All the Right Moves: Transitioning Individuals Out of Psychiatric Institutions
Friday, August 17th
10:15am – 11:45am
When individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) transition out of psychiatric institutions, they often struggle with a lack of housing and social, health, and other supports, which can lead to repeated inpatient stays, incarcerations, and homelessness. This session highlights innovative state programs that successfully reintegrate individuals with SMI into the community by providing peer support and arranging housing, transportation, and other assistance. Panelists also discuss how changes to federal funding restrictions regulating inpatient transitions could help advance state efforts in this area.
Moderator
Dena Stoner, Senior Policy Advisor, Texas Health and Human Services
Dena Stoner, a Senior Policy Advisor for Texas Health and Human Services, has over 35 years of design and implementation experience, including long term services, acute care, managed care and behavioral health. She currently concentrates on behavioral health integration, including research and demonstration projects, Medicaid state plan and waiver initiatives. Her work has been featured in peer-reviewed publications. She also chairs the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors’ Finance Policy Division, serves on the National Research Institute’s board of directors and is a member of the executive council of the National Academy for State Health Policy.
Speakers
Moira Tashjian, Associate Commissioner, Division of Adult Services
Wendy Tiegreen, Director of Medicaid Coordination & Health System Innovation, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
Wendy White Tiegreen, M.S.W. is the Director of Medicaid & Health System Innovation for the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities. She has 25 years of experience working in public behavioral health services delivery and administration. Her career has been spent in leadership and Medicaid financing, notably negotiating with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the establishment of peer supports. She is a regular presenter at national Medicaid and behavioral health management conferences and has also been a consultant for SAMHSA, NASMHPD, and more than half of all states related to behavioral health, Medicaid, and peer support.
Rob Cotterman, Assistant Commissioner of Mental Health Services, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Rob is a veteran of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, having dedicated 32 years of services at the Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute
in Chattanooga. Rob has served as a psychiatric technician, rehabilitation therapist and supervisor, program director, Assistant Superintendent for Program Services, CEO, Director of Hospital Services and most recently Assistant Commissioner of Mental Health Services. In addition to his responsibilities at Moccasin Bend, Rob has served as an ancillary professor in the Graduate
School of Psychology for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and as a day treatment counselor for Chattanooga Psychiatric Clinic, now Fortwood Center. Rob is a graduate of Tennessee
Government Executive Institute and holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Counseling Psychology from William Jennings Bryan College. Rob served on the Board of Directors for several community organizations that include: the AIM Center for Mental Health, Hamilton County Homeless Healthcare Center, and Hamilton County Mental Health Court Advisory Board. In his free time, Rob enjoys spoiling his toy poodles, bowling, and working to preserve and maintain his historic 120-year-old home.
Lori Abramson, LCSW is Director of the Georgia Families 360° program at the Georgia Department of Community Health. She ensures that children in foster care, adoption assistance, and youth in the juvenile justice system receive medical, dental, and behadvioral health care without barriers. Lori has 38 years’ experience in clinical practice, advocacy, collaboration building, and the managed care environment. Lori’s professional focus is about leveraging that experience on behalf of Georgia’s children and families.
Donna Bradbury directs the Division of Integrated Community Services for Children and Families at the Office of Mental Health. She oversees all community-based children’s mental health programs in New York State. She is currently leading the effort to transition children’s behavioral health services into Medicaid managed care as part of the larger Medicaid Redesign project.
Lee holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) and a Bachelor of Health Science in Health Administration. He is employed by the Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs (OCSHCN) where he carries out the duties of the agency’s Transition Administrator. Lee works with children, adolescents, families, support groups, service providers and OCSHCN staff to help ensure that Kentucky’s children with disabilities are prepared to successfully transition from pediatric to adult health care, from school to work, and from home to independent living. Lee coordinates the activities of the OCSHCN’s Youth and Parent Advisory Councils.
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
