Nominated by Mary R Talen

Sometimes you just get lucky in having your career changed when your path crosses
with someone who seamlessly blends science of medicine with art of humanity. This is
Aimee Burke Valeras’s gift to our integrated healthcare community.

I was introduced to Aimee by Bill Gunn in 2009, when I was looking for a co-editor for a
book on integrated behavioral health. Bill had already discovered her magic in being a
detail-oriented editor, scientific scholar, and a creative writer. That introduction
changed my world. Aimee jumped into this writing project head on. She brought with
her the skills and scientific knowledge to critique the evidence of what we knew and
didn’t know about integrated care. Her academic Ph.D. training at Arizona State and
her experience in the clinical world at Dartmouth’s Family Medicine Residency program
gave her the foundational knowledge and acumen to get the lay of the land in the early
years of our history and our future direction. And we were both using writing to help us
understand the players, pieces and plans for integrated behavioral health. Our monthly
conversations were my lifeline in trying to figure out this journey of building the
integrated healthcare vision.

Since then, Dr. Valeras continued to be a leader, visionary, and creative innovator.
Who else would come up with an integrated care Monopoly game other than Aimee
Valeras along with Andy Valeras? And a workshop presentation using her marriage
–with all its love and challenges as a metaphor for the love relationship between
Medicine and Mental Health? Genius. From complexity care models to poems, Aimee
has challenged her learners, colleagues, and our communities She is a champion and
advocate for the under-represented and under resourced communities. She speaks
out and speaks up for individuals who are differently abled, black, brown, refugees, and
other diverse racial/ethnic groups. Her stories and poems open the chance for
physicians, nurses, social workers, counselors and psychologists to see their world,
their patients, their team members in a new way. Just read one of her stories and you
will be struck with her honesty, vulnerability, and compassion. It is not just her writing
but the way she constructs and facilitates group activities to explore and reflect on their experiences. She helps others tap into shared and varied experiences of loss,
numbness, cynicism, wonder, laughter, and love that has a lasting impact. She has
been a leader with organizations such as Artcine, and CFHA that engage providers,
patients, and communities in the world of art, science, healing and medicine.
Dr. Burke Valeras’ work stands on the shoulders of Don Bloch’s vision. Like Don Bloch,
she has the personal presence, fortitude, and dedication to build and expand on our
world of integrated care. She has been an intellectual innovator in complex care, a “get
things done” collaborator (just look at the list of her publications and presentations!) and facilitator-organizer who brings people together to share experiences and motivate each other to make change.

I urge you to award Aimee Burke Valeras the Don Bloch award. She has demonstrated
the talents and commitment to creatively carry on Don Bloch‘s legacy.

Nominated by Zachary Sartor

Nominated by Judy Keel 

In the areas of advancing behavioral health policy priorities, sharing best practices, or championing behavioral health integration as the standard of care, there is practically no one more passionate, vocal, or knowledgeable than Dr. Elizabeth Zeidler Schreiter, Psy.D. As an indispensable senior leader at Access Community Health Centers with over 15 years of experience working on integrated healthcare teams as a seasoned clinical health psychologist, Dr. Zeidler Schreiter embodies the mission of improving the health and lives of those that call Access their healthcare home. Her work also amplifies the mission of CFHA to bring together healthcare delivery services traditionally kept a part and is fully invested in spreading the benefits of integrated behavioral healthcare to support whole person health in pursuit of health equity.

Access is honored to recognize and share Dr. Zeidler Schreiter’s accomplishments on a national platform through the Collaborative Care Model Award for which she is deserving for several reasons. As a subject matter expert in integrated frameworks, the esteemed Collaborative Care Model Award would recognize Dr. Zeidler Schreiter’s direct impact on patient experience at the individual and population level, and her advocacy of CoCM on larger scales. This nomination is on behalf of the thousands of adults, children, families, and communities improved and changed on behalf of her tireless pursuit of CoCM to increase undifferentiated care for those who need it most.

This nomination comes at a poignant time in Dr. Zeidler Schreiter’s professional journey as she contributes to broad improvements to healthcare delivery systems locally and nationally through bold and creative approaches, humility, and generous information sharing. Her involvement in statewide advocacy and contributions to the Behavioral Health Work Group, which pursues Medicaid and payment reform, led to sweeping changes to Wisconsin Medicaid which finally recognizes the Collaborative Care Model and General Behavioral Health Integration codes for FQHCs. Both care models support integrated behavioral healthcare in primary care settings and offer reimbursement for care management services for individuals with behavioral health conditions. Now, community health centers in Wisconsin are entering unfamiliar territory where integrated approaches are made possible. Dr. Zeidler Schreiter has enthusiastically stepped up to the plate to help guide them on using CoCM to impact the clinical outcomes of patients who present with mood disorders in primary care. Her approachable, team-based approach make her an ideal ambassador of CoCM as seen here: PCBH & CoCM Work Well Together (youtube.com)

Dr. Elizabeth Zeidler Schreiter is not only a proactive part of the CFHA community and fierce advocate for patients and families to receive fully integrated experiences in pursuit of health and healing, but she epitomizes the mission of CFHA to make integrated care the standard of care. She has published numerous scholarly articles and book chapters related to primary care behavioral health integration and consults with organizations nationwide to address and remove any pain points or obstacles to integration. She has facilitated a shared learning environment through speaking engagements, has hosted numerous tours at Access clinics so others can witness the model in action, and espouses the transformative impact of integrated care to reach underserved populations so others can do the same. In 2024 alone, Dr. Zeidler Schreiter presented the nuts and bolts of CoCM to colleagues from the Health Federation of Philadelphia and the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality so others could optimize new reimbursement options and care delivery models to support critical care management supports for patients with behavioral health needs.

