Today’s CEOs are facing more challenges than ever, as demonstrated by the two-decade high in turnover for health care CEOs, instability in the global (and national) economy, and an increasingly competitive and rapidly changing post-pandemic health and human service. Despite these pressing challenges, there are key directional trends in the field that are known— such as integrated care models, payviders, retail health care and consumerism, reimbursement tied to performance, price sensitivity, and the end of the public health emergency.
For executives, envisioning the opportunities and future market positioning in the ever-evolving landscape will be a key leadership competency and a critical piece of organizational success. The OPEN MINDS Chief Executive Officer Learning Path was created to equip today’s CEOs with the critical skills and competencies needed to embrace current challenges, make informed decisions, and lead their organizations into the future with confidence.
View featured courses and sessions below to get started!
Finding An Electronic Health Record System For Your Future: The 2025 OPEN MINDS Seminar On Best Practices In EHR Selection, Contracting & 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.
Dee Dewitt
Dee DeWitt has extensive experience as a consultant and corporate leader in the healthcare field. Mr. DeWitt brings over 28 years of experience in healthcare finance and operations, M&A, use of technology, strategic planning, and change management in healthcare organizations to OPEN MINDS as a Senior Associate.
Previously, Mr. DeWitt was the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Momentum for Health, a CARF-accredited non-profit behavioral health organization providing services to individuals with a diagnosed serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance abuse disorder, in San Jose, California. During his tenure, Mr. DeWitt increased outpatient productivity by 25% and contributed to growing revenues from $55 million to a projected $71+ million for the fiscal year of 2023. Mr. DeWitt also oversaw Momentum ‘s pilot with Santa Clara County’s transition to Netsmart Provider Connect and led a successful grant award and implementation of a multi-year paid intern program in partnership with Santa Clara University, San Jose University, and Palo Alto University.
Mr. DeWitt was also the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Veridian Financial Group, a strategic consulting firm specializing in performing long-term, onsite C-level and Director roles, evaluating and implementing financial strategies, strategic operational planning, and development strategies for companies that are poised for significant growth, change, or require turnaround attention, in San Jose, California. During his time at Veridian Financial Group, Mr. DeWitt focused primarily on healthcare, finance, technology, and private equity and coordinated licensing, compliance, and external audits for 42 state licenses, including managed care organizations, managed care plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and service provider organizations.
In addition, Mr. DeWitt served as Chief Financial Officer and a Consultant in Strategic Planning and Finance for Home Recovery – Home Aid, Inc., a private equity-backed, for-profit company that provides personal care and skilled care in 35 locations and in-home care throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. During his time there, Mr. DeWitt was a member of the company’s executive management team, audit team, and License and Compliance team. Mr. DeWitt also served as Chief Financial Officer of Professional Healthcare Resources, Inc., a for-profit holding company comprised of five home health companies, four hospice companies, and two private duty/personal care companies. Mr. DeWitt has also been the Chief Financial and Technology Officer for The Filson, a nationally renowned non-profit archive and research institute, and Director of Strategic Development for Signature Healthcare, LLC, a national private equity-backed for-profit, long-term care company operating over 180 facilities, with 18,000 employees, and over $1 billion in revenues.
Mr. DeWitt also held the positions of Deputy Director of Behavioral Health at the County of Ventura, CA Behavioral Health Services Department, and Director of Finance and Management Services of the Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services (SEABHS), a joint commissioned accredited non-profit.
Mr. DeWitt graduated from the University of Louisville, Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and a Master’s in Political Science with a concentration in Economics and Public Policy.
Best Practices For Investing In Technology & AI: The 2025 OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar On Maximizing Your Tech’s ROI For Future Competitive Advantage
In an era of accelerating change, health care organizations must make strategic, data-informed investments in technology and artificial intelligence to remain competitive and financially sustainable. This executive-level seminar will explore how to evaluate, implement, and optimize tech and AI solutions that drive measurable ROI, improve clinical and operational outcomes, and position your organization for long-term advantage.
Through case studies, expert insights and peer dialogue, participants will gain practical frameworks for prioritizing technology investments, aligning digital strategy with enterprise goals, and ensuring adoption and impact across the organization. Designed for C-suite leaders, this seminar offers the strategic guidance needed to future-proof your organization and lead with confidence in an increasingly digital health landscape.
Key topics include:
- Identifying high-impact AI and tech investments that deliver enterprise value
- Measuring ROI beyond cost savings: quality, outcomes, and workforce efficiency
- Avoiding pitfalls in tech adoption and implementation
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.
