Nominated by Samantha Deamer

To the Award Committee,

With heartfelt enthusiasm, I nominate Dr. Mike Bruner for the Don Bloch Award. His impact on the field of integrated care is matched only by his extraordinary talent for bringing people together, creating inclusive and uplifting spaces, and mentoring learners with wisdom, compassion, and unwavering dedication. I have so much to say in support of Dr. Bruner, but first, a personal anecdote:

I first met Dr. Bruner at an interview luncheon for Xavier University’s PsyD program – one that I attended as a prospective student. At the time, Dr. Bruner was a fourth-year doctoral student in the program and was introduced to me by his mentor at the time, Abbie Beacham, PhD. He was presenting a poster on integrated care research during the luncheon, and I had the privilege of not only hearing about his presentation and experience in integrated care, but also getting to sit with him at lunch and hear about his life and family. His passion for integrated care was already evident, even as a fourth year graduate student, but so was his warmth, kindness, and humanity. I instantly felt welcome and more excited about the prospect of a career in integrated care, and appreciated a moment of genuine human connection in a setting that trended towards hyper-professionalism.

Years later, I interviewed for a practicum position at Health Source of Ohio as a fourth year graduate student at Xavier. Dr. Bruner was then a brand-new licensed psychologist and supervisor. His excitement and energy had not diminished in the slightest, and he was just as gracious and warm as the first time I’d met him.

Fast forward another few years, to me anxiously searching through CFHA listserv posts as first year faculty member tasked to develop a curriculum in which to train doctoral psychology interns in integrated care. It didn’t take long to spot Dr. Bruner’s name, as he is a frequent contributor. I reached out to Dr. Bruner immediately, having remembered him from our brief encounters, and he responded promptly, gave me his cell phone number, and offered to help however he could.

Dr. Bruner and I met in person for the third time at the Boise, ID conference later that year. I was anxious to attend, not knowing any other attendee, but Dr. Bruner introduced me to several of my integrated care heroes, allowed me to join him and his team throughout the conference, and stayed in touch ever since. He always picks up the phone when I needed to consult, vent, or share an idea. He has continued to be a connector, introducing me to colleagues in similar career venues and stages. He has helped my island of integrated care feel like a family, and taught me how to grow my own team here in West Virginia. I truly feel that Dr. Bruner’s bright light and passion for integrated care was a guidepost at crucial decision points in my career, and his mentorship has had a ripple effect across our region. I’m beyond grateful for the role he plays in the integrated care field.

My own story aside – I decided to nominate Dr. Bruner after reading the qualities Don Bloch embodied, thinking that they could have been written about Dr. Bruner himself. By getting to know Dr. Bruner these last few years, I’ve been able to see the way he generously gives his time and knowledge to everyone he meets. He is passionate about training and cares deeply about his students. He genuinely wants what is best for his team and is never selfish or hoarding of his knowledge or resources. His students are free to challenge and question without fear of judgement or retaliation, and you can often find the group of them deep in theoretical discussion with Dr. Bruner participating humbly. Watching his team interact is delightful, and a testament to the effort Dr. Bruner puts into creating such an inclusive culture.  

Dr. Bruner also embodies the intellectual qualities – he is an innovative and out of the box thinker, leveraging technology to support his programs and practice. He is always recommending new books and suggesting new articles to read, and has an appreciation of the fine arts and music to accompany his scholarly knowledge. He is a leader in the integrated care field and paving the way for new learners to grow.

Finally, Dr. Bruner’s work is unmistakenly driven by a deeply rooted sense of purpose. This purpose and passion is evident to everyone who gets the chance to hear him talk integrated care. He graciously volunteers his time to do a “Q&A” with my trainees during our PCBH orientation, and the excitement for integrated care radiates off him, infecting everyone in the room. My husband had the opportunity to meet Dr. Bruner on a number of occasions and has very succinctly observed, “Mike LIVES for this stuff doesn’t he?” Whether or not Dr. Bruner “lives” for integrated care is for him to say, but through knowing him, I can attest that he has dedicated his career, and therefore much of his time, to the service of others through his teaching, mentoring, patient care, and leadership.

