2024 Behavioral Health Care Symposium Resources

Twylla Abrahamson, PhD
Director, Children’s System of Care Division
Placer County
Twylla Abrahamson has been employed by Placer County since 2007. As the Deputy Director for Health and Human Services over the Children’s System of Care, she is the Behavioral Health Compliance Officer, and shares oversight of the Quality Manager position for the county as well. Ms. Abrahamson was formerly employed as a Health Program Manager in Sacramento County Adult Mental Health Services.

Kirsten Barlow, MSW
Vice President, Policy
California Hospital Association
Kirsten Barlow joined the California Hospital Association as Vice President, Policy in December 2021, where she manages behavioral health policy issues. Prior roles during her career have included serving as lead lobbyist and then Executive Director for the County Behavioral Health Directors Association, Executive Officer at the Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health, and policy and communications positions at the California Department of Mental Health, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, and the California Assembly Human Services Committee in the State Legislature.

Mark Bontrager
Senior Director, Behavioral Health
Partnership Health Plan of California
Mark Bontrager is responsible for oversight and management of Partnership activities involving behavioral health (mental health and substance use) services and community projects that support access to and improvement of behavioral health. He also works with Partnership leadership, member counties, providers, and the community to develop the health plan’s approach to behavioral health services.

Emery Cowan, LPCC, LMHC
Director of Health & Social Services
Solano County HHS
Emery Cowan has 24 years of experience in the behavioral health field. Throughout her career across 3 states (FL, NC, CA), she has served in leadership and direct service roles, including expansion of evidence-based practices promoting recovery, cultural humility, social justice, and community inclusion for children, youth, families and adults with mental health and substance use challenges. She has worked in state and local government roles as well as direct service, has Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Florida International University, and is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in CA & Mental Health Counselor (FL).

Amy Ellis, MFT
Deputy Director, Adult System of Care
Health and Human Services, County of Placer
Ms. Ellis has held varying clinical and administrative positions for Placer County serving children, families, and adults. She has been the Deputy Director of Health and Human Services since 2017. She oversees 250 County Staff and over 50 Contractors. Her programs include Behavioral Health, Housing and Homelessness, Adult Protective Services, In Home Supportive Services, Public Guardian and Public Administrator.

Brett J. Feldman, MSPAS, PA-C
Clinical Association Professor of Family Medicine and Director and Co-Founder of Street Medicine
University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Brett Feldman, Director and co-founder of USC Street Medicine in Los Angeles, brought his street medicine program to LA after founding and directing a similar program in Pennsylvania for over a decade. This program has been featured on CNN and BBC, the Associated Press and the Washington Post. A PBS Documentary featuring Mr. Feldman and his street medicine program, Close to Home: Street Medicine, won and Emmy in 20218.  His humble, compassionate, and consistent approach to caring for patients on the streets fosters extraordinary trust and camaraderie, which in turn renders extraordinary results in patient outcomes.

Karen Frank, DPN, CPPS, MSHA
Market Director of Quality
CHI Memorial Hospital, CommonSpirit
Ms. Frank graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. In her current role, she has the opportunity to examine data in many different ways, including through a health equity lens. Compassionately caring for our vulnerable patients is a priority and this includes reducing stigma surrounding persons with substance use disorder.

Lauren Fryling, MD
Emergency Medical Physician
Northridge Hospital
In addition being an ER physician, Ms. Fryling is a clinical faculty at Harbor UCLA Medical Center where she runs a health equity rotation for emergency medicine residents. She mentors residents who are interested in health equity and other programs regarding social determinants of health including being faculty mentor for CAFP SUD grant. She is also a health sciences assistant clinical professor at West LA VA Medical Center where she is also involved in many programs involving SUD and homeless health.

Brian Jensen
Regional Vice President
Hospital Council of Northern and Central California
Brian Jensen is an executive with a quarter century of public policy and government relations experience, over a decade of experience building partnerships with health care organizations, and an extensive civic leadership record. In his current role, he accomplishes local advocacy outcomes on behalf of 47 member hospitals in a 15-county territory. He has convened groups of diverse health stakeholders and facilitated efforts to improve mental health delivery, emergency medical services, and health care workforce development.

