A&C Aligns with Leadership Model of Parent Company Brightli
Integrated healthcare provider Adult & Child Health, a Brightli affiliate, has announced the promotions of Dr. Christne Negendank, MD, MBA, CCHP to Indiana Region President and Dr. Jessica Stembel, PsyD, HSPP, IMH-E to Indiana Region Chief Operating Officer. Adult & Child joined Burrell Behavioral Health, Preferred Family Healthcare, Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health, and other subsidiaries under the Brightli umbrella in March 2024, boosting the parent organization’s employee count to over 6,000 individuals across seven regions. The promotions of Dr. Negendank and Dr. Stembel align A&C with Brightli’s regional leadership model, which provides operational autonomy for each region to ensure services and operations are meeting the unique needs of the community. As President, Dr. Negendank provides strategic direction and leadership of A&C and the Indiana Region, assisting in the execution of short-term and long-term goals while engaging with community partners and leaders to help drive A&C’s continued success and growth in Central Indiana. “I am honored to have been given the opportunity to serve as President of Adult & Child Health. I look forward to continuing to work with Adult & Child’s dedicated staff who strive daily to provide compassionate and high-quality whole health care. Adult & Child Health is well-positioned to continue its 75-year legacy of excellence and innovation in health care and social services. We look forward to expanding our services and programming through strategic initiatives, community partnerships, and advocacy efforts. Our goal is to not only provide treatment to those in our local communities but also to help advocate for improved health care for all Hoosiers,” said Dr. Negendank. Dr. Negendank recently celebrated seven years of employment at A&C having joined the organization in 2017 as Associate Medical Director of Psychiatry before moving into the role of Chief Medical Officer. During her tenure, Dr. Negendank led the development and implementation of A&C’s Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program for substance use disorders. She has also helped A&C make tremendous strides in integrating primary and psychiatric care by strengthening working relationship among prescribers and fostering collaboration between medical and therapy staff. As Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Stembel oversees the day-to-day operations of A&C and the Indiana Region, facilitating teamwork across the organization’s leaders to ensure effective delivery of top-quality services to Central Indiana communities. “As Chief Operating Officer, I am incredibly excited about A&C’s opportunity to be a leader in the state’s transformation to the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model, and the evolution of mental health, substance abuse treatment and primary healthcare. Emphasizing community partnerships through CCBHC is not just a strategic interchange but a commitment to holistic care. Together, we can foster a system of care where our Hoosiers and communities can thrive,” said Dr. Stembel. Dr. Stembel joined A&C in 2015 as a clinical psychologist providing oversight to multiple service lines and treatment teams while continuing direct clinical care. Since 2018 she has served A&C as Chief Clinical Officer, overseeing continuous quality improvement, behavioral health, primary care accreditation and corporate compliance. During her tenure, Dr. Stembel led the development of the Response and Resilience in Stressful Events team to respond to critical incidents both internally and within the community and organized the agency’s response during the COVID public health emergency. She has also increased A&C’s 340B Drug Discount Program revenue to 12 million dollars, enabling the organization to stretch scarce federal resources to provide comprehensive and integrated health services to eligible patients who may not otherwise receive care. “Dr. Negendank and Dr. Stembel’s exceptional leadership, combined with their deep industry knowledge, will be instrumental in driving our organization’s ability to serve our mission and the Indianapolis community. Their contributions are invaluable, and I am confident in their ability to lead our teams toward increased access to the quality care our communities deserve,” said A&C and Brightli CEO C.J. Davis.
Adult & Child Health Receives CCBHC Designation
Adult & Child Health, a leading community mental health center in Central Indiana, is thrilled to announce it has been designated as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). This designation is announced alongside the exciting news that Indiana was selected as one of 10 new states to join the CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program. By becoming a CCBHC, Adult & Child Health can unlock critical resources to address the growing need for mental health services in Indianapolis. This includes crisis care, improved staff recruitment and retention thanks to sustainable funding, and the ability to expand their service offerings. CCBHC will allow Adult & Child Health to offer competitive compensation and top-of-market wages, making them a more attractive workplace for qualified providers. With the rich history and commitment of Adult & Child Health to making a difference, they can achieve even greater impact through this transformation. “Indiana’s selection for the CCBHC program is a major step forward in strengthening mental health resources for residents,” said C.J. Davis, CEO, Adult & Child Health. “This designation allows us to make a significant impact by expanding access to essential mental health services in Central Indiana. We’re committed to ensuring our community members have the resources they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives.” The Biden-Harris Administration announced the additional states being added to the CCBHC program earlier today. Adult & Child Health had been selected by the state to be a CCBHC if Indiana was selected, but the decision of which states would be selected to join the program had been pending until today. CCBHC is a transformational program that provides sustainable funding for designated organizations and has been shown to increase access to mental health and substance use care, reduce homelessness and substance use, decrease use of emergency rooms and hospitalizations and improve overall health outcomes. It requires that designated CCBHC organizations provide 24/7 crisis services, outpatient care within 10 business days, medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, care coordination and support services, as well as other evidence-based treatments.