This award celebrates individuals who embody visionary leadership, compassionate service, and a transformative presence—qualities that Dr. Bruner exemplifies in both heart and action. In the spirit of Don Bloch’s legacy, Dr. Bruner has not only imagined a better future for integrated care—he is actively creating it. It is an honor to support his nomination and to celebrate the profound influence he continues to have on not only our field, but also his trainees, his colleagues, and those they ripple out to meet.

Sincerely,

Sam Deamer

Nominated by Courtney Valentine

Phillip Hawley is the type of leader that we all strive to be. He sees the potential in everyone and tries his best to harness the resources to help that individual achieve success. When he sees that the voices of others are not well represented in a meeting or a group, he uses his space to bring others to the table. He values the work fiercely and his team and always puts patient care first. He is always thinking years ahead to how to best build teams and provide access to services. He is humble and caring and will be the first to offer to help, train, give or support. He has encouraged those around him to try new things and take up leadership even when they didn’t think they could. He has been a friend and a leader in the hardest of times. We are all lucky to work with him.

Courtney Valentine

Nominated by Alyssa Eversmeyer

I am excited to nominate Sam Deamer, PsyD, for the Don Bloch award. She embodies the same qualities that made Don brilliant, and she is a fantastic leader, mentor, and trailblazer in integrated primary care in our health system because of them. She shares Don’s vision of creating a more effective, efficient, and transformatively better healthcare system by working closely with the medical providers, equally valuing the bio, the psycho, and the social, and operating always from a family and systems perspective. Everyone who has worked with Sam at WVU Medicine can tell stories about her enthusiasm, innovation, perseverance, and mentorship. To quote her colleague and internship training director Kristen Whitmore: “It’s hard to capture her essence in words, I wish we could bottle up her bootcamp energy and send that to them for the nomination!” Since we can’t send you that bottle, I’ve picked some examples of her work to share instead.

Sam has been an innovator who gets things done since the start of her career. After completing her internship and postdoc at WVU Medicine, she was hired in 2022 to take over integrated behavioral health at our rural health clinic, Harper’s Ferry Family Medicine. At the time, the clinic used a co-located, referral-based model with limited intake spots and a year-long waitlist. Sam consulted with other psychologists, including CFHA connections, and personally overhauled the service model to push it further along the continuum of integration. She made many changes including removing limits on new patient visits, shortening session to a half hour, adding brief adult ADHD assessments, ensuring all-day coverage for warm handoffs by having two providers switch off with alternating slots, educating providers and residents on the PCBH model (using the same framing and warm enthusiasm that Don may have used), and always encouraging them to knock, interrupt, and steal us away for a warm handoff.

Sam and others have told me that making these changes was difficult. I would imagine it would have been especially hard given that Sam was an early career psychologist in her very first job, and she had only just transitioned from a trainee to provider role in that same clinic. However, I’ve observed Sam in her role since my internship started in July 2023; to me, she has always made it look easy. This is because Sam is made for this role. Sam’s passion and vision for integrated care intersects beautifully with her personality, which is easy-going and strong-willed, ambitious and collaborative, outspoken, hilarious, as well as calming and nurturing. Like Don, she is excellent at leading, teaching, connecting, mentoring, communicating, and doing. She formed close relationships with everyone in the clinic and members of the family medicine and psychiatry administration and leadership. Between appointments, she roams the clinic, popping into offices and chatting with the medical preceptors and residents. As a result, whenever she or a supervisee has a question or request, Sam always knows exactly who to reach out to and does so without hesitation. She has given her colleagues enough positive reinforcement that they readily come and knock on her door for the same from her.