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.
Maintaining A Human Centered Approach In The Age Of AI With Kaiser Permanente
As AI reshapes health care delivery, Kaiser Permanente remains steadfast in its mission to put people first. In this visionary keynote, Richie Grantham, Senior Manager, Health Innovation at Kaiser Permanente will share how Kaiser’s integrated care model leverages artificial intelligence to enhance—but never replace—the human touch.
Learn how to strike the optimal balance between cutting-edge algorithms and compassionate care, ensuring that technology amplifies provider expertise and deepens patient trust.
Becoming A Technology First Organization With Keystone Human Services
Organizations are looking to make the move beyond traditional operational models and embrace a technology-first mindset. This session will explore what it means to lead with technology – not just in tools and systems, but in terms of outcomes and person-centered care. Whether you’re early in your digital journey or working to accelerate it, this session will provide strategic insights and case studies to guide your path forward as a technology-first organization.
Key takeaways include:
- Developing the leadership and culture necessary for digital transformation
- Identifying and scaling the right technologies to improve outcomes and efficiency
- Leveraging data to enhance performance and patient satisfaction
Nathan Gerhard
Nathan Gerhard serves as the Associate Executive Director of Intellectual Disabilities Services at Keystone Human Services in Pennsylvania. With over two decades of experience in the field of Intellectual Disabilities in both Pennsylvania and Maryland, Nathan is currently concentrating on expanding the use of enabling technology and remote supports throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Since 2018, he has been spearheading the initiative to incorporate independent living technology into conventional service models beginning with two residential homes in North Central Pennsylvania. By 2024, Keystone expanded its reach to more than 130 locations, aiding over 250 people with independent living technologies embedded within their natural support systems in their service delivery models.
Shaping A Chaotic Market At The State Level: A State Association Executive Discussion
As the policies of the new federal administration take shape, it is apparent that many more decisions about health and human services are going to be made at the state level. The question for executives is how best to shape state policy to protect the consumers and assure a functional service delivery system. This session features association executives with decades of experience working with state legislators and governors’ offices on legislative, regulatory, and funding issues. These executives will share their insights on how best to affect state policy – and what they see as the critical issues for state advocacy in the year ahead.
Kathy Carmody
Kathy Carmody is the CEO of the Institute on Public Policy for People with Disabilities, Illinois’ largest statewide association focused exclusively on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the community agencies that support them. Institute member organizations provide direct services and support to over 35,000 people with IDD and Autism across Illinois. At the Institute, Kathy is involved in a wide array of policy and practice issues affecting people with I/DD and serves on and leads multiple committees and task forces impacting the I/DD service system. Kathy has worked in the IDD landscape for over 4 decades, starting her career as a DSP in the early 1980s. Kathy’s experience includes leading research, demonstration, and training projects that substantially improved the nature and quality of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as direct support, clinical, and executive management roles within community agencies. As CEO of the Institute on Public Policy for People with Disabilities, Kathy is involved in policy issues affecting people with I/DD and serves on a number of statewide committees and Task Forces, including chairing the Life Choices Team 4, charged with designing the person-centered planning process that will be adopted in Illinois. At theKathy is the proud recipient of the ANCOR 2022 Diane McComb State Association Star Award for leadership in transforming the delivery of IDD services and was elected to the ANCOR national board of directors in 2023.
Advancing Crisis Care With Carelon Through The ASO Model Empowered By Data-Driven Technology
Debbie Atkins, MAC, LPC
Debbie Atkins, MAC, LPC is Vice President of Growth at Carelon Behavioral Health. A licensed professional counselor with 30 years of front-line and executive experience, she blends deep clinical insight with nationally recognized crisis-system expertise.
At Carelon, Debbie leads business development and strategy, expanding crisis-care solutions in multiple states since she joined Carelon in 2022. Her public-sector tenure includes over seeing a 31-county behavioral health region and directing Georgia’s statewide crisis continuum, where she initiated the launch of the 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and built data-driven frameworks that continues to guide service delivery.
Beginning her career in community-based agencies as a clinical director, clinical operations director and state director, Debbie has honed a leadership style that marries clinical acumen, fiscal savvy, and systems thinking. Today she is a sought-after advisor for states and health plans seeking to build compassionate, outcome-focused crisis services that help individuals achieve their best lives
Neeraj Joshi
Neeraj Joshi is the Senior Director of Product Management at Carelon Behavioral Health, where he leads the strategy and development of the Crisis Safety Platform, a technology solution transforming how crisis systems respond to behavioral health needs across the country. With over a decade of experience in healthcare technology, Neeraj has held leadership roles at Experian Health, Cigna, and Express Scripts, driving innovative solutions across behavioral health, prior authorizations, and integrated pharmacy platforms.
