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Governor Katie Hobbs and the Arizona State Hospital (ASH) CEO Mike Sheldon have taken steps to promote transparency and accountability for the state-run secure psychiatric hospital.
ASH’s Governing Body is legally responsible for the Hospital’s conduct. It ensures that the hospital is following the law, that staff are providing the highest standard of care, and that patients are treated with dignity and respect. To this end, the Governor and CEO Sheldon have worked together to amend ASH’s governing documents to ensure more diverse and independent oversight.
“I am committed to transparency and accountability,” Governor Hobbs said. “With these new appointments, I’m confident that we are taking important steps to promote the safety of patients and staff at ASH while increasing independent oversight. Thank you to the new, independent Board members, ASH CEO Sheldon and ADHS CEO Cunico for their work to bring greater accountability into our state’s healthcare system.”
The board previously allowed up to 11 voting members. Five of these seats are allocated to state employees, including the Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, ASH’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Medical Officer, and a medical staff member who serves as an ASH employee spokesperson.
To ensure the Hospital can continue to meet its legal and fiduciary responsibilities, these positions will not change; however, the Governor and CEO Sheldon agreed that adding more independent voting positions to the ASH Governing Body would help ensure the hospital is governed by the people of Arizona.
In November, at the request of CEO Sheldon, the Governing Body unanimously voted to amend its bylaws, expanding the board to include up to twenty voting members, fifteen of which are fully independent and unaffiliated with the state of Arizona. This will effectively provide up to a three-to-one ratio of independent to state-affiliated voting members. Additionally, the Governing Body voted to add the chair of the ASH Independent Oversight Committee (IOC) as a non-voting member.
“Our first and foremost priority is ensuring that ASH is a great place for people to get world-class treatment in a safe and caring environment,” ASH CEO Sheldon said. “We’re opening the doors and asking mental health advocates, independent clinical experts, peer and family members, and former patients at the State Hospital to join us in making decisions, thought partnership, and governance.”
To date, seven new Governing Body members have been added. They include:
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Kathy Bashor - Ms. Bashor is a staunch advocate of peer and family driven care in the behavioral health system. Her can-do spirit has resulted in the strengthening of peer/family voice, access to care and choice in services throughout the system. Kathy retired from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) as the Bureau Chief of the Office of Individual and Family Affairs (OIFA), where she built the program into one that is recognized throughout Arizona’s behavioral health system of care. She has served on various boards, including Mental Health America of Arizona and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Valley of the Sun. Now in retirement, she is working more than ever as the President of the Arizona Peer and Family Coalition, member of the boards for NAMI Arizona and the Arizona Center for Disability Law, and is the President of NAMI Yavapai.
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Kristina Sabetta - Ms. Sabetta is the Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Valley of the Sun. She is also a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University in the Social Work Department, a nonprofit executive consultant, a Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW), a volunteer, and a passionate mental health advocate. Ms. Sabetta dedicates her time, energy, and talents to what matters most: inspiring hope and saving lives. As an advocate for change, she empowers members of our community to have a voice and she lends a voice to those who go unheard. In addition, she loves working with nonprofit organizations to assess their needs, build on their strengths and assist them with capacity building. Kristina has a track record of helping nonprofits succeed and currently provides consulting services in nonprofit management; executive leadership; behavioral health advocacy and education; and program design and implementation.
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Eddie Sissons - Ms. Sissons’ experience working with, and commitment to improving the standard of care for those experiencing mental illness in Arizona is as impressive as it is extensive. Having began her career as a research analyst with the Arizona State Senate, focusing on policy and legislation specific to healthcare, education, and welfare, she gradually expanded her expertise as an independent consultant and the Executive Director for the William E. Morris Institute for Justice - where her team was instrumental in supporting efforts that promoted the legal rights and access to justice for low-income families, while advocating for legislation and policies that improved healthcare, housing, consumer rights, domestic violence, and poverty programs. Most recently, Ms. Sissons served as the Vice President for Research Advisory Services, Inc. where she provided advocacy training to parents of individuals with mental illness in Arizona. Now retired, Ms. Sissons continues to be actively involved in community efforts to improve access to care and service quality for Arizona’s historically underserved and underrepresented populations.