Sam and I have been working on mixed-methods program evaluation research since last year. We’re measuring the impact of her work over time and disseminating that data to support efforts to expand these services to other clinics (2 so far, and growing) and further the mission of CFHA and the PCBH model. Based on the data, Sam successfully transformed the clinic. The waitlist was eliminated, and the wait time for an intake was shortened from a year to about 2-4 weeks. Many more patients accessed behavioral health services. The medical providers indicated strong satisfaction with our services and the changes made. They expressed how helpful it is to themselves and their patients to be able to work in concert with behavioral health, rather than treating us like just another medical specialty, but under the same roof. Sam brought us all much closer together. Anecdotally, our patients are much more satisfied with the new model, and both medical and psychology trainees benefit immensely from the unique training it offers (surveys for both of these are in the works this year).

To finish this nomination, I’ll say a little more about Sam as a talent scout and connector from a personal perspective. Sam definitely scouted me. She supervised me last year during internship, and this year we’re colleagues and research partners. She was, without exaggeration, the best supervisor I’ve ever had. She gave me and my fellow interns a warm, fun, and approachable introduction to integrated primary care in her famous “PCBH Bootcamp,” which was full of icebreakers, new perspectives, theoretical and ethical discussions, and extensive roleplaying to build confidence and reduce anxiety. In supervision, she was supportive both personally and professionally, actively modeled strong clinical skills, pushed my comfort zone, built my confidence, and singlehandedly connected me to more opportunities than anyone else involved in my educational journey has. She handed me the company credit card and told me to join CFHA, submitted conference submissions on my behalf, found me conference funding, wrote up IRB proposals, got research projects off the ground, and pep talked me into being a similar pioneer for greater integration in my first job after postdoc, which will be in cardiac psychology (not integrated nor even co-located for now, but I plan to channel my inner Sam and change that). Besides me, Sam has trained many others, including psychology interns and medical residents. She is only three years into her career and already having ripple effects, as her former interns get hired to staff integrated care in other clinics in our system, and as the former residents take jobs in other clinics and become champions for integrated health and the biopsychosocial model in those settings. I strongly believe her work thus far deserves recognition, and I am beyond excited to see what else she achieves.

Nominated by Keith Stowell

Nominated by Nicole Portrude

Clare McNutt, PA-C, MSHS, is a nationally recognized leader in behavioral health integration, a deeply values-driven clinician and educator, and a highly effective champion of the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM). Across clinical, operational, and policy spheres, Clare has spent more than 15 years building and expanding integrated behavioral health programs with an unwavering commitment to equity, access, and clinical excellence.

Currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Health System Integration at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, Clare leads a multidisciplinary team that supports health systems across 19 states to implement and sustain evidence-based integrated care models, especially CoCM. From pilot programs to multi-state expansion and Medicaid reimbursement policy efforts, her ability to navigate from the exam room to Capitol Hill is unmatched. Her leadership has helped demonstrate that CoCM works for patients, providers, and payers alike. Clare brings a wealth of operational insight, deep empathy, and an unrelenting drive to improving our healthcare system. Her voice is one of the most compelling in the field because it is rooted in both technical fluency and human experience.

In addition to her implementation and policy work, Clare is a passionate educator and a kind leader. She serves as affiliate faculty at Dell Medical School and assistant clinical professor at George Washington University, mentoring the next generation of integrated care professionals. Her approach is collaborative, generous, and relentlessly mission-driven. Through her leadership, she empowers her colleagues to embrace the principles of CoCM and enhance implementation in pediatric, adult, perinatal, and specialty care settings. Clare’s commitment to education extends beyond her immediate team; she actively participates in national webinars and conferences, sharing her knowledge and expertise with students and colleagues alike.

For her transformational leadership, commitment to equity, and tireless promotion for accessible mental health care through the Collaborative Care Model, I strongly recommend Clare McNutt for the CFHA Collaborative Care Model Award.

Nominated by Kelly Shaffer, LPC, LAC (She/Her/Hers)

It is with great enthusiasm that I nominate Justin Upwell (They/Them/He/Him) for recognition of their outstanding contributions to healthcare through their deep and sustained commitment to the Collaborative Care (CoCM) model. Justin exemplifies the spirit and practice of integrated behavioral health through advancing clinical excellence, innovation, education, equity, and systemic change in ways that are both visionary and grounded in the daily realities of care.