His work combines deep user-centered design with scalable system thinking, resulting in measurable improvements to access, equity, and care coordination. Neeraj holds a master’s in healthcare administration from Saint Louis University and is passionate about building teams, products, and partnerships that drive sustainable impact in public health.
What CEOs Should Know About Privacy & Cybersecurity
In an era of increasing cyber threats and evolving privacy regulations, behavioral health care organizations face unique risks and responsibilities. This session is designed specifically for CEOs and executive leaders to understand the critical intersection of privacy, cybersecurity, and behavioral health. Attendees will gain insight into the latest regulatory developments (including HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, and state laws), emerging cyber threats targeting behavioral health data, and the reputational and operational impacts of breaches. The session will also offer strategic guidance on building a security-conscious culture, investing in the right protections, and preparing for audits or incidents. Equip yourself with the knowledge to lead confidently and protect your organization’s most sensitive assets.
The Age Of Digital Therapeutics & How To Be Reimbursed
As digital therapeutics continue to evolve and prove their clinical efficacy, health care organizations face both exciting opportunities and complex challenges in adoption and reimbursement. This session will explore the current landscape of digital therapeutics (DTx), with a focus on how executives can strategically integrate these tools into care delivery while navigating the evolving reimbursement models.
Attendees will gain insight into:
- The role of digital therapeutics in enhancing patient outcomes in behavioral health, chronic disease, and preventative care
- Current regulatory frameworks and FDA-cleared DTx pathways
- Key partnerships, billing codes, and documentation practices that drive financial sustainability
Lisa Palko, PharmD
Lisa Palko, PharmD most recently serves as the Executive Director at the Society for Digital Mental Health and Medical Advisor for Digital Health Strategy at HealthSystemInnovations. Previously, Dr. Palko was the Vice President of Scientific Medical Affairs at AKILI, Inc.
Throughout her extensive career, Dr. Palko worked with various biotech/pharmaceutical companies formulating and executing strategies for medical affairs, and market access teams. With more than two decades working in mental digital health/medicine organizations, she has been invited to advise on several pre-market applications and was instrumental in the development of a military population health tool. She was asked to participate in several speaking engagements demonstrating the use of technology to support the opioid crisis and is a trainer for naloxone administration. Prior to entering industry, she was a geropsychiatric research administrator/clinician and was the Senior Director, Pharmacy, Research and Outcomes at UPMC Health Plan.
Dr. Palko received her Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy with a specialization in psychiatry and is a passionate advocate for mental health and technology-driven solutions.
Growing Despite Cuts: How Technology & Analytics Can Support Sustainability
Using Analytics To Streamline Your Health Plan Outreach Process
For health care providers, building strong, collaborative relationships with health plans is key to improving patient outcomes and securing sustainable partnerships. This session explores how providers can leverage analytics to create more strategic, targeted outreach to health plans – driving better alignment, demonstrating value, and fostering stronger networks. Attendees will gain insights into how data can inform outreach strategies, highlight care quality and cost-effectiveness, and strengthen negotiations and partnership opportunities.
Hear from Monarch, a behavioral health and I/DD provider serving more than 27,000 people in North Carolina and Rhode Island each year with a dedicated team of nearly 1,600 staff members. They’ll discuss tools they’ve developed which analyze and streamlines the decision-making process to determine the cost of pursuing health plan opportunities for their leadership team.
Jerel Wilson, MSW, M.Ed.
Making Digital Transformation A Reality: A Managing Through Chaos Roundtable Discussion
Join OPEN MINDS CEO Monica E. Oss and Chief Strategy Officer Paul Duck, for a discussion on up-to-the-minute changes shaping the health and human services landscape and the digital transformation strategy that organizations need to prep for the post-chaos market. Creating an accelerated digital transformation plan can be a key link to remaining sustainable in uncertain times.
The current market is being shaped by many forces – from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley, from Main Street to Wall Street. Understanding how these factors will impact your communities and being prepared are critical to sustainability and growth. Join us for a lively panel discussion and leave with tools that will have you feeling confident in your plan for the future.
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement 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.
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.
An Update On Innovative New Programs At CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield & Community Behavioral Health: A Roundtable
Join our payer panel to hear the latest in innovative programs that top health plan industries are implementing today. This series will feature different payers from across the nation at each 2025 event.