With the goal to scale the work among Wisconsin’s 16 community health centers, each with varying levels of integration, she served as the keynote during a recent convening of the Wisconsin Primary Healthcare Association (WPHCA) entitled, Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) and Primary Care Behavioral Health Model (PCBH): Creating Access, Impacting Populations, and Strengthening the Healthcare Team. As a result, attendees left with the play book to begin making CoCM the norm–not the exception–at their clinics. Dr. Zeider Schreiter’s relationship with WPHCA is invaluable to move forward integrated behavioral health services in the state of Wisconsin via advocacy, education, and collaboration. Dr. Zeidler Schreiter continues her advocacy for CoCM by participating in various research/quality improvement projects, presenting at national conferences, and serving on several boards and committees. She is a member of Wisconsin State Innovation Model (SIM) Initiative, the State Health Innovation Plan, the UW Health Hub and Spoke workgroup related to expansion of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), and the State Health Innovation Project, a partnership between the WI Statewide Value Committee and the WI Department of Health Services. This partnership is working to develop and implement private-public solutions to improve the quality of care and lower costs to deliver higher value healthcare.

Dr. Zeidler Schreiter is very deserving of this award because she helped to expand the robust, holistic and team based integrated models Access is known for today, which is arguably the largest in the state, and increasingly seen as a national model due to the maturation of interdisciplinary teams, policies, processes, and workflows. The Collaborative Care Management program she helped pilot is being explored for use beyond depression to include other chronic conditions that can co-occur with depression including cardiac conditions and diabetes.

Dr. Zeidler Schreiter received her Doctor of Psychology and her MA in Clinical Psychology from Forest Institute in Springfield, MO. She is always eager to train the next generation of future psychologists and social workers as Behavioral Health Consultants and facilitate the groundwork for interdisciplinary teams. She is eager to demonstrate that, it is only by working together, can we achieve patient centered, population and evidence-based care. Her knowledge sharing of CoCM to support work in underserved communities continues by serving as Clinical Adjunct Assistant Professor at UW School of Medicine and Public Health and at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Nominated by Courtney Nelson 

Sarah Hanchett, LCSW, Chief Clinical Officer – Collaborative Care at evolvedMD, is a dedicated, well-rounded and collaborative mental health professional with expertise in building, facilitating, and leadingcompassionate and supportive environments. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in HumanDevelopment from Brigham Young University and a Master of Social Work from Arizona State University.

Sarah has worked for 25 years in the mental healthcare industry and is committed to providingexceptional integrative care to both individuals and families in need. As Chief Clinical Officer –Collaborative Care at evolvedMD, a radically different integrated behavioral health company placingbehavioral health therapists on-site and in-person with primary care, Sarah leads and supports a team of around 150 engaging and effective providers throughout Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and soon, Florida. Sarah and her team help thousands of patients, over 21,000 last year, quickly start
treatment, sometimes on the same day, and begin the work towards a healthier lifestyle much sooner.

Before joining evolvedMD, Sarah worked with adolescents in a wilderness treatment program and then joined a mental health agency in 2000 as a manager of a therapeutic group home for girls. She’s a Board approved Clinical Supervisor and has mentored therapists and interns in their professional development, as well as continued her own professional growth as a trauma therapist, utilizing EMDR, CBT, DBT and play therapy techniques. Always looking to expand her knowledge and scope of influence, Sarah worked as the Vice President of Quality and Excellence at Open Hearts Family Wellness in Phoenix.

In 2017, when evolvedMD, launched under the leadership of Erik Osland, Sarah was the first employee hired. During her 7 years, Sarah has been instrumental in helping the organization grow from one employee to nearly 200 employees, expanding collaborative care to over 140 new clinics throughout our four-state territory alongside our 22 provider partners, including Optum, Banner Health, HonorHealth, Premier Family Medical and Tampa General, to name just a few. Under Sarah’s guidance, the
evolvedMD model has successfully taken shape, modifying how critical mental health services are provided to patients, de-stigmatizing and making care affordable and accessible.

Sarah has overseen and clinically grown over 30 master’s level clinicians while implementing best practices, researching ethical and state guidelines to make sure everyone is in compliance, helping to monitor and implement self-care and balance for her clinicians. All with the one goal in mind, so they can do the best work of their career – delivering higher-quality services to patients. Under Sarah’s leadership, evolvedMD will launch a first-in-class development program to reduce attrition by .25% to 2.75% average per month. This includes partnering with a secure academic partner to provide certifications and paying tuition for participating therapists. Therapists are known to burn out with such high demand and emotionally heavy lifts, Sarah continues to drive focus within the organization to provide a space where therapists not only provide life-changing collaborative care, but also focus on their own mental health. From outreach to patients and clinic partners to answering any questions, she
shows all staff that she is willing to do any job to make sure the organization is delivering on their ambition to meet patients’ needs. Working closely to ensure customers are pleased with the delivery of services, evolvedMD has increased access to critical mental health services across Arizona and beyond under Sarah’s guidance and tenacity.

Outside her work with evolvedMD, Sarah is passionate about volunteering her time and voice to support and move mental health awareness forward. She is active with AFSP, trained to do the Talk Saves Lives presentation, participates in the Out of the Darkness walks and several other events supporting mental health awareness and suicide prevention work. When not participating in events, Sarah continues to mentor clinicians, helping them become independently licensed and gaining leadership skills for
promotions and growth within the industry.

Sarah leads by modeling a culture of respect, hard work, professionalism, self-care, work-life balance, and well-being. When presented with a multitude of obligations, demands, and staff needs, she’s able to masterfully prioritize and be present for her people. Sarah is affectionately called “the Light” because she literally brightens every room she enters. She provides guidance in such a way that it’s well-received
and applied by staff to ensure the teams regularly drive positive patient outcomes at the highest level. She leads others in celebrating people’s success and having a company where ideas and differences are welcomed while sharing the same vision for success. Her perfect balance of these qualities gives managers and staff alike all something to strive to achieve as a therapist, professional, and human being.
The future for evolvedMD under Sarah’s leadership is focusing on the ability to expand their reach to serve more patients and their families and to continue being a thought leader in the behavioral health and collaborative care space. Not just bringing a voice and advocating for patients, but having conversations with payors, lobbying for continued funding and support at both a local and a federal level and ensuring a solid foundation for behavioral health therapists by providing additional training and
clinical supervision hours.

