This webinar is hosted as a partnership between the College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL), The National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and Health Management Associates (HMA).

Register Now

The urgency of preparing current professionals to meet this growing need has never been greater. Substantial shortages are projected across key roles—including mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, addiction counselors, and social workers—by 20371. These shortages are driven not only by increased demand, but also by burnout, limited scopes of practice, and gaps in ongoing training.

This month’s Workforce Solutions Jam will build on April’s conversation, and spotlight how higher education institutions are innovating to close workforce readiness gaps and ensure that current professionals are equipped, supported, and retained to meet increasingly complex care needs.

Panelists from leading universities will share real-world examples of how they are aligning academic programs with workforce realities, expanding access to continuing education, and partnering with employers to strengthen the behavioral health pipeline.

Key highlights of this webinar include:

Explore strategies for upskilling existing professionals to meet emerging and evolving demands in behavioral health care.

Understand how academic programs are partnering with employers to align training with real-world needs and expectations.

Learn about innovative models for continuing education and professional development that support retention and career growth.

1National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. (2024, November). Projecting health workforce supply and demand. Health Resources and Services Administration. https://bhw.hrsa.gov/data-research/projecting-health-workforce-supply-demand

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Speaker Information

Dr. Teresa Garate is an experienced and innovative leader with over 35 years of experience leading systems change, innovation and growth in the complex environments of public health, healthcare, public education, higher education and government. As a public health and education expert, Dr. Garate serves as subject matter expert on topics ranging from strategy development to operations and program evaluation and design. Dr. Garate has extensive experience in public health, behavioral health, substance use disorders and addiction treatment, school-based health services, and hospital and health systems

In addition to many leadership roles in the field of behavioral health, substance use disorder and addiction treatment, Dr. Garate also holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Disability and Human Development (DHD) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in the College of Education, Department of Psychology and DHD. She has served as a guest lecturer for various universities and is the Vice Chair of the Illinois Community College Board. Over the years she has mentored and supported numerous students in pursuit of education, public health, healthcare and behavioral health fields. She was a key contributor to the IL Behavioral Healthcare Workforce Shortage Task Force that resulted in the creation of a Behavioral Healthcare Workforce Center.

Most recently, she was the executive vice president of strategy, development and growth, with Rogers Behavioral Health System, where she led the development of a multi-disciplinary division, encompassing government relations, national policy, payor contracting, marketing, communications, business development and real estate development. Teresa launched the organization’s first national, state and local government relations strategy, restructured the business development department to pursue strategic sales and positioned the organization for national advocacy through national alliances and campaigns.

Teresa also served as senior vice president of strategic partnerships and engagement for the Gateway Foundation, a national non-profit serving people with substance use disorders in nine states. She led the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, leveraging local and state partnerships, acquiring PPE, ensuring timely delivery of vaccinations and securing over $25 million in state and federal grants over five years.

Teresa was an Illinois state officer in Governor Pat Quinn’s cabinet, serving as the assistant director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. As a senate confirmed appointee, she was responsible for managing all of the agency’s day-to-day operations, including providing guidance and oversight for the state’s 96 local health departments serving 102 counties. She assumed the lead position on developing Medicaid initiatives and healthcare regulations, including navigating the impact on hospitals and long-term care facilities, and drove the completion of a legislatively mandated state health improvement plan. Prior to this, Teresa was chief of staff for the Chicago Public Schools’ Office of Specialized Services, leading school redesign, strategic district-wide initiatives, and public information initiatives focused on special education, juvenile justice, and disability access.

Teresa earned her Doctor of Philosophy and her Master of Education in special education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She earned her bachelors’ degrees in applied psychology and special education from Loyola University of Chicago.