As an Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) Supervisor at Denver Health, Justin oversees IBH consultants at two primary care clinics, while also continuing to serve as a Behavioral Health and Substance Treatment Consultant across two sites. Their commitment to CoCM is evident in every aspect of their work, from fostering strong medical-behavioral health integration and warm handoffs, to delivering direct, compassionate, evidence-based care. Their clinical work incorporates specialty techniques, including EMDR, brief interventions, and harm reduction-based counseling, all seamlessly integrated into primary care settings across the lifespan.

Justin’s leadership in practice transformation has been exceptional. As Department Epic Champion, they led a multidisciplinary documentation workgroup that improved note templates, streamlined EHR workflows, and piloted the use of generative AI (Nabla) within behavioral health. These initiatives not only increased efficiency and reduced provider burden, but remained grounded in CoCM principles – centering ethical use, patient-centered language, and alignment with collaborative workflows. Their development of the “IBH Sample Note Library” and onboarding tools for new clinicians reflect Justin’s foresight and commitment to building infrastructure that supports sustainable, team-based care.

Just today, I sent Justin a message of congratulations after they shared an exciting update with our division: the quick-access SmartPhrases he created for use in our EHR for referrals and patient resources are now streamlined, standardized, and available department-wide. No more memorizing ambiguous initials to find a resource! Now everything is intuitive and accessible. What stood out even more was that Justin made sure these tools would be maintained by our behavioral health educators moving forward, not clinicians. It was a thoughtful, strategic move that shows their deep commitment to sustainability, appropriate roles, and patient-centered care. This is just one of many ways Justin, sometimes quietly, but powerfully, improves systems for everyone around them.

A natural educator, Justin serves as adjunct faculty at University of Colorado Denver and has taught numerous graduate-level courses. They are passionate about workforce development, having trained students, fellows, and early-career professionals in ethical, culturally attuned, and integrated care delivery. Justin’s influence also extends through their scholarship: they have presented widely on topics including trauma in primary care, LGBTQIA+ care, ethics, and the application of AI in integrated settings, including a forthcoming presentation at CFHA 2025.

Justin also serves as Site Principal Investigator for The BEET Diabetes Feasibility Trial, a project blending behavioral intervention with diabetes management. This work reflects a nuanced understanding of the intersection of physical and mental health and furthers the scientific foundation of collaborative care.

Their commitment to values such as inclusion, humility, and continuous improvement is evident in their day-to-day leadership. They are a trusted mentor, known for giving and receiving feedback with kindness and clarity. Their peers describe them as someone who balances attention to systems and people, ideas and action, always advocating for excellence without losing sight of empathy.

Another particularly powerful example of Justin’s impact is the recognition they received from Denver Health’s LGBTQ+ Health Services team in 2024, when they identified that an AI tool used across the system was misgendering patients by defaulting to legal names and sex assigned at birth. Justin acted quickly and collaboratively to address this issue, ensuring patients received affirming care and that the technology was updated responsibly. This moment encapsulates their unique ability to lead with both technical insight and moral clarity.

Justin also serves as the first behavioral health provider elected to Denver Health’s Medical Staff Executive Committee, ensuring behavioral health voices shape policy, provider wellness initiatives, and governance. Through this role, they influence institutional decision-making in a way that reinforces the essential role of integrated behavioral health in delivering equitable, cost-effective care.

In short, Justin Upwell represents the future of CoCM leadership: clinically excellent, systemsminded, socially conscious, and relentlessly committed to improving care for patients and providers alike. Their contributions span training, scholarship, technology, equity, and frontline practice and always center the collaborative model as both a philosophy and a vehicle for change.

For all these reasons and more, I strongly recommend Justin for this award. It’s hard to capture just how much Justin brings to our team and the field, and this award would be one small way to recognize a truly remarkable person.

