PERRYSBURG – Major changes are coming in the way mental health care is provided locally, but Behavioral
Connections of Wood County, Inc. is readying to meet the challenge.
Members of the staff and management teams celebrated the agency’s successes during its annual board
dinner Thursday evening in the Hilton Garden Inn at Levis Commons.
Agency Director Dr. Richard Goldberg noted Behavioral Connections (BC/WC) had both a remarkable and a
challenging year, which included staff losses, budget cuts and "traumatic issues" with
software and computer systems, but "in spite of all the difficulties this year we survived and
we’ve thrived. We did a lot of good and helped a lot of people."
Along the way, Goldberg said a remarkable thing happened: the agency was given the Gold Standard of
Approval rating from the Joint Commission which accredits health care organizations. "We ended up
with the best review I’ve ever seen. We’ve not only done a lot, but a lot very well, and that’s because
of the staff."
Another success celebrated is that in spite of the agency’s financial losses and cuts, "we’re
actually in a better financial picture today than we were a year ago." The agency has undergone
careful monitoring and is preparing for changes which are guaranteed to come.
"And they’re coming," promised Goldberg. "We may very well face more state budget cuts. We
do know there is a significant change in how we’re funded. The year will be challenging. On top of that
we’ve made a determined commitment to go into totally electronic record keeping which will affect every
staff member and every client."
Two awards were presented during the dinner. Ann Shreffler, who has worked for BC/WC from April 1987 to
the present, received the Karen Khan Distinguished Achievement Award for her dedication and service to
the agency and its clients. Shreffler was praised for being a forerunner in the clinical team, a leader
in the new electronic record-keeping switch-over and a leader with her peers.
"I just want to thank all of you for entrusting me with this honor," she stated after receiving
a plaque. She will also receive a check for $250.
Outgoing Behavioral Connections board member Carol Asmus received a plaque in honor of her service from
2005 to the present. She is also a leader in the local NAMI organization, the National Alliance on
Mental Illness.
"Your decisions make a great difference with those with mental illness," Asmus said in her
brief thank-you. "It is an honor to have been a part of that."
A printed sheet at each table recognized the 2009 Achievement Awards for longevity of service to the
agency. Ten persons celebrated five years of service. Celebrating 10 years were Goldberg, Beverly
Malone, Linda Myerholtz and Grace Schaefer; 15 years, Janice Mulgrew and David Zick; 20 years, Mark
West; and 30 years, Barbara Johnson Barron.
The keynote speaker was Michael Flora, a national consultant with over 25 years of experience in clinical
practice and mental health administration. He is the president and CEO of the Ben Gordon Center in
DeKalb County, Illinois. Prior to the dinner Flora provided specialized training to the BC/WC staff.
He outlined how to prepare the agency for transformational change and being able to thrive, not just
survive. Trends in the next two years which Flora said will impact services include parity, medical
homes, co-location of behavioral and primary medical care, electronic medical records, decreases in
funding and competition from federal health care.
After Flora’s speech, Goldberg defined "transformational change" as it relates to BC/WC as
"a need which keeps increasing while resources are diminishing. We have to be more and more
creative. … We have more to do with less."
Kathy Didion, associate clinical director at BC/WC, added the change includes making a "cultural
shift from a cultural do-good to being a specialized practice." Instead of the agency having the
luxury of giving clients as much care as they want, it might mean care will be limited. She likened the
situation to a patient who gets only the medical care for which his or her insurance company will pay.

Michael Flora, the keynote speaker, chats with Rick Metz during the social hour at the Behavioral
Connections annual dinner held at the Hilton in Perrysburg. (Photo: Aaron Carpenter/Sentinel-Tribune)