Sarah Hanchett is a leader. She is a provider of care, a champion of growth and a driver of compassionate and collaborative care.

Nominated by Angela Hiefner

Lisa Zak-Hunter, in her passion for family-oriented primary care, has partnered with a number of other CFHA members across the country to advance the delivery of family-based behavioral health care in primary care settings, with a particular focus on workforce development. Lisa has brought the sub-discipline of medical family therapists together, forged partnerships across national organizations, and helped build a clearer roadmap for training new professionals in family-centered models of integrated primary care. Her leadership in recent years has greatly influenced the future of family-oriented primary care.

Nominated by David Johnson

I am honored to nominate Morgan Stinson for the Family Oriented Care Award, recognizing his outstanding contributions to family-oriented care in clinical practice and research.

Morgan Stinson exemplifies the principles of family-oriented care through his collaborative approach with patients, families, healthcare providers, and community organizations. He has been instrumental in developing, implementing, and evaluating an international service learning program that prioritizes family involvement in the reception of care delivered by behavioral healthcare students to populations that would otherwise not have access to mental or behavioral healthcare. His commitment to sharing information and promoting family-provider communication ensures that families are well-informed and actively participate in the care and decision-making process when addressing complex behavioral health and social issues in rural
and underserved areas.

In his daily work, Morgan respects and integrates the cultural diversity of the families he serves, tailoring care to meet their unique needs. His ability to provide care in the context of family and community is evident in his respectful and holistic approach, considering each patient’s familial and communal background in medical care and decision-making.

Morgan’s work significantly advances the field of family-oriented care into previously
underserved communities, embodying the principles of collaboration, communication,
inclusivity, and respect. His dedication to these principles makes him a deserving recipient of the Family Oriented Care Award.

Sincerely, David J. Johnson, PhD, LMFT

Nominated by Kelsie-Marie Offenwanger

Dear Collaborative Family Healthcare Association Selection Committee,
The Integrated Pediatric Behavioral Health (PCBH) care team at Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) is committed to innovation, community health, and wellness. MCHS predominantly resides within rural areas and spans across 30 county service areas, plus one territory in Michigan. Around 33% of children live in poverty and 86% of the area designated as medically underserved. Data has shown that >70% of
the children seen in Pediatrics in the Marshfield Clinic system are insured by Medicaid. Findings from a Provider Satisfaction Survey showed that 88.1% of providers rated PCBH as “moderately helpful” or “extremely helpful” (4-5). Providers likelihood of accepting an integrated visit in the future were rated at 91% rated as “likely” or “extremely likely” (4-5).

Our pediatric integrated behavioral health team primarily consists of two psychologist, Dr. Stephanie Kohlbeck, and Dr. Kelsie-Marie Offenwanger. While small in numbers we make up for in passion and care delivery. Innovation and lifelong learning come in the form of patient care delivery and fellowship training. The focus is on immediate intervention on a short-term basis, which supports the individual’s
wellbeing holistically. In addition to working with children, adolescents and their families, the fellow gains experience consulting with physicians, nurses, and other medical team members on the service. Drs. Kohlbeck and Offenwanger were both fellowships trained at MCHS and see the value in giving back to the next generation.

Excellent care is provided at MCHS. Dr Kohlbeck and Dr Offenwanger meet the families where they are at and are embedded as part of the medical team. Services are provided to low-income and economically marginalized populations and those requiring complex medical treatment. For example, Dr. Kohlbeck pioneers’ specialty clinics including ketogenic diet, cystic fibrosis, weight management and diabetes management. Often these families are traveling far and wide across the state for this care.

Dr. Kohlbeck’s interpersonal style seems to effortlessly foster teamwork across disciplines and makes it possible for PCBH providers to work collaboratively on several multidisciplinary teams. PCBH is a fast moving and quickly changing environment, and Stephanie is the epitome of critical thinking. She can adapt her roles seamlessly and ensure each consult or patient is met with an open ear. Stephanie is accountable and someone we know we can always count on. Despite the natural inconsistencies in our work, increased patient demands, and decreased work force, Stephanie has remained a reliable force, protecting both our patients and our team.

Dr. Offenwanger joined the integrated behavioral health team in 2019. Kelsie’s fellowship training aligned nicely with the PCBH model of high-quality care, community engagement and youth advocacy. Her experience with the Center of Community Health Advancement and author of a social emotional learning curriculum disseminated throughout the state of Wisconsin provided unique opportunities for outreach and follow-up care.

Outside of her experiences, Dr. Offenwanger’s creativity, composure, and compassion at one of the most difficult times allowed us to quickly disperse telehealth services while effectively and efficiently meeting the needs of our patients. Kelsie is readily accessible, reassuring, and a consistent presence for our patients. She consistently takes the time to check in personally and professionally with staff and responds to requests without hesitation. Kelsie’s calming presence and personable demeanor reaches far beyond the walls of our clinic.

At MCHS, Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) provides same-day access to children, families, and adults in need of mental health services, right within their primary care provider’s office. However, many patients and families don’t know/are not familiar with this innovative care delivery model or are ambivalent about seeking these services. Likewise, medical providers do not have easy access to mental
health resources to provide to their patients. Currently, we have sought out grant funding to address both of those deficits by updating our current materials. Funds would be used to identify, create/purchase, and distribute bilingual (Spanish and English) info-graphic resources and materials to patients and providers. We would then create and distribute unique, creative, and memorable promotional materials to patients, families, providers, and community members (e.g., schools, churches,
community centers.

Seeking mental health treatment frequently can be difficult for patients and families, not just because of the stigma of receiving these services, but also because of the access to these services. Currently, patients and families only know about our services through their PCP, usually when an issue arises during a visit. Increasing our patients’ and families’ knowledge of the nature and availability of PCBH services before issues arise and being able to market it to a larger audience will help promote prevention services and the importance of early intervention. This may eliminate the need for more specialized behavioral. health services. In addition, knowing that they can receive mental health services in an easily accessible, familiar setting will naturally reduce the stigma of receiving mental health treatment, increasing the likelihood that patients and families will seek mental health services sooner when needed. Seeking treatment earlier and seeking treatment when needed will reduce and prevent more serious
complications from developing in the future, thus reducing burden on the healthcare system and on the patients and families.

