Committees and workgroups

This website is for informational purposes concerning the Behavioral Health Initiative. If you are looking for referrals or additional information about behavioral health services, call 211. If this is an emergency, call 911 immediately.

Steering committee

• Chair: Terri Lacey
• Members: Scott Koerwer, Jennifer Joyce, Karen Baker, Charles Barber, Kelly Ankenbrand, John Marsico, Steven Scheinman, Kathy Wallace, Carol Chaykosky, Jeffery Drake, James Gallagher, James Gavin, Jason Harlen, Michael Hogan, Steve Kafrissen, Tina Wydeen, Scott Constatini

Workgroup and task force initiatives

Information & tools workgroup

• Purpose: (1) To create and maintain a website and data serving as a data resource of behavioral health care providers and services in the seventeen counties of northeastern and north central Pennsylvania; (2) to create and support the platform for the certificate program.
• Chair: Terri Lacey
• Members: Charles Barber, William Buck, Heather Davis, Jeffery Drake, Jay Fortin, James Gallagher, Edward Heffron, Deanna Kimble, John Marsico, Tina Wydeen, Michael Zimmerman

Improving patient experience & outcomes

• Purpose: (1) To train the primary care (team) workforce in the course competencies needed to address BH needs of patients; (2) to encourage and support the implementation of collaborative care models of healthcare delivery.
• Chair: Terri Lacey
• Members: Karen Baker, Mark Basinger, Andrea DiMattia, Malcolm Eldredge, Tara Finnerty, Bill Poray, Richard Silbert, Ron Simon, Olapeju Simoyan, Carien Williams, Sarah Diccicco, Carol Chaykosky, Marika Handakas, Cheryl Stayton, Kathy Wallace, Trisha Weldon, Michael Zimmerman, Jay Fortin, James Gavin, Tiffany Griffiths, Michael Hopkins, Jennifer Joyce, Kylie McColligan-Oleski, Tina Wydeen

Workforce development

• Purpose: (1) To convene the stakeholders of educational institutions/programs to encourage and support the development of BH competencies as a thread throughout health and human service related curriculum; (2) to improve access to behavioral healthcare through deployment of a skilled, compassionate and dedicated workforce.
• Chair: Terri Lacey
• Members: Karen Baker, Mark Basinger, Barbara Buxton, Andrea DiMattia, Erica Hoot, Bill Poray, Karen Arscott, Trisha Weldon, Carien Willaims, Tina Wydeen, Jennifer Malinoski, Olapeju Simoyan, Richard Silbert, Kylie McColligan-Oleski, Gina Galli

Autism task force

• Chair: Terri Lacey
• Members: Charles Barber, Sarah Drob, Jennifer Joyce, Corey O’Brien, Teri Ooms, Christa Martin, Steven Scheinman, Tina Clymer, Tina Wydeen, Jeremy Yale, Jim Gallagher, Kelly Ankenbrand, John Marsico, Malyhina Katsiaryna

Advisory committee 

Lackawanna County

• Advocacy Alliance: William Buck, Alex Hazzouri
• Catholic Social Services: Steve Nocilla
• Center for Independent Living: Kelly Brown, Joe Ross
• Clarks Summit State Hospital: Monica Bradbury
• Commonwealth Health – Moses Taylor Hospital: Kelly Ankenbrand
• Community Intervention Center: Tara Finnerty, Maux Sullivan
• Friendship House: Alex Hazzouri, Jim Martin
• Healthy Northeast PA Initiative: Steven Szydlowski
• Jewish Family Service of NEPA: Sheila Abdo-Nudelman
• Lackawanna College: John Chilleri, Maryann Grippo
• Lackawanna County Courthouse: Judge Michael Barrasse
• Lackawanna County Department of Human Services: William Browning
• Lackawanna County Workforce Investment Board: Virginia Turano
• Lackawanna Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services: Kevin McLaughlin, Sarah VanBelle
• Lackawanna/Susquehanna Counties Behavioral Health, Intellectual Disabilities and Early Intervention Program: Jeremy Yale
• Marywood University: Renae Courtney, Joseph Knecht, John Lemoncelli, Patricia Weldon
• Northeast Suicide Prevention Initiative:: Kathy Wallace 
• Scranton Counseling: Edward Heffron, EdD, Sal Santoli
• The Greenhouse Project – Healthy Communities: Don Noll
• The University of Scranton: Barbara Buxton, John Norcross, PhD, Thomas Smith
• The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education: Scott Constantini, Linda Thomas-Hemak, MD, Maria Montoro-Edwards, OhD
• Tiffany Griffiths, PsyD and Associates, Inc.: Tiffany Griffiths, PsyD
• United Cerebral Palsy of NEPA: Sarah Drob
• United Neighborhood Services: Sarah Diccicco

