Katherine (Kate) Elkington, PhD, is a Professor of Medical Psychology (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University and a Research Scientist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Elkington also serves as the Director of the Center for Behavioral Health and Youth Justice, within the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She has over 15 years of research experience in criminal and juvenile legal settings, with expertise in documenting and understanding correlates of mental illness, substance use/disorders, and HIV risk behaviors in highly vulnerable youth. 

In this episode, Kate discusses the complexities of the juvenile justice system, the importance of understanding the mental health needs of these youth, and the innovative E-Connect screening tools designed to link young people to behavioral health services. Kate also addresses the role of AI in mental health care and the future directions for E-Connect, emphasizing the need for better family involvement in treatment. 

"We have over 100 board members because we feel it’s important to have representation in all of our communities.”

 In this episode of the Catalyst Podcast, we sit down with David Gomel, CEO of Rosecrance Behavioral Health, to explore the evolution of behavioral health care over the past 30 years.  David shares insights into the challenges and triumphs of leading a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive care across multiple states. We discuss the impact of managed care and private equity on the field, the flexibility of their hybrid business model, their ability to pivot as an organization, and the role of AI in therapy. We delve into the complexities and innovations shaping the field today, the many things that make him proud of the work Rosecrance's dedicated staff does in the face of daily challenges, what made him fall in love with the field three decades ago, and how his passion remains undimmed. 

Dennis Watson, Senior Research Scientist with Chestnut Health System, breaks the land-speed record by making an unprecedented third appearance on the Catalyst podcast. We delve into the Recovery Management Checkups (RMC) model, examining its potential to reshape long-term recovery strategies, particularly in primary care settings. We discuss: 

A fascinating, wide-ranging conversation with David Guth, CEO of Centerstone, a nonprofit health system specializing in mental health and substance use disorder treatments. We discuss David’s remarkable journey, from his unlikely beginnings as a math major at his beloved Vanderbilt (yes, we spoke about the equally unlikely success of their football program), to his nearly four-decade stewardship of what has become the largest nonprofit behavioral health provider in the US following the recent merger with Brightli. David sings the praises of incoming CEO, Dr. C.J. Davis, discusses what the merger means for the market, and how it will better serve unmet needs. We also discussed what makes his work so deeply rewarding, the challenges ahead, as well as the (mostly positive) impacts of AI and the irreducible importance of the human connection in therapy.  

In this episode we’re joined by Mark Ishaug, President and CEO of Thresholds, providers of  healthcare, housing, and hope for thousands of persons with mental health and substance use conditions in Illinois each year. Mark shares his inspiring 40 year journey in nonprofit leadership. We discuss the importance of integrated care, as well as the stigma, funding and other challenges in delivering healthcare and housing. Mark then describes what he means by “leading with love,” how he “operationalizes” it, and its transformative impacts on colleagues and clients. 
#MentalHealth #Leadership #CommunitySupport

When most think of mobile health (mHealth) apps, they think of Calm, BetterHelp, Talkspace, etc. They don't typically think of the music streaming or exercise apps we have in our pockets and that we use every day. Dr. Michael Dennis, the Chief Research Officer for Chestnut Health Systems’ Lighthouse Institute (LI) and a Senior Research Psychologist, focuses the conversation on the challenges faced by emerging adults (ages 18-25) with substance use disorders (SUD): emerging adults have the highest rates of SUD, and only 3% of them receive treatment. Mike discusses the potential of mobile health (mHealth) solutions to address these issues. But rather than focus on the "usual" apps, Mike focuses on music and fitness apps that effectively "reroute" emerging adults from unhealthy cravings to positive activities. He discusses the role music and social support play in recovery, and the unique challenges faced by young adults in rural communities. It's an eye-opening examination of the SUD crisis among our nation's emerging adult population, and an enlightening "reframing" of mHealth and its immense potential in addressing the crisis.   

 Dr. Jared C. Rogers, Medical Director at Chestnut Family Health Center, and Dr. Todd Kettering of OSF Healthcare discuss the partnership between the two organizations,  where OSF provides residents and training while Chestnut supplies ambulatory services and infrastructure. They explore how this collaboration delivers integrated care to underserved communities, addressing "medical deserts" that extend beyond rural areas. The conversation covers innovative approaches to making care more visible and accessible to at-risk populations, their efforts to enhance medical education and patient care, and the integration of AI in healthcare—examining its potential to revolutionize diagnostics and treatment while maintaining the irreplaceable value of human connection in medicine. 

A culture of resilience and innovation, and the importance of balancing mission with performance, are the themes of this fascinating and inspiring conversation with Chestnut's freshly minted CEO, Puneet Leekha. Puneet joined Chestnut as Chief  Operating Officer and General Counsel in 2015 and shares his journey from corporate law to healthcare, highlighting the advantages of bringing a legal background to his new role. He discusses his leadership philosophy and management style, and lays out the most critical challenges and biggest opportunities going forward. He refers to Chestnut as a "true unicorn - we have so many strengths and competitive advantages: a legacy of innovation and collaboration, service lines which are deep and broad, a workforce devoted to our mission, leaders with talent and institutional knowledge...and the Lighthouse Institute, our behavioral health research division, which is our crown jewel."

Bonus Content: We discuss Puneet's love of tennis, which he inherited from his father and handed down to his young son, who just won his first tournament!  

Tune in for a thoroughly engaging conversation about leadership, resilience, and the future of integrated healthcare.

Dr. Katie Clark, Data Scientist at Chestnut Health Systems, discusses her unusual journey, from counseling individuals experiencing substance use, mental health, homelessness, trauma, and medical conditions, to her current work as a data scientist. With Chestnut, she leads data collection initiatives, doing everything from methodology consultation to grant writing, to software and database development, data visualization, and program evaluation. 

The episode centers on CRICIT (Clinical Research Information Core for Integrity and Tracking systems), Dr. Clark's innovative platform designed to help researchers maintain fidelity to study protocols. She breaks down how CRICIT addresses common clinical study challenges by streamlining data collection processes and ensuring research integrity through customizable tracking systems. She details CRICIT's flexibility in adapting to individual research project requirements while eliminating typical bottlenecks that plague clinical studies. She also discusses how she is beginning to utilize AI and highlights several of her current projects. For anyone interested in getting at the essence of what Chestnut/Lighthouse do, and why they are the "gold standard" in the field - combining lived experience and state-of-the-art data science - this is the podcast to listen to!   

We spoke with Matt Mollenhauer, Chief Clinical Officer at Chestnut Health Systems, where he’s been for the past 33 years. We discussed: 

And since he’s a diehard Green Bay Packers fan, we couldn’t resist sprinkling in several apt football references.