Providing our medical providers in primary care with handouts on commonly presenting problems will allow them to provide important and specific information to patients in an efficient and direct way. This will allow patients and families who may not seek out formal mental health services to get needed information in a non-threatening way. It will also reduce practice burden on the PCP’s and improve efficiency of patient care.

Easy access to simple and easy to understand information for patients and families about their concerns will increase their understanding of the interventions provided and increase the likelihood of follow-through. This will naturally increase positive patient outcomes, both in terms of improved mental health functioning and over-all satisfaction with services provided.

Increasing the reach of our PCBH program is consistent with best practices in our field. Connecting with and educating our community aligns with MCHS commitment to patient/person centered care and illustrates the importance of treating the whole person.

These resources will also be shared with the community via clinic sponsored social media sites. This will allow us to reach a larger audience to both inform them of services available at Marshfield Clinic Health Systems and to encourage them to attend to their mental health and well-being. We anticipate improved provider outcomes, including increased patient volumes and increased provider efficiency. We also anticipate improved patient outcomes, including improved patient access to mental health services and a reduction in the need for more intensive mental health services.

Our PCBH aspirations and novel directions include expanding to other medical specialty services and ongoing grant development. We have been increasing unique and specialty patients every year and see the trend continuing to rise. Marshfield Clinic Health System’s – PCBH Pediatrics team is committed to collaborating with patients, families, and healthcare providers in program development, sharing information that promotes family-provider communication during and aftercare, and respecting cultural
diversity while caring for families.

Thank you for your time,

Kelsie-Marie Offenwanger, PsyD

Nominated anonymously

Dr. Rajaei has demonstrated exceptional commitment and contributions to the field of family therapy, particularly in her innovative research, impactful teaching, and dedicated clinical practice.

Dr. Rajaei earned her Ph.D. in Medical Family Therapy from East Carolina University in 2021, where she also received a Certificate in Health Communication. Her academic journey is marked by numerous accolades, including the Outstanding MedFT Graduate award and the Mel Markowski MedFT Scholarship, underscoring her dedication to excellence in her field.

As an Assistant Professor at Alliant International University, Dr. Rajaei has been instrumental in shaping the curriculum and guiding the next generation of therapists. Her courses, which range from Group Therapy to Medical Family Therapy, are known for their rigor and relevance, preparing students to meet the challenges of contemporary family therapy practice. Moreover, she serves as an Approved AAMFT Supervisor, providing mentorship and supervision to aspiring therapists.

Dr. Rajaei’s research is both prolific and impactful, addressing critical issues such as chronic illness in couples, the biopsychosocial-spiritual model in therapy, and the integration of mindfulness in cancer-related distress. Her work has been published in esteemed journals, including The Family Journal and the International Journal of Systemic Therapy, where she also serves as an Associate Editor. Her commitment to advancing the field is evident in her numerous peer-reviewed publications and her active participation in international conferences, where she has presented her findings and contributed to the global dialogue on family therapy.

In addition to her academic and research accomplishments, Dr. Rajaei is a dedicated clinician. She runs a successful private practice, Afarin Rajaei Therapy, and has worked in various clinical settings, including the Bernstein Medical Clinic and the ECU Family Therapy Clinic. Her clinical work is characterized by a compassionate, client-centered approach, and she has been recognized for her ability to integrate systemic principles into her practice effectively.

Dr. Rajaei’s contributions extend beyond the classroom and the clinic. She is a vocal advocate for mental health, leveraging social media platforms to reach a broad audience and promote mental health awareness. Her public Instagram page, with over 100,000 followers, is a testament to her ability to connect with and educate the public on important mental health issues. Dr. Afarin Rajaei embodies the qualities of an outstanding early career professional. Her contributions to research, teaching, and clinical practice are making a significant impact on the field of family therapy. I wholeheartedly support her nomination for the CFHA Founders’ Early Career Professional Award, confident that her continued work will bring further advancements to our profession.

Nominated by Patti Robinson and Jeff reiter

It is with great pride that we write to nominate Bridget Beachy, PsyD, and David Bauman, PsyD, for the “Outstanding Contributions to the PCBH Model” Award. While the award typically is awarded to just one person or entity, we are nominating Drs. Beachy and Bauman together. Although either is worthy of this award as an individual, the whole of them together is even greater than the sum of them.

The passion Drs. Beachy and Bauman show for PCBH is legendary. As anyone who knows them understands, they eat, sleep and breathe PCBH. In their everyday work, both serve as BHCs for patients in an FQHC (Community Health of Central Washington [CHCW]), where they are beloved by patients, providers and the CHCW community. As evidence of their program’s PCBH bona fides, CHCW won CFHA’s Outstanding Contributions to the PCBH Model Award in 2019. Dr. Bauman frequently receives the highest number of visits and warm handoffs completed per clinic at CHCW and the highest patient satisfaction scores of any on their PCBH team (Dr. Beachy calls him “the most talented BHC I have ever come across”). Dr. Beachy, who provides outstanding clinical services as well, also services as the Director of the PCBH program for CHCW. Not only do Drs. Beachy and Bauman practice PCBH every day, they also are prolific PCBH teachers. As the Behavioral Health Education Director at CHCW and CHCW’s Central Washington Family Medicine (CWFM) Residency program, Dr. Bauman co-created a predoctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship in 2017 to train learners in PCBH (https://www.chcw.org/training-programs/) at CHCW. This year they are welcoming their 8th class of interns, and as a testament to their influence, 67% of their BHCs are either past or current trainees! CHCW’s training program is a part of a greater organization, the National Psychological Training Consortium, which is a consortium that is dedicated to PCBH work. Dr. Bauman serves as the “Regional Training Director,” for the “Cascades Region” to ensure high quality PCBH training across the sites he oversees (https://psychologyinterns.org/).

