Lunch On Your Own
Enjoy Rusty’s Bistro or Mainstay Tavern conveniently located inside the Sheraton Sand Key Resort.
Building A Data-Driven Organization: The 2027 OPEN MINDS Seminar On Making Metrics-Based Management Work
The dynamics of accelerated change in the market have created new performance challenges for health and human services organizations. This seminar will focus on the latest performance landscape and critical domains for measuring and managing business and clinical effectiveness. Health and human services organizations have unique and evolving competition in the market—from new digital-first applications demonstrating speedy access, engagement, and satisfaction with consumers to industry disrupters such as retail health clinics providing convenient access to care right where individuals shop. Showing value through data is a must have in this competitive environment, and the ability to demonstrate value through data means that organizations must also use data to drive performance improvement—clinically and administratively. In addition, leaders within organizations are challenged to make rapid course corrections, and having immediate access to the correct data has become critical to organizational success. Key objectives for this seminar will include the following:
- Look at the critical strategic performance domains and metrics for managing business and clinical health effectiveness
- Scorecard and framework for becoming a data-driven organization and for evaluating business health operations
- Decision-making model for prioritization and selection of measures
Michael Allen
Michael Allen brings over 30 years of experience in the non-profit behavioral healthcare industry to the OPEN MINDS team. He currently serves as an Executive Vice President in our consulting practice, where he provides executive oversight and leadership to provider and payer client engagements for OPEN MINDS.
Mr. Allen was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of SummitStone Health Partners, the largest non-profit behavioral health service provider in Larimer County, CO. In this role Mr. Allen was responsible for the planning deployment, communication and accomplishment of SummitStone Health Partners’ overarching corporate strategy. He managed a budget of $80Million and was responsible for more than 750 full time employees and over 12,000 clients annually.
Prior to SummitStone Health Partners, Mr. Allen served as the Vice President of Managed Care & Operations at AspenPointe (now Diversus Health). At AspenPointe he developed and managed a system of accountability for monitoring and evaluating provider performance in seven Colorado counties. He was also responsible for the quality management oversight of all business lines, as well as managing a substance abuse treatment contract with the Colorado Division of Behavioral Health and a child welfare services agreement with El Paso County Department of Human Services.
Previously, Mr. Allen was the Director of Clinical Care for Connect Care, (rebranded as AspenPointe in 2010). In this position Mr. Allen provided supervision to the clinical staff, as well as developing clinical guidelines and services. He was also the project director for the 4th Judicial District Family Reunification Grant and he oversaw care coordination and voucher management functions for Colorado Access to Recovery Grant.
Before Connect Care, Mr. Allen was the Director of Child Welfare Services for Signal Behavioral Health Network, a non-profit that has been managing and expanding substance use prevention, treatment and recovery services in northeast Colorado for over 25 years. Mr. Allen managed a network of Substance Use Disorder treatment providers, programs and services across 35 Colorado counties.
Mr. Allen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Design/Psychology from Brigham Young University, a Masters in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University, and a Masters in Business Administration from Colorado State University. He is a Licensed Social Worker and a Certified Addictions Specialist in Colorado.
Measuring & Managing Financial Strength: The 2027Â OPEN MINDSÂ Seminar On Improving Financial Resilience
As behavioral health organizations navigate rising demand, shifting reimbursement models, and ongoing workforce pressures, financial resilience has never been more critical. This three-hour executive seminar provides leaders with a proven framework to measure, monitor, and manage the financial health of their organizations—ensuring stability today and strategic growth tomorrow.
Participants will explore how to identify the right financial indicators, strengthen balance sheets, and leverage data-driven insights to guide strategic decision-making. By the end of the seminar, attendees will be equipped with actionable tools and strategies to enhance financial resilience and lead their organizations with confidence in a rapidly evolving behavioral health landscape. Through expert facilitation, interactive exercises, and case examples, executives will learn practical approaches to:
- Assess organizational financial strength using a standardized framework
- Build strategies for managing risk in uncertain market conditions
- Apply best practices for improving liquidity, revenue diversification, and cost efficiency
Ray Wolfe, J.D.
Raymond “Ray” Wolfe, J.D. brings over 40 years of experience in the health and human services sector to the OPEN MINDS team. Mr. Wolfe currently serves as a Senior Associate, a position in which he utilizes his expertise to successfully lead varying projects for OPEN MINDS. His areas of expertise include financial analysis and management, mergers and acquisitions, performance improvement, and strategic planning.
