Greetings from sunny New Orleans and the final day of the 2026 OPEN MINDS Strategy & Innovation Institute. Over the past three days, 500+ executives have discussed the many market shifts, emerging innovations in practice and technology, and how best to navigate and succeed in a time of great uncertainty.
Recent events made me rethink what that best practice strategy is right now. With recent developments, the market has shifted from turbulent to chaotic – defined as “the unknown, the uncertain, and the uncontrolled.”
For the past year, we’ve known that more people will be uninsured and housed in “institutional facilities.” That Medicare budget growth is inevitable, and Medicaid budgets are likely to shrink. That workforce shortages will continue at all levels. That…
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Management Newsletter Issue
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Referral Development In The Age Of AI: The OPEN MINDS Management Newsletter, May 2026
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Market Intel Report
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Medicaid Foster Care Enrollment Updates, 2022-2024: An OPEN MINDS Market Intelligence Report
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Innovative Program Profile
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The PASSE Program By CareSource: An OPEN MINDS Program Profile
RFPs
- Washington Seeks Special Education Services
- Virginia Seeks Language Translation Services
- Maryland Seeks 21st Century Community Learning Centers Peer Reviewer Services
- Massachusetts’ City Of Chelsea Seeks Community Navigator Services
- Massachusetts’ City Of Chelsea Seeks Social Services Referral & Case Management Program
- Federal Government Seeks Comment On Chronic Disease Of Addiction
- Tennessee Seeks CHANT Care Coordination Case Management Information System Services
- Indiana Seeks Corrections Pharmacy Services
- Wisconsin Seeks Russian Advocacy Services
- Minnesota Seeks Special Education Director Services
Contract Awards
- North Carolina Awards Five Rural Organizations Orchestrating Transformation For Sustainability (NC ROOTS) Hubs Contracts
- New Jersey’s Cumberland County Awards Comprehensive Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Program Services Contract To Maryville, Inc.
- Maine’s City Of Lewiston Awards Two Community Opioid Services Contracts
- Nevada Awards Medical Clinics For Telemedicine Kiosk Services Contract To OnMed, LLC
- Iowa Awards Trauma Informed Care Services Contract To Lutheran Services In Iowa
Winning Proposals
- Mississippi Awards Comprehensive State Health Plan Services Contract To Premier Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
- Indiana Awards Teleconsult Telehealth Landscape Assessment For The Rural Health Transformation Program Contract To Laurel Health Advisors, LLC
- Mississippi Awards Cessation Program For Health Systems Contract To Mississippi Academy Of Family Physicians Foundation
- North Carolina Awards Five Rural Organizations Orchestrating Transformation For Sustainability (NC ROOTS) Hubs Contracts
- California’s City Of Costa Mesa Awards Shelter Operator Services Contract To Volunteers Of America Los Angeles
On-Demand Webinars & Executive Roundtables
- Breaking Down Silos: How One State Achieved 98% Faster Referral Response With Integrated Data & Coordination Tools
- Fortifying Your Strategic Vision With The Right Technological Infrastructure
- From Referral To Admission: How Automation Transforms Intake
- Federal Policy Meets Clinical Innovation: A Conversation With ASTP/ONC
- From Survival To Sustainability: Creating A Winning Strategy In An Unstable Market
Institute Presentations
- Strategy Success In A Chaotic Market
- Inside The Payer View: The Future of Addiction Treatment Service Delivery– Sponsored By Recademy
- Preparing For Impact: Performance Management As A Financial Sustainability Tool
- Building Stability In Behavioral Health Through Care Delivery With RevDoc– Sponsored By RevDoc
- Reclaiming Time For Care: AI Documentation That Expands Capacity
Market Intelligence Reports
- Medicaid Foster Care Enrollment Updates, 2022-2024: An OPEN MINDS Market Intelligence Report
- Medicaid Demonstration & Care Management Waivers: An OPEN MINDS Market Intelligence Report
- Trends In Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment: An OPEN MINDS Market Intelligence Report
- Medicaid Home & Community-Based Services Waivers Covering The I/DD Population: An OPEN MINDS Market Intelligence Report
- Medicaid Care Coordination Initiatives—A State-By-State Guide: An OPEN MINDS Market Intelligence Report
Upcoming Executive Events
Upcoming Institutes
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The 2026 OPEN MINDS Service Excellence Institute
August 11 – August 13, 2026 – San Francisco, California
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The 2026 OPEN MINDS Executive Leadership Retreat
September 29 – October 01, 2026 – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
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The 2026 OPEN MINDS Technology & Analytics Institute
October 27 – October 29, 2026 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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The 2027 OPEN MINDS Performance Management Institute
February 16 – February 18, 2027 – Clearwater Beach, Florida
Upcoming Executive Summits
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The 2026 OPEN MINDS Aging Services & Supports Summit
August 12, 2026 – San Francisco, California -
The 2026 OPEN MINDS Health & Human Services Workforce Best Practices Summit
