Integrated Care For I/DD: Treating Addiction & Mental Health Together
This full-day event is designed to help executives improve care for people with co-occurring conditions and cognitive disabilities through person-centered approaches.
Joseph Naughton-Travers, Ed.M.
Summit Chair & Senior Associate,
OPEN MINDS
Through carefully curated sessions given by industry experts, attendees will learn best practices in serving co-occurring I/DD, mental health and addictive disorders, strategies for building integrated care and enhanced tech supports, and insights into payer approaches and innovations for this population.
2026 Summit Agenda
The I/DD & Autism Landscape: Population Trends, Co-Occurring Needs & Market Pressures
This session provides a comprehensive overview of the current I/DD & Autism markets, with a focus on population growth, increasing clinical complexity, and the prevalence of co-occurring mental health, chronic conditions, and substance use disorders. Executives will gain insight into workforce shortages, reimbursement constraints, regulatory pressures, and access challenges shaping service delivery nationwide. Speakers will highlight key data trends and emerging risks to help leaders better anticipate demand, align resources, and position their organizations for sustainability in a rapidly evolving environment.
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM, Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Integrated Care In Action: Lessons From Multi-Service I/DD, MH & SUD Providers
As individuals with I/DD present with increasingly complex behavioral and substance use needs, integrated service models are becoming essential. This session features real-world case studies from organizations delivering both I/DD, MH or SUD services under one operational and clinical framework. Presenters will discuss lessons learned, barriers to integration, regulatory considerations, and measurable outcomes, offering executives practical insights into scaling integrated care while maintaining quality, compliance and financial viability.
Kelley Krueger, Ph.D., BCBA
Afm Z. Haque, M.D., MPH
Accountable Care For Autism & I/DD: Inside The ACO Model
What does accountable care look like for individuals with I/DD? This session explores ACO models designed to improve care coordination, outcomes and cost management for this population. Hear directly from ACO leaders and participating providers about governance, data sharing, quality metrics, and financial alignment. Attendees will gain a balanced view of the opportunities and challenges of ACO participation, along with actionable considerations for organizations evaluating or operating within these models.
Breakout Discussion Group: Treatment Considerations For Co-Occurring Disorders
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM
Joseph P. Naughton-Travers, EdM, Senior Associate, has more than 30 years of experience in the health and human service field. In this tenure as senior associate with OPEN MINDS since 1998, he has served as lead of dozens of client initiatives, served as editor of OPEN MINDS publications, and is the author of many groundbreaking articles and presentations.
Mr. Naughton-Travers brings to OPEN MINDS a broad range of experiences in private and public sector delivery of behavioral health and social services. He started his career as a behavioral health clinician, working in both child welfare and community mental health clinic settings. Subsequently, Mr. Naughton-Travers held a senior business operations management position for a psychiatric hospital system and its community mental health clinics. Later, he was vice president of a firm specializing in information systems and billing and receivables management for community-based mental health programs.
Since joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Naughton-Travers has developed business solutions for provider and professional organizations, state and county government, technology companies, and venture capital firms. His primary areas of expertise include strategic planning and metrics-based management, electronic health record (EHR) and technology selection and implementation, operations improvement, and corporate compliance. For the past decade, over half his consulting practice has focused on aiding organizations in technology selection and implementation, including all aspects of strategic technology planning, functional specifications development, request for proposal development, vendor selection, and contracting.
He has written numerous articles, including “Winning the Human Resource Wars: Tried, True and New Strategies for Behavioral Health and Social Service Organizations,” “Five Pillars of Management Competency,” “Data Driven Decision Making: Moving to an Organizational Measurement Culture,” “Survival of the Smartest: What is Your Organization’s Information Literacy IQ?,” and “Strategic Human Resource Management: Aligning Compensation with Employee Performance and Organizational Strategy.” Mr. Naughton-Travers is also a nationally recognized speaker, having conducted hundreds of executive and professional executive training events around the nation.
Mr. Naughton-Travers received his Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his Masters’ of Education in Counseling Psychology from Boston University.
Breakout Discussion Group: Making The Funding Work For Integrated Care
Paul Duck
Paul M. Duck brings over 25 years of experience in leadership and management focusing on managed care, health information technology organizations, strategy, business development, and market expansion, and customer experience optimization to the OPEN MINDS team.
Prior to joining OPEN MINDS, Mr. Duck served as the Vice President, Strategy & Development at Beacon Health Options. In this role, Mr. Duck led the organization’s strategy and business development efforts – responsible for a 30% increase in net revenue and initiated over $1 billion in revenue generation. Mr. Duck was active in national behavioral health initiatives as an executive of Beacon Health Options, including participating as a speaker at national and state association meetings.
