Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH) Honors Leaders

The Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH), a statewide nonprofit organization representing 80 community-based behavioral health care providers, honored the winners of its Salute to Excellence Awards at its annual celebration on Oct. 25 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center.

“These individuals and teams demonstrate what community-based providers in the behavioral health sector can achieve when care and commitment come together,” said ABH President and CEO Lydia Conley. “As the demand for mental health services has surged across Massachusetts, individuals and organizations, like this year’s awardees, have stepped up to meet the challenge and expand access to critical care.”

The 2024 Salute to Excellence Award winners are:

Lifetime Achievement Award – Maryanne Frangules, Executive Director, Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR). For over 30 years, Frangules has dedicated her career to reducing stigma and promoting recovery. Her leadership and motto that the recovery community should be “Visible, Vocal and Valuable,” has shaped MOAR into a leading advocacy organization. Her efforts have driven key legislative wins, including the Licensing of Alcohol and Drug Counselors and educating legislators on the life-changing benefits of peer support.

Elizabeth Funk Emerging Leader Award – Elise Naventi Reid, Vice President of Behavioral Health, Walker, Inc. Reid leads outpatient and school-based therapy, a therapeutic after-school program, and an early childhood mental health consultation program. She has built strong partnerships with Quincy Asian Resources, Inc. and Quincy Public Schools to connect youth with culturally responsive care and was crucial in securing a grant to expand clinical expertise in early childhood mental health in Roxbury and the surrounding areas.

Carl. B. Cutchins Award for Children’s Behavioral Health Award – Michael Semel, Vice President for Clinical Quality and Outcomes, The Home for Little Wanderers. For over 23 years and in several roles, Semel has advanced The Home’s clinical services and provided high quality care for children and families. He ensured that a “Permanency Framework” was adopted across all levels and used to measure the agency’s effectiveness and impact. He also introduced mobility mentoring to help families and young adults lift themselves out of poverty and brought trauma-informed supervision to support direct care workers.

Francis O’Brien Award for Substance Use Disorder Services – Kathy Crehan, Deputy Director of Program Services, Victory Programs. For over 15 years, Crehan has been instrumental in creating grant programs and leading initiatives. Her plan to reintroduce transitional housing opportunities won an award from the state’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services as she responded to individuals’ increased risk of isolation, stigma, and overdose without permanent housing. Hundreds have achieved sustainability through this model, which transformed how Victory responds to the needs of individuals seeking stability and recovery.

Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Award – Quinn Somerside, Clinical Supervisor, Advocates. Somerside has been a key educator and advocate for LGBTQ+ and trans individuals at Advocates. They have promoted the use of inclusive language, led discussions on microaggressions, and ensured that both staff and clients feel respected. Recognized as a “diversity champion,” their initiative to incorporate diversity into their everyday work continues to push the organization toward greater equity and inclusion.

Excellence in Administration and Finance – Danae Young, Chief Operating Officer, Gosnold Behavioral Health. The youngest senior leader in Gosnold’s 52-year history, Young has moved up the ranks from Project Manager to Chief Operating Officer, and has overseen multiple expansion projects, built invaluable community partnerships, deepened the organization’s fundraising efforts and streamlined its admissions processes. Young embodies Gosnold’s patient-centered approach in everything she does.

Excellence in Best Practices (Group) – Proyecto Redes (Networks) Early Diversion Team, Casa Esperanza, Inc. Collaborating with law enforcement, behavioral health providers and over 30 community organizations, this team is keeping people with behavioral health needs out of the criminal justice system and connecting them with appropriate recovery support. In just 90 days, they rapidly mobilized resources and successfully implemented a program that has directly served over 40 individuals and has provided people who might otherwise remain underserved with personalized and critical support that addresses immediate crises and long-term recovery goals. The team is ensuring that best practices are ingrained in behavioral health and law enforcement by certifying over 130 community providers through its specialized QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training for suicide prevention and “Stop the Bleed” trauma training.

Excellence in Outcomes – Caitlin Mulligan, Director of Freedom Trail Community Health Center Program (FTC), North Suffolk Community Services. Under Mulligan’s leadership, FTC has expanded its access to patients with serious mental illness, those experiencing homelessness and patients who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. The group’s work on a comprehensive health assessment has increased primary care visits, critical cancer screenings, EKG order rate and metabolic syndrome screenings, leading to a 25% improvement in overall mental health. The clinic has one of only six deaf clinicians statewide.

Excellence in Program Leadership (two awardees):

Matthew Dischinger, Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative Gloucester Program Manager, JRI. At the end of the pandemic, Dischinger took over and restored the In-Home Therapy and Therapeutic Mentoring teams to pre-pandemic levels and introduced In-Home Behavioral Services. When morale was low, he reinvigorated his team by setting a new precedent for creativity and fun in the workplace while prioritizing a professional environment. Employees praise his clinical astuteness and management, crediting him with their successes.

Stephanie Manzi, Vice President, Substance Use Services, Community Healthlink. In just one year, Manzi stabilized the Substance Use Service Division and reopened two critical programs – Clinical Stabilization Services and Transition Support Services – with a third, Detox, on track to reopen this fall. Her ability to build strong working relationships has allowed her to rebuild trust and advocate effectively for her team.

Excellence in Workforce Innovation – Omolewa Fagboore, Director of the Central Massachusetts Behavioral Health Career Pipeline, Open Sky Community Services/Seven Hills Foundation. Fagboore leads a collaborative partnership supporting immigrants, refugees and BIPOC incumbent staff. He is an inspiration to his Human Services Career Support Program participants, most of which are still employed in the field. A Higher Education program he runs has 42 incumbent staff pursuing a graduate degree in mental health counseling at Framingham State University.