- Second-annual PacifiCare Behavioral Health Lambert Award recognizes 90 clinicians and 10 practice groups for ‘superior results’ with patients
- Data-driven system of care gaining wider acceptance with clinicians as patients benefit from more effective treatment
SANTA ANA, Calif. – (April 2, 2004) – PacifiCare Behavioral Health (PBH), a subsidiary of Cypress, Calif.-based PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PHS), announced the 100 winners of the company’s second-annual Lambert Award.
The PacifiCare Behavioral Health Lambert Award recognizes clinicians and multi-specialty practice groups in the national PBH network who demonstrate superior therapeutic outcomes with PBH members. There are twice as many Lambert Award winners as there were last year.
The Lambert Award is named in honor of Michael Lambert, Ph.D., for his landmark work in the area of psychotherapy outcomes research.
This year’s winners include 90 individual clinicians and 10 multi-specialty practice groups in California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas. All demonstrated superior clinical results with PBH members, based on the company’s unique and proprietary outcomes management system called ALERT̉ (ALgorithms for Effective Reporting and Treatment).
More than 7,000 individual clinicians and 100 group practices submitted ALERT patient surveys in 2003 for more than 125,000 patients, a dramatic increase over the 14,000 patients participating during the program’s phased implementation in 1999 and 2000.
“This year’s Lambert Award recipients exemplify PacifiCare Behavioral Health’s fundamental objective, which is to show that our services help make a difference in people’s lives,” said Jerry Vaccaro, M.D., president and chief executive officer of PacifiCare Behavioral Health. “Whether they’re individual clinicians or group practices, this year’s award winners have demonstrated their commitment to improving patient treatment and results by using the ALERT system. Because a greater number of clinicians and groups are voluntarily using ALERT, we were able to increase the number of winners over last year.”
“The Lambert Award is our way of publicly recognizing those who not only champion the value of measuring clinical progress, but also have achieved superior clinical results with their patients,” said Edward Jones, Ph.D., vice president of clinical operations for PacifiCare Behavioral Health and director of the ALERT program. “ALERT is available to all clinicians and group practices in our network today, and our goal is to have everyone in our network use this tool.”
ALERT relies on clinicians having their patients complete a simple 30-question, confidential survey – called a Life Status Questionnaire (LSQ) – at multiple points during therapy. Completed LSQs are electronically transmitted, scored and compared with clinician assessments, as well as to a large, normative database. The surveys provide ‘real-time’ insight into patient progress during treatment. LSQs also identify overlooked ‘high-risk’ issues (such as suicidal thinking or chemical dependency) that are reported back to clinicians so that they can be addressed in the next therapy session. The LSQ is a validated instrument developed by Dr. Lambert and Gary Burlingame, Ph.D., of Brigham Young University.
“The LSQ tool has been very useful in adding to our assessment of patients and in identifying problems quickly so that they can be addressed,” said William G. Lee, Ph.D., director of Solutions Counseling & Consultation Services with offices in Bethlehem and Allentown, Pa. “The ALERT system helps foster better communication between patients, providers and PBH. We have found that it is one example of how PacifiCare Behavioral Health is attuned to patients and quality care.”
“PacifiCare Behavioral Health is the only health plan I work with because of its excellent communication and follow-up,” said Karen Krestensen, MFT, therapy practice owner in Santa Cruz, Calif. “I have come to appreciate the LSQ tool, and I have found the ALERT system most helpful in my work with patients.”