Before joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Wolfe served in a 22 year tenure with Pittsburgh Mercy Health System in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Most recently, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) where he was responsible for oversight of all system operations, strategic planning, and performance management. Under his direction Pittsburgh Mercy achieved over $850K in value-based reimbursement contract quality bonus awards, integrated three organizations through merger/acquisition, and adopted a new performance management program for managers.
Before acting as Pittsburgh Mercy’s COO, Mr. Wolfe served as the organization’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and was responsible for the development of internal costing methodologies, contract rate negotiations, and financial forecasting activities. In addition, he coordinated an integrated care program with local partner hospitals to develop a series of diversion and respite programs, as well as, specialized primary care, integrated care management and high utilizer teams, while maintaining 15 straight years profitability.
Mr. Wolfe was promoted to CFO after serving as the Director of Fiscal and Information Security/Compliance for the health system. In this role, he was responsible for managing the transition of service contracts from fee-for-service (FFS), leading all compliance activities, and implementing a next generation electronic health record (EHR) system.
Prior to his time at Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, Mr. Wolfe served as Chief Fiscal Officer with the Summit Center for Human Development in Clarksburg, West Virginia, where he was responsible for reporting and budgeting functions and preparing Summit Center’s programs for FFS billing.
Previously, Mr. Wolfe served in billing and collections for two Pennsylvania-based hospitals. First, as an Accounts Receivables Manager for Brownsville General Hospital in Brownsville, PA, where he managed the accounting and billing system transition systems. Later as a Patient Account Manager for St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh, PA, where he improved collections to hit 95% rate through the implementation of new billing software and department reorganization.
Prior to working in the health and human services market, Mr. Wolfe spent five years practicing as a Lawyer with at Law Offices of Arch A. Moore in Moundsville, WV. In this role he provided general legal practice, created and established bylaws for multiple corporation, and handled West Virginia licensing of first vision insurance plan.
Mr. Wolfe earned his Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University School of Law in Morgantown, WV and his Bachelor’s degree with a focus in Political Science and Sociology from West Liberty University, in Wheeling, WV, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Grand Opening Of The Exhibit Hall
Join us for an unveiling of all of our great exhibitors while enjoying a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres!
Executive Breakfast & Registration
If you haven’t registered yet, check in with us at the registration desk and then enjoy breakfast in the exhibit hall!
The Affiliations That Are Defining What’s Next In Behavioral Health: The Boundless & Merakey Model
Why did two “mega” organizations serving consumers with complex needs merge? What is their model for future success? And what is the likely effect on the market landscape in the states in which they operate?
Those are a few of the issues that Patrick Maynard, President and CEO of Boundless, who will now lead the Boundless Midwest division following the affiliation with Merakey USA, will answer in this information-packed keynote session.
Prior to the partnership, Boundless was a $90 million family of nonprofit companies operating statewide in Ohio and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral health challenges since 1980. Merakey was a nonprofit provider of developmental, behavioral health, and education services since 1969, with more than 8,000 employees providing support to nearly 40,000 individuals and families each year. They are located throughout 12 states across the country. The combined organization will have an annual revenue topping $1 Billion and will serve more than 50,000 consumers with over 11,000 employees and operating in 12 states.
Mr. Maynard will address the key strategic and tactical issues that are involved in making a mega-merger happen – and making it work. He will also share his view of what the future complex consumer market will look like.
Patrick Maynard, Ph.D.
Dr. Patrick Maynard is an expert in managing publicly funded services. He is a champion of the social-entrepreneurial model, which encourages collaboration, drives continuous improvement, and improves service delivery for social service organizations.
Like many psychology graduates, Dr. Patrick Maynard assumed he would spend his career helping people one at a time by providing therapy in a one-on-one environment. However, just as he was launching his career, the movement to deinstitutionalize government-run mental health facilities was taking place across the country. Dr. Maynard immediately recognized both the potential and the pitfalls of that movement, and a lifelong passion was born.
Over his three decades of service to people with complex needs, Dr. Maynard has honed a talent for revitalizing struggling or stagnant nonprofit organizations— infusing them with new energy and putting them on a path to growth and sustainability. He excels at examining challenges from a macro perspective while keeping in mind the unique needs of the individual seeking services.
When Dr. Maynard first arrived at Boundless, the organization had an annual budget of approximately $25 million and only served adults in Central Ohio. Fast-forward five years, Boundless is now a $90-million family of nonprofit companies serving thousands of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral health challenges throughout Ohio.
A self-described natural optimist, Dr. Maynard’s biggest reward comes from seeing the positive impact on the people served by Boundless. One of his favorite stories is of a young man who came to Boundless with multiple needs, requiring round-the-clock care of many staff. A year later, that same young man attended a picnic with his family and was tearing up the dance floor in obvious joy. “That young man will stay in my memory forever,” says Dr. Maynard.