Nishanna Ramoutar, LCSW, MS.Ed., is a clinical social work leader with over 15 years of experience, specializing in trauma-informed infant mental health and child welfare. As Senior Learning Specialist at The Jewish Board, she oversees the Social Work Residency Program, managing curriculum development, training, and integrating evidence-based practices in outpatient mental health settings across New York City. As an adjunct professor at the Silberman School of Social Work and Erikson Institute, she supports early-career social workers and infant mental health specialists by cultivating critical thinking, self-awareness, and a practice centered on the liberation of marginalized communities, fostering collective healing through culturally responsive, community-focused work. A passionate advocate for infant mental health, she contributes to the professional development of early childhood practitioners through initiatives like the Irving Harris Foundation’s Professional Development Network and her involvement in various IMH and social work associations. Nishanna received her MSW from the Silberman School of Social Work and her MS Ed from Bank Street College of Education. She also holds a postgraduate certificate in Infant Mental Health and Trauma from Adelphi University.

Dr. Alina Perez, Dean of the College of Allied Health at Walden University. Dr. Perez holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and is a licensed psychologist practicing in Florida. Alongside her leadership work, she remains deeply connected to clinical practice, providing psychological assessment and psychotherapy to a wide range of adult clients.

But what truly sets Dr. Perez apart is her impressive professional background—her commitment to mentorship, her ability to lead with empathy, and her passion for cultivating growth, both in others and within herself.

Background

The Workforce Solutions Jam is a monthly webinar to build national momentum and encourage collaboration through the Workforce Solutions Partnership. The partnership is leveraging Collective Impact to address the workforce crisis, and using a cross-sector approach to address the long-standing challenges for expanding and solidifying the behavioral health workforce.

The Workforce Solutions Partnership is the new name for the partnership between the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Health Management Associates and the College for Behavioral Health Leadership. The Center for Workforce Solutions continues to operate as an initiative of the National Council.

Workforce Solutions Jam | A Global Perspective: International Innovation in Workforce Development and Lessons Learned on Scaling
2025-07-15 13:00 - 14:00
Workforce Solutions Jam | A Global Perspective: International Innovation in Workforce Development and Lessons Learned on Scaling

Tuesday, July 15, 2025 | 10:00 am PT / 11:00 am MT / 12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ETEvent Length: One Hour

This webinar is hosted as a partnership between the College for Behavioral Health Leadership (CBHL), The National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and Health Management Associates (HMA).

The workforce crisis in the United States is not distinct from similar challenges around the world. Although some of the challenges and solutions may appear different, there are core consistencies. Within international efforts to address shortages and expand the workforce, there are fresh and bold ideas that can inform the strategy in the United States.

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The month’s Workforce Solutions Jam will provide an opportunity to learn from partners around the world. The Global Leadership Exchange will join us to discuss their role in convening international partners and expanding ideas in behavioral health. We will discuss global trends in the behavioral health workforce and discuss nuances in how countries address these challenges. Our panel will describe examples of workforce development efforts including expanding the non-traditional workforce to improve representation of communities and building programs specifically aimed to improve relationships and align care with local community culture.

Speaker Information

Steve Appleton, President and CEO, Global Leadership Exchange

Steve has been in post since January 2022, having previously worked as the European Regional Lead between 2019-2022 and UK Liaison between 2017-2019.

Prior to this, Steve was Managing Director of a consultancy and research practice specialising in work relating to mental health, housing, disability and older age.

Steve originally trained as a social worker. He held several practice posts and operational management roles in local government and then worked as a senior manager in a regional agency of the English National Health Service, leading on mental health strategy and performance. He has worked nationally and internationally on population based mental health improvement programs in cities and urban regions.

He is the author of a range of UK national guidance and best practice and has played a leading role in population based mental health initiatives in cities across the UK and beyond.