This year’s awardees include:
Clinicians
Northern California
Arthur Baker, LMFT Modesto
Geraldine Banks, MFT Modesto
Nancy Bascom, LMFT Grass Valley
Sharon Booth, LCSW Cameron Park
Reva Camiel, PhD, MFT Sacramento
Rosalie Chaffee, MA, MFT Grand Terrace
Jacquelyn Church, MFT Fresno
Sandra Neumann Cohen, PhD San Francisco
Carol Cross, MFT Citrus Heights
Marie Derrick, MFT Manteca
Lori Feldman, LCSW San Francisco
Rose Gee, MFT Elk Grove
Kathleen Hare, LCSW Nevada City
Barbara Israels, MFT Modesto
Elaine Iwanski, MFT Sacramento
Karen Krestensen, MFT Scotts Valley
Darrol Lyon, MFT Chico
Gary Malone, MFT Fresno
Milciades Morales, LCSW Antioch
Mary Pyke, MFT Millbrae
Hilliard Rogers, MFT Sacramento
Karen Sanders, LCSW Kentfield
Ann-Catrin Van, PhD Davis
Katharine Wilson, MFT Santa Clara
Paul Woodrum, MFT Modesto
Central/Southern California
Bruria Alon, MFT Thousand Oaks
June Argo, MA, MFT San Clemente
David Atkins, MFT Bakersfield
Carol Cole, LCSW Huntington Beach
David Condiff, PhD Glendora
Thomas Delaney, PhD San Dimas
John Derenski, MFT Encino
Sheila Dobbs, PhD Laguna Hills
David Forden, MFT Bakersfield
Joel Foxman, PhD Rolling Hills Estates
Ginger Gabriel, MFT Crestline
Margaret Gannon, MFT Bakersfield
Paul Gardner, PhD, MFT San Diego
Marilyn Gottdank, MFT San Clemente
Sherry Hutchins, MFT Long Beach
John Jay, MFT Long Beach
Ethel Katz, MFT Bakersfield
Peggy L. Knodel, MFT Temecula
Debra K. Kresch, LCSW, MFT Encinitas
William LaForge, PhD Temecula
Kate Levy, LCSW Newhall
Fern Lippert, MA, MFCC Calabasas
Bonnie K. Lipton, LMFT Palm Desert
Lowell Lueck, MFT, PPSC Bakersfield
Loretta McBride, RNMN, MFT Los Angeles
Rick McCarthy, MFT Torrance
Janice Meshkoff, MFT Cambria
David Middleton, PhD Bellflower
Linda Owen, MFT Santa Monica
Kirby Palmer, LCSW San Bernardino
Jeanie Price, LMFT Pasadena
Barbara Rock, MFT San Pedro
Dorothy Ross, MFT Granada Hills
Thomas Runyan, LCSW Newhall
Vicki Salvin, LCSW Palm Springs
Cary Schwartz, MFT Simi Valley
Harry Shuster, MFT Covina
Nancy Silbert, LCSW Torrance
Jacqueline Sorenson-McDaniel, MFT Long Beach
Gaius Steiner, PhD Hacienda Heights
Nicole Stelter, MFT Long Beach
Ann Tarlow, MFT Valencia
Elizabeth S. Taylor, PhD Burbank
Christine Valdez, MFT Carlsbad
Teresa Wilshin, MFT Dana Point
Colorado
Beverly Brauer, PsyD Aurora
Judith Catlett, LPC Denver
Gail Crowley, LPC Fort Collins
Glenn Gravelle, PhD Denver
Marta McKay, LPC Colorado Springs
Brenda O’Reilly, PhD Fort Collins
Vicki Robbins, LCSW Denver
Martin J. Smith, PsyD Denver
Oregon
Carol A. Carver, PhD Corvallis
Sarah Deeby, LPC Portland
Barbara Kennedy, LPC Portland
Gary W. MacKendrick, LPC Forest Grove
Gail Marten, LCSW Portland
Elsbeth Martindale, PhD Portland
Glenn Maynard, LPC Portland
Mary McNassar, PsyD Portland
New Mexico
Nancy Haverkos, LPCC Los Alamos
Thomas Steward, LICSW Los Alamos
Texas
Nitza I. Tolfa, LPC Grandview
Oklahoma
Anita Walker, LPC Oklahoma City
Group Practices
California
Helping Hand Counseling San Diego
Desert Behavioral Health Apple Valley
Inland Psychiatric Medical Group Redlands
PsyCare Inc. San Diego
Riverside Psychiatric Medical Group Riverside
Colorado
Westside Behavioral Care Inc. Lakewood
Oklahoma
The Holloway Group Oklahoma City
Oregon
Western Psychological & Counseling Clackamas
Texas
South Texas Behavioral Medicine San Antonio
Pennsylvania
Solutions Counseling & Consultation Bethlehem
About PacifiCare Behavioral Health
PacifiCare Behavioral Health (PBH) provides mental health, chemical dependency and employee assistance services to covered members and maintains a national network of behavioral health care practitioners. All three PBH Service Centers hold three-year, Full Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the most comprehensive and rigorous accrediting body for managed behavioral health care organizations. PacifiCare Behavioral Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of PacifiCare Health Systems, with clients including health plans, union trust funds, employers, school districts, and public sector agencies. More information on PacifiCare Behavioral Health can be obtained at www.pbhi.com.
About PacifiCare Health Systems
PacifiCare Health Systems is one of the nation’s largest consumer health organizations with more than 3 million health plan members and approximately 9 million specialty plan members nationwide. PacifiCare offers individuals, employers and Medicare beneficiaries a variety of consumer-driven health care and life insurance products. Currently, more than 99 percent of PacifiCare’s commercial health plan members are enrolled in plans that have received Excellent Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). PacifiCare’s specialty operations include behavioral health, dental and vision, and complete pharmacy and medical management through its wholly owned subsidiary, Prescription Solutions. More information on PacifiCare Health Systems is available at www.pacificare.com.
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