As if all of their contributions as BHCs, leaders, faculty (at CWFM and the family medicine departments at the University of Washington, PNWU, WSU) and administrators weren’t enough, Drs. Bauman and Beachy are also avid speakers, trainers and mentors who support PCBH via consulting with individuals and organizations, both at the local/state level as well as internationally (i.e.., Sweden, New Zealand, Canada, Puerto Rico). Their list of over six dozen PCBH consulting client contacts spans FQHCs, private sector organizations, education initiatives, and even individual directors and BHCs looking to upskill in PCBH (as well as other integrated care initiatives). In addition to Beachy Bauman Consulting (BBC), a firm they co-founded in 2017 (beachybauman.com; https://www.beachybauman.com/pr060722), they also provide technical assistance consultation in PCBH for CFHA (https://integratedcareconsultation.com/meet-our-consultants/?fwp_search=bauman). Dr. Bauman also co-founded the PCBH Implementation Lab (started 2024) as well as four different installments of PCBH courses through BBC starting in 2020.

Even further, Drs Beachy and Bauman engage in scholarly writing that includes peer-reviewed articles and book chapters related to PCBH (one in the PCBH Implementer’s Guide 2nd Edition and two on Patient Centered Communication and PCBH in rural settings). They avidly present at conferences, including multiple presentations at CFHA and various PCBH Forums. Together, they have contributed over 250 articles, presentations, book chapters and other types of PCBH works; a remarkable achievement for two people still fairly early in their careers. Not surprisingly, Drs Bauman and Beachy also relish supporting PCBH clinicians outside of their own system. Both have contributed dozens of training videos and other videos on their YouTube Channel in support of PCBH work (https://www.integratedcarenews.com/). Their #PCBHCorners, featuring some of the most influential figures in PCBH, are well known and heavily viewed across the integrated care community. They have also provided technical assistance to over 70 primary care systems and individuals seeking to implement PCBH.

Just as legendary as their passion for PCBH is their dedication to CFHA’s mission (including but also beyond PCBH). Many are familiar with their contributions through the CFHA listserv where they routinely share PCBH metrics from their system and PCBH stories (also found on their blog at https://www.beachybauman.com/blog). Both activities have impacted members of the CFHA community in far-reaching ways and made them virtually a household name in the CFHA community. Dr. Beachy serves as a CFHA social media content expert and provides passionate commentary on CFHA podcasts, while Dr. Bauman is a CFHA blog contributor and Associate Editor of Families, Systems and Health. Both have also served in leadership positions in CFHA’s PCBH SIG.

Considering all that they have accomplished and provided for PCBH, we really can think of no persons more fitting for this year’s PCBH Award than Drs. Beachy and Bauman.

Very respectfully, Jeff Reiter and Patti Robinson

Nominated by Brian Burman

Hilary Reichlin is currently the Director of Integrated Services at Spectrum Community Health Services. She has worked at Spectrum for 9 years and has taken steps to help our medical providers work more closely with the BHC team; always demonstrating/modeling the benefits of a truly integrated health center and team-based care. Despite significant challenges, Hilary worked to implement a screening model and has mentored me and our team on how to shape provider behavior to 1) demonstrate the benefits of team-based, integrated care, and 2) demonstrate the value of high-functioning PCBH teams and high-functioning BHC/PCP/MA relationships on patient health outcomes. I’m so grateful to have been able to learn from Hilary, and I have an incredible amount of respect for the work that she’s done at Spectrum and the mentoring she provides to me and to members of the Philadelphia BHC network.

In addition to re-shaping and helping foster positive and collaborative relationships among clinical staff at Spectrum, Hilary has also worked with The Philadelphia Food Share to implement multiple produce prescription programs in our health network. These programs have had a direct impact on positive health outcomes for patients at Spectrum that include improved blood sugar and A1C levels, improved blood pressure for folks with chronic HTN, and improved patient satisfaction and engagement at Spectrum. Hilary is kind, warm, innovative, and she embodies social work values and the best of what the PCBH model can offer Spectrum and FQHCs in Philadelphia. Her leadership has paved a direction for implementation of the PCBH model at Spectrum post-pandemic that incorporates telehealth, improves patient access, and addresses the SDOH needs of our patients. Hilary embodies all that can be accomplished when implementing the PCBH model and has created systems that will positively impact patient health outcomes, improve access to healthcare, and that meet the complex needs of our patient population in Philadelphia.

Nominated by McKenna Walsh

Saint Louis University houses one of two Medical Family Therapy programs in the World and is the only program housed in medical school. The decision to place a behavioral health Ph.D. program in a medical school is evidence of this program’s deep commitment to a Primary Care Behavioral Health model. As medical family therapists, the program is deeply committed to providing care to its community and training clinicians to practice from collaborative family focused model that integrates primary care and behavioral health.

Not only does Saint Louis University’s program provide educational training to future behavioral health professionals, but the program also trains primary care physicians on a PCBH model. Students are taught the foundations of using PCBH via textbooks written by Patti Robinson and Jeff Reiter including behavioral consultation skills. One-way successful training of the PCBH model is verified by tracking learning goals such as the ability to conduct a contextual interview. Both behavioral health professionals and doctors participate in comprehensive training about the benefits of a PCBH model empowering them to take with them the PCBH models with them to the next stop in their careers. The exceptional faculty made up of both behavioral health and medical specialists supervises MFT students, medical students and residents in both clinical training and research. All graduates of the program will complete at least one fellowship working in an integrated primary care context in the PCBH model. Furthermore, the program teaches supervision as a part of the required curriculum ensuring that the next generation of clinical supervisors is trained in a PCBH model.