Alongside his role with GLE Steve also serves as Chair of the Board of the Association of Mental Health Providers in England and Wales, and Chair of the Board of Beacon CHC. He is a member of the Global Leadership Council of eMHIC and a Global Advisor to the Coalition for Mental Health Investment. Steve is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Manase Lua BA, MA (Hons)

Pacific Lead (GLE) & Pacific Equity Lead (WISE Group)

Manase has worked in Government for ten years at the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs 1996-2001 and Ministry of Health in the Disability Services Directorate 2002-2008. He has also worked in the NGO sector in different roles including as senior manager for almost twenty years. He is the Pacific Equity Lead for the WISE Group and supports the CE’s and teams at Le Va and Te Pou with their extensive programs, especially the Pacific regional networks and international initiatives like the Pacific Behavioural Health Collaborating Council (PBHCC) of the US Administered Pacific Territories. He is also the Pacific Lead for the Global Leadership Exchange (GLE).

Annelotte Pleij works as a specialised mental health nurse in one of the self steering teams in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, within BuurtzorgT. BuurzorgT is an organisation that provides specialised psychiatric treatment at the homes of their patients.

Annelotte has worked in several mental health institutions. Although she always loved working with patients, she didn’t like the hierarchical systems of these institutions. Since working as a community mental health nurse within BuurtzorgT she finds she can shape her work the way she thinks is needed.

Annelotte got her post bachelor degree in social psychiatric nursing, which helped her understand psychiatric problems in a wider perspective. She incorporates the context into the treatment. A ‘disease’ or ‘disorder’ never stands alone.

Annelotte is passionate about her work, about changing mental health institutions to work in a different way. As a project developer and Steward (elected board member) within BuurtzorgT she helps organizations worldwide to make the transition to a more equal, non horizontal way of working that gives more autonomy and joy.

Sean Russell is the COO and European Lead for Global Leadership Exchange. He has over 30 years of senior leadership experience within the public, private and charity sectors.

Over the last 15 years, Sean has been a senior Police Officer with specialty in public protection, the Implementation Director that led the development and implementation of the Mental Health Commission Action plan in the West Midlands, England. He was the founder of Thrive at Work and led the regional response to implementing Thrive into Work to support people living with mental health and or a disability into good work. Until recently, Sean Russell was the Principal Investigator for the Midlands Engine Mental Health and Productivity Pilot, a government funded research programme reaching over 800,000 employees across the English Midlands Region. The ambition of the programme was to reduce the burden of mental ill health, improve people’s lives, and encourage healthier more productive communities through community and workplace wellbeing. Sean holds a Public Service MBA, Diploma in Forensic Mental Health and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He was recently awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list for his services to Mental Health. He also works as an Associate Professor at Warwick University Medical School with a research portfolio investigating the employer’s and employees’ responses to workplace wellbeing initiatives.

Sean lives in Stratford upon Avon, England and is a keen amateur cook. In his spare time, Sean enjoys walking and planning his ambition to run a small coffeeshop / bookshop to help reduce social isolation!

Kirsten Windfuhr, Ph.D., M.A.Associate Director – Insight, Analytics and DevelopmentNHS Benchmarking Network, UK

Kirsten has over 25 years’ experience in healthcare research, improvement and commissioning, with specialist knowledge in mental health services. Having joined the NHS Benchmarking Network in 2021, Kirsten led the team delivering a UK wide and international portfolio of work across mental health, learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder services. In 2024 Kirsten took on a business-wide role with a focus on developing strategic partnerships, engaging with senior system leaders and stakeholders, leveraging and creating market insights to drive innovation, and working with cross-functional teams to deliver solutions to meet the changing needs of organisations in a challenging healthcare landscape.

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Background

The Workforce Solutions Jam is a monthly webinar to build national momentum and encourage collaboration through the Workforce Solutions Partnership. The partnership is leveraging Collective Impact to address the workforce crisis, and using a cross-sector approach to address the long-standing challenges for expanding and solidifying the behavioral health workforce.

The Workforce Solutions Partnership is the new name for the partnership between the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Health Management Associates and the College for Behavioral Health Leadership. The Center for Workforce Solutions continues to operate as an initiative of the National Council.

