Expanding Access

Expanding Access

By Behavioral Health TechBusinessHealth & FitnessMental Health
Download on the App Store

Expanding Access episodes

  • Neurodivergent women and mental health: Why belief and support are essential requirements for impactful care with Kendra Koch, Founder and CEO of Divergently

    Receiving a diagnosis later in life can change how someone understands themselves, their work, and the care they need.

    In this episode, Kendra Koch, Founder and CEO of Divergently, shares how her late ADHD diagnosis during pregnancy led her to rethink everything she had learned in the wellness industry. She explains why traditional wellness approaches often fall short for neurodivergent women, why founders and leaders need to prioritize their own mental health, and how storytelling and self-compassion support healing. Kendra also discusses where mistrust in the healthcare system comes from, how patients and providers can see each other as partners, and how Divergently gives late-diagnosed women a place to find vetted information, peer support, and community.

    Tune in to hear how self-understanding, lived experience, and community can help women get their needs met!

    Resources:

    • Connect with and follow Kendra Koch on LinkedIn.
    • Follow Divergently on LinkedIn and join the waitlist at joindivergently.com.
    • 19 min
    • How Crisis Text Line Expands Support Before Crisis Escalates with Jana French, Public Sector Partnerships Director at Crisis Text Line

      Mental health support is most effective when people can reach it before their hardest moments.

      In this episode, Jana French, Public Sector Partnerships Director at Crisis Text Line, talks about how text-based support can make crisis care more accessible. She explains that people can text 741741 or 988 for more than suicidal thoughts, including anxiety, grief, relationship challenges, and other difficult moments. Jana also shares how Crisis Text Line brings together trained volunteers, clinical supervision, and technology to support people across the country, while giving volunteers valuable communication skills. She discusses the role AI can play in triage and in spotting broader trends, while emphasizing that human connection remains at the heart of crisis support.

      Tune in to learn how low-barrier, human-centered crisis support can help people get care when they need it most.

      Resources:

      • Connect with and follow Jana French on LinkedIn.
      • Explore Crisis Text Line and learn how to text 741741 for free, 24/7 mental health support.
      • Learn about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
      • 22 min
      • Whole-Person Care: Unifying Behavioral Health and Social Care with Jaffer Traish, Chief Operating Officer at findhelp

        Finding the right behavioral health provider can be surprisingly difficult, even with hundreds of thousands of practitioners across the country.

        In this episode, Jaffer Traish, Chief Operating Officer at findhelp, talks about the challenges of making behavioral health services easier to find and navigate. He explains why social care and behavioral health need to be integrated into a single workflow and how fragmented, outdated provider directories can create unnecessary barriers to care. Jaffer also discusses the problem of “ghost networks,” where provider listings may no longer reflect who is actually available, and why greater transparency, accuracy, and accountability are needed. Finally, he shares how better matching, closed-loop referrals, and more integrated search tools could help connect people with the care and support they need.

        Tune in to hear how findhelp is working to build a more connected and transparent approach to behavioral health access!

        Resources:

        • Connect with and follow Jaffer Traish on LinkedIn.
        • Follow findhelp on LinkedIn and explore their website.
        • 18 min
        • Why Manager Enablement Is the Missing Layer in Workforce Mental Health ROI with Brad Swingruber, CEO at meQuilibrium (meQ)

          Managers are often the first people to notice when something is off with an employee. But do they have the tools to know what to do next?

          In this episode, Brad Swingruber, CEO at meQuilibrium (meQ), talks about how managers can play a bigger role in connecting employees with mental health support. He explains why giving managers another training course or dashboard isn't enough, and why support needs to be simple, practical, and available where managers already work. Brad also shares examples of how meQ has helped organizations make these resources easier to use, including work with Citizens Bank that led to higher engagement and lower burnout. He discusses what organizations should measure, why psychological safety is an important place to start, and how understanding the needs of different groups within the workforce can shape a more effective approach.

          Tune in to hear Brad's take on what managers actually need to support their teams!

          Resources:

          • Connect with and follow Brad Swingruber on LinkedIn.
          • Follow meQuilibrium on LinkedIn and explore their website. 
          • Check the Burnout Impact calculator from the meQ team here. 
          • 28 min
          • Building Better Behavioral Health Systems with Data, Trust, and Human Judgment with Rebecca Ragland

            AI is transforming healthcare, but in behavioral health, how do we make sure technology doesn't come at the expense of human connection?

            In this episode, Rebecca Ragland, Clinical Global Account Executive at Multi-Health Systems, explores how scientifically validated assessments and emerging technologies can improve behavioral healthcare while preserving the human element. She discusses the growing role of AI in clinical workflows and why clinicians must remain central to decision-making, particularly as technology advances faster than organizations can adapt. Rebecca also explains how trusted, structured data can serve as a guardrail for responsible innovation, helping organizations improve consistency and expand access without sacrificing human judgment and connection.

            Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on how AI and technology can expand access to behavioral healthcare while keeping human connection, clinical judgment, and trust at the center.

            Resources:

            • Connect with and follow Rebecca Ragland on LinkedIn.
            • Learn more about Multi-Health Systems on their LinkedIn and visit their website.
            • 21 min
            • When Success Starts to Feel Misaligned: How Leaders Can Recognize Drift and Return to Clarity with Kristi Huber

              Burnout often does not happen all at once. For many leaders, it starts with small moments of drift away from their vision, voice, values, and vitality.

