Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare Announces Appointment of Chief Medical Officer

Appointment expands Cascadia’s focus on integration of mental health, addiction services, and physical health care

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

July 27, 2017 

 

PORTLAND, OR

Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare announced today, after a national search, that Jeffrey Eisen, MD, MBA, will join the organization on August 1 as the new Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Eisen will provide continued direction and development of Cascadia’s integrated health care services across the company spanning mental health, addiction and primary care. His role will be integral in creating and setting policies, procedures and practice standards. Dr. Eisen will lead the developing partnerships that include area hospital emergency departments, primary care groups, health plans and the Unity Center for Behavioral Health.

The timing of Dr. Eisen’s arrival is aligned with the increasing national focus on expanding access to integrated health care to low-income community members. Dr. Eisen served on faculty at Harvard Medical School and as the Medical Director for Community Behavioral Health Services at Lahey Health, one of Massachusetts’ largest healthcare providers. His team at Lahey Health team received a $4.2 million grant to design innovative programs for improved care for patients with co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and addictions diagnoses. He has presented nationally on the opioid overdose epidemic, the prescribing of controlled substances, and treatment approaches for homeless populations.

“Cascadia is fortunate to have Jeffrey join our executive team, particularly at this critical point in time. He is a highly regarded, national leader who shares our innovative approach to the delivery of behavioral health care, and we are pleased to welcome him to Oregon,” said Derald Walker, Chief Executive Officer of Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare. “With Jeffrey’s extensive experience and expertise, he will solidify Cascadia’s position as a leader in improving the integration of care, management, and support of populations with severe mental health and substance use issues.”

A board certified adult psychiatrist, as well as a forensic and addictions psychiatric specialist, Dr. Eisen received his MD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and completed his postdoctoral residency in adult psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He was a fellow in public sector forensic psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts, which is affiliated with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. This fellowship emphasized the delivery of care to homeless, incarcerated, and socioeconomically marginalized individuals. Dr. Eisen also holds an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, with certification in Public Management.

Dr. Eisen shared on joining Cascadia, “I am thrilled to be joining the tremendous team at Cascadia during a time in which healthcare is transforming in Oregon and throughout the nation. I look forward to helping Cascadia provide integrated, sustainable services that reflect the field’s best practices, with the goal of improving the physical and mental health of all Oregonians.”

 

ABOUT CASCADIA BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE:

Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare is a private, not-for-profit whose mission is to provide healing, homes and hope for people living with mental health and addiction challenges. For information on Cascadia’s comprehensive range of innovative clinical and housing support programs, visit: cascadiabhc.org.

As of April 1, 2017, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare is a Certified Community Behavioral Health Center (CCBHC) and part of a national two-year demonstration project to measure the benefits of expanding the integration of mental, substance use and physical health care. Cascadia’s three CCBHC clinics in Portland will expand this federal designation of services and serve as models for an innovative approach to mental health that treats each patient holistically, leading to improved mental and physical health, lower catastrophic care costs, and reduced stigma surrounding mental health and substance use. This project places Oregon in the national spotlight for health care reform. Oregon was one of just eight states chosen to participate in the two-year program, and Cascadia is one of only 13 organizations selected statewide.