DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos announced today that Courtney Cantrell, Ph.D. will assume the permanent role as the Director of the Division of Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Substance Abuse Services (DMH/DD/SAS). She has been serving as the Acting Director for the Division since April 2014.
"It is essential that we have an integrated approach to physical and behavioral health care," said Secretary Wos. "Dr. Cantrell is an expert in this field and I am excited about the leadership she will provide in our continuing effort toward integrating health care in North Carolina."
Dr. Cantrell joined DHHS in October 2012 as the Behavioral Health Policy Manager at the Division of Medical Assistance before becoming the Assistant Director for Behavioral Health. In October 2013, she moved to serve as the Policy Adviser for Integrated Care within DMH/DD/SAS and helped with the development of the mental health and integrated care portions of the Medicaid reform plan before assuming the role as Acting Director.
"In order to move North Carolina forward, DMH/DD/SAS must be an efficient organization that uses all available tools to build an evidence-based integrated care system," said Dr. Cantrell. "We must listen and collaborate with providers and everyone we serve in order to craft a system that works best for North Carolina."
Dr. Cantrell is a native of Texas. She holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Florida State University and is a veteran of the United States Air Force where she oversaw the Drug Demand Reduction Program, as well as the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program. She finished her Air Force career as Chief of the Mental Health Clinic at Beale Air Force Base in northern California.
Contact: news@dhhs.nc.gov
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