Luzerne County

• AllOne Health: Corey O’Brien
• Children’s Service Center: Michael Hopkins, Ron Simon
• Commonwealth Health – First Hospital: Richard Fischbein,Stephen Kafrissen, Mederic McLaughlin, Kelly Petherick, Rhonda Sod
• Family Service Association of Wyoming Valley: Tom Foley, Michael Zimmerman
• Luzerne County Office of Human Services: Michael Donahue, Tara Vallet
• Maternal & Family Health Services, Inc.: Bette Saxton
• Northeast Behavioral Health Care Consortium, Inc.: James Gallagher, CEO
• Northeast Counseling: Jeffrey Drake, Francis Emershaw, Joseph Mulé, Crystal Otero
• Piso and Associates, LLC: Craig Piso
• The Luzerne Foundation: Charles Barber
• Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center: Mirza Ali, MD, Tara O’Donnell, PsyD
• Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Services, Inc.: Jason Harlen

Bradford County

• Bradford County Human Resources: Debra Sharp
• The Guthrie Clinic: Laura Manning

Carbon County

• Carbon/Monroe/Pike Counties Mental Health and Developmental Services: Sheila Theodorou, Tina Clymer

Centre County

• Behavioral Health Alliance of Rural PA: Julianne Hayes

Clinton County

• Lycoming-Clinton Joinder Program: Deanna Kimble

Columbia County

• Behavioral Health Research Institute / Bloomsburg University: Jeffrey Leitzel, PhD

Lebanon County

• Lebanon VA Medical Center: Dr. Erica Hoot

Lycoming County

• Community Care Behavioral Health Organization: Carole Gilberti
• Lycoming/Clinton MH/ID Joinder: Keith Wagner
• UPMC Susquehanna: Bob Kane

Monroe County

• East Stroudsburg University: Dr. Lloyd Lyter
• PMC Physician Associates Psychology: Tammy Heskeyahu
• Pocono Medical Center: Jonathan Goldner, DO

Schuylkill County

• Schuylkill County Government: Melissa Kalyan

Susquehanna County

• NEPA Community Healthcare: Mary Wetherall 
• Susquehanna Health: Steven Johnson, Cheryl Stayton, Malcolm Eldredge

Tioga County

• Tioga County Human Services: Nancy Clemens

Wayne County

• Federally Qualified Health Centers: Rashesh Dholakia, MD
• Wayne County Human Services: Jennifer Dovin
• Wayne County Office of Behavioral and Development Programs: Margaret Ennis, Michelle Valinski
• Wayne Memorial Hospital: Fred Jackson, Julie Pacheco

Wyoming County

• The Burke Center: Donald Miller

Philadelphia (Federal Government)

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Jean Bennett, PhD, Ex Officio Member

Harrisburg (State Government)

• Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS): Dale Adair, MD

Statewide

• Area Health Education Center (AHEC): Carol Chaykosky NEPA, East Central PA: Shelba Scheffner
• Behavioral Health Alliance of Rural PA: Julianne Hayes
• Community Care Behavioral Health Organization: James Gavin, MSW, Tina Wydeen, Richard Silbert

New York

• Hogan Health Solutions: Michael Hogan, PhD
• Guthrie – Big Flats: Dr. Brian Cassetta

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Terri Lacey, RN, Director, Behavioral Health Initiative

Karen Arscott, DO
Karen Baker, CRA  
Ida Castro, JD, MA 
Heather Davis, MFA
Andrea DiMattia
Jay Fortin 
Marise Garofalo 
William Iobst, MD 
Jennifer Joyce, MD
Jane Kanyock
Malykhina Katsiaryn, Student 
Venard Scott Koerwer, EdD  
Julia Kolcharno
John Marsico, MBA
Andrea Mulrine, CFRE 
Robert Naismith, PhD
Ann Noon, CPA, MBA 
Steven Scheinman, MD
Sarah Schreiber, Student 
Olapeju Simoyan, MD 
Janet Townsend, MD
Carien Williams, MD

Geisinger

Mark Basinger
Poray William 
Christa Martin 
Brenda Finucane