Webinar | Staying the Course: Expanding Access to Behavioral Health Support for All
2025-07-16 11:00 - 12:00
Wednesday, July 16, 2025

8:00 am PT / 9:00 am MT / 10:00 am CT / 11:00 am ET

This event is open to all!

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Everyone should have the opportunity to access the behavioral health care and support they need to thrive. Yet, in many communities, access remains unevenly shaped by geography, stigma, and policy barriers. For national organizations and those working in community settings that are underserved or under resourced, advancing this work requires clarity, adaptability, and a shared commitment to fairness. This webinar will highlight actionable strategies to strengthen behavioral health programs, build trust across diverse communities, and communicate shared values that keep people at the center, no matter the setting.

Meet the Presenters

Vic Armstrong, MSWVice President for Health Equity and Engagement, American Foundation for Suicide PreventionCBHL Board Member

Victor Armstrong serves as Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In addition, he is the National Director of Soul Shop for Black Churches, a workshop that teaches faith leaders how to minister to congregants that may be dealing with suicidal desperation. Victor previously served as Chief Health Equity Officer for North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services, with responsibility for leading the overarching strategy and operational goals to promote health equity, diversity, and inclusion across all the agency’s health and human services. Victor has also served as ‪Director of the NC Division of Mental Health, with responsibility and oversight of the public community-based mental health, intellectual and other developmental disabilities, substance use, and traumatic brain injury system in North Carolina. Prior to his NC state government roles, Victor spent six years as Vice President of Behavioral Health with Atrium Health. ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Victor has over 30 years of experience in human services, primarily dedicated to building and strengthening community resources to serve individuals who have been historically marginalized. ‬‬‬‬He is a nationally recognized speaker on issues regarding health equity and access to healthcare, particularly as it relates to individuals living with mental health challenges.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Victor currently serves on the steering committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. He also serves on the Board of Directors for RI International as well as the Board of Directors for I2I Center for integrative health. He is a member of the Board of Advisors for East Carolina University School of Social Work and is the host of the “Strong Talk” podcast.

Victor’s awards and recognitions include:

Living Waters Annual Mental Health Summit 2022 “Lifetime Mental Health Champion” Award

National Association of Social Workers North Carolina (NASW-NC) 2022 Social Worker of the Year

Addiction Professionals of NC (APNC) 2021 DEI Leadership & Impact Award

Mental Health America’s 2021 H. Keith Brunnemer, Jr. Award for “Outstanding Mental Health Leadership”

Black Mental Health Symposium 2019 Mental Health Advocate of the Year

East Carolina University School of Social Work 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) NC, 2012 Mental Health Professional of the Year

Victor graduated, Magna Cum Laude, from North Carolina Central University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and received his MSW from East Carolina University. He is the husband of Dr. Charletta Armstrong and the father of three sons, Carter, Alonzo, and Victor Jr.

Arthur C. Evans, Jr., Ph.D.CEO of American Psychological Association

Described as a visionary and transformational leader, policymaker and health care innovator, Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, is CEO of the American Psychological Association, the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. Evans previously served in public policy positions in Philadelphia and Connecticut, where he led the transformation of their behavioral health systems and their approaches to serving a wide range of individuals with complex needs. Evans has employed science, research, community activism, spirituality, traditional clinical care, policy and cross-system collaborations to change the status quo around behavioral health. He has held faculty appointments at Yale University’s and the University of Pennsylvania’s Schools of Medicine, and is the author or co-author of over 60 peer-reviewed research articles, chapters, reviews and editorials. Over the years Evans has received national and international recognition, including prestigious awards in government, healthcare service, visionary leadership, actionable advocacy, equity and social justice.

