Registration
Grab your badge and register for the week ahead!
Lunch On Your Own
Enjoy lunch at the hotel restaurant, Bank & Bourbon, or take a walk down to the famous Reading Terminal Market!
Finding An EHR For Your Future: The 2026 OPEN MINDS Best Practices Seminar On EHR Selection, Implementation & Optimization
Sponsored By: 
Over the past twenty years, adopting electronic health record systems (EHRs) has changed how health services are managed and delivered. As the health care system has continued to evolve with more value-based reimbursement, the push towards integrated care coordination, and the rise in consumerism, the technology infrastructure needed by provider organizations has changed—including EHRs. For most executives, the EHR is a significant investment, and choosing the right system (or keeping the wrong system) can make or break any organization.
This essential seminar is for any executive considering a new EHR system—whether it is your organization’s first EHR or upgrading a system that isn’t delivering the functionality needed for sustainability. Also, OPEN MINDS Associates will guide you through a step-by-step process for selecting an EHR that fits all your organization’s needs. The seminar will cover:
- The best practice model for assessing the tech functionality your organization needs for future success
- Steps for vetting vendors and their products and services
- Budgeting for EHR software and implementation
- Ensuring the best value and performance in contract negotiating
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM, Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Creating A Winning Tech Strategy: The 2026 OPEN MINDS Seminar On Building A Digital Transformation Roadmap
Sponsored By:
As the rate of technological advancements continues to progress, and an emphasis is put on consumer experience, much focus has shifted to digital strategies for health and human service organizations. These strategies involve a multi-pronged technology-driven approach that leads to streamlining processes and higher performance. While the post-pandemic era has accelerated the use of technology to support consumer access, using a technology strategy to assure business success goes beyond a consumer digital interface is essential. This seminar will focus on the key dimensions of digital transformation and provide a road map for executive teams to integrate and incorporate their entire organization. Attendees will gain insights into a digital-first approach focused on consumer experience, organizational efficiency, resiliency, growth, and sustainability.
Key objectives include:
- A road map for digital-first evolution and what it means to be a digital-first organization
- The eight dimensions of a digital-first framework for quality and performance
- Critical organizational competencies needed for leading-edge technology transformation
Sharon Hicks, MSW, MBA
Sharon Hicks, OPEN MINDS Senior Associate, has more than 20 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive experience and wide range of expertise in health plan management, in clinical operations management, and technology.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system and within its health plan division. Ms. Hicks served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, a managed behavioral health organization. She was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. In addition Ms. Hicks managed the day-to-day operations of including human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served as the Vice President, Internet Strategy, UPMC Insurance Services Division and, since 2002, as the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, Inc. since May of 2002. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth of the company, profitability of the company, and the direction of software development.
Ms. Hick started her impressive health care career as a psychiatric social worker before being promoted to Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her executive promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburg. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
Grand Opening of The Exhibit Hall
Join us for an unveiling of all of our great exhibitors! Unwind from the day and enjoy cocktails and hor ‘doeuvres with your peers and thought leaders.
Continuum After Dark
Sponsored By: 
Join ContinuumCloud for Continuum After Dark, an exclusive, invitation-only networking reception featuring beverages, chef-inspired cuisine, and meaningful conversations with behavioral health and human services leaders. Connect with peers, exchange ideas, and discover that the scariest part of technology doesn’t have to be disconnected systems.
Interested in attending? Click the button below, and a ContinuumCloud representative will contact you to confirm your invitation and attendance.
Executive Breakfast & Registration
Sponsored By: 
If you haven’t registered yet, check in with us at the registration desk and then enjoy breakfast in the exhibit hall!
2026 Community Impact Innovation Award Presentation
Sponsored By: 
Join Josh Schoeller, Chief Executive Officer of Qualifacts, and Monica E. Oss, Chief Executive Officer of OPEN MINDS, for the presentation of the 2026 Community Impact Innovation Award.
Josh Schoeller
With more than 30 years of experience building and managing healthcare data and software businesses, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Josh Schoeller leads Qualifacts with a track record of transformative growth, innovation, and market leadership. Prior to Qualifacts, he held executive roles at Elsevier, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Enclarity, and FICO, consistently driving the development and success of groundbreaking healthcare solutions.
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement and rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.
Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.
Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.
Past, Present & Future: The Status Of PACE Programs In Serving Dual Eligible Consumers
As CMS interest in maintaining consumers in the community and in value-based models increases, so does the interest in PACE programs. The model – a capitated model for providing medical and long-term care services for dually-eligible consumers living in the community – was first piloted in 1971. There are now 202 PACE programs serving more than 95,500 participants in 33 states and the District of Columbia – 20% of which are for-profit models. To learn more about future opportunities with PACE programs, Paul Soczynski, Senior Vice President, Healthcare at Volunteers of America National Services (VOANS), will open the 2026 institute with an executive update on the current role of PACE and the proposed plans for expanding PACE in the future. In addition to overseeing seven PACE Organizations operated by VOANS, Mr. Soczynski serves as a board member of the National PACE Association, bringing both policy and operational perspectives on the emerging market for PACE program services.
Remote Support/Heylo Technologies Demo
Heylo Technologies aims to solve the lack of interoperability within a remote support platform for the I/DD and Aging populations. Heylo is a new support platform that takes away the need for remote support professionals to toggle between platforms and devices to provide the same level of care as if there were in-person staffing. Heylo integrates intuitive software with dependable hardware—such as motion sensors, door sensors, cameras, and health monitoring devices—to enable 24/7 support and emergency response. The Heylo platform was designed to enhance independence, safety, and quality of life while reducing the need for constant in-person staffing. Heylo gives agencies the power to provide their own remote support and ensure that those they support are given the care they need.
Brian Hart
Brian Hart is the CEO of Heylo Technology. He has made it his mission to push the boundaries of what options exist for adults with disabilities. He is never satisfied and believes there is always a better way to increase the independence of others and break down the systemic barriers that hold them back. He has been at the forefront of expanding services through the use of technology enabled supports and community clusters of services. Through his work, Brian has been able to assist agencies across the country to implement technology first and remote support to increase the number of individuals they support. Brian believes that technology enabled support is the solution to the problems facing I/DD and Mental Health support agencies, and he is excited to be at the forefront of assisting agencies in this change.