Before joining Beacon Health Options, Mr. Duck was the Vice President of Business Development at Netsmart Technologies. During his tenure, Mr. Duck was responsible for business planning, including, the oversight of strategic activities including acquisitions, development, and execution of strategic initiatives, and positioning, and sales of large strategic customers. He also led the rollout of the company’s benchmarking and data analytics product suite.
Prior to Netsmart, Mr. Duck served as the Chief Executive Officer for Coastal Orthopedics and Pain Management, a large group practice with five clinic locations and two ambulatory surgical centers. As the organization’s chief executive officer, Mr. Duck was responsible for significant positive changes in leadership and corporate culture, financial and operational performance, compliance, and governance. Mr. Duck improved net collections by over $1 million per month and grew the practice through negotiating better contract rates with payers. He also implemented an organizational rebranding initiative and launched a new marketing campaign.
Prior to Coastal Orthopedics and Pain Management, Mr. Duck served as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Florida Radiology Imaging, one of the largest outpatient diagnostic imaging service companies serving the greater Orlando market. During his tenure, Mr. Duck led the construction of three new, full modality, diagnostic imaging locations. Mr. Duck revolutionized the company’s culture by creating a highly attractive and functional work environment.
Mr. Duck earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Case Western Reserve University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Electronic Engineering Technology from the Electronic Technology Institute. Mr. Duck received an award by Inc Magazine for leading Florida Radiology Imaging as one of America’s fastest-growing companies. Mr. Duck recently served as a contributing author to the book The New Health Age: The Future of Health Care in America.
Medicaid Innovation For Autism & I/DD: 1115 Waivers, Emerging Models & Funding-Driven Change
Medicaid policy continues to be a primary driver of innovation in I/DD services. This session examines new and experimental Medicaid waivers, with a particular focus on Section 1115 demonstrations and their impact on care models, funding structures, and service integration. Presenters will review current waiver activity, early results, and state-level trends, helping executives understand how funding mechanisms are shaping the future of I/DD services and where strategic opportunities may exist.
Janet Butler
Janet Butler has developed and led residential and individualized support programs for over 35 years, primarily with Community Systems, where she is the CEO and President. Her innovative thinking and dedication to the discovery of each person’s definition of their own happiness have led to scores of remarkable success stories, most notably with persons considered too challenging to ever enjoy community success or live independently.
Ms. Butler received her degree in nursing and later a BS in Nonprofit Management from Skidmore College. She was the Executive Director of Community Systems, Inc. in Massachusetts for more than 20 years, starting the operations and growing the organization to support 250 individuals with more than 350 staff.
Janet assumed the role of CEO upon the retirement of the founders at CSI, who had filled their roles for more than 30 years. Prior to this role, she worked as a nurse in acute care and helped develop one of the first hospice services in southeastern Massachusetts when it was strictly charity responsibility.
Community Systems, Inc. is a group of nonprofit organizations providing support to persons with disabilities in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, and Delaware. The organization operates primarily in the ID/DD but also provides brain injury services, including to disabled veterans. For the last 15 years, the primary focus of her role has been to help build leaders.
Stacey Dixon, Ph.D., MHA
The Road Ahead For Autism & I/DD Organizations: A Payer & Provider Executive Roundtable
This closing panel brings together senior leaders from Autism & I/DD provider organizations and payer partners for a candid discussion on the future of the field. Panelists will address shared challenges, evolving expectations, and opportunities for collaboration across care delivery, reimbursement, and innovation. Designed as an interactive executive dialogue, this session will leave attendees with forward-looking perspectives and practical takeaways to guide strategic planning in an increasingly complex I/DD landscape.
Rebecca Richwine, MS
Becki Richwine is the Senior Vice President for Merakey’s Children & Family Services, responsible for overseeing all program operations and driving clinical and business development. She began her career at Merakey in 2007 as the Regional Director of Autism Services. Becki’s leadership has been instrumental in significantly expanding program operations, while she continues to foster new ideas to improve programming for all Merakey children’s services.
Becki received her BA in Psychology from Shippensburg University and went on to receive her Master’s in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Behavioral Disorders and Social Emotional Disorders. She started her career in human services as Therapeutic Support Staff before moving into management roles, such as the Assistant Director of BHRS, the Director of Outpatient Services, the Executive Director of Operations, and the Vice President of Education & Autism Services.
In her over 20 years of experience, Rebecca has focused her career on delivering high quality services to all individuals in need and skilling operational and clinical leaders to help fulfill that mission.
Dean Pastras, ACSW, LCSW