The program has a strong research focus and frequently publishes or presents original research based on the PCBH model at conferences. Our research is used as the foundation and justification to empower advocacy groups to advocate for PCBH’s best interests with state and federal lawmakers. In order to promote PCBH in the public eye the faculty and students also offer a wide range of talks, presentations, and community outreach across the spectrum of platforms from community focused events to continuing credit opportunities, or even just brown bag lunches all with the goal of continuing to build engagement, awareness, and excitement for a PCBH model. A core belief of the program is service, and the faculty serve in a wide range of roles and capacities from boards to committees and associations governance at an equally diverse range of public and private agencies.

Lead by Dr. Max Zubatsky who has been previously recognized by the CFHA for his contributions to collaborative family health care, students and faculty participate in community health centers and research projects to deliver comprehensive and cost-effective models of integrated healthcare to deliver to the Saint Louis Community. Graduates of the program teach in both behavioral health and medical settings and continue to contribute to innovative research supporting a PCBH model.

The Saint Louis University Medical Family Therapy program has a history of and continues to be committed to making outstanding contributions to Primary Care Behavioral health.

Nominated by Amelia McClelland

Allison embodies everything it means to be in pediatrics. She brings joy and light into every room, notices the small things with curiosity and compassion, makes an effort to help whenever she can, and her humor is on point. I am nominating her because of all the amazing works she is doing with making gender care primary care and supporting the pediatric patients and their families in the Gunderson Health system and beyond. She is helping to provide access to lifesaving care to gender expansive youth and their families in a way that is approachable, collaborative, safe, and fun. Her work is grounded in scientific evidence, but her execution is fun, engaging, caring, approachable, and colorful (literally, she is almost always wearing a rainbow). She knows how to engage with families and children while also working within in systems to make changes, do research, and work with interdisciplinary teams for better outcomes. She is AMAZING and when I grow up I want to be like her.

Nominated by Mary Krome

I had the pleasure of serving on a small but strong team of behavioral health consultants during the last academic year, and I would like to nominate our team for the Pediatric Integrated Primary Care Award. Led by Dr. Amanda (Rose) Hitchings, clinical psychology doctoral candidates Maranda Bowers and myself developed and implemented a behavioral health consultation program in outpatient pediatrics at
Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Keene, NH. I want to commend Dr.
Hitchings for her mentorship in pediatric integrated behavioral health care: As trainees,
Maranda and I gained tremendous exposure to program development within integrated
behavioral health, as well as service delivery.

The development of the behavioral health program came from Dr. Hitchings’ standing
leadership of a local provider consultation group dedicated to increasing access to
mental and behavioral health care in the rural Monadnock area. That is, through
qualitative data collection via fellow providers, Dr. Hitchings recognized a gap in local
services and advocated to establish easy accessibly, free behavioral health services in
one of the region’s few outpatient pediatrics departments. As a mentor, Dr. Hitchings
provided excellent supervision and designed a multidisciplinary didactic program,
tapping experts in hospital administration, medical gender affirmation, end of life care
and bereavement, public health, child development, eating disorders, and of course,
integrated primary care. She also ran weekly group supervision sessions with
behavioral health students embedded in her home department of Reproductive Care,
facilitating learning about perinatal and postpartum issues in caregiver/child dyads and
how to treat these presentations in the pediatric setting.

Dr. Hitching’s strong mentorship set the foundation for Maranda and me to implement
the collaboratively designed behavioral health program. Without direct predecessors in the pediatric practice, Maranda and I started building the road while we were driving on it, so to speak. Supervision remained essential as we learned the flow of behavioral
health consultation and integrated into the primary care team with the hopes of creating a sustainable training site for future students. To advocate for the continuation of integrated behavioral services in pediatrics, we collected data on our services, detailing that during the first twenty-five weeks of our training year, we served 175 patients for a total of 273 direct service hours. Notably, Maranda and I were only available for a combined thirty-two hours a week and our pre-scheduled appointments times were booked, indicating a continually high demand for behavioral health services. We presented these findings, as well as recommendations for further program development, to the pediatrics department and administrative team. Our advocacy resulted in two key markers of sustainable programming. First, a referral flow was built into the electronic medical record system, making it substantially easier to refer and schedule patients. Second, the program will continue with a modest expansion. The two incoming trainees will be available for a combined forty-four hours a week, therefore increasing the capacity for direct service delivery.

Looking back on the year, I’m in awe of our team’s accomplishments. Maranda and I
went from book-knowledge only of integrated behavioral health care to helping create,
and then refine some, an integrated pediatric care practice. Serving on this team has
been one of the most enriching opportunities of my career, in no small part because of
the supervision and consultation that I received from Dr. Hitchings and Maranda.

Thank you for your consideration for the Pediatric Integrated Primary Care Award.

Nominated by Melissa Buchholz

Dear Selection Committee,

It is an honor to nominate Dr. Ayelet Talmi for the CFHA’s Pediatric Integrated Care Award. Dr. Talmi is a truly transformational leader in the field of integrated care and is deserving of such an honor. Dr. Talmi is a Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and practices pediatric psychology at Children’s Hospital Colorado as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She leads the Section on integrated behavioral health in the Pediatric Mental Health Institute Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and supports the dissemination and implementation of integrated care across Children’s
Hospital Colorado’s campuses. Dr. Talmi created, implemented, and directs the integrated behavioral health services team in primary care clinics at Children’s Hospital Colorado – Project CLIMB (Consultation Liaison in Mental health and Behavior). CLIMB was created in 2005 as a strategy to increase access to behavioral health
for children, youth, and their families in the context of primary care. Under Dr. Talmi’s leadership, CLIMB has grown to be a nationally recognized program that not only provides comprehensive and evidence-based care to thousands of primary care patients, but also serves as a model for other primary care settings wanting to
implement the highest quality care. CLIMB engages in workforce development for both psychology trainees (externs, interns, and post-doctoral fellows) and medical providers (medical students, pediatric residents, physician assistant students). Project CLIMB has had deep and broad impact on the field of pediatric integrated care under Dr. Talmi’s leadership.