Thought Leader Discussion
Join our keynote for an interactive discussion where you can take time to ask your own questions and continue the conversation.
Protecting What Matters: How To Know If Your Organization Is Cyber Secure
As behavioral health organizations become increasingly digital, protecting sensitive patient, clinical and financial data has never been more critical—or more complex. Cyber threats, ransomware attacks, and evolving regulatory requirements place executive leaders at the center of data security and organizational risk.
This session will provide behavioral health executives with a how to guide to secure their whole environment, including data, systems, email, and the people they serve—empowering leaders to protect patient trust, ensure compliance and safeguard the long-term stability of their organizations.
Attendees will leave with:
- How to identify vulnerabilities across clinical systems, EHRs, third party vendors and remote work environments
- The ability to distinguish between perceived and actual risks; and ask the right questions of internal teams and technology partners
- Strategies for governance, accountability and incident-response planning to prepare for and prevent breaches
From Cost Center To Growth Engine: How CEOs Are Using Technology To Drive Revenue
In today’s margin-constrained environment, technology is no longer just an operational tool—it’s a core driver of financial performance. This session explores how leading behavioral health organizations are leveraging data to unlock new revenue streams, optimize payer and value-based payment relationships, and improve service line profitability. From real-time analytics to smarter utilization management, executives will gain practical strategies to move beyond retrospective reporting and toward predictive, revenue-focused decision-making. Learn how to align your tech strategy with growth goals—and turn insights into measurable financial outcomes.
Attendees will take away:
- The use of data to improve rate negotiation and payer relationships
- The right technology and analytics to support value-based payment models
- The data-driven strategies to help create new service line development and organizational growth
AI-Guided Assistive Technology Platform/MapHabit Demo
MapHabit is an AI-guided assistive technology platform that supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), autism, and related cognitive impairments to build independence through personalized visual routines. It complements the broader smart home ecosystem by promoting daily independence within the home itself, helping consumers remain in community-based living rather than institutional or facility-based care. The platform delivers step-by-step guidance for daily living activities — medication management, hygiene, meal preparation, appointments, and household routines — directly in the home, paired with caregiver and care-team dashboards. Rather than simply issuing reminders, MapHabit teaches and reinforces independent task completion over time through visual, repeatable routines tailored to each consumer’s cognitive level and support needs.
Adam Klein
Adam Klein, LPC, is Vice President of Growth & Sales at MapHabit and a Licensed Professional Counselor with more than 20 years of leadership experience across behavioral health, managed care, quality improvement, case management, and program innovation. Beginning his career working directly with children and families in therapeutic foster care, Adam has remained passionate about designing and implementing programs that improve outcomes for individuals with complex behavioral, cognitive, and developmental needs.
Today, Adam works with health plans, provider organizations, schools, and state agencies to expand the use of assistive technology that promotes independence, reduces caregiver burden, and supports better health outcomes. He is especially passionate about helping organizations translate innovative technology into sustainable, person-centered care models. He is also passionate about helping organizations responsibly leverage technology and artificial intelligence to improve care delivery while keeping individuals and families at the center of every solution.
What Adam enjoys most is spending time in the community with providers, caregivers, and families and hearing firsthand how technology is making a meaningful difference in people’s daily lives. He is incredibly proud to be part of the MapHabit team and the organization’s mission to empower individuals through practical, evidence-based innovation.
Outside of work, Adam enjoys spending time with his family, cheering on his son at sporting events (and occasionally teaming up for video games), and exploring new restaurants and TV series with his wife.
My25/Mainstay Demo
My25, powered by Mainstay, provides individuals with specialized needs (and any associated caregivers and staff) with the tools and tailored resources to materially improve their nutrition, health, and independent living skills on a person-centered and budget-sensitive basis via digital, interactive resources. Menu planning, grocery shopping, and recipe prep are scaffolded by high engagement and robust educational resources in 81 languages and a multimedia format.
James Vail
Jim co-built a nationwide enterprise, maximizing quality of patient care and reduced costs in hospitals, that was acquired by a Fortune 500 healthcare company. Following this successful endeavor, he made his most consequential, long-term career change. The human services organization supporting people with IDD in community-based settings—where he sat on the Board of Directors—asked Jim to step up as their CEO. He decided to immediately and simultaneously tackle the most pressing challenges, which he came to understand as largely endemic to the industry overall: the poor nutrition/health of people supported along with haphazard compliance regarding person-centered choice; inexperienced, high turnover staff; and budget-strapped operations. Jim noted that these various needles hadn’t moved much—and certainly never in tandem—despite attempts over many years by a host of status quo “solutions.”
Jim quickly concluded that little in a group home day occupies as much time, passion, cost, and safety concern as does food. So a key priority centered on mealtime and its associated linkages. Within 18 months of Jim’s tenure, the organization received one of the first-ever, 4-year CQL accreditations and was financially robust for the first time in over a decade, with much healthier consumers. This transformation and its possibilities planted the seed for Mainstay, Inc. and its My25 brand . . . a holistic, integrated approach to Food as Medicine, tailored for people with specialized needs on a person-centered basis via digital supports.
Building strategic partnerships and collaborations with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), professionals from the Feinberg School of Medicine, Walmart, SNAP officials, and legislators, Jim pioneered My25’s launch and growth. The company now spans 37 states, with a suite of digital Food as Medicine products, as a for-profit commercial enterprise among the nation’s leading human services/healthcare organizations for tens of thousands of people in waiver, ICF, and supported/independent living settings.
Fueled by Mainstay’s highly-respected team, proprietary software—and now A.I. integration—Jim is focused on forging a broader base of partners to positively impact more individuals, stakeholders and funders. He recognizes amplified, broad-based need for simultaneous outcomes regarding clinical health, social health, engagement, education, operational efficiency, food (and additional) cost reduction, and Medicaid savings contribution. Jim often credits My25’s overarching success to the actionable data Mainstay tracks and trends in real time and “. . . figuring out how to stem the leakages long getting in the way of sustainable, affordable nutrition/preventive health on a person-centered basis for this vital population—not just the 5% most unwell, but a majority.”