Moderator

Marcy Melvin, MASenior Vice President of Clinical Policy and Deputy Director of The Hackett Center for Mental Health at Meadows Mental Health Policy InstituteCBHL Board President-Elect

Marcy Melvin is a pivotal executive with over 25 years of experience in behavioral health policy, training, and clinical practice. As a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas her experience includes providing direct clinical and supervisory services to children, youth, parents, and young adults in various clinical settings including residential, in-home, outpatient, private practice, primary, secondary, and post-secondary locations. Marcy is extremely passionate about advancing health equity and reducing disparities and disproportionality; this has been a culmination of her life’s work in various clinical, organizational and systems settings.

Marcy has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Fisk University.

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Webinar | Zero Overdose in Action: How Partnerships Drive Prevention
2025-07-22 16:00 - 17:00
Tuesday, July 22, 2025

1:00 pm PT / 2:00 pm MT / 3:00 pm CT / 4:00 pm ET

This event is open to all!

Join us for an engaging session with Zero Overdose, a national nonprofit dedicated to preventing overdose events by expanding access to overdose safety planning and education for individuals and communities at work.

Learn More & Register

This webinar will explore:

Who we are: An overview of Zero Overdose’s mission, values, and work

Why it matters: The critical role of overdose safety planning in saving lives

How we can work together: Concrete partnership opportunities for organizations, systems, and individuals looking to make an impact

Whether you’re a service provider, policymaker, advocate, or systems leader, this session will offer insights into how you can align with the Zero Overdose framework to enhance your response to the overdose crisis.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series.

Part 2 will be a more intimate, members-only conversation focused on overdose safety planning in practice — a space for deeper discussion, reflection, and shared learning. Join us on Friday, August 15th at 10am PT / 1pm ET for Part 2: A Transformational Discussion with Zero Overdose: Overdose Safety Planning.

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Speaker Information

Virna Little, PsyD, LCSW-R, MBA, CCM, SAPCo-Founder and CEO of Zero Overdose

Dr. Virna Little is a distinguished leader in behavioral health integration. She is the co-founder of Concert Health, a behavioral health medical group which provides Collaborative Care to organizations across 21 states. Dr. Little is also the Co-Founder and CEO of Zero Overdose, a national non-profit focused on overdose safety planning to reduce unintentional overdose events and deaths. Dr. Little has served as a member of the national Zero Suicide faculty and a consultant who was fostered the development of integrated delivery systtems nationally in all 50 states and internationally. Dr. Little holds a Doctoral degree in Psychology, and a Master’s in Social Work. A nationally and internationally recognized speaker, Dr. Little has presented on suicide prevention strategies at the White House . She has received numerous awards for her work in integrating primary care and behavioral health and serves on multiple boards.

Jorge Petit, MDStrategy and Development Advisor at Zero Overdose

Jorge R. Petit, MD is a board-certified Adult, Community, and Public Psychiatrist and seasoned healthcare executive with over 30 years of experience driving innovation and transformation across behavioral health and human services systems, with a focus on marginalized and vulnerable populations.

He is the Founder and CEO of Quality Healthcare Solutions (QHS), a consulting and advisory firm supporting healthcare systems, community-based organizations, emerging tech start-ups, and regulators. QHS specializes in strategic planning, board and C-suite leadership, workforce development (including DEIBA), data and quality improvement, and integrated care initiatives such as Crisis Services and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). Dr. Petit is a nationally recognized thought leader, speaker, author, and bilingual/bicultural advocate for behavioral health equity.

Dr. Petit serves as Strategic and Development Advisor to Zero Overdose, Chief Clinical Advisor to Cantata Health Solutions, and Clinical Advisor to Emotivo Health, Metta Health, and Verity Health. He also serves on several national boards and advisory groups, including SAMHSA’s CSAT National Advisory Council, Cantata Health Solutions, Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC), and Mental Health News Education (MHNE). He is a member of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry’s Committee on Psychiatric Administration & Leadership, United Hospital Fund’s Health Policy Forum, and the Medical Director Institute of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

He has held executive leadership roles across government, managed care, hospital systems, and community-based organizations. Dr. Petit is the author of Handbook of Emergency Psychiatry and The Seven Beliefs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Help Latinas Recognize and Overcome Depression. He has been recognized with numerous honors, including the 2023 Marquis Who’s Who Honoree, Crain’s 2022 Notable LGBTQ Leader, City & State NY’s 2022 Nonprofit Power 100, and Responsible 100.