I began working with Dr. Talmi as a postdoctoral fellow in September 2007 and she has remained my mentor since my transition to faculty in 2009. It has been a privilege to witness Dr. Talmi’s countless impacts on the field via her direct teaching, educational leadership, and mentoring activities over many years. She is an exceptional clinician, an innovative leader, and a passionate advocate for integrated care across the full
continuum of care. Dr. Talmi has an unwavering commitment to serving families who have experienced systemic and structural racism. Providing quality care to marginalized and minoritized populations is critically important to Dr. Talmi and the CLIMB team as evidenced by consistent efforts to improve service delivery
processes and protocols, provide regular reflection opportunities to support this work, and intentional efforts to recruit a diverse workforce.

In addition to her clinical leadership and decades of workforce development efforts, Dr. Talmi is also a strong advocate for policy change at the local, state, and national levels. Dr. Talmi is regularly an invited member of various committees, workgroups, task forces, and advisory councils where she advocates for policy changes that
support integrated care efforts and lead to better care for children, youth, and their families. Dr. Talmi’s expertise is sought after and respected in these forums, and she has used her voice countless times to create impactful systems changes.

Finally, Dr. Talmi’s contribution to the literature and dissemination of her clinical expertise is profound. She makes every effort to share learnings from many years of program development, implementation, research, training and advocacy with the filed via publications and presentations and the field of integrated care has benefited from the knowledge she shares. Additionally, Dr. Talmi supports supervisees, junior faculty,
and medical colleagues with their own scholarship efforts and cultivates these individual’s contributions to the field. Dr. Talmi’s clinical, scholarship, and mentoring leadership is substantial, and she is a critical asset to the field of integrated care. She is well-deserving of this prestigious award.

Sincerely,

Melissa Buchholz, PsyD

Nominated by Phillip Hawley

It is with great enthusiasm that we nominate Dr. Courtney Valentine for the Pediatric
Integrated Care Award. Dr. Valentine exemplifies the spirit of this award through her
unwavering dedication to improving pediatric behavioral health care under a holistic,
integrated, and equitable lens. Her multifaceted contributions span education,
innovative practice, equity, mentoring, and advocacy, making her an outstanding
candidate for this honor.

Research and Education:
Dr. Valentine has made significant strides in the development and dissemination of
research aimed at enhancing pediatric behavioral health care. As the current co-chair of the Pediatric SIG and a frequent speaker at CFHA and other conferences she has
provided critical insights into the integration of behavioral health services within pediatric care settings. Additionally, Dr. Valentine has been instrumental in educating the next generation of healthcare providers, developing curricula that emphasize the importance of integrated care and equipping students with the skills necessary to implement these approaches effectively.

Promotion of Innovative Approaches:
As a BHC and supervisor, Dr. Valentine consistently seeks out and implements
innovative approaches to pediatric care. She has pioneered several initiatives that blend behavioral and physical health services, ensuring that children receive comprehensive and cohesive care. Her innovative models have enhanced our processes for children with ADHD Symptoms and ASD screening allow for faster diagnoses and treatment for said conditions. She has improved health for the pediatric patients at our clinics and has furthered our relationship with local schools, building an established school-based telehealth option for school children to access care.

Equity in High-Quality Care:
Dr. Valentine is a staunch advocate for equity in healthcare. She applies equity
principles in all aspects of her work, striving to eliminate disparities in pediatric
behavioral health care. She has developed programs specifically designed to address
the unique needs of underserved populations, ensuring that all children have access to
the high-quality care they deserve. Her efforts have been instrumental in making
pediatric behavioral health services more inclusive and equitable.

Mentoring and Advocacy:
Dr. Valentine is deeply committed to mentoring and advocacy. She has mentored many
students, interns, residents, and early-career professionals, providing guidance and
support as they navigate the complexities of integrated behavioral health care. Her
mentorship has inspired others to pursue careers in this field and has significantly
contributed to the development of a skilled and passionate workforce. Furthermore, Dr.
Valentine is an active advocate for policies that support integrated pediatric care,
regularly engaging with policymakers to promote systemic changes that benefit children and families.

Nominated by Lisa Kiser

Lisa Kiser is an LMFT and offers individual therapy to school-based children ages 4-21. Since coming to our clinic, she has addressed whole family systems in our office for family therapy. This has been a game-changer in addressing systemic issues and assisting family units in navigating family stressors together with better outcomes. Many of our patients now choose to do family therapy and this has expanded our services!

Nominated by Jodi Polaha

I am excited to support my colleague, Dr. Matthew Tolliver for the Pediatric Integrated Care Award. Dr. Tolliver has focused his career on integrated behavioral health in pediatric primary care. As a graduate student, he trained specifically in this area, conducting his thesis and dissertation on integrated behavioral health, and completing his pre-doctoral internship at Denver Health in Pediatrics. He was the first postdoctoral fellow hired by East Tennessee State University’s (ETSU) Department of Pediatrics
(2015), and was their first full-time behavioral health professional hire (2016). Since then, he has been promoted to Associate Professor and Director of Behavioral Health for Pediatrics. ETSU Pediatrics has thrived under his leadership, as he has developed a strong behavioral health team including three care managers, one social worker, and two pediatric psychologists, all of whom provide a progressive model of integrated behavioral health in their two general pediatric clinics. In addition to running a strong
clinical service, Dr. Tolliver and his team have trained over 30 graduate students in behavioral health professions training programs and play an integral role in resident and medical student education (Dr. Tolliver has given over 60 resident lectures). Finally, ETSU Pediatrics represents the leading edge in integrated behavioral health practices in our organization. They were the first to gain a PCMH Distinction in Behavioral Health in the State, and have initiated at least a dozen innovations clinical work such as documentation, care pathways, screening, and coordination of care. Dr. Tolliver is a highly esteemed colleague within the College of Medicine, receiving Mater Scholar and Teaching awards multiple times in the past 5 years.

I am so grateful that Dr. Tolliver has worked to bring his strong pediatric integrated care skills and knowledge to the betterment of the field as a whole. He has been active within the Collaborative Family Healthcare Organization, serving in the Pediatrics Special Interest Group since its inception in 2015, and more recently as a co-chair (January 2021 to December 2022). He has presented 15 papers at CFHA conferences.