Jim is a graduate of both Davidson College where he received his BA in Economics and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management where he received his MBA. Jim lives in the Chicago area with his wife, who helps catapult Mainstay forward as its COO and co-founder. Three adult children each live a stone’s throw away; they often meet up with Jim on the golf course, but are honor bound to promise no snickering at his short game.
Innovative Dashboards & Predictive Analytics To Make Your Data Work For You
Behavioral health organizations generate vast amounts of data, yet many executive teams struggle to turn that information into timely, actionable insight. Disconnected systems, manual reporting, and unclear dashboards often limit leaders’ ability to make confident strategic and operational decisions.
This session pulls the curtain back on the innovative tools and dashboards developed by Pacific Clinics, California’s largest community-based non-profit provider of mental and behavioral health services. Hear how they are transforming raw data into meaningful intelligence, including identifying the highest risk patients and recommended treatment paths. Attendees will gain a practical overview of data platforms, analytics tools, and reporting solutions being used in a leading behavioral health organization.
Key takeaways include:
- How these tools integrate with EHRs and financial systems to improve visibility into clinical outcomes and operational performance
- The best tools and strategies to support data-informed decision making across the organization
- How to evaluate solutions and align technology investments with strategic priorities
Kristin McCarthy
AI That Pays Off: Where CEOs Are Seeing Real ROI & Where They’re Not
Artificial intelligence is everywhere—but where does it actually deliver value? This candid session cuts through the hype to examine real-world AI use cases in behavioral health, highlighting what’s working, what’s not and why. From clinical documentation and workflow automation to predictive modeling and patient engagement, we’ll assess where organizations are seeing measurable ROI—and where investments are falling short.
Attendees will walk away with:
- A framework for evaluating AI opportunities and prioritizing initiatives that deliver both operational efficiency and clinical impact.
- Benchmarks and real-world case study examples of what ROI was expected in an AI investment vs. what was actually realized
- A clearer picture of what AI tools are actually delivering value
Jeremy Brown, LPC
Jeremy S. Brown, LPC, is Vice President of Technology and Impact at Talbert House, a multi-program nonprofit behavioral health provider in Cincinnati, Ohio that serves mental health, addiction treatment, and child and family populations. He brings more than two decades of behavioral health experience to the role, with a career that has progressed from direct clinical and case management work to residential program leadership and hospital administration, including service as Assistant Chief Executive Officer at Summit Behavioral Health. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from Miami University and a master’s degree in clinical counseling from Xavier University.
In his current role, Jeremy leads Talbert House’s work to turn everyday technology into operational capacity without adding headcount, pairing tools already inside the agency’s Microsoft 365 license with AI built in Microsoft Copilot Studio. At the 2026 Technology and Analytics Institute, he presents “AI That Pays Off: Where CEOs Are Seeing Real ROI and Where They’re Not.”
Melissa Fox, MHA, FACMPE, FACHE
Melissa Fox is a nationally recognized healthcare executive and systems strategist leading the transformation of community-based health systems through innovation, data, and emerging technologies. As Chief Operating Officer of Acenda Integrated Health, she oversees enterprise-wide operations spanning more than 150 programs across the state of New Jersey, including child welfare, behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, crisis services, supportive housing, and population health initiatives designed to address the social drivers of health.
Fox is widely recognized for building nimble leadership structures that align operational strategy with value-based care, health equity, and financial sustainability. Throughout her career, she has led complex organizational redesigns across various healthcare disciplines, launched integrated care models to expand services for vulnerable populations, and implemented data-driven performance systems to improve outcomes while strengthening organizational resilience.
A recognized national voice on healthcare transformation, Fox has advised and presented for organizations including Open Minds, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the American Public Health Association, and the USDA among others. She has contributed to initiatives addressing the opioid epidemic as a public health crisis, and advanced conversations on telehealth equity and violence prevention, including framing gun violence as a public health issue through science-driven community engagement. She serves on multiple advisory and academic boards, including the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy External Advisory Committee and the Peirce College Human Services Advisory Board. Additionally, she serves as the Chair for the Healthy NJ 2030 Access to Quality Care action team, and the Chair of the Board for the Center for Health Equity & Wellbeing, New Jersey’s first public health institute.
Her work focuses on helping healthcare organizations redesign care delivery through operational innovation, advanced analytics, and emerging technologies that improve access, strengthen financial sustainability, and produce measurable outcomes. She is a leading advocate for viewing artificial intelligence as organizational infrastructure rather than simply another technology investment, helping healthcare leaders build AI-enabled systems that augment workforce and processes while preserving the human relationships at the center of care.
Inside Payer Innovation: Emerging Programs Transforming Care Delivery
Join our payer panel to hear the latest in innovative programs that top health plan industries are implementing today. Each 2026 event brings a different set of health plan leaders to talk through the programs they are actually launching, from new value-based arrangements to care-delivery pilots. Come to hear directly from payers what is changing and what it means for the contracts you negotiate.
Remote Supports & Technology Services/SafeInHome Demo
SimplyHome designs and installs innovative and affordable technology solutions that transform how we care for individuals with disabilities, aging adults, and veterans. The technology empowers individuals to live their own self-determined lifestyle while addressing the concerns of caregivers. SimplyHome sensor-based systems can adapt over time to alleviate concerns about cooking safety, medication adherence, and the risk of wandering or falls. The technology is also customizable, creating the ideal fit for the person’s needs and changing goals, rather than fitting the person to the technology.
Season Jackson
Lunch On Your Own
Enjoy lunch at the hotel restaurant, Bank & Bourbon, or take a walk down to the famous Reading Terminal Market!
How To Build AI Governance For Responsible Adoption
As AI adoption accelerates, organizations need more than just tools and policies. They need a governance framework that enables safe, compliant, and scalable implementation. Join industry leaders as they discuss how to build effective AI Governance Committees, overcome common governance gaps, and establish the structures needed to guide responsible AI decision-making across the organization.