Summer Member Networking Chat
2025-08-04 16:30 - 17:30
Join us for an exciting virtual networking opportunity exclusively for CBHL members on Monday, August 4, at 1:30 pm PT / 4:30pm ET!

Connect with fellow behavioral health leaders in a relaxed online environment where you can expand your network, share insights, and discover potential collaborations.

This interactive session provides the perfect platform to meet new faces, reconnect with colleagues, and exchange ideas that can benefit your CBHL membership journey. We look forward to seeing you there!

Register via Glue Up

CBHL Members: If you have not yet activated your member account in Glue Up, don’t worry – register for the event using the same email associated with your CBHL membership and it will guide you through the process! Contact Chelsey Gutierrez cgutierrez@leaders4health.org if you have any questions.

Candid Conversations with Emily Derecktor | Redefining Recovery
2025-08-07 15:00 - 16:00
Members-Only

Join us for a special Candid Conversations session featuring Emily Derecktor, founder of Cereal For Dinner (CFD)—a peer-led, community-centered organization redefining how we support mental health and recovery. In this session, Emily will share the origin and evolution of CFD, explore its unique, low-barrier model, and discuss how this approach fosters belonging, mutuality, and sustainable care.

Register via Glue Up

We’ll also explore how models like CFD can complement and challenge traditional behavioral health systems, offering powerful insights into what it means to build accessible, inclusive, and person-driven supports. Come with questions, curiosity, and a willingness to think beyond the status quo.

Emily Derecktor is the Founder and Director of Cereal for Dinner, a social enterprise offering peer-informed, values-centered support for individuals living with chronic mental health challenges. With a background in public health and deep lived experience, Emily designs programs that meet people where they are—emotionally, functionally, and energetically. Through a growing ecosystem of personalized tools, coaching programs, and practical support opportunities, Cereal for Dinner helps individuals re-engage with daily life in ways that are accessible, sustainable and values-centric. Emily draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), community wellness frameworks, psychiatric rehabilitation and the collective wisdom of peers to inform her approach to this work.

Emily is dedicated to building a movement rooted in the belief that we can move toward what matters—even while we struggle. Rather than focusing solely on symptom reduction, her work centers recovery around purpose, belonging, inclusion, hope, and self-determination. While well-acquainted with the strengths and limitations of the current mental health system, her mission is to help create a complementary, community-based infrastructure of mutual support, connection, and meaningful activities—one that honors the wisdom of lived experience and makes room for each person’s unique path.

She holds a BA in Health & Societies from the University of Pennsylvania and dual master’s degrees in Medical Sciences and Population Medicine from Brown University. Emily is also a certified mental health and wellbeing coach. She lives in Providence, RI with her cat, Noodle, and is an avid singer and artist.

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What are CBHL Candid Conversations?
CBHL Candid Conversations provide an informal platform for connecting and networking with other CBHL members, fostering an environment where we can learn from one another’s experiences. Led by a CBHL member or partner, these sessions are designed to facilitate the exchange of valuable leadership insights, skills, and support. Candid Conversations are open to all CBHL members.

The purpose of CBHL Candid Conversations is to:

Network and Collaborate: Meet and engage with fellow CBHL colleagues in an informal, small group environment that encourages collaboration and the building of meaningful connections

Learn and Innovate: Acquire new skills and exchange fresh ideas with experienced leaders in a supportive and trusting environment, fostering personal and professional growth

Showcase Success: Highlight successful member programs or best and promising practices that demonstrate potential for scaling and broader application.
