Lori Chase-Schmidt, J.D. brings more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare and nonprofit industry with an emphasis on mental health and chemical dependency for underserved populations to the OPEN MINDS team. Ms. Chase-Schmidt currently serves as a Subject Matter Expert with expertise in program development and management, payer relations and contract negotiations, and business development experience in the medical and nonprofit sectors.

Before joining OPEN MINDS, Ms. Chase-Schmidt served as the Director of Behavioral Health for HealthPartners GHI in Bloomington, Minnesota. In this role, she provided operations support for HealthPartners and Regions Hospital outpatient behavioral health services and Regions inpatient behavioral health professional services. Under Ms. Chase-Schmidt’s direction, services grew by 50% over three years to include: expanded therapy services, additional advanced practice providers, as well as adding a child and family service line of care. Additionally, under her leadership the organization’s revenue and budget grew to $35 million, improving direct margins by $1 million.

Previously, Ms. Chase-Schmidt served as the Executive Director at Central Minnesota Mental Health Center, where she led a multi-site behavioral healthcare delivery system. While serving as the Executive Director, she was responsible for developing and executing a strategic plan that resulted in a 33% growth in the annual budget. Initiatives implemented as a result of the executed strategic plan included: adding a pharmacy for integrative care, developing telepsychiatry services, and implementing a new electronic health record system. As a result, Ms. Chase-Schmidt was awarded the 2014 Minnesota DHS Commissioner Circle of Excellence Award for innovative program development and implementation.

Previously, Ms. Chase-Schmidt served as the Supervisor of Social Services for Wright County based in Buffalo, Minnesota, where she managed mental health services for the residents of Wright County. As part of her role, she coordinated with public health and mental health services across the county, represented the organization on various county and community committees, task forces, and planning groups including the Mental Health Advisory Council Local Advisory Council (LAC) and in implementing the county’s SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) grant. While serving in this role, she was awarded the Johnson & Johnson Dartmouth Award for Individual Placement and Support.

Ms. Chase-Schmidt also served for 13 years as a Senior Social Worker for Hennepin County in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she worked in various areas of the organization providing legal services, case management, adult services, and child crisis interventions. While working in adult services, Ms. Chase-Schmidt held an impressive 90% success rate representing clients for Social Security benefits, collecting over $1 million for Hennepin County in 1995.

Ms. Chase-Schmidt earned her Juris Doctorate from the William Mitchell College of Law, Saint Paul, Minnesota, and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, Minnesota. She has been a member of the Minnesota Bar since 2001.