Chris Seigel, MA, LPC
With more than 13 years of experience in behavioral health leadership and as a licensed professional counselor, Chris Seigel is a systems-focused executive known for building high-performing, regulation-ready service lines across numerous environments. As Chief Program Officer for Mental Health & Substance Use Services, Queen of Peace Center and Saint Louis Counseling, two ministries of Catholic Charities of St. Louis, he provides oversight of a multi-site continuum of care spanning residential and outpatient treatment, supportive housing, community-based therapy, psychiatric services, medication-assisted treatment, and more than 100 school-based locations across 11 counties.
He maintains program-level accountability for operational performance, financial sustainability, workforce stability, and quality governance across the service line. Chris led the enterprise-wide implementation of the AI-powered clinical documentation tool to move his organization from manual notes to measurable performance gains. By aligning technology with governance, compliance oversight, and operational discipline, he reduced administrative burden, strengthened documentation integrity, and expanded access capacity without compromising clinical standards.
He now leads ongoing efforts to evaluate and implement AI systems that enhance client access, strengthen screening and assessment processes, and drive measurable improvements in outcomes across the continuum of care. His work demonstrates how responsible AI adoption can transform documentation from a regulatory requirement into a strategic lever for efficiency, scale, and sustainable impact.
Karen Baker
With 20 years of expertise in IT strategy, application management, and program management, Chief Information Officer (CIO) Karen Baker leads Qualifacts’ corporate systems, security, and infrastructure. Previously, she transformed the technology infrastructure and user experience at Savista, and held senior roles at nThrive and MedAssets, spearheading program management initiatives during periods of acquisition and growth. Karen holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
Apple-A-Day Giveaway
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away—and today, it just might keep the post-lunch slump away! Visit the exhibit hall from 1:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday to enter our raffle and have a chance to win an Apple product. The lucky winner will be revealed during the raffle prize drawing on Thursday, October 28, at 1:45 p.m.—don’t miss your chance to take a bite out of something big.
Wearable Assistive Technology/BoundaryCare Demo
BoundaryCare is a wearable-based platform that connects individuals and care teams through communications and alerts. BoundaryCare can monitor for a wide variety of potential incidents – including falls, elopement, certain types of seizures, and proactive help requests – and notify care teams no matter where they are, thanks to built-in cell service on the watch that also supports auto-answering inbound calls from caregivers. BoundaryCare also tracks vitals, activity, and sleep to inform on individuals’ overall well-being, and can deliver text or image-based reminders for ADLs, guides for specific tasks, or biofeedback directly to the individual’s watch. A simple and cross-platform caregiver interface helps front-line caregivers quickly get up and running, while the broad spectrum of use cases, population-management features, and integration with remote support solutions help providers simplify and optimize their technology stacks for care delivery.
Paul Carpenter
Paul Carpenter is the co-founder and head of product and technology for BoundaryCare, a platform that uses real-time data and thoughtful design to help individuals gain and maintain independence while relieving stress from their caregivers. Paul spent over ten years working as an engineer at top technology companies until his own family’s experiences pushed him and his father Scott – a college professor and former technology entrepreneur – to tackle the challenges of caregiving head-on. At BoundaryCare, he applies methodologies for continuous improvement drawn from his technology background to power his vision for making BoundaryCare the most inclusive and comprehensive solution for individuals, families, and providers.
AI-Powered Camera Systems/Oddity.ai Demo
Oddity.ai adds a real-time safety layer to existing camera systems in residential and community-based care settings. The platform detects high-intensity incidents such as aggression and self-injurious behavior, then sends real-time alerts and short video clips to designated staff on their smartphones. This helps providers move from reactive incident review to real-time awareness, so they can respond faster and support safer environments for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Thomas Alflen
Thomas Alflen is the founder of Oddity.ai, an AI company built on years of applied computer vision research and now dedicated to helping human service organizations protect vulnerable people in care environments. Long before AI became a mainstream topic, he was working at the forefront of applied computer vision, building systems that recognize high-intensity human behavior in real-world settings.
Today, he focuses on helping providers supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities understand and responsibly adopt AI. Through Oddity.ai, he works with organizations to layer real-time behavioral alerts onto existing camera systems, helping staff identify moments such as aggression, self-injurious behavior, and restraints sooner.
Thomas regularly speaks about how vision AI works, how algorithms are trained, and how these technologies can be deployed with privacy by design. His mission is to make AI practical, understandable, and trustworthy for organizations working to create safer, more independent lives for the people they support.
First Impressions Are Everything: Managing Your Digital Front Door
In today’s consumer-driven landscape, your digital front door is often a person’s first—and most critical—interaction with your organization. From online search to intake and scheduling, every click, delay, or confusing experience can make the difference between gaining or losing a client.
This session will explore how leading behavioral health organizations are optimizing their digital front doors to improve access, engagement, and conversion. You’ll learn how to create a seamless and responsive digital experience that reflects your mission, meets modern consumer expectations, and supports clinical and operational success.
This session will cover key elements such as website design, mobile accessibility, intake automation, appointment scheduling, and communication tools—all designed to lower barriers to care and increase patient acquisition and retention.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand what today’s behavioral health consumers expect from digital interactions
- Learn how to assess and improve your current digital front door
- Discover how a strong digital presence supports access, brand trust, and clinical outcomes
Rachel Steinmetz
Rachel Steinmetz brings broad experience in the health and human service field to the OPEN MINDS team. From operations management to marketing strategy, Ms. Steinmetz has been involved in almost every aspect of management in her career.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Steinmetz was the Director of Operations for Funnel Lab, an internet marketing solutions firm. In that role, she designed revenue generating strategies including lead generation and customer engagement. She also developed their automation solutions, including operationalizing AI-driven text bots to enhance customer interactions. Ms. Steinmetz was also responsible for mulit-channel marketing strategy and strategy implementation including email, SMS, and social media automation.
Previously, Ms. Steinmetz was the Chief Operating Office for Housing for Health, Orange County, a non-profit organization aimed at ending homelessness by addressing physical and mental health needs. As COO, she led all aspects of operations, including human resources, program development, and organizational management. This including implementing measures to enhance organizational efficiency, ensure regulatory compliance across multiple platforms and electronic health records. She also successfully cultivated robust partnerships with external partners.
