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About ABHW

Lead.

The Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) is dedicated to advancing federal policy and educating the public on mental health and substance use disorder care. By advocating on behalf of health plans for improved access and higher quality care, we are focused on ensuring better health outcomes for individuals and communities.

ABHW is the national voice for payers that manage behavioral health insurance benefits. ABHW member companies provide coverage to over 200 million people in both the public and private sectors to treat mental health, substance use disorders, and other behaviors that impact health and wellness. 

Founded in 1994, ABHW is a respected leader in the behavioral health and medical arena. Poised to effect positive policy change, ABHW provides thought leadership and advocates for regulations and policies that help provide high quality health care to promote healthy living and improved quality of life.

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Our Guiding Principles

Integration of behavioral and physical health care.

Extension of access to high quality care.

Provision of evidence-based behavioral health care.

Reduction of stigma.

Expansion of the behavioral health workforce.

Realization of positive health outcomes.

Recognition of the value of prevention.

Staff

Pamela Greenberg, MPP

President and CEO

Maeghan Gilmore, MPH

Vice-President, Government Affairs

Kathryn Cohen, J.D.

Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs

Pamela Greenberg is President and CEO of the Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW), the national voice of payers working to improve access and quality of care for mental health and substance use disorders. ABHW is the leading association for national and regional health plans that manage behavioral health insurance benefits for over 200 million people. Pamela has been with ABHW for 25 years, previously serving as Executive Director. In her current role, she and her broader team work to advance federal policy, reduce stigma, and raise awareness to improve mental health and substance use disorder care.
 
With over three decades of working with health plans and in the behavioral health field, Pamela is nationally recognized for her expertise in mental health and substance use disorder public policy. Pamela was instrumental as Chair of the Coalition for Fairness in Mental Illness Coverage, one of the leading coalitions that helped develop, advocate for, and get the Wellstone-Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008 signed into law. Pamela previously served as Deputy Director of Federal Affairs for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and Legislative Assistant at Capitol Associates, a healthcare consulting firm in Washington, D.C.
 
Pamela is currently a member of several influential councils, including the Joint Commission’s Behavioral Health Care Accreditation Advisory Council, URAC’s Health Standards Committee, and URAC’s Parity Advisory Council.
 
Pamela holds a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and a Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University.

Maeghan has worked with local governments for over 14 years on behavioral health, health, human services, and justice policies and programs. Prior to joining ABHW, Maeghan was the program director for health, human services and justice at the National Association of Counties. She previously served as the Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Directors.

Ms. Gilmore received a B.S. in Health Education from Western Michigan University and a Masters of Public Health, health policy concentration, from The George Washington University.

Kathryn Cohen is the Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs where she oversees federal regulatory advocacy efforts on the organization’s priority areas, including substance use disorders, mental health parity, telehealth, 42 CFR Part 2, workforce, youth behavioral health, suicide prevention, and crisis services. 

Kathryn has over 10 years of policy experience working with federal, state, and local governments in health and human services, including behavioral health. Prior to ABHW, Kathryn advocated to expand access to health care services at the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers (MLCHC), where she was responsible for managing the state legislative and regulatory agendas on behalf of the state’s health centers. She also worked at the Treatment Advocacy Center, where she worked to expand mental health treatment in numerous states and at the federal level. Kathryn has also worked as an attorney at the White House Office of General Counsel.

Kathryn received a B.A. from Brown University and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.

Angela Lee, MA

Director of Communications and Programs

Jessica Kelley, J.D., MHA

Policy Manger

Colette Alston

Operations Administrator

As the Director of Communications and Programs, Angela Lee oversees all aspects of ABHW’s communications strategies, increases ABHW’s visibility as the leading voice for health payers that manage behavioral health insurance benefits, and leads ABHW’s Corporate Partner Program and Stamp Out Stigma initiative.

