Member News

Apply Now for ACMHA's 2012 Emerging Leader Mentorship Program (11/25/11)

The ACMHA Mentorship Program for Emerging Leaders continues to expand. Now in its sixth year, the Mentorship Program strives to help meet objectives of the College’s Leadership Initiative. Mentors partner with learners who self-identify or are identified by their organizations/supervisors as emerging leaders – individuals seeking to enhance their service in the behavioral health field through the development of leadership skills as they work in areas such as policy, system redesign, health care information technology, program development and administration, agency management, and research.

The College employs a unique approach to mentoring, using telephone conferences and email as the primary communication during the experience. This approach assures that mentors and learners are not restricted by geography.  Mentors and learners commit to quarterly telephone calls with all learning pairs in the program in addition to regularly scheduled communication between the mentor and learner at least monthly. ACMHA leaders provide a framework to assist participants to develop a learning contract. Learning partners have the opportunity to meet each year at the ACMHA Summit held in March.

Mentors for the ACMHA program are leaders who are active members of the College who work in areas of policy, research, practice, and leadership. ACMHA believes that leadership development is critical in navigating the future of behavioral health. Previous learners have expressed that ACMHA mentors have been knowledgeable, dependable resources who have provided guidance through challenges, and that the mentorship experience as a whole enriched them as professionals.

Individuals who identify as emerging leaders that are interesting in a mentor partnership with an experienced professional should complete and return an application by December 30, 2011. ACMHA leaders who wish to serve as mentors are asked to complete the Mentor Information form by the same date. Questions about the program or the application process should be directed to Dr. Kris Ericson, executive director.

 

2011 ACMHA/Magellan Health Services Webinar Archives (09/05/11)

ACMHA has again joined with Magellan Health Services to produce a webinar series on topics of national interest in 2011. As webinars are completed and archived, they can be accessed at www.magellanhealth.com/training.

  • May 24, 2011: School Based Mental Health Services, Dr. Mark Weist
  • June 30, 2011: Improving Outcomes in a Era of Health Care Disaprities, Dr. Vivian Jackson and Dr. Arthur C Evans, Jr.
  • July 28, 2011: Screen and Brief Intervention: Improving Health, Changing Lives, Dr. Eric Goplerud and Ms.Brie Reimann
  • August 25, 2011: Measuring Outcomes of Peer Support: What Have We Measured and What Have We Learned?, Mr. Tom Lane
  • September 22, 2011: From Specialty Care Through Integration to a Comprehensive Person-centered System of Care, Dr. Karl Wilson and Mr. Dorn Schuffman

 

A Letter From Board President Ron Manderscheid (03/21/11)

Dear ACMHA Members:

This afternoon, we have just concluded a wonderful ACMHA Summit in New Orleans. The results of this Summit on “Harnessing Disruptive Innovations to Thrive in the Age of Health Reform” hold considerable promise for engaging us in the broader dialogue on National Health Reform now underway. The principal disruptive innovation to emerge from the Summit is a peer led community that promotes health and wellness. This model generated considerable enthusiasm among all participants.

Also today, I have just become the ACMHA Board President. I would like to share my core vision for ACMHA for the next two years and to solicit your input and help during this period. My vision is very simple:

  • We need to identify a way to stabilize our peer and family members to prevent a revolving door. This will permit and encourage our peer and family members to participate on committees and interest groups, and to assume leadership roles in the organization. 
  • We need to continue to develop our relationship with programs like the Partnership for Recovery and the Addiction Technology Transfer Centers. This will encourage the graduates of these training programs to join ACMHA and it will provide potential partners to amplify our leadership program.
  • We need to stabilize our own finances. ACMHA is not a wealthy organization, and our dues/fees pay for less than 50% of our operations. To fill the gap, we beg a lot of small, short term grants. We need to identify and develop a better solution.

I would appreciate hearing your thoughts about how we might address these goals more effectively. You can contact me either by e-mail (rmanderscheid@nacbhd.org) or by telephone (202-942-4296 (office) or 202-553-1827 (cell)). I also have several other requests for your input:

  • What are your thoughts about a 2012 Summit? Where should it be held?
  • What are your thoughts about events other than the Annual Summit?
  • What would make your ACMHA membership more valuable to you?
  • Will you nominate a new member this year?         

Please share your thoughts on these topics. Your views are valuable input to me and to the Board. Thanks very much. I look forward to working with you over the next two years.

Best regards,
Ron Manderscheid

 

Return to Top