A native of Wooster, OH, Dr. Maynard graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, completed a master’s degree from Pepperdine University in community and clinical psychology. He later completed his PhD at Ohio University in applied behavioral sciences and educational leadership while serving as superintendent of the Fairfield County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Maynard has completed post-doctoral work on organizational change and government affairs from The Kennedy School at Harvard University. He was named president & CEO of I Am Boundless, Inc., and the Boundless family of companies in 2015.
Thought Leader Discussion
Join our keynote for an interactive discussion where you can take time to ask your own questions and continue the conversation.
Patrick Maynard, Ph.D.
Dr. Patrick Maynard is an expert in managing publicly funded services. He is a champion of the social-entrepreneurial model, which encourages collaboration, drives continuous improvement, and improves service delivery for social service organizations.
Like many psychology graduates, Dr. Patrick Maynard assumed he would spend his career helping people one at a time by providing therapy in a one-on-one environment. However, just as he was launching his career, the movement to deinstitutionalize government-run mental health facilities was taking place across the country. Dr. Maynard immediately recognized both the potential and the pitfalls of that movement, and a lifelong passion was born.
Over his three decades of service to people with complex needs, Dr. Maynard has honed a talent for revitalizing struggling or stagnant nonprofit organizations— infusing them with new energy and putting them on a path to growth and sustainability. He excels at examining challenges from a macro perspective while keeping in mind the unique needs of the individual seeking services.
When Dr. Maynard first arrived at Boundless, the organization had an annual budget of approximately $25 million and only served adults in Central Ohio. Fast-forward five years, Boundless is now a $90-million family of nonprofit companies serving thousands of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral health challenges throughout Ohio.
A self-described natural optimist, Dr. Maynard’s biggest reward comes from seeing the positive impact on the people served by Boundless. One of his favorite stories is of a young man who came to Boundless with multiple needs, requiring round-the-clock care of many staff. A year later, that same young man attended a picnic with his family and was tearing up the dance floor in obvious joy. “That young man will stay in my memory forever,” says Dr. Maynard.
A native of Wooster, OH, Dr. Maynard graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, completed a master’s degree from Pepperdine University in community and clinical psychology. He later completed his PhD at Ohio University in applied behavioral sciences and educational leadership while serving as superintendent of the Fairfield County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Maynard has completed post-doctoral work on organizational change and government affairs from The Kennedy School at Harvard University. He was named president & CEO of I Am Boundless, Inc., and the Boundless family of companies in 2015.
Strategic Agility After A Rate Cut: Assess The Damage, Rebuild The Margin & Protect The Mission
Rate cuts are becoming a reality for organizations across the country. Colorado cut most Medicaid provider rates 2% on July 1, 2026, three months after repricing fee-for-service to 85% of the 2025 Medicare rate.
For provider organizations, compounding rate pressure changes which service lines they can afford to sustain. This session focuses on three critical assessments: financial exposure, operating capacity, and when to maintain or pivot unprofitable mission driven service lines.
Attendees will leave with:
- Insights into managing service lines of varying financial performance
- The cost thresholds that decide whether a program stays open
- Language for telling a board which programs are being protected and why
An Update On STAR Ratings, HEDIS & Health Plan Performance Metrics: What’s Your Action Plan?
2026 Star Ratings have minimal impact on behavioral health care today. The CY 2027 final rule issued by CMS on April 2, 2026, changes the performance landscape, removing 11 measures and adding a Part C depression screening and follow-up measure.
Health plans start scoring the new measure on the 2027 measurement year. This session maps what plans will ask contracted providers to document, and what an organization will need to track before the measurement year opens.
Attendees will leave with:
- The screening and follow-up rates CMS scores as one measure
- The 11 Star measures being removed and the likely impacts
- A documentation change to raise in the next health plan contract review
Lunch On Your Own
Enjoy Rusty’s Bistro or Mainstay Tavern conveniently located inside the Sheraton Sand Key Resort!
Apple-A-Day Giveaway
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away—and today, it just might keep the post-lunch slump away! Visit the exhibit hall from 1:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday to enter our raffle and have a chance to win an Apple product. The lucky winner will be revealed during the raffle prize drawing on Thursday, February 18, at 1:45 p.m.—don’t miss your chance to take a bite out of something big.
Payers & Providers: Turning Adversarial Relationships Into Productive Partnerships
The gap between the appeal rate and the overturn rate points to a costly problem for both sides: too many resources spent managing decisions that may not withstand review. In response, providers are engaging with payers to build partnerships that decrease both parties’ overall costs and improve patient outcomes.