Nominated by Judy Keel

Nominated by Mike Bruner, Dave Bauman, Jeff Leichter, and Bill O’Connell

We (Mike, Dave, Jeff, and Bill) feel humbled and privileged to nominate Alexander Blount, EdD, for this award recognizing his significant and lasting contributions to the field of integrated primary care behavioral health. Over a career spanning decades, Dr. Blount has been a guiding force in changing how we approach patient care, and his work has had a profound impact on healthcare professionals and systems.

Dr. Blount is a true pioneer in the movement to bring behavioral health into the primary care setting. His influential 1998 book, Integrated Primary Care: The Future of Medical and Mental Health Collaboration, was one of the first to provide a clear vision for the field. It offered the essential framework that has guided countless organizations in successfully merging medical and mental health services.

Beyond his foundational writing, Dr. Blount has been dedicated to putting these ideas into practice. As the founder of the Center for Integrated Primary Care at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, he created a vital center for innovation and training. Through the Center, he developed a powerful online training program that has prepared over 4,000 clinicians with the skills needed to work effectively on integrated primary care teams. This program has been crucial in building the workforce for modern, team-based care.

His leadership in the field is widely respected. He is a past president of the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA) and the recipient of their Don Bloch Award, a distinction that speaks to his significant influence on collaborative care.

The impact of Dr. Blount’s work is both national and international. In his role as Professor Emeritus at UMass Chan Medical School and as a consultant to over 75 different organizations—from U.S. federal agencies to Singapore’s Ministry of Health—he has demonstrated his ability to apply these principles effectively in diverse, real-world settings.

Personally, Dr. Blount has been profoundly influential to all of our careers.

Nominator #1: Mike Bruner, PsyD, Director of Behavioral Health

I first encountered Sandy at the CFHA conference in 2019. He led a discussion at the end of the last day, and though I can’t even remember the topic, I do vividly remember being riveted by the stories and ideas he spoke about. At that time, my knowledge of Dr. Alexander Blount amounted to, “I think I’ve seen that guy on the listserv,” but after that discussion, I did my research and discovered that he was a pillar of the integrated care world and that no small amount of my professional knowledge stemmed from his work. I reconnected with Sandy in early 2021, when I eagerly enrolled in his PCBH Leadership Certificate Course. This course was a game-changer for me as a new leader in so many ways, but there is just one thing I’ll emphasize. Put simply, Sandy has a way of thinking that I had not encountered before meeting him. His course content presented many ideas that were brand new to me (e.g., Appreciative Inquiry), and his focus and emphasis was always in areas my previous training did not prepare me for. Whenever I or a classmate presented a challenge from our jobs, his way of thinking about the problem and thus how he developed solutions was just so unique to my experience. I cannot hope to fully internalize Sandy’s genius in this regard, but certainly he has expanded my mind in ways that have dramatically benefited myself and everyone I work with. Considering that I am only one of hundreds, if not thousands, of people that Sandy has had such an impact on, I gratefully and confidently nominate him for the Outstanding Contributions to the PCBH Model Award.

Nominator #2: Dave Bauman, PsyD, Director of Behavioral Health Education

From Dave: I vividly recall encountering Dr. Blount’s seminal work as a graduate student pursuing my doctorate in clinical and primary care psychology. His scholarship helped shape the foundation of my understanding and aspirations in this field. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently turned to his writings, sought out his trainings, and benefitted from his practical wisdom. Even as recently as last year’s CFHA conference, I found myself captivated and intellectually challenged by his presentation on contingencies within integrated primary care, an experience that once again expanded my thinking and gratefully challenged assumptions (I do wish he would get a #PCBHLife shirt, though 😊). What is perhaps most striking is that Sandy’s clarity of purpose and conviction have only deepened over the years. His unwavering commitment to integrating behavioral health into primary care reflects not just a professional mission but a lived value. Simply, he is inspiring and my mind hopes my career longevity resembles a fraction of his.