Before Housing for Health Orange County, Ms. Steinmetz held roles supporting strategic communications and public policy initiatives in the behavioral health space. As Communications Coordinator for Be Well Orange County, she supported a county-wide initiative to improve access to compassionate mental health care through infrastructure investment and cross-sector collaboration. Her responsibilities included public relations, event planning, business development, research, vendor coordination, and managing the organization’s web and social media presence. As Senior Project Manager at Principle Strategic Advisors, a consulting firm focused on public policy and executive leadership, Ms. Steinmetz led multi-stakeholder initiatives, developed detailed project roadmaps, and coordinated efforts across municipalities, healthcare agencies, and community-based organizations.
In addition to her institutional roles, Ms. Steinmetz brings over a decade of experience consulting with nonprofits, small businesses, and mission-driven entrepreneurs. Her expertise includes business operations, digital marketing, workflow automation, and web strategy; working with clients to streamline systems, drive engagement, and scale sustainably.
Ms. Steinmetz earned a Bachelor of Arts in English/Creative Writing from DePaul University.
The CEO Playbook For Digital Transformation: Why Most Fail & How To Get It Right
Digital transformation is on every leader’s mind, and most systems will fail not because of the technology but the lack of direction. In this session, executives will share how they are navigating the complexity by setting vision, aligning stakeholders, and driving enterprise-wide change in an increasingly digital ecosystem.
Explore the critical decisions that define successful transformation efforts—from technology investment and governance to culture change and workforce readiness. This executive-level discussion will focus on the speed of technological advancements versus the risk of adoption, the pros and cons of centralized versus decentralized decision-making, and keeping up with the pace of accelerating innovation while balancing the stability that comes with being operationally streamlined and disciplined.
Trillium Ultimate Living Assistant (TULA)/Trillium Health Resources Demo
The Trillium Ultimate Living Assistant (TULA) offers a path to independence through remote support and monitoring, facilitated by two-way communication and a dedicated care team. The many benefits include secure video calls and messaging with family, friends, and health care providers, as well as FDA-approved monitoring for vital signs and door sensors for alerts. The TULA system provides daily support with task reminders for medications, chores, and daily routines. It also encourages engagement and wellness through community resources, interactive games, workouts, and nutritional guidance.
TLS’s EVOLVE™/Tranquility Lifestyle Solutions Demo
Tranquility Lifestyle Solutions provides an innovative, scalable model of community wellness through 24/7 real-time monitoring, proactive intervention, and culturally competent care. Powered by TLS’s EVOLVE™ platform, it identifies falls, isolation, and behavioral health concerns before they escalate. Bilingual wellness teams engage residents and caregivers directly, offering timely, compassionate support. Outcomes are tracked using advanced telemetry, ensuring transparency, accountability, and measurable impact. This solution reduces emergency interventions, strengthens caregiver networks, and promotes long-term mental and physical health. We’re not just monitoring—we’re transforming how care is delivered: always on, always there.
The Data Analytics Needed For Effective Integrated Care
Integrated care lives or dies on whether you can see the whole consumer across services, and that takes the right data, not just collaboration.
Thomas Grant, who runs both finance and technology for Woods System of Care and its 200-plus programs, shows the analytics an integrated model actually requires: how to align clinical, operational, and financial data into one view of the consumer, track outcomes across service lines, and manage risk as payment moves toward value.
Thomas Grant
Tom Grant was appointed Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer for Woods System of Care in March, 2016. Mr. Grant engages in short and long-range strategic and operational growth planning for the organization. He brings more than 20 years of finance and strategy consulting experience to the organization. Prior to coming to Woods, he ran his own management consulting firm specializing in efficiency initiatives, leadership, strategic planning, turn-arounds, and business development needs of both non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses. In this role, he served as the Chief Financial Officer for Archway Programs in New Jersey.
Before launching his own company, he held similar management consulting positions with a number of business development companies. Mr. Grant has counseled clients on a wide range of topics including process optimization, cash flow management, fund raising, structure, best practices, profitability and pricing arrangements. He also has worked as an emerging markets analyst in Thailand, Hong Kong, and a number of South American countries. Mr. Grant holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business of the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College.
From EHR To Ecosystem: Building The Tech Stack For What’s Next
As the pace of innovation accelerates, behavioral health organizations must rethink the foundation of their technology infrastructure. This session dives into what a modern, future-ready tech stack looks like—from interoperable EHRs and data platforms to AI-enabled tools and patient engagement solutions. Hear how forward-thinking organizations are moving beyond fragmented systems to create integrated, scalable systems that support growth, improve outcomes, and enhance consumer experience. Gain insights into how to evaluate, prioritize, and future-proof your technology investments in an evolving landscape.
Key takeaways include:
- Understand the need to shift from an EHR-centric platform to a more encompassing tech ecosystem
- The integration capabilities and tools needed for a modern infrastructure that improves patient engagement
- Strategies to transition your organization from your legacy system to an ecosystem architecture
Touchscreen & Sensor Platform/GrandCare Systems Inc. Demo
GrandCare Systems aims to reduce the staffing costs for disability and the aging population. Their touchscreen platform assists with cognitive needs, such as checklists, medication reminders, instructional videos, and more. The technology collects data through motion and telehealth sensors and alerts a remote support team. Learn more about how GrandCare Systems is reducing onsite caregiver hours, enabling independence, and cutting costs on staffing.
Laura Mitchell
Laura is a co-founder and CEO of GrandCare Systems, a touchscreen and sensor-based technology platform designed to improve independence and enhance remote supports for individuals living with disabilities and older adults. She has over 20 years of experience in the remote monitoring and connected health industry. In 2015, she founded LMC, a boutique marketing and consulting agency with a technology and senior housing niche. Laura has been featured in Forbes magazine for social media, was a 2012 “Top 40 under 40”, Top 100 Women in M2M in Connected World, and a recipient of the ‘Flame Award for Innovation and Leadership’ in 2011. She was a 2020 Rotarian of the Year, WI Innovation Awards finalist, and a 2022 Women in Consumer Technology Legacy recipient. She frequently volunteers with the Carlsbad Rotary and Cal State San Marcos business program. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two boys, and three dogs.
