Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.
Save $100 on your registration ⁠here ⁠by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

Far too many women veterans are overlooked, leading to gaps in care, resources, and recognition.

In this episode brought to you by Luminary Labs, Wanda Wright, Director of the Office for Veteran and Military Academic Engagement at Arizona State University, shares her mission to advocate for women veterans and improve access to resources. She explains that many women do not recognize themselves as veterans, which, combined with cultural bias and lack of awareness, leads to higher rates of suicide and homelessness compared to men. Director Wright highlights the importance of asking “Have you served?” in healthcare settings and stresses that collaboration among the VA, state agencies, nonprofits, and local groups is essential to provide effective support, especially in rural areas. While progress has been made with more women joining the military and rising to leadership, she emphasizes that continued advocacy and community involvement are crucial to breaking down barriers and saving lives.

Tune in as Wanda Wright shares her powerful journey and insights on breaking barriers, advocating for women veterans, and building stronger systems of support!

Resources:

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.
Save $100 on your registration ⁠here ⁠by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

Strong science isn’t just a checkbox; it’s a growth strategy that can set digital health startups apart in crowded markets.

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Huberty, CEO & founder of Fit Minded, explores how behavioral health companies at any stage can build scientific credibility without depleting their resources. She stresses that many startups fail to recognize the value of the data they already possess: data that can drive business decisions, fuel marketing narratives, and even lead to peer-reviewed publications. Jennifer walks through cost-effective research strategies, such as retrospective analyses and national surveys, while cautioning against fragmented, one-off studies that lack strategic alignment. She also introduces the idea of “traveling science,” a framework for making research actionable across departments, and emphasizes that trust, transparency, and clear alignment with business goals are essential for impactful, lasting research partnerships.

Tune in and learn how to leverage research not just for credibility, but for growth, clarity, and competitive advantage in the behavioral health tech landscape!

Resources:

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.
Save $100 on your registration ⁠here ⁠by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

The caregiving crisis in America is not just personal; it’s systemic, invisible, and urgently needs redesign.

In this episode, Paurvi Bhatt, public health expert and founder of ThirdEyeFocus, explores the complex intersections between caregiving, healthcare systems, cultural identity, and systemic equity. Reflecting on her experience as a first-generation Indian-American and longtime caregiver, she reveals how immigrant backgrounds shape both personal and professional choices, and how informal caregiving functions as an invisible backbone of healthcare. Paurvi critiques the gap between healthcare innovation and its practical use at home, highlighting the emotional isolation caregivers face and the lack of support and reimbursement for their work. She calls for moving beyond vague notions of “impact” by demanding measurable results and urges leaders to resist technology-driven detachment in favor of genuine human connection.

Tune in and learn how we must reimagine care, connection, and accountability, starting not from systems, but from the human stories we’re ignoring!

Resources:

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.
Save $100 on your registration ⁠here ⁠by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

A key takeaway from this interview is that the most effective path to value-based care starts with building trust, proving outcomes, and aligning your pitch with what payers already prioritize.

In this episode, David Ricupero,  Director of Business Development at Affect Therapeutics and Creator of the Out-of-Pocket Course: How to Contract with Payors, explains the full journey of payer contracting, from initial applications to advanced value-based agreements. He covers how to join payer networks, manage closed systems, and prepare key documents and timelines. David explores various value-based care models, illustrating how risk and complexity grow from pay-for-performance to full capitation, and highlights the importance of combining traditional applications with strategic conversations. He also offers practical tips for avoiding “payer purgatory,” identifying payer goals, and asking the right questions during shared savings negotiations.

Tune in and learn how to navigate the nuances of payer-provider relationships and set up sustainable, rewarding contracts that truly expand access to care!

Resources:

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.
Save $100 on your registration ⁠here ⁠by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

Addiction recovery is not a solitary journey, and support from peers can make all the difference.

In this episode, Matthew Serel, CEO of You Are Accountable, Inc., shares his journey from addiction to long-term recovery and how it inspired him to build a platform offering peer support, toxicology monitoring, and care coordination. He highlights critical gaps in the recovery process, such as fragmented care and poor communication among providers. Matthew emphasizes the power of peer support rooted in lived experience, which helps individuals overcome shame and stay engaged in their recovery. He also discusses the need for collaboration across providers, payers, and peers, and how technology can enhance, not replace, human connection in addiction recovery.

Tune in and learn how peer support and a balanced use of technology can reshape the future of addiction care!

Resources:

Connect with and follow Matthew Serel on LinkedIn.

Email Matthew Serel here. 

Follow You Are Accountable, Inc. on LinkedIn and explore their website.

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.
Save $100 on your registration ⁠here ⁠by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

Investing in care infrastructure and mental health access is not just compassionate, it's foundational to long-term systemic change.