Kathy Krebs-Dean, MPH, Ma
Director of Behavioral Health Expansion & Development
St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Center, CommonSpirit
Ms. Krebs-Dean is a dedicated advocate for health equity and social justice with over 25 years of experience addressing the intersections of behavioral health, substance use disorders, and social inequities. At CommonSpirit Health, she has led initiatives to combat stigma, including securing funding to expand hospital ED-based Medication Assisted Treatment for patients impacted by opioid addiction. She serves as the program evaluator for a SAMHSA-funded MAT program at St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health in Stockton and also serves as the program developer and leader for CommonSpirit’s Anti-Stigma Initiative.

Carolyn Levitan, LMFT
Senior Director of Crisis Care
Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services In her current role, Carolyn supports Didi Hirsch’s Suicide Prevention Center services including the Crisis Line, as well as counseling and support group services in Los Angeles and Orange County for those who are at risk of suicide, have attempted suicide or have been impacted by a loved one’s suicide attempt or suicide loss. She is a current Director and acting Secretary on the International Council for Helplines (ICH) Board of Directors. Before her work at Didi Hirsch, Carolyn worked in various adult, child, and family community mental health settings.

Alicia Macklin, JD, MPH
Partner
Hooper Lundy & Bookman P.C.
Ms. Macklin is a trusted advisor to a range of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health care providers, along with hospitals and health systems. She has counseled many of California’s hospitals on unsettled areas of law, with an emphasis on compliance with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Her work with providers includes advising on licensing and accreditation, Medicare and Medi-Cal reimbursement, federal and state privacy and confidentiality requirements, and operational issues. She also helps California providers navigate voluntary and involuntary treatment under the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (LPS Act).

Lyn Morris, LMFT
Chief Executive Officer
Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
Lyn Morris is a highly accomplished Executive Leader and Licensed Therapist with 20+ years of experience and is dedicated to serving communities where poverty or stigma limits access to care. She is a results-oriented leader with proven success in managing multiple county, state, and federal contracts and budgets to maximize revenue and clinical services. She is a recognized national expert in suicide prevention and an innovative leader in developing nationwide training and curriculum and influencing public policy.

Jodi Nerell, LCSW
Director, Community Health, Mental Health & Addiction Services
Sutter Health
In her role, Ms. Nerell facilitates cross-sector (hospital, managed-care plans, CBO, NPOs, counties) and interdisciplinary partnerships (peer support, CHWs, RNs, MDs, clinicians) to better serve the behavioral health needs of our community. This includes addressing opportunities for innovation in the community setting specific to mental health and addiction- addressing ongoing systematic, programmatic, and operational issues for populations with complex health/social needs who are often faced with seeking care in acute settings due to lack of availability to or access to, outpatient behavioral health care.

Mike Phillips, JD
Senior Director of Patient Advocacy and Housing Services
Jewish Family Service of San Diego
In his role at the Jewish Family Service of San Diego, Mike Phillips provides instruction and training for the behavioral health community, including providing information on due process rights for individuals receiving behavioral health treatment throughout the County of San Diego. He also oversees permanent supportive housing programs throughout the Coachella Valley, and safe parking programs throughout San Diego County. He is currently consulting at the state level on behavioral health reform, including participation in the statewide Behavioral Health Action Coalition, and provides both local and statewide law enforcement training on behavioral health issues.

Diana E. Ramos, MD, MPH, MBA
California Surgeon General
Dr. Diana E. Ramos is a renowned public health leader and California’s second Surgeon General and first Latina Surgeon General. As California’s Doctor, she is the leading spokesperson on the most pressing public health issues of the time within the State of California. Her mission is to advance the health and wellbeing of all Californians.

