Blair Elder brings over ten years of experience in the health and human services field to the OPEN MINDS team. Her areas of expertise include behavioral health utilization management, performance improvement, residential services operations, program development, and compliance. Ms. Elder currently serves as the Director of Utilization Management for Georgetown Behavioral Health Institute.

In her current role with Georgetown Behavioral Health Institute, Ms. Elder is responsible for the completion of pre-certification, concurrent, and retrospective reviews while gathering data for audits throughout the hospital to improve documentation. She manages and appeals all facility denials and is the liaison between the facility and managed care companies to facilitate billing, claims, and payment. In addition, Ms. Elder oversees the Utilization Management department and treatment teams and is responsible for maintaining accreditation and regulatory compliance for the facility.

In her previous role as Director of Utilization Review for the Treatment Management Company, Ms. Elder directed the Utilization Review departments in the markets of Florida, California, and Arizona, covering approximately 560 beds. She was responsible for departmental standards and policy formulation for all functions which met or exceeded accrediting, review, and/or regulatory guidelines. In addition, she gathered data to perform audits and to conduct analysis for length of stay projections and conversion rates at various levels of care.

Prior to joining the Treatment Management Company, Ms. Elder worked for the Poplar Springs Hospital based in Petersburg, Virginia, where she served as the Director of Utilization Management before being promoted to Director of Residential Services. As Director of Residential Services, Ms. Elder was responsible for the provision of oversight and administration of all services, staff, and activities in the daily operations for the 72-bed residential facility campus including the educational department. In this role she also managed the strategic planning, budgeting, and census for the business unit.

Previously, Ms. Elder worked for the Meridell Achievement Center, a Residential Treatment Center specializing in psychiatry and neuropsychiatry for children and adolescents, based in Liberty Hill, Texas. At Meridell, Ms. Elder served as the Manager of Utilization Management & Performance Improvement. In this role, she was responsible for the coordination of all clinical documentation related to patient hospitalization authorizations and service with assigned managed care companies.

Ms. Elder received a Doctor of Philosophy from Northcentral University with a focus in mental health policy and practice. She received her Master of Arts in Counseling from St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas, and her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. In addition, Ms. Elder is currently in pursuit of her Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CHPQ) Certification.