Jennifer Garber, MA, LICSW

Jennifer Garber, MA LICSW is the Director of Clinical Operations and Community Initiatives for Medica Behavioral Health (MBH). Jennifer has been with MBH for 9+ years in the role of Director of Clinical Operations; during that time she has had the responsibilities for clinical activities for Commercial, Medicaid and Medicare products in addition to working on key initiatives with providers, community groups and MN DHS, as well as other leaders at Medica. Jennifer has had the privilege of working with mental health, as well as SUD providers, helping to identify any gaps in service delivery, and problem solving with the involved parties to work toward filling those gaps. In 2014, the responsibilities for Community Initiatives and Government Programs also became part of Jennifer’s responsibilities. This set of added responsibilities moved Jennifer from being a participant in those community collaboratives, to being one of the primary owners of those activities for MBH. Those collaborations are key in the overall daily work and completely interface with the daily clinical operations. An ongoing point of satisfaction that Jennifer values about the work being done at MBH is the focus on getting the individual the service that they will most benefit from, at the time that they need it, in a place that they can access it. Problem solving on behalf of members’ recovery is a privilege and an honor;   working with the providers and collaborators is deeply satisfying and, at times, a bit like working on a jig saw puzzle. Seeing those pieces come together is one of the ultimate experiences of team work. Jennifer appreciates that Medica wants to be innovative in working in providing care, and moving the dial on more effective as well as efficient service delivery for members. Being able to be creative in solutioning to bridge service gaps, and to move things forward for overall service delivery is a unique thing about working with Medica on behalf of their members. Jennifer has a Master’s degree from Grace Theological Seminary, and an undergraduate degree from University of Iowa. Jennifer is licensed as an Independent Clinical Social Worker. As a practicing clinician, she has worked in an EAP setting, with SPMI adults, on an inpatient dual diagnosis unit with adolescents and their families, and did MH emergency room assessments for a number of years. Jennifer has also worked in another Health Plan setting as a clinical manager.