FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 17, 2012 Karen Mess Frashier, APR 813-817-4476 kfrashier@mhcinc.org (Tampa, Fla.) Making even one doctor s appointment can be challenging. Imagine trying to find the right treatment if you re depressed, psychotic or addicted. Four regional providers with 165 years of combined experience in behavioral health have announced their intent to merge and improve access. Mental Health Care Inc. (Hillsborough/Pasco counties), Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services Inc. (Pinellas County), Agency for Community Treatment Services Inc. (Hillsborough, Pasco and Broward counties) and Tri-County Human Services Inc. (Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties) intend to merge and re-emerge as Gracepoint. Changes in health care reward larger and stronger organizations. This merger allows Gracepoint to continue its specialty focus in behavioral health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities and reap those rewards, said Joseph F. Rutherford, MHC s CEO. We are more than a place for behavioral health care. We are the source for wellness. This is all we do, and we help people achieve their best lives. All four providers are respected and accredited behavioral health and drug and alcohol treatment centers that have helped hundreds of thousands find their own paths to wellness. Together our multiple locations will help people find the right treatment as close to home or work as possible, explained Tom Wedekind, CEO of PEMHS. People have told us they want to be able to make an appointment with experts in a wide range of behavioral health specialties. They ll be able to do that by using the teams at one of Gracepoint s 87 treatment programs, added Robert Rihn, CEO of Tri-County. Our intent is to combine our specialized teams skills and our 69 locations to serve people in seven counties," concluded Richard Brown, CEO of ACTS. -MORE-
2 Larger behavioral health providers are more attractive partners for Accountable Care Organizations, managed care companies and HMOs. They produce cost-effective expertise, and can manage complex mental health diagnoses. They are also attractive partners for hospitals, which may not have behavioral health specialists on staff. The Florida Department of Children and Families has made it clear they plan to gain efficiencies in their taxpayer-funded operations by selecting providers who are large and offer a broad spectrum of services to children and adults. DCF s preferred providers will lower their administrative costs to 10 percent. We aim to satisfy those qualifications, Rutherford said. The four CEOs note the hard due diligence work now begins. They expect to announce the results in November. Joe Rutherford is slated to become CEO of Gracepoint. He will report to an operating board comprised of an equal number of board members from each founding agency. Tom Wedekind and Bob Rihn will become president and chief operating officer for Medical Services and Community Integration, respectively. Richard Brown will be president and chief administrative officer. The remaining board members will become regional trustees. Mental Health Care Inc. Foundation will become Gracepoint Foundation. The foundation s goal will be friend and fundraising, supporting the many Gracepoint programs that improve communities and personal lives. Let s be clear that nothing will change for our patients, the community or our staffs during this period. We have a lot of governance, financial and legal details to discuss over the next few months. All four agencies have agreed we will not make significant changes without discussion with the other partners, said Rutherford. -30-
3 By the numbers Gracepoint will have: 1,369 team members 38 psychiatrists (M.D.& DOs) and 4 medical doctors 12.5 ARNPs 69 locations 87 treatment programs 166 crisis center beds: 134 adults; 32 children 65 detox beds for addiction: 51 adults; 14 children 2 on-site pharmacies with free patient delivery or free mail service 165 years of combined experience serving our seven-county area: : Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk Pasco, Highlands, Hardee and Broward $83 million in annual revenue Gracepoint will care for about: 30,000 adults 14,000 children each year We are excellent stewards of our communities trust. In 2011-12, we Provided $4.4 million in unfunded care Cared for 20,554 clients who are indigent or funded by the Department of Children and Families Absorbed $1.1 million in bad debts from people who could not pay for their care Gracepoint facilities are accredited by the Joint Commission and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
4 Background of the partners: The Agency for Community Treatment Services has combined excellence and compassion with best practices to address the disease of addiction through a variety of services to help people achieve recovery. The team s goal is to provide the most cost effective substance abuse treatment with the highest level of care. ACTS offers people the chance to overcome drug addiction or alcoholism at an agency that wants to see them succeed. ACTS provides additional assistance with child protection, delinquency, criminal justice, housing, economic selfsufficiency, and health and wellness. Since it was founded by the Junior League, physicians and dedicated parents in 1949, Mental Health Care, Inc. has pioneered many of the region s innovative behavioral health therapies. Today, 27 psychiatrists and 643 employees assist clients in 32 locations through 45 programs. This team serves more than 270,000 client interactions each year. They also manage inpatient care for adults and children in crisis. The mission of this private, nonprofit is to educate, advocate and give hope to all people touched by behavioral health and developmental challenges. Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services has been committed to providing care in crisis since 1981. The dedicated team helps children, adults and families find their way out of crisis. The private, nonprofit also provides a 24-hour suicide hotline, emergency screening and crisis intervention, inpatient care for adults and children, residential services for children and community-based programs. PEMHS is certified by the American Association of Suicidology and is accredited by the Joint Commission. The mission of PEMHS is to enhance the mental health, family functioning and healthy development of adults and children in their community. The team at Tri-County Human Services Inc. believes in positive support for positive change. For 38 years, this private not-for-profit has helped thousands cope with substance abuse and mental illnesses. The team also specializes in helping people experiencing both mental illness and addition. Tri-County s 19 locations in Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties helped 4,900 adults and 550 children last year. Tri-County is a United Way member agency and grantee of the Community Foundation of Greater Lakeland.