Angela brings 15 years of experience developing and executing strategic communications that advance federal and state policy. Angela has worked on a broad range of subject matters including mental health, substance use disorders, workforce development, economic mobility, sexual assault and harassment, and leadership development. Angela currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors and a founding member for the Diversity in Government Relations Coalition and previously served on the leadership team for Women in Government Relations’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

While she is from the Washington, DC area, Angela lived in Boston for 10 years before returning to the DMV to pursue an M.A. in Criminology from George Washington University where she received the Graduate Excellence in Research & Writing award for her thesis, which was published in a peer-reviewed journal a year later.

Jessica comes to ABHW from the U.S. House of Representatives. She had the opportunity to work heavily on mental health and substance abuse policies with the Congressional Mental Health Caucus. Jessica has been involved in developing legislative initiatives and advocating for policy priorities.

Jessica received her J.D. from Drake University with a concentration in health law and her Masters of Health Administration from Des Moines University. She received her B.S. in Health Administration Service from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.

Colette joined ABHW in 2018 as the Executive Assistant.  She is responsible for providing administrative support to ABHW’s employees.  She also provides updates and responds to inquiries from ABHW member companies and corporate partners and plans ABHW events.

Prior to joining ABHW, Colette was the Administrative Coordinator to the Practice Support and Paralegal department at Squire Patton Boggs LLC.  She previously served in a variety of senior level administrative positions at the Association for Community College Trustees, Eversheds Sutherland LLP, and Howrey LLP.

Board of Directors

LEADERSHIP
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Adam R. Easterday; Chairman of the Board
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs
Optum

Brad Lerner, J.D.; Chair-Elect
Director, Public Policy
Manager, Behavioral Health and Enterprise Issues
Elevance Health

James A. Laughman, MSW, LSW; Treasurer
President
PerformCare, a subsidiary of AmeriHealth Caritas

Deborah Fernandez-Turner, DO, DFAACAP, FAPA

Deputy Chief Psychiatric Officer
Aetna, A CVS Health Company

Oleg Tarkovsky, MBA
Director of Behavioral Health Services
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

John Kaelin, MPA
Senior Vice President, Government Relations
Centene Corporation

Doug Nemecek, MD, MBA
Chief Medical Officer 
Evernorth

Shannon M. McMahon, MPA
Executive Director, Medicaid Policy
Kaiser Permanente

Bernard DiCasimirro, DO
Chief Medical Officer
Lucet

Caroline Carney, MD
President, Behavioral Health and Chief Medical Officer
Magellan Health

Kevin Middleton, Psy.D.
Senior Vice President, Behavioral Health Operations
Molina Healthcare

Cropped shot of corporate business colleagues discussing work in their office

ABHW Members

Shaping the future of health care.

ABHW members include top national and regional health plans that care for more than 200 million people in both the public and private sectors. Our member companies bring substantial knowledge and experience with mental health and substance use disorders, integration, patient-centered treatment, and recovery, and lead the industry in preventative and collaborative models of care. Read about some of the work our members do every day to increase access to and enhance the quality of mental health and substance use disorder care here.  

Members learn about the latest trends and developments in policy, business, and research through meetings, newsletters, and regular member-only updates. 

Our Corporate Partners

Supporting Crucial Behavioral Health Issues in the Nation.

Our corporate partners have the opportunity to advise health plans about their public policy interests, focus on areas of common interest, and engage with key behavioral health executives to ensure access to quality care and improve overall health outcomes.

Business people talking in office

Corporate Partners Program

Become a Partner

The Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) is the national voice for payers that manage behavioral health insurance benefits. ABHW member companies provide specialty services to treat mental health, substance use, and other behaviors that impact health to approximately 200 million people in both the public and private sectors. 

ABHW’s Corporate Partner Program held its first meeting in 1999. The purpose of the Corporate Partner Program is to give companies the opportunity to advise health plans, through ABHW, about their public policy interests and concerns; to focus on areas of common interest; to interact with key behavioral healthcare executives; and to identify opportunities to work together. 

Participation in the Corporate Partner Program does not reflect an endorsement of treatments, services, or products by ABHW or its member companies.

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