Dr. Tolliver is a collaborator on several federal and state-funded training and service grants within critical workforce development and pediatric integrated behavioral health objectives. He has published 7 research papers on pediatric integrated behavioral health and one guest editorial (with Dr. Hostutler) on the pediatric mental health crisis post-Covid, which has remained on the top most-downloaded articles published in Families, Systems, & Health. His most recent work with myself and Dr. Dueweke represents key innovations in documenting fidelity to the PCBH model in pediatrics and
beyond.

Dr. Tolliver has had a remarkable impact on integrated behavioral health within pediatrics locally as well as nationally. If you are lucky enough to know him, you have the opportunity to be inspired by his strong values for doing the right thing in health care, hard work, critical thinking, and commitment to the team – whether that be his care team, his organizational team, or his national collaborators. I hope you will consider him for this prestigious award.

Nominated by Kelsie-Marie Offenwanger

Subject: Request for Nominations – Pediatric Integrated Care

Dear Collaborative Family Healthcare Association Selection Committee,

The Integrated Pediatric Behavioral Health (PCBH) care team at Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) is committed to innovation, community health, and wellness. MCHS predominantly resides within rural areas and spans across 30 county service areas, plus one territory in Michigan. Around 33% of children live in poverty and 86% of the area designated as medically underserved. Data has shown that >70% of the children seen in Pediatrics in the Marshfield Clinic system are insured by Medicaid. Findings from a Provider Satisfaction Survey showed that 88.1% of providers rated PCBH as “moderately helpful” or “extremely helpful” (4-5). Providers likelihood of accepting an integrated visit in the future were rated at 91% rated as “likely” or “extremely likely” (4-5).

Our pediatric integrated behavioral health team primarily consists of two psychologist, Dr. Stephanie Kohlbeck and Dr. Kelsie-Marie Offenwanger. While small in numbers we make up for in passion and care delivery. Innovation and lifelong learning come in the form of patient care delivery and fellowship training. The focus is on immediate intervention on a short-term basis, which supports the individual’s wellbeing holistically. In addition to working with children, adolescents and their families, the fellow gains experience consulting with physicians, nurses, and other medical team members on the service. Drs. Kohlbeck and Offenwanger were both fellowships trained at MCHS and see the value in giving back to the next generation.

Excellent care is provided at MCHS. Dr. Kohlbeck meets the families where they are at and are embedded as part of the medical team. Services are provided to low-income and economically marginalized populations and those requiring complex medical treatment. For example, Dr. Kohlbeck pioneers’ specialty clinics including ketogenic diet, cystic fibrosis, weight management and diabetes management. Often these families are traveling far and wide across the state for this care.

Dr. Kohlbeck’s interpersonal style seems to effortlessly foster teamwork across disciplines and makes it possible for PCBH providers to work collaboratively on several multidisciplinary teams.  PCBH is a fast moving and quickly changing environment, and Stephanie is the epitome of critical thinking. She can adapt her roles seamlessly and ensure each consult or patient is met with an open ear.  Stephanie is accountable and someone we know we can always count on.  Despite the natural inconsistencies in our work, increased patient demands, and decreased work force, Stephanie has remained a reliable force, protecting both our patients and our team. 

At MCHS, Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) provides same-day access to children, families, and adults in need of mental health services, right within their primary care provider’s office. However, many patients and families don’t know/are not familiar with this innovative care delivery model or are ambivalent about seeking these services. Likewise, medical providers do not have easy access to mental health resources to provide to their patients. Currently, we have sought out grant funding to address both of those deficits by updating our current materials. Funds would be used to identify, create/purchase, and distribute bilingual (Spanish and English) info-graphic resources and materials to patients and providers. We would then create and distribute unique, creative, and memorable promotional materials to patients, families, providers, and community members (e.g., schools, churches, community centers.

Seeking mental health treatment frequently can be difficult for patients and families, not just because of the stigma of receiving these services, but also because of the access to these services. Currently, patients and families only know about our services through their PCP, usually when an issue arises during a visit. Increasing our patients’ and families’ knowledge of the nature and availability of PCBH services before issues arise and being able to market it to a larger audience will help promote prevention services and the importance of early intervention. This may eliminate the need for more specialized behavioral health services. In addition, knowing that they can receive mental health services in an easily accessible, familiar setting will naturally reduce the stigma of receiving mental health treatment, increasing the likelihood that patients and families will seek mental health services sooner when needed. Seeking treatment earlier and seeking treatment when needed will reduce and prevent more serious complications from developing in the future, thus reducing burden on the healthcare system and on the patients and families.

Providing our medical providers in primary care with handouts on commonly presenting problems will allow them to provide important and specific information to patients in an efficient and direct way. This will allow patients and families who may not seek out formal mental health services to get needed information in a non-threatening way. It will also reduce practice burden on the PCP’s and improve efficiency of patient care.

Easy access to simple and easy to understand information for patients and families about their concerns will increase their understanding of the interventions provided and increase the likelihood of follow-through. This will naturally increase positive patient outcomes, both in terms of improved mental health functioning and over-all satisfaction with services provided.

Increasing the reach of our PCBH program is consistent with best practices in our field. Connecting with and educating our community aligns with MCHS commitment to patient/person centered care and illustrates the importance of treating the whole person.

These resources will also be shared with the community via clinic sponsored social media sites. This will allow us to reach a larger audience to both inform them of services available at Marshfield Clinic Health Systems and to encourage them to attend to their mental health and well-being. We anticipate improved provider outcomes, including increased patient volumes and increased provider efficiency. We also anticipate improved patient outcomes, including improved patient access to mental health services and a reduction in the need for more intensive mental health services.

Our PCBH aspirations and novel directions include expanding to other medical specialty services and ongoing grant development. We have been increasing unique and specialty patients every year and see the trend continuing to rise. Dr. Kohlbeck is truly a pioneer and pillar in our rural health system. Without her, care delivery would not be the same for our pediatric patients!

Thank you for your time, Kelsie-Marie Offenwanger, PsyD