Joseph Donnelly
Joseph Donnelly is Vice President of Client Transformation at GrandCare Systems, where he leads growth, strategic partnerships, and market expansion for person-centered assistive technology and remote support solutions. A longtime healthcare technology executive, Joe has held leadership roles with organizations including Current Health, Kyruus, and athenahealth, helping healthcare and provider organizations adopt innovative technologies that improve care delivery and outcomes. Today, his work is focused on helping organizations use technology to expand independence, strengthen person-centered supports, and address the growing workforce challenges facing disability services.
Smart Living Systems/LADD Demo
Smart Living Systems (SLS), powered by Hearo, delivers a tech-enabled remote support solution that empowers greater independence for adults with disabilities, increases staffing capacity, and lowers total care costs for those served. Built by LADD, a long-standing disability service provider, SLS combines remote support and enabling technology with a fully integrated support platform, operational framework, and training. This allows providers to deliver high-quality, scalable supports while creating a scalable model for aging and behavioral health.
Hannah Eldridge
With nearly a decade of experience in project management and operational leadership, Hannah is dedicated to driving innovation in service delivery for adults with disabilities.
Executive Networking Reception
End your day by unwinding with your peers, colleagues, thought leaders, and vendors. Join us in the exhibit hall and enjoy a cocktail and hors d’oeurvres!
Executive Breakfast
Sponsored By:
Start your day off right with breakfast, served in the exhibit hall. Take this time to speak with our great exhibitors and talk to peers about what you’ve heard this week!
Health Care Beyond Medicine: How Highmark Is Reducing The Total Cost Of Care Through Its Social Care Network
Health outcomes are influenced by many factors that go far beyond the walls of the clinical setting, and forward-thinking organizations are redefining their care delivery strategies accordingly. In this inspiring session, Nebeyou Abebe, Senior Vice President of Social Health at Highmark Health, explores how Highmark is leading the way by integrating social determinants of health into their core business and care delivery models to drive better outcomes through their Social Care Network.
Highmark’s Social Determinants of Health Department was created in 2019, starts with a 15-question assessment that screens for things like housing, physical and social environments, transportation, and income, and members/patients who screen positive for a health-related social need get referred to a curated network of community-based organizations who remediate the social barrier. Highmark’s home-grown social care network has seen significant results in terms of reducing the total cost of care as well as reducing avoidable inpatient and emergency department visits. During this session, Mr. Abebe will highlight how Highmark is addressing the factors such as food insecurity, finances, transportation and social isolation to significantly impact both physical and behavioral health outcomes, and why these interventions are increasingly essential as organizations transition to value-based care models.
Thought Leader Discussion
Join our keynote presenter for an interactive discussion where you can take time to ask your own questions and continue the conversation.
Every Measure Costs Hours: What To Keep & What To Cut
Every measure you collect costs somebody hours. Somebody builds the report, somebody fills in the field, somebody chases the values that came back blank. Most executives can name what their organization collects. Far fewer can name what a single one of those measures changed last quarter.
A chief executive and a CCBHC analyst work through two questions: which measures a CEO actually runs the organization on, and what each one costs to produce.
Attendees will leave with:
▪ A way to separate the measures that are required from the ones that are only traditional
▪ A rough hour cost to put against a report before deciding to keep it
▪ How to retire a measure without losing a payer, a regulator or a board member
Kevin Eccleston, MPA
Kevin Eccleston, MPA, CReC, CPMC-T is an innovative and results-driven healthcare executive with nearly 30 years of diverse leadership experience across strategic design, operational excellence, financial execution, and multi-site service expansion. Throughout his career, he has led transformative initiatives that scale healthcare services, enhance revenue streams, and position organizations for long-term success in competitive markets. Mr. Eccleston’s passion lies in advancing community health solutions and engaging a passionate and dedicated workforce, while implementing person-centered care models that make a lasting impact. Known for building high-performing teams, securing critical funding, and ensuring financial sustainability, he brings a strong, mission-driven approach to every endeavor—always focused on delivering measurable results and meaningful change.
Yisroel Len
Yisroel Len is the Director of Data Analytics at Pesach Tikvah Hope Development Inc, CCBHC in Brooklyn, where he leads the strategy and implementation of systems that improve data quality from the point of collection through final reporting.
Data does not simply live in a database, it lives at the messy intersection of people, processes, and technology, where fields are mislabeled, requirements change mid-year, and temporary workarounds become permanent. Yisroel’s work has focused on closing that gap through workflow redesign, data engineering, and analytic tools that address data quality problems at their source while also managing them downstream.
Yisroel has presented for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing on the CCBHC data analytics lifecycle as part of a SAMHSA-required webinar for CCBHCs nationwide. A strong believer in collaboration across CCBHCs, he also developed the open-source CCBHC Quality Measurements Python package.
He writes about the realities of building healthcare data and reporting infrastructure at stevesgroceries.substack.com
Rebuilding The Path To Treatment: A Discussion On The Trends & Policies That Are Shaping The Addiction & SUD Industries
Philadelphia rebuilt the route from street contact to treatment placement. The pieces: harm reduction outreach, arrest diversion, a 24/7 center with a courtroom inside it, policies that let medication start the same day, and the level-of-care standard that decides who qualifies and what gets paid. Providers sit at every handoff in that chain, receiving referrals or losing them.
The four leaders who directed those changes take the panel. They will debate where the industry is moving, based on national trends and the policy shifts landing in addiction and SUD services next year, and what a provider organization has to do to hold its place in the referral chain.
Attendees will leave with:
▪ Which pieces of the Philadelphia model transfer outside Philadelphia, and what each one costs
▪ What a drug supply that turns over yearly does to your level-of-care mix and your length of stay
▪ Where your organization sits in that referral chain now, and what it takes to move up it
David Gastfriend, M.D.