Dr. Blount’s career has been defined by a clear commitment to patient-centered, team-based care. He has created a lasting legacy that has improved patient outcomes and has shaped a new generation of healthcare leaders. For his pioneering vision, his dedication to practical education, and his enduring impact on the field, Alexander Blount is an outstanding and highly deserving candidate for this award.

Nominator#3:  Jeff Leichter Ph.D., L.P., Licensed Psychologist, Lead Administrator for Behavioral Health Integration

It’s been said that one should never meet their hero, as they are bound to be disappointed.  That advice has not held true in my opportunity to meet and get to know Sandy Blount.  I was fortunate to be able to enroll in Sandy’s nearly year -long PCBH leadership course (cohort 1!).  Half expecting to meet someone who might be aloof or overly self-involved as superstars sometimes are, instead I was delighted to meet an individual who, despite his enormous contributions to our field of integrated care and record of publication, was incredibly humble, gracious, and humorous!  He rapidly created a sense of psychological safety within the group and was an exemplar himself of someone who was curious, vulnerable, and as eager to learn from us as we were from him!  The following months allowed me to explore my concerns about leading a PCBH program, feel free to acknowledge my vulnerabilities and insecurities, and develop sound strategies to facilitate my leadership of the integrated care initiative at my health system.  Sandy intentionally struck a tone of collegiality, mutual respect, and freedom to expand my thinking in a variety of different directions as it applied to leading an integrated care initiative.  Rather than take on the role of the “sage on the stage” that he certainly has earned, he instead promoted the idea of “we are all in this together.”   Subsequent to the course, I had the privilege to co-present with Sandy at a CFHA conference and found him to still be gracious, unassuming, self-effacing, and a joyous colleague.  It is with great enthusiasm that I nominate Sandy Blount as deserving of the CFHA Outstanding Contributions to the PCBH Model Award.

Nominator #4:  Bill O’Connell, EdD

I first encountered Sandy asynchronously via the UMASS Chan Medical School Certificate in Primary Care Behavioral Health course.  I had embarked on a career change from a tenured Associate Professor in Counselor Education to a behavioral health consultant (BHC) for a national healthcare company working alongside a very talented group of physicians, nurses, health coaches, and a small group of BHCs.  Sandy made a significant contribution to the certificate program and helped orient me to my new professional identity.   Sandy’s instruction prepared me to accept greater responsibility within the company to guide integration of the PCBH model for the regional clinic system, and help expand BHC talent.  As I assumed regional director responsibilities, Sandy launched a course for PCBH leaders that introduced me to colleagues across the country working in different systems with the same goal of building the PCBH model in our respective organizations with confidence, clarity and creativity.  Sandy’s book titled Patient-Centered Primary Care helped crystalize many of the ideas shared in both the certificate program and the leadership course with opportunities to continue knowledge and skill building for PCBH within diverse systems. Sandy has now mentored generations of PCBH leaders and exudes a generous spirit in fielding questions and ideas related to the PCBH model.  It is with tremendous gratitude that I nominate Sandy for outstanding contributions to the PCBH model award. 

Nominated by Alexander Young

It is with great enthusiasm that I nominate Dr. Stacy A. Ogbeide for recognition in Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) for her outstanding contributions. Dr. Ogbeide is a national leader in integrated care whose dedication, scholarship, and service have profoundly shaped the implementation and advancement of the PCBH model across clinical, academic, and policy settings.

Dr. Ogbeide is a board-certified clinical health psychologist with extensive experience delivering and training others in the PCBH model. As Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Faculty at UT Health San Antonio, she has led interprofessional training efforts that embed behavioral health into primary care settings, while also mentoring a diverse pipeline of clinicians, trainees, and early career faculty in integrated care. Her work spans pediatric, adult, geriatric, underserved, and medically complex populations, exemplifying high-fidelity application of PCBH principles in diverse contexts.

