Sessions Include

Navigating HR1: Safeguarding New York’s Behavioral Health Continuum

Jorge Petit, MD, Executive Deputy Commissioner, Director of Community Services, Division of Mental Hygiene, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

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As New York moves closer to implementing the sweeping HR1 mandates, the state’s behavioral health landscape is on the brink of significant transformation. Hear about the direct impacts of these mandates on vulnerable populations, including adults, children, families, and caregivers. The presenter will address critical gaps in service delivery, explore the infrastructure needed to ensure robust and available care, and highlight innovative, ongoing New York City initiatives specifically designed to support children and families through this transition.

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About Jorge Petit, MD

Board-certified psychiatrist with over three decades in the public healthcare sector. Throughout my journey, I have steered progressively intricate systems of care, orchestrating the achievement of enduring and systemic enhancements in essential service accessibility and provision. I am inherently results-oriented, driven by a relentless pursuit of innovation, and bring a bilingual and bicultural dimension to my leadership. My experience includes navigating and guiding organizational expansion and transformation, consistently yielding positive outcomes.

 

A hallmark of my expertise lies in developing and implementing high-caliber, quality-driven programs that crystallize into a cohesive, person-centric model of care, deeply embedded within the community fabric. I stand as testament to my ability to produce outcomes that transcend the boundaries of conventional care, fostering an environment where integration is paramount and the individual is at the heart of every endeavor.

 

Advocating fervently for a paradigm shift towards more integrated healthcare models, I champion the fusion of data, innovations, and technology-assisted care solutions. My vision aligns with the pursuit of health equity, ensuring that every individual, irrespective of background, is empowered to access equitable healthcare opportunities.

 

As a seasoned physician leader, my legacy encompasses the establishment of inclusive work environments that embrace diversity and equity. A cornerstone of my approach is addressing deeply entrenched racial and health inequities that have long plagued the sector. By dismantling systemic barriers, I have fostered an atmosphere where all can thrive, thereby propelling us towards a more equitable future.

 

Beyond the Crisis: Optimizing Community Services for a Full Continuum of Care 

Facilitator: William T. (Bill) Gettman, MPA, CEO, Northern Rivers

Meredith Ray-LaBatt, MA, MSW, Associate Commissioner & Special Advisor to the Commissioner on Children’s System Transformation, Division of Integrated Community Services for Children and Families, NYS Office of Mental Health

April Hamilton, Deputy Director, Medicaid Policy Division, NYS Department of Health

Michael Orth, MSW, Westchester County Commissioner of the Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH), and Chair of the New York State Conference of Mental Hygiene Directors

Paige Pierce, CEO, Families Together in NYS

Kayleigh Zaloga, President and CEO, NYS Coalition for Children’s Behavioral Health

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This solution-oriented session explores how New York can fortify “front door” access and explore how strategic investments and regulatory adjustments can maximize community-based services to prevent costly and unnecessary high-acuity crisis interventions. Panelists will discuss the full mental health continuum—from early clinic-based interventions and primary care integration to intensive community supports. Speakers will clarify the scope and mandates of the landmark C.K. v. McDonald children's settlement and provide recommendations on what is needed for successful systemic transformation of New York’s children’s behavioral health sector. The agenda moves beyond identifying barriers, challenging panelists, and participants to collaborate on solution-oriented policy adjustments, workforce incentives, and funding models to build a sustainable, full-spectrum children’s behavioral health continuum.​

 

Driving Strategic Success: Data-Driven Leadership for Children’s Behavioral Health Executives

Yvette Bairan, MPA, CEO and Dan Korovikov, Psy.D., Director of Analytics, Astor Services

Traci Donnelly, MA, CEO and Steve Donowitz, MBA, Chief Financial & Administrative Officer, The Child Center of New York

Ryan Cox, Health Policy & Strategy Consultant, SACHS Policy Group

 

Children’s behavioral health leaders must leverage data to navigate systemic shifts and position their agencies for long-term viability. This executive session explores how to select, analyze, and deploy high-impact financial, operational, quality, and risk metrics that drive strategic decisions.

 

On the agency level, presenters will identify the metrics that provide boards and executive teams with an accurate, transparent picture of organizational performance and share optimal reporting frequencies to ensure leadership acts on proactive trends rather than reactive data. On the systems level, presenters will discuss macro-level data points the children’s behavioral health sector must prioritize collectively for unified advocacy and share how to to translate complex agency data into compelling narratives that strengthen statewide advocacy and influence policy.