Adult & Child Health CEO Allen Brown Announces Retirement
Indianapolis, IN – After nine years working devotedly as the President and CEO for Indiana integrated healthcare provider Adult & Child Health (A&C), Allen Brown is set to retire at the end of March 2024. During his tenure as CEO, Brown has led A&C through many projects and positive changes that will continue to have a profound impact on the Indianapolis community and the organization’s 600 employees. Brown joined A&C in December 2014 with a vision to be the state’s leading provider of whole-person healthcare and played a crucial role in the organization’s growth as a prominent safety net organization in central Indiana. A&C started providing primary care services in 2016, earned FQHC look-alike designation in 2017, and currently operates four integrated healthcare clinics in the south Indianapolis area. A&C services have also expanded in the areas of mental health counseling, addictions treatment, and housing resources for persons experiencing homelessness. Under Brown’s leadership the organization has nearly doubled its annual revenue and has tripled the number of people served each year. Brown also championed A&C’s early adoption of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Center (CCBHC) model, which is designed to increase access to care and crisis services for the community’s most vulnerable residents. A&C has been at the forefront of this movement in the state of Indiana and was recently selected as one of eight Indiana community mental health centers to serve as a proposed pilot site in the Division of Mental Health and Addictions (DMHA) application for a federal CCBHC Demonstration Project. Additionally, A&C plans to open a Behavioral Health Crisis Center at the organization’s south Indianapolis clinic in late March of 2024. Under the CCBHC model of care, crisis centers located within the community play a prominent role in assuring individuals have timely access to services when urgent needs arise, helping to decrease unnecessary emergency room visits and jail incarcerations. “Allen is a skilled team builder and has had a knack for finding ways to help our organization achieve its goals,” said A&C Board President Tom Gaunt. “He has led our organization into a new era with a masterful vision for how we can be more effective moving forward, which is a win-win for Adult and Child and the people we serve. He will be dearly missed.” While a CEO successor has not yet been named, A&C has forged a partnership with Missouri-based Brightli, Inc. – the nation’s fourth-largest nonprofit behavioral health organization by total revenue. The partnership will significantly increase financial and system support resources available to Adult & Child Health, for the benefit of underserved persons with behavioral health and primary care needs. The partnership has been approved by each company’s board and is anticipated to be finalized in coming weeks pending regulatory approval. A public signing and press conference will be announced upon partnership closing, which is expected in Spring 2024. “I am going to miss Adult and Child Health and I’m deeply grateful for the support, trust, and collaboration I’ve received. It has been an honor to serve as CEO and I know even greater things lie ahead for this remarkable organization,” said Mr. Brown.
Mental Health Organizations and Providers Applaud Indiana Lawmakers and Governor for Enacting Critical Mental Health Legislation Amidst Growing Need for Services and Dire Workforce Shortages
Today Governor Holcomb signed legislation into law HEA 1222 that would continue a critical grant program that has expanded access to urgently needed mental health and substance use disorder treatment services across the state of IN. The program is known as the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (or CCBHC) program. CCBHCs are designed to provide a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services to vulnerable individuals; with an emphasis on the provision of 24-hour crisis care, utilization of evidence-based practices, care coordination and integration with physical health care. In Indiana, there are currently 18 CCBHC grantees throughout the state that are recipients of federal grants designed to jumpstart the CCBHC program. Initial evaluation outcomes from Indiana CCBHC program have shown a 73% reduction of depression and a 93% reduction of clients hospitalized for mental health reasons. Now, HEA 1222 will build upon these successes. “Around the state our community providers have seen demand for services sky rocket” said Zoe Frantz, CEO for the Indiana Council of Community Mental Health Centers. “That’s why today’s announcement, of Governor Holcomb signing the CCBHC legislation into law is such incredible news for the continued work of these programs and the people they serve every day. Ultimately, this program gives providers more tools to ensure those in need, will get the help they need when they reach out.” Adult and Child Health (A&C) became a CCBHC in April of 2021 and, in the first 10 months, they’ve successfully supported 741 people in crisis through their CCBHC team. In addition to their 24/7 crisis response team, A&C Health has worked very closely with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department to increase immediate access to mental health professionals to support police response to calls involving people in crisis. The two entities have found synergy in developing tandem training and crisis response programming to better support the needs of Johnson County. Under the leadership of Sheriff Burgess and Deputy Jim Engmark, nearly 100 law enforcement personnel have been trained in the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programming, which is an innovative community-based approach to improve outcomes for people who experience mental illness when they have encounters with law enforcement. “Our heightened partnership with A&C provides a beneficial impact for law enforcement and our ability to change the potential outcome for people we encounter who are experiencing a mental health-related crisis. We’ve been able to deliver immediate support for Johnson County residents through A&C’s crisis teams and prevent unnecessary jail or ER placements,” said Deputy James Engmark of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, CCBHCs have played a transformative role in addressing workforce shortages, creating a more integrated care delivery system, and ensuring providers meet quality metrics. Providers advocating for HEA 1222 see the legislation as an opportunity to provide better access and higher quality care through the state. Programs such as CCBHCs give community behavioral health agencies more tools successfully recruit and retain additional staff members as well as resources to ensure that consumers have access to critical, evidence based services.” “The legislation, HEA 1222, that was signed into law today requires the state to develop a plan for the expansion of the CCBHC program by November 1, 2022. The behavioral health community has already seen demonstrable results from the CCBHC program and looks forward to supporting the Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) in developing a statewide infrastructure that meets the growing need for mental health services in Indiana,” said Steve McCaffrey, CEO of Mental Health America of Indiana. “We’re grateful for the leadership of Rep Cindy Ziemke, Rep Ann Vermilion, Sen. Mike Crider and the other members of the Indiana General Assembly, Department of Mental Health and Addiction, and Governor Holcomb for the passage of this critical mental health legislation.” For more information on CCBHCs, please visit the CCBHC Success Center, here. Media Contacts Zoe Frantz- 812-298-4533, [email protected] Tina Serrano- 317-882-5122, [email protected] Kelby Gaw-317-496-7193, [email protected] Adult & Child Health is an accredited nonprofit primary care, behavioral health, and social services provider with multiple locations in central Indiana. We strive for caring communities, where every child, adult and family have the opportunities they need to live healthy, happy, productive lives. For more information about Adult & Child Health programs, please contact Tina Serrano, Director of Strategic Initiatives, at 317-882-5122.