A prolific scholar and editor, Dr. Ogbeide has published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles on integrated care, supervision, health equity, and workforce development. Her work on supervision competencies, brief interventions, and team-based care has contributed to defining best practices in PCBH and training the next generation of behavioral health consultants. Notably, she co-authored critical guidance on clinical supervision within PCBH and has led multiple HRSA-funded workforce development initiatives that prioritize integrated care for underserved communities.

Beyond her clinical and scholarly achievements, Dr. Ogbeide is a valued national leader. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association, contributed to the AHRQ-sponsored National Integration Academy Council (NIAC), and advises both the APA and national organizations on issues ranging from billing structures to clinical guidelines. Her leadership is especially impactful in promoting health equity and supporting underrepresented groups in academic medicine.

Dr. Ogbeide exemplifies the heart of PCBH meeting people where they are, training systems to do better, and doing it all with humility, rigor, and compassion. Her career is a model for how behavioral health can be truly and sustainably integrated into primary care.

For these reasons, Dr. Ogbeide deserves recognition for her outstanding contributions to the field of Primary Care Behavioral Health.

Nominated by Yun Boylston

Nominated by Mary Jean Mork

As the head of a large integrated behavioral health program within MaineHealth for almost 10 years, Stacey Ouellette has proven to be the guiding force, program leader, system advocate, and heart and soul of integration. While the program serves all ages a particular focus for Stacey has been on improving the integrated behavioral health programming for children, youth and their families.

MaineHealth is a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America”. As the largest health system in Maine, it provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and a segment of New Hampshire. Within this system, the Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) program has over 100 behavioral health clinicians working in over 75 primary and specialty care practices and school health centers. The system and this program have been dependent on the strong committed leadership that Stacey continues to deliver every day.
While managing this large and ever-growing program, Stacey has sustained a core commitment to programming for children, youth and families. Within the BHI program clinicians are integrated into every pediatric practice. In addition, Stacey has been involved in obtaining grants to fund Early Child Development Specialists who are specially qualified case managers working directly within the pediatric practices as part of the care team to provide parental education and support families in accessing necessary services. She is also the Behavioral Health Lead for the MaineHealth ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and Resiliency program. The program implements care team models designed to Assess, Intervene and Monitor (AIM) pediatric adversity, developmental concerns, behavioral health symptomology and health-related social needs to build resiliency for children and families. Stacey has led or participated in efforts to spread the AIM model across the MaineHealth system including use of screening tools for early childhood development, postpartum depression, trauma/adversity, food insecurity, depression, anxiety and substance abuse. Stacey has participated in or led over 40 trainings across MaineHealth, with more than 2,000 participants. The trainings and aligned tools have increased the consistency of a trauma informed care model for our system and aligned workflows across more than 50 primary care offices serving children. Stacey has been successful in breaking down the walls between medical and behavioral health. The BHI team led by Stacey is now an integral part of our health system working hand in hand with the medical providers on a daily basis to address parenting struggles, developmental delays, depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use and additional behavioral health symptomology.

As an LCSW Stacey has a long history of working as a child and family therapist including delivering integrated behavioral health services within several pediatric practices. It is clear that this direct service always taps into Stacey’s core commitment to the “why” of our work and serves to inform her ideas and provide motivation for program development and improvement.

As a person Stacey can be counted on to do the right thing, tell you the truth, follow-through on her commitments, learn about and promote best practices, and be a solid partner in creating the best program possible, whether you’re a colleague, a staff, or a person receiving services. She continues to lean into innovative practices connecting to national experts and bringing that knowledge back to our system to implement positive change.
Stacey is an inspirational leader who builds a sense of safety, empowerment and trust within the multitude of clinical teams, workgroups and committees she participates in. As a leader, Stacey represents both the present and the future of behavioral health integration and the present and potential future benefit for children, youth and families served by our system.
Submitted by Mary Jean Mork, LCSW – Director of Special Projects who has had the pleasure of working with Stacey for many years in connection to the BHI program, and Stephen DiGiovanni, MD – Medical Director for Maine Medical Center Educational Services Pediatrics who has worked with Stacey on both the BHI program and the MaineHealth ACES and Resiliency Program.