Woburn, MA Beacon Health Strategies, LLC (Beacon) today announced the creation of its Behavioral Health Expert Advisory Panel. Beacon’s Chief Medical Officer, B.J. Beck, M.D. explained the purposes of the panel are to help guide Beacon’s clinical initiatives, to provide expert advice on important behavioral health conditions and topics, and to evaluate Beacon’s programmatic developments and innovations.

The panel’s expertise reflects Beacon’s clinical model of providing holistic care management services that consider a member’s physical, behavioral, and social conditions. The panel is experienced in the integration of psychiatry within primary care settings, the effective use of pharmaceuticals for behavioral health conditions, population approaches to care management and treatment of members with co-occurring chronic medical and behavioral health conditions. Dr. Beck stated: “I am delighted that we have been able to convene such an accomplished group of thought leaders representing a diverse array of interests.”

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Beck will be a member of the Senior Management Team and be responsible for the overall clinical operations of the company. She will work with the medical leadership of our health plan clients to ensure members receive high quality care. An actively practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Beck will also focus on the further development of existing as well as new clinical and quality programs and services. Among the many priorities for Dr. Beck will be to provide timely and relevant information about current health care industry trends as well as ongoing assessment of future opportunities as determined by market need.

The members of the Behavioral Health Expert Advisory Panel include the following individuals:

Michael Angelini, Pharm. D., Clinical pharmacist and psychopharmacology specialist for the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System Outpatient Clinic, board-certified in psychiatric pharmacy.

Alexander Blount, Ed.D. Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School; behavioral health/primary care integration.

Oliver Freudenreich, M.D. Massachusetts General Hospital Schizophrenia Program and director of the First- Episode and Early Psychosis Program, specializing in psychotic disorders care and research.

Philip Gottlieb, M.D. Clinton Hospital, geropsychiatrist with expertise in the interplay between psychiatry, the medically ill, and the depression / dementia / delirium continuum

Charles Henry, M.D. Board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist specializing in the treatment of autism spectrum and other developmental disorders. He is the director of psychopharmacology with the Ladder’s Clinic, a program of Massachusetts General Hospital specializing in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders.

Tom Oxman, M.D. Dartmouth Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and of Community and Family Medicine, joint leader of the development and implementation of the Three Component Model of the treatment of depression in primary care.

Peter Smith, M.D., MSc., is the lead physician in the care management department of the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center. Dr. Smith is board certified in internal and preventive medicine and provides expertise in care management programs for members with diabetes and other chronic illnesses.

Buck Woo, Ph.D., is a neuropsychologist and co-director of the Memory Disorders Clinic, Merrimack Medical Center, who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive and emotional disorders of older adults.

Founded in 1996, Beacon Health Strategies is a recognized leader in behavioral health care management with an excellent reputation for providing customized and innovative solutions to meet the unique needs of each customer. Accredited by both URAC and NCQA, Beacon's expertise and ability to successfully deliver effective clinical and administrative programs in complex environments differentiate Beacon from other managed behavioral health organizations.