For more information, contact Communications@thenationalcouncil.org or 202.684.7457.

Washington, DC, July 7, 2011—The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (National Council) announces the appointment of Michael R. Lardiere, LCSW, as its Vice President, Health Information Technology (HIT) and Strategic Development. Lardiere will lead the National Council’s efforts to promote the availability and adoption of health information technology to improve behavioral healthcare.

“We are very pleased to have Mike Lardiere join our team. His leadership will be invaluable to us and to the communities and consumers served by our 1,950 member organizations. The creation of this new position reflects our belief that the technology revolution must include behavioral health,” said Linda Rosenberg, National Council President and CEO. “We recognize that using electronic health records (EHRs) and health information exchange is critical to coordination among healthcare providers, and to helping consumers manage their own care,” she added.

Lardiere was most recently the Director of Health Information Technology and Senior Advisor for Behavioral Health at the National Association of Community Health Centers. He helped more than 1,250 community health centers, health center controlled networks, and primary care associations — that collectively serve 20 million people a year — implement HIT solutions focused on improving the quality of care. Lardiere is a board member of the National eHealth Collaborative and a member of the Behavioral Health Workgroup on the Certification Commission for HIT.

Lardiere’s appointment will provide additional impetus to the National Council’s HIT efforts, giving members access to high-level expertise as they navigate the challenges of EHR implementation and health information exchange.

The National Council has championed the Behavioral Health Information Technology Act of 2011 (S.539) to extend federal facility incentive payments for HIT adoption to behavioral health care organizations. If behavioral health providers cannot adopt HIT at a rate comparable with primary care facilities, hospitals and physicians, it will soon become impossible to provide clinical care coordination for persons with mental and addiction disorders, which requires regular interaction between behavioral health providers, primary care physicians and specialty medical personnel.

The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) association of 1,950 behavioral healthcare organizations that provide treatment and rehabilitation for mental illnesses and addictions disorders to nearly six million adults, children and families in communities across the country. The National Council and its members bear testimony to the fact that medical, social, psychological and rehabilitation services offered in community settings help people with mental illnesses and addiction disorders recover and lead productive lives. Learn more at www.TheNationalCouncil.org.