              In this episode, Kristi Huber, Founder of Perspective Shift Consulting, discusses how leaders can recognize and prevent leadership drift before it leads to burnout. Drawing from her own lived experience, she explains why high achievers are especially vulnerable to overcommitting, losing alignment, and operating on autopilot. Kristi introduces the Radical Clarity Compass as a practical framework for helping leaders and teams pause, reflect, and reconnect with what matters most. The conversation explores how greater self-awareness and intentional leadership can create healthier, more sustainable success.

              Tune in to hear how intentional pauses, clearer priorities, and stronger alignment can help leaders return to clarity, energy, and purpose!

              Resources:

              Connect with and follow Kristi Huber on LinkedIn and visit her website.

              Follow Perspective Shift Consulting on LinkedIn and explore their website.

              30 min
            • Fixing the Broken Path to Disability Benefits with Lauren Fusco, Director of Partnerships at Mindset Care

              Navigating SSI and SSDI benefits is often overwhelming, time-consuming, and difficult to manage, especially for individuals already dealing with health, financial, and life challenges.

              In this episode, Lauren Fusco, Director of Partnerships at Mindset Care, shares how Mindset Care is addressing these barriers with end-to-end, person-centered support that guides individuals through every step of the process. By combining technology with human expertise, Mindset helps streamline applications, improve approval outcomes, and reduce the burden on individuals and care teams alike. Through partnerships with providers, payers, and community organizations, they’re turning disability benefits into a critical gateway for broader care, stability, and improved quality of life.

              Tune in to hear how a more human, connected, and tech-enabled approach is helping people access the benefits they deserve!

              Resources:

              • Connect with and follow Lauren Fusco on LinkedIn.
              • Follow Mindset on LinkedIn and explore their website.
              • 17 min
              • What Unified Platforms Make Possible In Behavioral Health with Tasneem Sanwarwalla, Director, Healthcare Presales at Workday

                Unified enterprise systems are no longer back-office upgrades in behavioral health. They are essential infrastructure for access, workforce stability, and financial resilience.

                In this episode,  Tasneem Sanwarwalla, Director, Healthcare Presales at Workday, explains why behavioral health organizations need a unified platform that connects HR, finance, and operations in real time. She highlights how fragmented systems contribute to burnout, limit visibility, and force leaders to rely on outdated data for critical decisions. Tasneem shares how modern platforms enable better workforce planning, scenario modeling, and early detection of staff strain while aligning staffing, care delivery, and financial performance. She also discusses how AI can reduce administrative burden by automating repetitive tasks and allowing clinicians and leaders to focus more on people than paperwork.

                Tune in and learn how unified systems and thoughtfully applied AI can help behavioral health organizations scale access, support staff, and make better decisions.

                Resources:

                • Connect with and follow Tasneem Sanwarwalla on LinkedIn.
                • Learn more about Workday on LinkedIn and explore their website here.
                • 24 min
                • Designing the AI Native Clinic with Dominik Middelmann, co-founder and CEO of mdhub

                  Getting mental health care is not only about having enough clinicians. It is also about having systems that help people get in the door, get treated, and stay on track without delays.

                  In this episode, Dominik Middelmann, co-founder and CEO of mdhub, discusses how everyday operational issues can slow access to behavioral health care. He explains how missed calls, excessive paperwork, disconnected systems, and billing issues can get in the way of helping people, even when clinics have open appointments. Dominik shares how mdhub was built to bring many of these tasks together into one system, using AI to support scheduling, documentation, and payment workflows. He also explains why trust matters when using AI in mental health care, especially regarding privacy, security, and reliability, and offers practical advice for organizations trying new AI tools.

                  Tune in to learn how better systems and carefully designed AI can make mental health care easier to access and deliver.

                  Resources:

                  • Connect with and follow Dominik Middelmann on LinkedIn.
                  • Follow mdhub on LinkedIn and explore their website here.
                  • 16 min
                  • Why Payers And Providers Need A Better Compliance Bridge with Paige Dustmann and Derek Staub

                    Compliance works better when documentation supports care in real time instead of becoming a burden after the fact.

                    In this episode, Paige Dustmann and Derek Staub discuss how fraud, waste, and abuse pressures are reshaping behavioral health compliance for providers, payers, and managed care organizations. Paige explains how Monolith Health helps teams capture services, assessments, and treatment planning in real time, reducing paperwork and improving audit readiness. Derek highlights how changing regulations, random audits, and documentation gaps can put even well-intentioned providers at risk, emphasizing the need for stronger systems and clearer communication with MCOs. Together, they explore how better workflows, state-aligned lesson plans, and proactive compliance tools can protect organizations while ensuring clients receive care that meets their real needs.

                    Tune in and learn how better documentation, stronger compliance systems, and clearer payer-provider communication can reduce risk and improve behavioral health care delivery!

                    Resources:

                    • Learn more about Monolith Health on their LinkedIn and visit their website here.
                    • 24 min

                    About Expanding Access

                    From the publisher's feed

                    "Expanding Access," a podcast by Behavioral Health Tech, explores how technology and innovation are transforming mental health, substance use, and autism/IDD care. Tune in for expert discussions on…