September 30, 2026 – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania -
The 2026 OPEN MINDS CFO Summit
October 1, 2026 – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania -
The 2026 OPEN MINDS CEO Tech & AI Summit
October 28, 2026 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -
The 2026 OPEN MINDS Addiction & SUD Summit
October 29, 2026 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -
The 2027 OPEN MINDS Whole Person Care Summit
February 17, 2027 – Clearwater Beach, Florida -
The 2027 OPEN MINDS Workforce AI Summit
February 18, 2027 – Clearwater Beach, Florida
Upcoming Best Practice Seminars
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Optimizing Health Plan Contracting: The 2026 OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar On Building Referrals, Revenue & Margins
August 11, 2026 – San Francisco, California -
Portfolio Management To Optimize Organizational Performance: The 2026 OPEN MINDS Executive Seminar On How To Build A Service Line Portfolio For the Future
August 11, 2026 – San Francisco, California -
Strategic Planning For Times Of Uncertainty: The 2026 OPEN MINDS Seminar On Nimble Data-Driven Planning
September 29, 2026 – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania -
Finding An EHR For Your Future: The 2026 OPEN MINDS Best Practices Seminar On EHR Selection, Implementation & Optimization
October 27, 2026 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -
Creating A Winning Tech Strategy: The 2026 OPEN MINDS Seminar On Building A Digital Transformation Roadmap
October 27, 2026 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -
Building A Data-Driven Organization: The 2027 OPEN MINDS Seminar On Making Metrics-Based Management Work
February 16, 2027 – Clearwater Beach, Florida -
Measuring & Managing Financial Strength: The 2027 OPEN MINDS Seminar On A Framework For Improving Financial Resilience
February 16, 2027 – Clearwater Beach, Florida
Upcoming Webinars
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Breaking Through Adoption Barriers In Evidence-Based SUD Treatment: How KCS Health Center Expanded From Basic Access To A Fully Integrated “SUD 2.0” Model
June 16, 2026 – Virtual Event -
Beyond Ambient: An AI Governance Framework For Behavioral Health Leaders
June 18, 2026 – Virtual Event
Upcoming Circle Elite Executive Roundtables
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Designing A Measurable, Outcome-Driven Value-Based Care Model: The Community Health Network (MyCHN) Case Study
June 15, 2026 – Virtual Event -
Technology As Capacity & Quality Multiplier: The Monarch Case Study
June 22, 2026 – Virtual Event -
Correcting The Mistakes That Undermine Strategy Execution: The Adelphoi Case Study
June 29, 2026 – Virtual Event -
Turning AI Into Clinical Advantage: The Christian Children’s Home of Ohio Case Study
July 20, 2026 – Virtual Event -
Building A Crisis Response Ecosystem: The Connections Health Solutions Case Study
July 27, 2026 – Virtual Event -
Building A Culture Of Safety To Transform Care: The Traumatic Stress Institute & RWJBarnabas Health Case Study
August 3, 2026 – Virtual Event -
Innovative Ways To Cultivate Leadership Readiness: The Familylinks Case Study
August 17, 2026 – Virtual Event
Innovative Program Profiles
- Career Pathway Connections By Easterseals New Jersey: An OPEN MINDS Program Profile
- The PASSE Program By CareSource: An OPEN MINDS Program Profile
- Family Centered Treatment (FCT) By Pressley Ridge: An OPEN MINDS Program Profile
- Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS) By OMNI: An OPEN MINDS Program Profile
- The Seven Challenges Program By OMNI: An OPEN MINDS Program Profile
News Wire
- Washington State Settles Foster Parent Lawsuit Over Religious Objections To Gender Identity Requirements
- UT Health Austin Named Most Trusted Health Care Brand In 2026; Emory Healthcare Most Compassionate; University Of Iowa Health Care Most ‘Human’
- High-Deductible Health Plans Linked To Reduced Buprenorphine Use Among Adults With OUD
- Alaska Awards $15 Million Crisis Contact Center Services Contract To Careline Crisis Services
- Placer County, California Approves Seven-Year, $131 Million Jail Health Care Contract With Correctional Healthcare Partners
- Lawsuit Challenges Nebraska’s New Disability Assessment System After HCBS Budget Reductions
- Parental Mental Health, Not Prenatal Antidepressant Use, Has Greater Link To Children’s Risk Of ADHD Or Autism
Market Updates
- Levrx Adds A New Feature To Manage Specialty Medications Across Pharmacies, Programs & Vendors
- Atlanta Technical College Partners With Uwill Mental Health, Complementing Support For Students
- The American Diabetes Association’s Innovation Fund Invests In UpDoc To Accelerate The Future Of AI-Driven Chronic Disease Management & Prevention
- Discovery Behavioral Health Announces New Majority Ownership, Leadership Appointments To Further Strengthen The Company
- Serenity Mental Health Centers Opens Alexandria, Virginia Clinic For Those With Depression, Anxiety, OCD & PTSD
Management Newsletter
Industry Resources
- Joint Final Judgement & Permanent Injunction In The Case Of DeGross v. Senn
- North Carolina Healthy Opportunities Pilot Evaluation One-Pager
- Interim Final Rule: Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement For Certain Individuals
- Oregon’s System Of Care 2026-2029 Strategic Plan
- Advancing CCBHC System Competencies With Prospective Payment & Value-Based Reimbursement Contracting; A Capabilities Statement Prepared For State Assistance
- Forward Motion On CCBHCs: Preparing For The Next Phase Of Behavioral Health Transformation
- Consolidation In Health Care Markets RFI Response





