February 24, 2006

Pamela Hyde, Secretary of the New Mexico Human Services Department, to Deliver Keynote Address at 2006 Rural Behavioral Health Clinical Management Institute in Albuquerque

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – The first annual Rural Behavioral Health Clinical Management Institute on March 30 and 31, 2006, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will feature as its keynote speaker Secretary of the New Mexico Human Services Department, Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. Secretary Hyde will kick off the Institute on the first day with her address entitled, "Quality Through Collaboration: The Future of Rural Health." During the presentation, she will examine the quality of health care in rural America and describe how New Mexico is leading the way to change by implementing the Interagency Behavioral Health Purchasing Collaborative Initiative.

Secretary Hyde was appointed as Cabinet Secretary for the Human Services Department in December 2002, by Governor Bill Richardson and was confirmed in January 2003, by the New Mexico State Senate. A lawyer by training, Secretary Hyde has 25 years of experience in management and consulting for public sector systems of health care and human services. As Secretary of New Mexico’s Human Services Department, she is committed to improving access, quality, and accountability of health & human service programs for the residents of New Mexico.

The 2006 Rural Behavioral Health Clinical Management Institute is the first in a two-part series of educational events co-sponsored by OPEN MINDS and WICHE. These one-of-a-kind institutes are designed specifically for clinical and administrative managers of behavioral health and social service organizations in rural and frontier communities. The diverse sessions will provide attendees with the opportunity to network with their peers, share their experiences from the field, and gain insight into the changing clinical practices in the rural behavioral health arena.

Featured presentations at the 2006 Rural Behavioral Health Clinical Management Institute include:

  • Using Telecounseling to Reach Rural Residents in Appalachia: The Southern Consortium for Children Case Study

  • Identifying Promising Practices in Rural Mental Health

  • Managing High-Risk Consumers in Rural Settings

  • Taking Care of Our Own: Using an Acute Short-term Assessment Model to Create a Comprehensive System for Mental Health Treatment

  • The Great Divide: Bridging the Gap Between Clinical & Financial Executives on the Issues of Organizational Accountability & Cost Management

  • Using the Strategy of Mergers to Expand Services to Rural Areas

Secretary Hyde is just one of several prominent presenters scheduled to attend the Institute entitled, "Successful Clinical Leadership of Effective Rural Practice Models: The 2006 Rural Behavioral Health Clinical Management Institute." The Institute will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Albuquerque, and is being co-produced with the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Also in attendance will be Dennis Mohatt, Director of the Mental Health Program at the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education; Scott Adams, Psy.D., Senior Research Associate, and Mimi Bradley, Psy.D., of the WICHE Mental Health Program; Steven C. Trout, Executive Director, Southern Consortium for Children; Michael Holton, Rural Opportunities and Stewardship Program Director, Center for Rural Affairs; and Jess Jamieson, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Compass Behavioral Health.

For more information about the Rural Behavioral Health Clinical Management Institute and a complete agenda, call toll free 877-350-6463. Registrations received before March 10, 2006, will receive a $100 discount off the standard institute and pay just $695 for both days.

Attendees can earn continuing education and continuing medical education units for their attendance. For more information and a complete agenda, call toll free 877-350-6463 or visit us on the web at http://www.openminds.com/educ/omi2006smwa.htm.

The Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE) works with its 15 member states to assure access and excellence in higher education for all citizens of the West. The mission of WICHE's Mental Health Program is to assist states in improving systems of care for mental health consumers and their families and to advance the preparation of a qualified mental health workforce in the West. The program collaborates with states to meet the challenges of changing environments through regional research and evaluation, policy analysis, program development, technical assistance, and information sharing.

OPEN MINDS is a national behavioral health and social service industry market research and management consulting firm. Founded in 1987 and based in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the more than 75 associates of OPEN MINDS provide information services, executive education, market research, and management consultation services. The firm's mission is to provide behavioral health and social service payers, consumer associations, and service providers with the management knowledge needed to improve their efficiency & effectiveness in order to better serve consumers.

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