Dr. Kwane Stewart
Veterinarian, Founder of Project Street Vet, Author of “What it Takes to Save a Life: A Veterinarian’s Quest for Healing and Hope”
A graduate from the renowned Colorado State University Veterinary program, Dr. Stewart has been a California practicing vet for over 26 years. He has worked in nearly every part of the profession – honing his clinical and business expertise. He is known for his outspoken, compassionate, charismatic and genuine nature. Today, his career has evolved into another new journey: His true calling – helping pets and people in need.

Celeste Sweitzer, LCSW
California Region Behavioral Health Director
CommonSpirit Health
Celeste Sweitzer oversees services for 29 hospitals and numerous behavioral health units, including two EmPATH behavioral health emergency units and a freestanding behavioral health center. A licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience at Dignity Health, Celeste is passionate about providing timely and efficient care to individuals in behavioral health crises. She has presented at Becker’s Hospital review on the parallel process of working concurrently with the emergency room physician to get the patient’s crisis behavioral health services started.

Artinice Walker
Substance Use Navigator
St. Bernardine Medical Center
In her role, Ms. Walker provides navigation services to patients in the emergency department and inpatient settings, tailored to their specific needs related to substance use. For the past three years, she has managed the Narcan distribution program from the emergency department.

Stephanie Welch, MSW
Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health
California Health and Human Services Agency
Ms. Welch has been the Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health for the California Health and Human Services (CalHHS) Agency since 2020. She serves as the senior advisor to the Secretary of CalHHS and other state departments on behavioral health policy and builds bridges across diverse government sectors and stakeholders. She has twenty-five years of experience in behavioral health policy, program administration, and advocacy at both the state and county level.

Alkermes is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company that focuses on developing medicines for psychiatric and neurological disorders. 

Janssen Pharmaceutics Companies of Johnson & Johnson 
We believe challenging something is the best way to change it. That’s why, in over 150 countries, we bring together the most creative minds and cutting-edge technology to help treat, cure, stop, and prevent some of the most complex diseases of our time. To view more about our company & products please visit: https://www.janssen.com/products/Neuroscience  

MCG Health, part of the Hearst Health network, provides vetted, unbiased clinical guidance within hospital workflows to give care providers and staff confidence in their patient-centered care. Leveraging artificial intelligence and interoperable technology infused with clinical expertise, MCG empowers organizations to streamline their utilization management and care management processes. 

MCG solutions are used by over 3,100 hospitals and the majority of U.S. health plans. 

St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health Center is a licensed, not-for-profit facility providing comprehensive services to the Stockton community since 1974. St. Joseph’s Behavioral Health features inpatient and outpatient facilities offering a variety of services for adults and adolescents. Our specially trained staff of board-certified psychiatrists, physicians, and licensed professionals are committed to providing compassionate, quality care, and creating an atmosphere that fosters communication, trust, and personal growth. 

A4i (App4Independence) is a validated mobile app and clinical portal from CAMH, Canada’s largest mental health hospital. A4i supports individuals with severe mental illness, offering self-management features, wellness detection, adherence escalations, secure peer engagement, and a patented auditory hallucination detector. Designed to scale clinical decision support, A4i helps identify relapse risk. With validation in California and Canada, A4i provides scalability, real-time insights, and proactive interventions, empowering both patients and clinicians. 

Accurate Lock & Hardware offers an extensive range of ligature resistant and ADA-compliant products that positively contribute to healing environments.  Accurate’s team of experts are dedicated to developing unique solutions for specific challenges including retrofit scenarios, custom openings, and safety compliance.  Designed with patient care and staff safety in mind, all Accurate products are made entirely in the USA, which allows the ability to quickly adjust, adapt and produce the best solutions to meet the ever-changing needs of the healthcare industry.  Simply put, your challenge is Accurate’s challenge. 

Whitehall® plumbing products and accessories are specifically developed with the healthcare industry in mind. Our BestCare® product line is an extensive array of ligature-resistant products and accessories developed for increased safety in behavioral healthcare environments. Whitehall products are developed with consideration for universal design principles, ADA compatibility, and bariatric suitability. 

CENTEGIX
They Protect Us. Together, We Protect Them. 

Discreet duress buttons for healthcare workers and safety solutions for your system empower your team to focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality patient care. 