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Laurie Goldstein - For the first 20 years of her career, Ms. Goldstein worked as a semiconductor process engineer for Motorola. In the next two decades, she advanced into managerial roles and a senior business analyst as a usability engineer, most recently at NXP Semiconductor. Retiring in September 2021, Laurie matriculated into the ASU Sociology Master’s program and completed in December 2022. Laurie divides her philanthropy into three buckets: mental health, education, and the arts, inspired to intervene for those struggling with mental health issues by the needs of her adopted son, who lives with behavioral and mental health disorders. Laurie manages the Charles & Laura Ann Goldstein philanthropic trust. She is a strong advocate, working with Mental Health America of Arizona. In 2017 she along with other passionate advocates founded the Association for the Chronically Mentally Ill (ACMI), whose mission is to work with other stakeholders to improve care for people with chronic mental illness, cost-effective network enhancements - she currently serves as the Vice President of ACMI. Ms. Goldstein is a member of Columbia's Global Mental Health International Advisory Board, pioneering research initiatives and promoting mental health to reduce mental illness burden worldwide. She also sits on Valleywise’s campaign board, Copa Health foundation board, and the Mercy Care Governance board and chairs the Independent Oversight Committee (IOC) for the Arizona State Hospital.
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Kimberly Craig - Ms. Craig is the CEO and President of the Center for Health and Recovery (CHR) (formerly known as CHEEERS Recovery Center) in Phoenix, Arizona where she leads a Consumer Operated Service Program that meets the needs of individuals who have mental health and substance use disorders. Prior to her current role, Kimberly served as Vice President of Women’s and Children’s Programs for 11 years with a provider in Phoenix, where she developed and managed evidenced-based programs for pregnant and postpartum women with mental health and substance use disorders and their families. Programs under her leadership included long-term residential for women and their children, intensive outpatient and supportive housing. This program was a recipient of SAMHSA PPW funding in 2011 and successfully expanded services to engage fathers and the younger and older children of the women. In 2011, Kimberly was recognized as 1 of 18 women in the United States for her work and leadership in Women’s Addiction Services with appointment to the Women’s Addiction Services Leadership Institute (WASLI) sponsored by the SAMHSA. In 2015, Kimberly was again recognized by this prestigious group with selection to serve as coach and mentor to future women leaders in the field. Kimberly has over 25 years of experience in the field and has earned two bachelor’s degrees both Arts and Science in Human Services and Psychology. She is licensed in the addictions field.
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George Galliher III - A dedicated scientist with a passion for medical device research and development, Mr. Galliher is also a champion of those living with a mental illness - having worked as a peer advocate with the Arizona Peer and Family Coalition for the past 25 years. Recently, George has focused his efforts on ensuring uniformity in practices as it relates to individuals with serious mental illness receiving equal access to reduced fares for public transportation in Phoenix. More specifically, reducing or eliminating the administrative processes that individuals must navigate to apply and qualify for a reduced fare. Doing so provides a level of freedom and independence that those living with a serious mental illness may not otherwise have.
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Steven Scott - With more than 30 years of experience working in Arizona’s psychiatric and medical managed care system, Mr. Scott is widely seen as a subject matter expert in nearly every aspect of behavioral healthcare operations, with an unparalleled level of knowledge regarding effective and efficient patient movement throughout the care continuum, spanning from psychiatric crisis services to long term inpatient care. Steven is presently the Chief Executive Officer of a 96-bed inpatient facility in central Phoenix that specializes in providing behavioral health and medical care to adults. Prior to his current role, Mr. Scott served as the Vice President of Crisis Services for Connections Health Services, where he managed operations at a facility that provided walk-in care, short term observation, and inpatient care on either a voluntary or involuntary basis to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, and closely collaborated with outpatient providers and law enforcement agencies across the Valley. Additionally, Steven has worked as a liaison for a Regional Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA), where he led integration efforts between behavioral health and medical providers to address issues surrounding comorbidity and its attendant barriers to care and wellness. In this position, he carefully oversaw stakeholder relationships between the RBHA and the Arizona State Hospital, ALTCS, and the Department of Developmental Disabilities.
The Arizona State Hospital is actively recruiting to add more highly-qualified, passionate, and experienced individuals to its Governing Body. We are particularly interested in identifying members from the Greater Arizona region (non-Maricopa County), as well as individuals affiliated with Arizona’s Tribal nations. If you would like to join, please reach out to the Department’s Communications Team (PIO@azdhs.gov) with your resume/CV that includes specific information referencing your qualifications.
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