Our Partners
Technology Transfer Centers (TTC)
National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors
Primary Care Development Corporation
Weitzman Institute Inspiring Primary Care Innovation
Multicultural Development Institute, Inc.
Relias Learning Management System and Content
American Psychiatric Association
National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) Research Institute
Our Team
Dr. Parks is the Medical Director for the National Council for Behavioral Health. He has nearly two decades of experience with public health. He was named director of the Missouri HealthNet Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services in 2013. Dr. Parks also holds the position of Distinguished Research Professor of Science at the University of Missouri – St. Louis and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri, Department of Psychiatry in Columbia. He practices psychiatry on an outpatient basis at Family Health Center, a federally funded community health center established to expand services to uninsured and underinsured patients in central Missouri.
Previously, he served for many years as Medical Director of the Missouri Department of Mental Health and as President of the Medical Director’s Council of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Director. Dr. Parks has also served as Director of the Missouri Institute of Mental Health at University of Missouri St Louis and as Division Director for the Division of Comprehensive Psychiatric Services of Missouri Department of Mental Health.
Areas of Expertise: Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs); Clinical Best Practices; Data-informed Care; Health Information Technology; Integration of Primary Care and Behavioral Health; Leadership Development; Trauma-informed Care; Workforce Development.
Paula recently graduated with a Master of Health Science (MHS) in Mental Health degree from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, a degree that focuses on mental health from a public health perspective. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Government and Hispanic Studies from the College of William and Mary.
Raymonda holds a bachelor’s degree of Pharmacy and Biotechnology from The German University in Cairo and a master’s degree of Health Administration from West Coast University. She has a great passion for healthcare and being able to make a difference.
Ms. Gaswirth holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor in Social Work from Saint Mary’s College (IN).
Henry Chung, M.D. is currently Senior Medical Director for Behavioral Health Integration Strategy at Montefiore Care Management Organization (CMO) and Professor of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In this role, Dr. Chung leads the implementation of behavioral health integration initiatives in the Montefiore Health System and its affiliated partners. From 2010 to 2017, he was Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Montefiore CMO and responsible for all quality assurance and medical transformation initiatives for over 5000 physicians and 400,000 patients in value based programs leading to successful outcomes and savings in Medicare, Medicaid and commercial programs. He is currently Chair of the Committee of Integrated Care of the American Psychiatric Association.
Dr. Chung has a national track record of progressive achievement and leadership in multiple sectors of healthcare including community health center (FQHC), pharmaceutical, global university health, and academic medical centers. In addition, he has contributed notable scholarly work and led regional and national initiatives in the integration of behavioral health and primary care. In 2012, he received the Lewis and Jack Rudin Prize for Medicine and Health awarded by the New York Academy of Medicine and the Greater New York Hospital Foundation for his contributions to the NYC health care delivery system through partnerships with public health and the community. From 2014-2018, he was appointed to the National Advisory Council of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2018, Dr Chung led and completed a 4 year program supported by a $5.5 million grant by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovations to integrate and sustain behavioral healthcare in primary care using the collaborative care model. More recently, he led the development of a new continuum based framework for behavioral health integration in primary care that is being widely used in NYS health reform initiatives.
John Kern, MD serves as Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. His work focuses on the integration of primary care and behavioral health. He has been involved with the American Psychiatric Association’s TCPi grant, providing training in Collaborative Care to psychiatrists and primary care providers across the country, with a special focus on leading a years-long series of learning collaboratives for providers on Collaborative Care. Prior to his UW appointment, he was for 22 years the Chief Medical Officer at Regional Mental Health Center in Merrillville, IN, where he developed and supervised several collaborative care programs, including IMPACT-model Collaborative Care program and a SAMHSA grant providing primary care for a seriously mentally ill population, and then developed and served as Chief Medical Officer of a new Federally Qualified Health Center. In Washington he has been developing curriculum and tools to support the medical care of people with serious mental illness in Behavioral Health Agencies across the state. He has published on integrated care for psychiatrists, the care of bipolar disorder in the primary care setting and contributed to the recently-published white paper: “Psychiatry’s Role in Improving the Physical Health of Patients With Serious Mental Illness: A Report From the American Psychiatric Association.”
In recent years, Williams has managed several projects related to the adoption of medication assisted treatment services in health centers. These projects include Project ECHO style Learning Collaboratives in which federally funded community health centers from across the county participate in virtual learning community sessions focused on increasing health centers use of buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid dependence and developing pain management protocols. Additionally, Williams has developed tools, resources, and provided subject matter expertise on these topics for diverse stakeholders including federal grantees, rural health providers, federal program staff, and other community stakeholders.
As Sr. Advisor and Practice Coach at the National Council for Behavioral Health for the past 3 years, Ms. Boyarski was able to identify areas for organizational/practice improvement, change management, implement sound action plans, and maintain flexibility in highly demanding environments. Ms. Boyarski is adept at forging partnerships across cultures, institutions and disciplines. Previous positions held at the National Council for Behavioral Health included BH Business Plus and CPPA.
Ms. Boyarski held previous positions as Executive Director of CADEKIDS in Philadelphia, PA, Field Placement /Seminar Instructor, Temple University, Clinical Supervisor, Esperanza Health Center, President Board of Advisors – The Parenting Center at Abington, PA, Adjunct Lecturer at Columbia University School of Social Work and Mercy College, and as VP Clinical Programs at Family Services of Westchester, New York.
Ms. Boyarski earned her MSW from Fordham University, New York City with High Honors, and has Certificate in Public Administration Management from PACE University, NYC. Continuing education has consisted of diverse clinical and management education courses.