Care Predictor
Our mission at Care Predictor is to empower behavioral healthcare organizations by delivering actionable data insights and educational tools that enhance clinical and operational performance, ultimately improving patient outcomes and organizational efficiency. These tools, all of which utilize AI and Predictive Analytics, include the Care Predictor Index (CPI), a fully API integrated Clinical Supervision module, and a revolutionary Care Intelligence Platform.

Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services is a leading provider of mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention services and is home to the nation’s first suicide prevention center. We provide a wide spectrum of evidence-based, comprehensive services, including Our Third Place, a youth wellness center, Teen Line, a peer-to-peer crisis hotline, and serves as the largest 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provider in California.  Didi Hirsch believes that treating the whole person helps build stronger communities and shape brighter futures. Learn more at www.DidiHirsch.org 

HillsidesCares offers comprehensive, and trauma-informed mental health treatment for children and adolescents ages 6-17 experiencing mental health challenges and co-occurring disorders. Our full continuum of care provides the exact level of treatment for each youth based on their individual needs, ranging from the most intensive to the least intensive clinical services. HillsidesCares consists of our Residential, Partial Hospitalization Program, and Intensive Outpatient Program and is located on our expansive 17-acre campus in Pasadena, California.   

Hooper, Lundy & Bookman 
Since its inception in 1987, Hooper, Lundy & Bookman’s primary focus has been to guide, support and defend health care providers and suppliers in our shared mission to create and maintain a viable and effective health care system. Without that, people, especially the most vulnerable among us, face significant challenges in accessing the quality health care necessary to keep our communities healthy, safe and thriving.  We are passionate about helping our clients to fulfill this mutual goal of serving all populations. 

As the largest law firm in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to representing health care clients, and with clients in all 50 states and two U.S. territories, we represent some of the largest and most respected providers and suppliers from coast to coast. 

Iris Telehealth is a leading provider of telepsychiatry services for hospitals and health systems across the United States. Our quality-focused behavioral health care models seamlessly integrate into your health system to drive expanded access across the continuum, scalable quality measure improvements, and a financially sustainable service line.    

Lightfully changes lives, compassionately. Lightfully Behavioral Health is one of the first and only mental healthcare providers focused solely on primary mental health care: treating the whole person with clinical expertise, deep compassion, and a rigorous commitment to measurable results. 

Mindpath Health is a leading, independent U.S. provider of high-quality outpatient behavioral health services. We are a clinician led organization that exists to increase access to behavioral health care that helps people thrive. 

Mood Health 
Mental Health referrals made easy. 

Our team of therapists and psychiatrists accept all health plans, including Medi-Cal, and have availability in two weeks or less, guaranteed. Health systems, hospitals, and group practices work with us to improve HEDIS measures, reduce costs with at risk patients, and ensure their patient populations get the care they need.  

Transform the way you approach mental health referrals – choose simplicity, guaranteed accessibility and quality care. 

ObservSMART 
A proximity-based patient safety solution designed for behavioral health, substance recovery, residential and detox settings. Improving quality of care by advancing accountability, workflow and communication with proactive alerts and supervisory tools. Ensures and documents compliance, reducing risk and costs related to sentinel and non-sentinel events. ObservSMART provides a robust suite of reports. Operate independently or EHR integration. 

XFERALL is a digital patient transfer network that removes the manual tasks of calling and faxing healthcare facilities to find placement for a patient and converts it into a completely digital experience. XFERALL easily geolocates and clinically matches patients to the appropriate healthcare setting. The average wait time for an individual seeking behavioral healthcare in the United States is over 8 hours. Healthcare facilities using XFERALL to transfer their patients, find placement in 60 minutes or less. 

Unite Us facilitates a personalized social care journey through automated, integrated tools that enable providers to streamline processes and increase efficiency—so they can focus on patients, not paperwork. Our closed-loop referral platform offers standard or customized screenings to assess patients’ social care needs and get automated, personalized community resource recommendations based on the screening results – all from within your EHR. Our solutions are fully integrated making them efficient, secure, and optimized for your unique workflows.