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New Massachusetts
DMH commissioner
discusses plans
(November
2007 Issue)
In July, the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services
announced the appointment of Barbara Leadholm, MS, MBA, to the position
of commissioner for the Department of Mental Health.
Starting her new post on September 4, Leadholm has brought with
her a wealth of experience. From her start as a psychiatric nurse
in western Massachusetts, to a position within the DMH nearly a
decade ago when she developed a community-based mental health model
known as PRISM (Psychiatric Rehabilitation Integrated Service Model),
Leadholm has worked both directly with clients as well as in administration.
She also adds direct experience with the "other side of the coin,"
having spent the last 10 years as a vice-president for Magellan
Health Services, a behavioral health services company.
On the one-month anniversary of her first day in office, Leadholm
spoke with New England Psychologist's Catherine Robertson
Souter about her goals for the DMH as well as the expertise she
brings to the department.
Q: Now that you have the first month under your belt, can you
tell us about your hopes, plans and goals for your first year and
beyond?
A: One of the critical underpinnings for me and the department is
thinking about case management and case management functions. I
see those functions as something that really supports the department
achieving its mission.
My objective is to review the current practice, meet with case
managers, look at how we are implementing case management and identify
opportunities for improvement.
I'm sure you are familiar with recovery and resiliency as a philosophy
to really empower consumers and families. I am interested in looking
at how we support strength-based services; how we develop our relationships
with our consumers and family members; and engage with consumers
and families to [create] treatment planning that is built on a recovery
model. Obviously, if you are looking at this from a holistic standpoint,
that includes wellness and healthy lifestyles, going beyond a simple
delineation of "here are your behavioral health needs and this is
how we'll assist you."
Q: What are the first steps that need to be taken to pursue
these objectives?
A: Over the last month, I have been meeting with people who
are associated with the department: the staff, the management team,
stakeholders and the many supporters of the department who are working
with us as providers or as advocates. I'm spending this first 60
to 90 days really listening and hearing from people on how what
I'm envisioning as the future resonates with either what they feel
they are receiving or the opportunities they see for improvement.
Organizationally, I need also to review how we can be efficient
and effective with our resources. Consumers and family members are
really served in the community through our area director structure
so I want to make sure that our resources are lined up from our
central office to support the areas.
Q: Coming from Magellan, how does that support you in
your position, having been on both sides of mental health administration?
A: It really just broadens my experience. Being with Magellan
allowed me to look at best practices nationally, to see how other
states approach similar issues. We are all grappling with similar
issues and concerns and we are looking to share experiences. I have
had 10 years of looking at other states' successes and opportunities
for improvement. It also allowed me to step out of Massachusetts
and come back in with a fresh set of eyes.
Q: Anything in particular within the agency as it stands that
might need help immediately?
A: To be honest, only being here a month, I really am in the
review process. I don't pretend to have all the answers. There is
a very knowledgeable and dedicated staff here and a huge provider
community that has their experiences to share. It's more that I'm
providing a conduit and leadership to take what we know and process
it in terms of achieving these objectives.
I want to underscore that the Department of Mental Health and Massachusetts
has a very strong foundation. I have the luxury of building on what
already exists.
Q: How has the department changed in the past 10 years that
you have not been there?
A: What has really changed is the focus on recovery. There are
consumers and family members at the table in a really different
way. I don't recall this kind of involvement of consumers. It's
not that we didn't have pockets of it 10 years ago, but the fact
that it is such a comprehensive part of the department, it's just
ready to leap off the page.
Q: This goes back to some of the work that you had done with
PRISM. You are one of the pioneers.
A: We were looking at state hospital consumers and how could
we support them in their skill development to move out of the inpatient
setting. This is an extension of that work but what's different
is that, then, the clinicians were driving it. Now the locus of
the push is from the consumer him and herself.
Q: Do you think consumers are better educated about their rights
or their need for involvement?
A: I think that they are supporting each other in a different
way. They feel more empowered and the self-esteem is there to say,
"I want to be at the table." They have expertise to offer. It may
not be school-based. It's much more personal experience, a journey
in recovery. It just changes the locus of the power and I believe
it also changes the outcome.
Q: For you personally, this is obviously a big step. Why this
position and why now in your career?
A: I felt like the stars lined up. It was the job I've always
wanted. With my previous experiences, being a psychiatric nurse
in a neighborhood health center as part of multi-disciplinary team,
I really cut my teeth on believing in 'it's one family, one person'
with a holistic approach toward planning. So, that and moving on
to doing administration, getting my master's in business administration
and coming to the Department of Welfare and Medicaid to begin to
look at state-wide policy, coming over to the Department of Mental
Health and setting up the Office of Policy and Planning and then
becoming an area director, finishing off with Magellan and a national
directive - I just feel those experiences have come together and
lined me up with an administration that is very committed to working
in a collaborative way.
For me, as I said, the stars lined up - and I am honored to have
this opportunity.
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