In this episode, Brittney Riley Gavini, the Director of Investments at Pivotal Ventures, discusses how targeted investment strategies are unlocking real progress in youth mental health, family care, and women’s empowerment. She explains how her career evolved from startups to mission-driven venture capital, and how her team supports both philanthropic and for-profit initiatives that close care gaps. Brittney highlights investments in innovative companies and shares the importance of funding diverse founders and fund managers to reshape the innovation pipeline, especially in mental health and financial access. She also acknowledges challenges in youth mental health startups like provider shortages and complex engagement pathways. Lastly, Brittney offers advice for startups pitching investors: make it a meaningful, generative conversation, not just a transaction.

Tune in and learn how mission-aligned investing is reshaping behavioral health, one bold bet at a time!

Resources:

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.
Save $100 on your registration ⁠here ⁠by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

The most powerful solutions in behavioral health often come not from professionals, but from peers who’ve walked the same path.

In this episode, Arc Telos Saint Amour (they/them), Executive Director of Youth MOVE National, shares their lived experience navigating child welfare, houselessness, the justice system, and behavioral health from birth. As a queer, trans, disabled person of color, Tay reflects on how their identity and history shaped their lifelong mission to transform care for systems-impacted youth. They explain how peer support, rooted in trust, agency, and love, offers a life-saving alternative to broken institutions, and push back on narratives that blame social media, arguing it can be a vital source of safety and connection for marginalized young people. Tay also challenges widespread misunderstandings about peer support, its grassroots origins, its essential equity lens, and how it's often co-opted or commodified, offering a bold call to see youth not as problems to fix, but as people to trust, support, and uplift.

Tune in and learn what it means to truly listen to youth, challenge systems, and support healing through the power of peers!

Resources:

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.
Save $100 on your registration ⁠here ⁠by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

Delivering effective, modern psychiatric care demands clinical excellence, technological innovation, and a deep understanding of patient context.

In this episode, Dr. Arpan Parikh, Chief Medical Officer of SOL Mental Health, and Dr. Amit Parikh, Chief Medical Officer of Brave Health, reflect on how their upbringing, medical training, and deep family roots in psychiatry shaped their professional paths. They explore how the role of the Chief Medical Officer has evolved to include not just clinical quality, but also access, patient-centered workflows, and collaboration with payers. The brothers take a close look at the fragmentation in mental health care and emphasize the value of integrated therapy and psychiatry models, seamless patient experiences, and creating a supportive workplace for clinicians. They also discuss how virtual care can meet the needs of Medicaid populations facing barriers like housing insecurity and transportation challenges, while stressing the importance of leadership training, cultural change in the field, and careful use of technology like AI and ambient scribes to enhance patient-centered care.

Tune in and learn how two leaders are reshaping behavioral health by blending compassion, systems thinking, and clinical rigor to drive meaningful change!

Resources:

Connect with and follow Arpan Parikh on LinkedIn.

Follow SOL Mental Health on LinkedIn and explore their website. 

Connect with and follow Amit Parikh on LinkedIn.

Learn more about Brave Health on LinkedIn and visit their website. 

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD. Save $100 on your registration ⁠here ⁠by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

Video introductions are a powerful tool to enhance the therapeutic alliance even before therapy begins. 

In this episode, Daniel Sorochkin, Founder and CEO of TakeOne, explores the challenges therapy platforms face, such as poor therapist-client matches, high dropout rates, and awkward first sessions. He explains how traditional therapist profiles often fall short, lacking the depth needed to build trust and connection. Daniel makes the case for therapist introduction videos as a powerful tool to improve retention and engagement, while also acknowledging the barriers to adoption like cost, complexity, and therapist hesitance. TakeOne solves these issues with an automated, scalable video solution, and Daniel emphasizes that despite advances in AI, genuine human connection remains central to effective therapy.

Tune in and learn how incorporating personalized video content transforms client-therapist interactions, reducing no-shows and dramatically improving client satisfaction and retention!

Resources:

Connect with and follow Daniel Sorochkin on LinkedIn.

Follow TakeOne on LinkedIn and explore their website. 

Thanks for tuning into the expanding access podcast. Ready to take your knowledge, network, and experience to the next level? Then join us at the BHT Conference in San Diego on November 11-13. Join thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and payers focused on expanding access and improving outcomes in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, and IDD.

Save $100 on your registration here by using your podcast promo code “Podcast100”

Leveraging technology and AI in behavioral healthcare can bridge access gaps, enhance person-centered care, and promote health equity through innovative, community-focused solutions.

In this episode, Wes Williams, VP and Chief Information Officer at WellPower, shares insights on leveraging technology and AI to address gaps in behavioral healthcare. He discusses WellPower's commitment to health equity and community-focused solutions, emphasizing the importance of personalized care and human-centered design. Wes highlights how digital tools, like AI-driven digital scribes, can optimize workflows and deliver more tailored care to individuals. He also explores collaboration opportunities for innovative solutions to expand access to mental health services.

Tune in to discover how technology and AI are revolutionizing behavioral healthcare!