5 Gracepoint Leadership Team Joseph F. Rutherford, MA, MBA, is chief executive officer of Mental Health Care Inc. in Tampa, Fla., and will be the CEO of Gracepoint. His extensive professional experience in managing community-based behavioral health over the past 30 years includes administrative manager roles with Tampa-based agencies, partner/consultant at Behavioral Management Solutions and CEO of a community service board. Additionally, he contributes as a member of the advisory board and subject matter expert for Open Minds, the behavioral health care industry s market research and management consulting resource. Rutherford began his career as a licensed psychological examiner for a city school system after completing his B.A. and master s degrees in psychology from Tennessee Technological University. He then became the director of program evaluation and quality assurance for a community mental health agency in Knoxville, Tenn. Rutherford moved to Tampa in 1991 as director of information systems and evaluation for a mental health hospital. While in Tampa, he has directed fiscal operations, risk management, clinical program evaluation, management information systems, human resources, medical records, pharmacy, purchasing and facilities. During this time, he completed his MBA degree through Nova Southeastern University. More recently, as CEO of a 13-county community service board in Ga., Rutherford spearheaded a turnaround to recover from a $4.8 million reduction in state revenue. Under his leadership, Mental Health Care successfully acquired state funding to develop a forensic diversion program for the mentally ill. The program provides care in Hillsborough County and creates 24 new full-time jobs. He won support for a new family counseling center in Wesley Chapel MHC s first Pasco County service. Additionally, MHC won Hillsborough County Commission financial support for housing first. This program provides housing and services for chronically homeless and mentally ill people. MHC newly launched patient access and engagement initiative is designed to provide timely access to services. Rutherford s agency has implemented an electronic health record; and earned high marks for client service and effectiveness from Central Florida Behavioral Health Network. Richard E. Brown, MSW, is chief executive officer of the Agency for Community Treatment Services Inc. in Tampa, Fla. He will be president and chief administrative officer for Gracepoint. Brown has vast experience with program evaluations and research including recidivist studies; client outcome evaluations; client profile analysis; analysis of trends in service delivery; efficiency studies and special population needs studies. Brown s article titled, The Hillsborough County Juvenile Assessment Center was published in the Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse. Brown holds a B.A. in social work from Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio and a master s of social work from San Diego State University, San Diego, California. In 2004, he received the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute s 2004 Innovator Award. He is a former president of the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, chair of the Hillsborough Local Planning Team, member the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance board of directors, member of Hillsborough County and Pinellas County coalitions for the homeless, and former adjunct faculty at University of South Florida, Florida Mental Health Institute. In 2005, 2004 and 2003 Brown s led the Florida Juvenile Justice Association as it achieved Deemed Status Superior Ratings for all Department of Juvenile Justice contracted services.
6 Robert Rihn, MSW, LCSW, is chief executive officer of Tri-County Human Services Inc. in Lakeland, Fla. He will be president and chief operating officer for Community Integration at Gracepoint. Under his leadership, Tri-County achieved three, three-year accreditations from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. This achievement ranks Tri-County among the top 3 percent of CARF-accredited organizations in the U.S. He increased stable income sources by launching a for-profit pharmacy and a food service. Both services are earning rave reviews from clients. The food service offers the community a dual benefit by providing supportive employment training for many of Tri-County s clients. Rihn holds a master's degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh and B.A. s in psychology and sociology from Slippery Rock State College. He began his career as a probation officer and caseworker Pennsylvania s children s services before moving on to direct two deinstitutionalization programs in the late 1970s. Rihn s executive experience also includes skilled nursing home administration and small business ownership. He was awarded the Bill Snyder Memorial Award for Leadership by the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association in 2006. Rhin is past president of the Florida Alcohol Drug Abuse Association and the Central Florida Behavioral Health Network. Thomas Wedekind, MA, ACHE, is chief executive officer of Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services Inc. in Pinellas Park, Fla. He will be president and chief operating officer for medical services at Gracepoint. During his 29-year tenure at PEMHS, he spearheaded the agency s first-ever accreditation through the Joint Commission. Mr. Wedekind diversified the income stream, and increased gross revenue to $22 million per year. Mr. Wedekind s career has also included administration and care coordinator roles for funding agencies in Pinellas. His leadership developing Pinellas County s community-based treatment plan in the late 1970s created community referral and service agreements among six agencies. His work gave people access to therapy and support when they were discharged from state institutions. He championed developing residential homes for children and group homes for juveniles in trouble, both in Pinellas and Broward counties. His work with the state Legislature helped Pinellas obtain funding for a children s crisis center. Mr. Wedekind is a certified mental health administrator and is past president of the National Association of Mental Health Administration. He is a member of the Tiger Bay Club, past president of the Juvenile Welfare Board Executives Council, and a member of both Leadership Pinellas and Leadership Tampa Bay. He is the Treasurer of the West Coast Integrated Network group, and a board member of the Chicago School of Social Service Administration. He was appointed to the National Lifeline Steering Committee at the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. He is also a certified member of the College of Healthcare Executives.