NNews April 2024

36 April 2024 Debbie Chisolm: In my new role as the Executive Director, I have faced many challenges and just to mention a few: a lack of unity in staff, silos within the organization, and poor work efforts and consumer treatment outcomes. I am now experiencing rewards as I can make even more changes and not just within one department. SJBHR is improving daily in consumers’ treatment, staff morale, documentation and teamwork. NJAMHAANews: What agency and program growth and other changes do you envision for SJBHR? Debbie Chisolm: My vision for SJBHR is to continue providing great care and services to the consumers we serve; increase services and housing for our consumers; and decrease the opioid epidemic in Camden County by helping consumers move from the pre-contemplation stage to the action stage, and help each one see that they can do whatever they put their minds to, regardless of their life struggles and mistakes they made in their lives. Ron DeFeo, MSEd, Chief Executive Officer, CFG Health Network NJAMHAANews: Please describe the change in your role fromCEO of Center for Family Guidance PC to CEO of CFGHealthNetwork. RonDeFeo: For the past year, I was CEO of the Center for Family Guidance PC, which houses outpatient offices and handles contracts with hospitals and schools. Then, an acquisition took place; CFG Health Network is the umbrella company. The corrections branch was carved out and the realignment resulted in my new role. CFG Health Network oversees residential programs. I also oversee all support departments and companies built off of CFG Health Network, as well as human resources, information technology and other components. I did take on much more responsibility quite quickly. I’ve been with CFG for 24 years, so I’m very familiar with all aspects of the organization. NJAMHAANews: Please share your career path leading to CFG and what makes the organization unique. RonDeFeo: I began as a clinician/therapist and I’ve been in administration for a while. CFG is unique. The executive teamalways consisted of clinical individuals and it’s a physician-owned organization; they are psychiatrists. That’s always been a key piece of whowe are. We are very aware of all clinicians’ needs. Our drive has always been access to care. NJAMHAANews: Please clarify the differences and interrelationships among ARRAY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, InSight Telepsychiatry and Inpathy. RonDeFeo: We started InSight Telepsychiatry many years ago as part of CFG to increase access to care. Inpathy provides access in the individuals’ homes and has been renamed to ARRAY, which we subcontract with, especially for after- hours support. Our psychiatrists also serve patients at Virtua Health and Inspira Health Network. We always look at where the need is and where we can have the most impact. We serve individuals in Trenton, Camden and Bridgeton, and we’re working on opening a treatment center in Cape May. (continued from page 35)