Attendees will leave with:
- An understanding of common pain points for payers
- Shared savings strategy ideas to share with payers
- Why you should have a named contact on payer contracts
After The Big Check: Turning The Technology You Bought Into The Asset You Need
Every renewal is a second buying decision made with new information the first contract lacked. This session covers what to measure between signing and renewal: the seats in use, the modules never configured, and the manual work the system was bought to remove. This is the data you’ll use to set the terms in the next contract.
Attendees will leave with:
- A framework for measuring utilization across licenses, modules, and features
- The questions to put to a vendor before a renewal, in writing
- A staffing hour saved, measured before and after one configuration change
Executive Networking Reception
End your day by unwinding with your peers, colleagues, thought leaders, and vendors. Join us in the exhibit hall and enjoy a cocktail and hors d’oeurvres!
Executive Breakfast
Start your day off right with breakfast, served in the exhibit hall. Take this time to speak with our great exhibitors and talk to peers about what you’ve heard this week!
Thought Leader Discussion
Join our keynote presenter for an interactive discussion where you can take time to ask your own questions and continue the conversation.
Most Mergers Don’t Deliver: Making The First 100 Days Count
Significant time and effort are spent before the merger to create a deal that gets done, and an evaluation to ensure a secure path forward exists.
Integration decisions made in the first 100 days shape what the combined organization can accomplish in its first year.
Join this session to hear:
- A day-one list separating the decisions that cannot wait from the ones that can
- The measures to baseline before two organizations share one record system
- A reporting line naming who owns decisions after the deal closes
Translating Your Strategic Plan Into 90-Day Sprints: From Three-Year Vision To 90-Day ActionÂ
A strategic plan only matters if the organization can translate it into work that gets done. Yet many organizations track the goals in the plan without measuring whether the commitments required to achieve them were actually completed.
Attendees will leave knowing:
- How to evaluate completion rates for last year’s plan
- How to build a ninety-day commitment sheet with one owner per line
- The definition of complete that lets a commitment close
Lunch On Your Own
Enjoy Rusty’s Bistro or Mainstay Tavern conveniently located inside the Sheraton Sand Key Resort!
Raffle Prize Drawing
Don’t miss the much-anticipated raffle drawing at 1:45 pm and come see if you’ve won any of the great prizes provided by our generous sponsors! (Must be present to win!)
When Vision Stalls In The Middle: Turning Middle Managers Into Performance Leaders
Gallup recorded manager engagement at 22% in 2025, down nine points since 2022, and says managers are now only as engaged as the people they lead.
Middle managers sit between executive strategy and frontline execution. They are responsible for translating organizational priorities into the daily decisions, expectations, and performance of each service line. This session covers the measures managers should own, the cadence for reviewing them, and the authority they need to change performance when a metric moves in the wrong direction.
Attendees will leave knowing:
- How to design mid-level leadership performance scorecards
- Escalation rules that keep a decision at the manager’s level
- A supervision agenda built on the manager’s own performance measures
Closing Keynote
Monica E. Oss
Monica E. Oss, M.S. is the founder of OPEN MINDS and serves as its chief executive officer, executive editor of its publications and websites, and executive lead of its consulting engagements. For the past three decades, Ms. Oss has led the OPEN MINDS team and its research on health and human service market trends and its national consulting practice. She is well known for her numerous books and articles focused on the strategic and marketing implications of the evolving health and human service field – and its focus on the verticals of the field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs.
Ms. Oss has extensive experience in developing and implementing growth strategies for a wide array of organizations in the field. She has expertise in industry trend analysis, reimbursement, rate setting, and creating actionable plans for market success. In her role, she has led numerous engagements with state Medicaid plans, county governments, private insurers, and health plans, service provider organizations, technology vendors, neurotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations, and investment banking firms – with a focus on the implications of financing changes on delivery system design.
Prior to founding OPEN MINDS, Ms. Oss served as an executive with a nationally managed behavioral health organization, responsible for market development, actuarial analysis, and capitation-based rate setting. She also held a position as vice president of the U.S. risk management and underwriting division of an international insurance company.
Ms. Oss has been the keynote speaker at the conferences of dozens of national associations and has been published in a wide range of professional journals and trade publications. She has provided Congressional and state legislative testimony on issues as diverse as the financial impact of parity and payer medication access policies.
Ms. Oss has led a range of industry research and consultation initiatives, serving as principal investigator on research projects that include the examination of national managed care enrollment and service patterns, development of provider rate structures for government entities, creation of return-on-investment models for technology investments; design of performance-based compensation models within public and private health plans; and analysis of the economic impact of changes in benefit design, adoption of evidence-based practices, and new technologies.