Coordinated Behavioral Care (CBC) today announced that the National Council for Mental Wellbeing has selected CBC President and Chief Executive Officer Jorge Petit, MD, to join the Medical Director Institute. Dr. Petit is the newest member of this nationally renowned group of medical leaders. The National Council’s Medical Director Institute (MDI) leverages its breadth of diverse knowledge and experience to advise National Council members on best clinical practices and develops policy and initiatives that serve organizations focused on mental health and recovery from substance use challenges.
Jorge R. Petit, MD
“It is an honor to join the National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s Medical Director Institute and the amazing group of physicians and expertise they’ve assembled,” says Dr. Petit. “I have been impressed over the years by the MDI’s important role advocating and promoting best practices to improve equitable access to needed mental wellbeing services. Their work aligns squarely with my own professional efforts and core values.”
The National Council established the MDI in 2015 to tackle complex issues impacting the delivery of psychiatric and substance use services nationwide. Its statements and publications—most recently “Resilience-Oriented COVID-19 Navigation,” published in May 2021—identify and create concrete calls to action to ensure that all people in the U.S. have access to a comprehensive, integrated continuum of care with the expectation of recovery for mental health and substance use challenges.
“We’re thrilled that Dr. Petit is joining the MDI. He has dedicated his career to complex issues that impact the health and wellbeing of everyone in the United States, such as the quality of care for Medicaid beneficiaries living with and seeking treatment for mental health and substance use challenges. His expertise, compassion and drive make him ideal for the MDI,” said MDI Co-Chair Joe Parks, MD.
As the leader of a not-for-profit organization that represents over 70 community-based health and human service agencies through a lead Medicaid Health Home and citywide Independent Practice Association (IPA), Dr. Petit will provide insights on integrated behavioral health delivery systems and efforts at contract/payment reform. He joins a roster of more than 30 Medical Directors.
For more on the National Council’s Medical Director Institute, visit the National Council’s website.
About Coordinated Behavioral Care (CBC)
Founded in 2012, Coordinated Behavioral Care (CBC) is a provider-owned and -led organization consisting of a Medicaid Health Home (HH), an Independent Practice Association (IPA), a Training Institute (TI) and an Innovations Hub which incubates new program models, such as Pathway Home™, and emerging technologies-assisted care solutions. CBC leverages community partnerships to coordinate integrated medical and behavioral health interventions that, coupled with a specialized emphasis on social determinants of health, promote a healthier New York. CBC brings together over seventy community-based health and human services organizations which provide access to quality treatment, housing, employment and other needed services.
About the National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Founded in 1969, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a membership organization that drives policy and social change on behalf of nearly 3,500 mental health and substance use treatment organizations and the more than 10 million children, adults and families they serve. The National Council advocates for policies to ensure equitable access to high- quality services, builds the capacity of mental health and substance use treatment organizations and promotes greater understanding of mental wellbeing as a core component of comprehensive health and health care. Through its Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program, National Council has trained more than 2.5 million people in the U.S. to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.