An addiction psychiatrist, Dr. Gastfriend has held clinical, research, technology development, and policy roles. At Harvard, he directed Massachusetts General Hospital’s Addiction Research Program. As VP at Alkermes, he directed scientific communications on Vivitrol. His research led most U.S. states to endorse the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Criteria. His 150 publications include The ASAM Criteria and Addiction Treatment Matching. His ASAM Criteria CONTINUUM® software is being adopted nationwide. He has consulted to the governments of Belgium, China, Iceland, Israel, Norway, Russia, and the US.
AI In Analytics: What It Can Do Now
Artificial intelligence is changing how behavioral health organizations turn data into decisions, but only where it is applied well. Cody Thomas, a longtime chief information officer, cuts through the hype to what AI can do for your analytics now, from predictive modeling to routine reporting, and where it still falls short. You leave with a clearer sense of which AI investments in analytics are worth making this year and which to wait on.
The session will explore the future of AI in behavioral health analytics, highlighting practical applications that drive better clinical outcomes, operational efficiency and financial performance.
Key takeaways include:
- Understand AI applications in behavioral health analytics to identify practical ways AI can enhance data analysis, from predictive modeling to operational and clinical decision support
- Evaluate opportunities and challenges to recognize the benefits, limitations, and ethical/regulatory considerations of implementing AI tools
- Create strategies to leverage AI-driven analytics for informed decision-making and improved outcomes
Cody Thomas
Advancing Overdose Prevention Through Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) To The Opioid Use Disorder Population
Opioid use disorder continues to impact communities across the country, and expanding access to Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) remains one of the most effective strategies for improving outcomes and saving lives. This session will examine the operational, clinical, regulatory, and financial considerations involved in scaling MAT programs across diverse care settings.
Industry leaders will discuss how organizations are overcoming barriers to access, integrating MAT into broader treatment services, leveraging partnerships with health systems and payers, and addressing stigma that can limit adoption and engagement. Attendees will learn how innovative treatment models, data-driven care strategies, and workforce development efforts are helping providers reach more individuals with evidence-based opioid use disorder treatment.
Margery L. Stanton, LMHC
Margery Stanton is the President & COO of BestSelf Behavioral Health, where she has been part of the team for over 15 years. Across that time she has held a range of roles, each deepening her understanding of the agency’s mission and the people it serves. Beyond BestSelf, Margery is an adjunct professor at the University at Buffalo, where she is committed to supporting the next generation of behavioral health practitioners. At the heart of her work is a single goal: empowering everyone to be their BestSelf.
Jennifer Seib, LMHC, CASAC
The Technology Investment Imperative: Balancing Innovation, Risk & Return
AI, automation, cybersecurity, and rapidly evolving digital platforms are creating exciting opportunities but also difficult financial and operational choices. How should executives evaluate technology investments, distinguish meaningful innovation from hype, and balance near-term financial pressures with long-term transformation?
Building on the highly successful “Financial Leadership in Uncertain Times” session at the Service Excellence Institute, Paul M. Duck will lead a candid, practical discussion about making sound technology decisions in an uncertain environment. The conversation will explore investment priorities, return on technology spending, organizational readiness, risk, and the evolving partnership among financial, operational, and technology leaders.
Paul M. Duck
Paul M. Duck brings over 30 years of experience in leadership and management focusing on managed care, health information technology organizations, strategy, business development, and market expansion, and customer experience optimization to the OPEN MINDS team.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Duck served as the Vice President, Strategy & Development at Beacon Health Options. In this role, Mr. Duck led the organization’s strategy and business development efforts – responsible for a 30% increase in net revenue and initiated over $1 billion in revenue generation. Mr. Duck was active in national behavioral health initiatives as an executive of Beacon Health Options, including participating as a speaker at national and state association meetings.
Before joining Beacon Health Options, Mr. Duck was the Vice President of Business Development at Netsmart Technologies. During his tenure, Mr. Duck was responsible for business planning, including, the oversight of strategic activities including acquisitions, development, and execution of strategic initiatives, and positioning, and sales of large strategic customers. He also led the rollout of the company’s benchmarking and data analytics product suite.
Prior to Netsmart, Mr. Duck served as the Chief Executive Officer for Coastal Orthopedics and Pain Management, a large group practice with five clinic locations and two ambulatory surgical centers. As the organization’s chief executive officer, Mr. Duck was responsible for significant positive changes in leadership and corporate culture, financial and operational performance, compliance, and governance. Mr. Duck improved net collections by over $1 million per month and grew the practice through negotiating better contract rates with payers. He also implemented an organizational rebranding initiative and launched a new marketing campaign.
Prior to Coastal Orthopedics and Pain Management, Mr. Duck served as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Florida Radiology Imaging, one of the largest outpatient diagnostic imaging service companies serving the greater Orlando market. During his tenure, Mr. Duck led the construction of three new, full modality, diagnostic imaging locations. Mr. Duck revolutionized the company’s culture by creating a highly attractive and functional work environment.
Mr. Duck earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Case Western Reserve University. He earned his Associate of Arts in Electronic Engineering Technology from the Electronic Technology Institute. Mr. Duck received an award by Inc Magazine for leading Florida Radiology Imaging as one of America’s fastest-growing companies. Mr. Duck recently served as a contributing author to the book The New Health Age: The Future of Health Care in America.
Lunch On Your Own
Enjoy lunch at the hotel restaurant, Bank & Bourbon, or take a walk down to the famous Reading Terminal Market!
Using Data & Technology To Improve Recovery Outcomes
Despite ongoing investment in technology and digital infrastructure, many SUD providers still struggle with fragmented workflows, disconnected systems, and limited reporting and visibility into outcomes. These gaps can directly impact the ability to support long-term recovery.
This session will feature findings from Cantata Health Solutions’ 2026 national survey of SUD providers, highlighting how organizations are leveraging data, EHR functionality, and other digital tools to address operational complexity and strengthen care delivery. Attendees will gain practical insight into where providers are struggling the most today, which operational and technology investments are emerging as priorities, and how organizations are working to build more scalable SUD programs.
Christy Winter, LMSW
Chief Executive Officer Member Networking Luncheon
If you’re the Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director of an OPEN MINDS member organization, join us for this private networking luncheon. This is an opportunity to share leadership experiences and solutions with your peers from across the nation. (To register, contact Erin Deppen, Education Events Manager, at 717-334-1329 or edeppen@openminds.com.)
