NMH Hires Director and Coordinator for $4 Million Expansion

Newport Mental Health Announces Hiring of Project Director and Coordinator to Head $4 million Expansion of Services for Community Mental Health Agencies

CEO Jamie Lehane of Newport Mental Health is pleased to announce a new Project Director and Project Coordinator to oversee and manage its most recent nationally funded expansion project, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC).

Richard Leclerc, former CEO of Gateway Healthcare in Providence, is the new Project Director along with Erica Michonski, former coordinator at the Providence Center, is the new Project Coordinator of the CCBHC project.

“I am thrilled to have someone like Richard who comes to us with such tremendous federal and state experience in community mental health and CCBHC,” said CEO Jamie Lehane of Newport Mental Health. Both Richard and Erica are highly capable individuals. Richard with his breadth of experience in leadership and collaboration at the state and federal levels and Erica, with her experience in training and facilities,” said Lehane.

The $4 million CCBHC project, funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMSHA) is currently underway and includes Newport Mental Health as the lead agency along with Thrive Behavioral Health in Warwick and Community Care Alliance in Woonsocket. The collaboration among community mental health agencies enables participating centers to expand their services through a shared vision and integrated approach to mental health and substance use services. The CCBHC project will enable thousands of Rhode Islanders with little or no insurance, many of whom have gone untreated, to receive treatment. The project also renders services to those with emerging mental and substance disorders.

Leclerc, who lives in Narragansett, was formerly the CEO of Gateway Healthcare, the largest behavioral health care provider in Rhode Island. At the present, he chairs the Governor’s Council on Behavioral Health. In addition, he serves on the National Council for Behavioral Health

“I’m excited about watching the growth of these agencies as they implement and expand programs for more ethnicities, LGBTQ communities and others,” said Michonski. “Being part of this project is a reward in itself.” Michonski holds her MBA in Behavioral Economics. She lives in Tiverton.