Jennifer A. Schugam, LCSW-C, MSW
Jennifer Schugam is the Director of Behavioral Health at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. In this role, she is responsible for guiding the strategic vision, planning, and execution of behavioral health programs aimed at improving healthcare equity, affordability, quality, and accessibility for Carefirst members across Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Northern Virginia. With over 22 years of experience in community psychiatric services and organizational leadership, Jennifer is a dedicated advocate for mental health accessibility and quality working to further build CareFirst’s behavioral health offerings through innovative care solutions, provider partnerships, and data-driven strategies.
Jennifer’s expertise in behavioral health includes senior leadership roles in both clinical and operational settings. Before joining CareFirst, she served as the Executive Director of Feeding the People, a non-profit organization she founded that provided home-delivered meals, in-home education, and support for low-income diabetics in Baltimore. Throughout her career, Jennifer has focused on delivering care to diverse populations, including vulnerable and underserved communities in Baltimore as a mobile treatment psychiatric therapist, supporting individuals with severe, chronic mental illnesses in state psychiatric facilities, mental health courts, and home settings. At CareFirst, Jennifer drives initiatives to integrate mental health services into the company’s broader healthcare offerings, ensuring that members have access to holistic, person-centered care. Her initiatives include expanding access to preventive care and developing programs that cater to various demographics, leveraging digital tools and data analytics to improve and better connect members to care, tracking emerging behavioral health trends, and assessing program effectiveness.
Jennifer holds a Master of Social Work in Clinical Practice with Children and Families from the University of Maryland, School of Social Work, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She is a Clinical Supervisor for the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners and is a passionate advocate for destigmatizing mental health issues. She lives in Baltimore City with her human and dog children.
Joseph J. DiMeo, Jr., MS
Joe DiMeo is the Behavioral Health Coordinator for the Community Health Choices (CHC) initiative at Community Behavioral Health (CBH). In this role, Joe is responsible for helping to ensure CBH’s provider network delivers quality care treatment to CBH members with physical challenges who are living at home and CBH members residing in nursing facilities.
With more than 35 years of experience in the behavioral health field, Joe has a wealth of knowledge in provider networking, geriatric counseling, and supporting older adults with various challenges, including depression, grief, loss, substance use, gambling problems, anxiety, and complications from Dementia/Alzheimer Disease. As a Behavioral Health Coordinator, Joe created meaningful partnerships with the social service aging community, nursing facilities, home health care agencies, advocates, and Physical Health Managed Care Organizations (MCO).
Joe is a member of the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging Advisory Council and the Older Adult Committee for the PA Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) Mental Health Planning Council. Before joining CBH, Joe was the Director of an Older Adult Intensive Outpatient Program for the Einstein Healthcare Network.
Joe earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Temple University, a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology and Human Services from Chestnut Hill College, and a Gerontology Certification from St. Joseph’s University.
Knowing Where You Stand In The Digital Age: The 2025 OPEN MINDS Technology Adoption Survey
Sponsored By: 
Last year, it was proven that value-based reimbursement is here to stay and helps control cost and quality. To succeed in that environment, specialty provider organizations must adopt new technologies that can help master population health management, data exchange, and clinical decision support. For executives to lead successfully, they need to link those tech investments to strategy for sustainable performance and competitive advantage. OPEN MINDS surveyed specialty provider organizations in health and human services to determine where they are moving toward technology adoption. The survey provides information on several critical variables and where you fit in.
Variables such as:
- Number of staff devoted to information technology functions in specialty provider organizations
- The annual information technology budget of specialty provider organizations (including hardware, software, networks, IT consultation services, outsourced projects/functionality, and IT staff)
- A unique list of technology innovations human services executives are implementing and what they are doing to progress on the path to digital transformation
Supporting Independence At Home: The Inglis Wraparound Approach To Aging In Place
Providing person-centered, inclusive solutions designed to reduce barriers and promote independence for people with disabilities or in long term care is a necessity in today’s health care market.
Founded over a century ago, Inglis House is a non-profit, specialty nursing care facility providing long-term, residential care for 252 adults with physical disabilities. In addition, Inglis Community Support Services supports more than 800 people living independently in the community through resources including accessible housing and care management. Discover how they coordinated a wraparound care model which is improving outcomes for individuals aging in place.
- Learn how to integrate smart home and assistive technologies with home modifications to support independence.
- Understand the importance of ongoing training and support—not just equipment—as part of long-term success.
- Identify practical, scalable solutions for aging services providers, care coordinators, and home modification teams.
Charles Sammartino, ATP
Closing Keynote
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement 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.