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement and rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.
Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.
Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.
Michael Allen
Michael Allen brings over 30 years of experience in the non-profit behavioral healthcare industry to the OPEN MINDS team. He currently serves as an Executive Vice President in our consulting practice, where he provides executive oversight and leadership to provider and payer client engagements for OPEN MINDS.
Mr. Allen was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of SummitStone Health Partners, the largest non-profit behavioral health service provider in Larimer County, CO. In this role Mr. Allen was responsible for the planning deployment, communication and accomplishment of SummitStone Health Partners’ overarching corporate strategy. He managed a budget of $80Million and was responsible for more than 750 full time employees and over 12,000 clients annually.
Prior to SummitStone Health Partners, Mr. Allen served as the Vice President of Managed Care & Operations at AspenPointe (now Diversus Health). At AspenPointe he developed and managed a system of accountability for monitoring and evaluating provider performance in seven Colorado counties. He was also responsible for the quality management oversight of all business lines, as well as managing a substance abuse treatment contract with the Colorado Division of Behavioral Health and a child welfare services agreement with El Paso County Department of Human Services.
Previously, Mr. Allen was the Director of Clinical Care for Connect Care, (rebranded as AspenPointe in 2010). In this position Mr. Allen provided supervision to the clinical staff, as well as developing clinical guidelines and services. He was also the project director for the 4th Judicial District Family Reunification Grant and he oversaw care coordination and voucher management functions for Colorado Access to Recovery Grant.
Before Connect Care, Mr. Allen was the Director of Child Welfare Services for Signal Behavioral Health Network, a non-profit that has been managing and expanding substance use prevention, treatment and recovery services in northeast Colorado for over 25 years. Mr. Allen managed a network of Substance Use Disorder treatment providers, programs and services across 35 Colorado counties.
Mr. Allen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Design/Psychology from Brigham Young University, a Masters in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University, and a Masters in Business Administration from Colorado State University. He is a Licensed Social Worker and a Certified Addictions Specialist in Colorado.
Chief Technology Officer/Chief Information Officer Member Networking Lunch
Join us for this private luncheon for executive leaders of OPEN MINDS member organization – created for Chief Technology Officers and Chief Information Officers. The objective of this networking session is to provide opportunities for executive leaders from across the country to share solutions to the challenges in serving consumers with complex needs. (To register, contact Erin Deppen, Education Events Manager, at 717-334-1329 or edeppen@openminds.com.)
Sharon Hicks, MSW, MBA
Sharon Hicks, OPEN MINDS Senior Associate, has more than 20 years of experience in the health and human service field. She has extensive experience and wide range of expertise in health plan management, in clinical operations management, and technology.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Hicks spent two decades in a number of executive positions within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system and within its health plan division. Ms. Hicks served as the Chief Operating Officer for Community Care Behavioral Health, a managed behavioral health organization. She was responsible for all aspects of the organization’s operations including fiscal, information systems, the claims processing department, and the design of clinical systems. In addition Ms. Hicks managed the day-to-day operations of including human resources, facilities, purchasing, and security.
Ms. Hicks also served as the Vice President, Internet Strategy, UPMC Insurance Services Division and, since 2002, as the Chief Executive Officer of Askesis Development Group, Inc. since May of 2002. In this role, Ms. Hicks was responsible for the growth of the company, profitability of the company, and the direction of software development.
Ms. Hick started her impressive health care career as a psychiatric social worker before being promoted to Assistant Director of Social Work. Prior to her executive promotions, Ms. Hicks served as a Clinical Administrator for both Ambulatory Services and Emergency and Intake Services at the UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. In this role, Ms. Hicks managed the behavioral health division, the budgets for all departments, and implemented new software replacing paper billing for clinical services.
Ms. Hicks received both her Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Social Work degrees from the University of Pittsburg. Before pursuing her graduate education, Ms. Hicks received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
The Intersection Of Trauma-Informed Approaches & Quality Improvement
Building a truly data-driven culture in behavioral health requires more than dashboards, metrics and performance targets, it requires an approach that builds trust, engagement, and shared accountability across the organization. In this session, Social Current will explore how health care leaders can apply trauma-informed principles to quality improvement and transform the way teams engage with data, performance, and organizational change.
Using the principles of safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness, and empowerment, this session will examine how organizations can move beyond viewing quality improvement as a compliance function and instead make it a strategic driver of better outcomes. Attendees will hear perspectives from both quality improvement and clinical leadership and learn how trauma-informed approaches can strengthen engagement, improve performance, and create a culture of continuous improvement.
Key Takeaways Include:
- Identify the organizational and cultural barriers that can prevent quality improvement and data initiatives from gaining traction
- Understand the importance of applying trauma-informed tactics to data and quality improvement
- Hear practical scenarios to apply trauma-informed principles for effectiveness
Karen Johnson, MSW, LCSW
Creating Better Access Through Telehealth & Integrated Care Models
Telehealth and integrated care offer major opportunities for addiction treatment providers, but they also introduce operational, clinical, regulatory and engagement challenges that make implementation complex. For addiction treatment executives, the difficulty is often balancing accessibility and convenience with consumer safety, compliance, and quality outcomes.
This session will explore how addiction treatment providers are implementing integrated care to reduce barriers to care, extend services to underserved communities, improve consumer engagement, and create more flexible treatment pathways. Executives will hear lessons learned around technology adoption, regulatory considerations, workforce integration, digital engagement, and balancing virtual and in-person care to meet the changing needs of today’s consumers.
Philip Hutson
Raffle Prize Drawing
Don’t miss the much-anticipated raffle drawing at 3:00 pm and come see if you’ve won any of the great prizes provided by our generous sponsors! (Must be present to win!)
Accelerating Performance Through Your Technology Strategy
In this closing keynote, Monica E. Oss, Chief Executive Officer of OPEN MINDS, will examine the technology trends transforming behavioral health care and outline the strategic decisions executives need to make to maximize organizational performance. Participants will leave with a framework for aligning technology strategy with organizational priorities and actionable takeaways to help their organizations remain competitive in an increasingly digital health care environment.
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement and rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.
Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.
Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.