New Directions Behavioral Health Hires Four New Medical Directors

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rapid customer growth over the past several years has sparked expansion for New Directions Behavioral Health (New Directions), a company that helps more than 13 million people live healthy, balanced lives.

To take the company into its next phase of growth and continue to drive high-quality health care, New Directions announced the hiring of four new medical directors.

"These four medical directors are accomplished psychiatrists who bring the strong clinical leadership needed to advance evidence-based health practices and chart our company's path toward delivering coordinated, integrated care," said Dr. Aron Halfin, senior vice president and chief medical officer.

Dr. Charles Freed will serve as vice president and south regional medical director, providing medical oversight for customer health plans in Alabama, Louisiana and Florida.

With 20 years of experience, Dr. Freed is board-certified in addiction psychiatry and has significant experience in treating people with opioid dependence. His perspective and knowledge in treating addiction disorders is instrumental in New Directions' efforts to expand the use of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) to combat the opioid crisis.

He most recently served as senior medical director for several public sector sites within Optum Behavioral Health. Prior to that, he was the chief medical officer of behavioral health for the State of Tennessee, also known as TennCare, a large Medicaid program.

Dr. J. Lyndon Good will serve as vice president and central regional medical director, leading the clinical and quality programs for customer health plans in Michigan, Kansas, Arkansas and Kansas City, Mo. 

Dr. Good has 20 years of managed care experience and spent the last six years as associate medical director for Optum Health. Prior to that, he was northeast regional medical director for Beacon Health Options. He also served as medical director for United Behavioral Health.

Dr. Tracey Smithey will provide leadership and direction of the clinical and quality initiatives for New Directions' health plan customer in Florida. With 25 years of health care experience, she served as the behavioral health medical director for Florida Anthem/Amerigroup Medicaid and was previously affiliated with Beacon Health Options and Health Integrated. Board-certified in adult psychiatry, Dr. Smithey worked for many years in community psychiatry with child, adolescent, adult and geriatric populations.

Dr. Deepak Rajpoot will provide medical oversight for health plan customers in Kansas, Arkansas and Kansas City. Dr. Rajpoot specializes in pharmacology, with an emphasis in psychotropic medication. He most recently worked at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City as staff psychiatrist.

Under the direction of Dr. Halfin, the four psychiatrists join senior medical director John Emerick and Alabama medical director John Langlow, also psychiatrists.

"I'm excited to work with a top-notch team of medical talent who will develop and drive the clinical and quality programs needed to improve care and deliver positive health outcomes for members," said Halfin. 

About New Directions

Founded in 1995, New Directions helps people live healthy, balanced lives. The fast-growing health care company provides managed behavioral health care services, employee assistance programs (EAPs), organizational consulting and health coaching to private and public health plans, Fortune 100 companies, large and medium employers, and labor groups. For more information, visit ndbh.com.

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SOURCE New Directions Behavioral Health