MasterMined: A Behavioral & Mental Health Podcast

What happens when the seal that signals legitimacy becomes easy to fake? And who holds the certifier accountable? Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen sit down with Naomi Moono, Director of Strategy (Certification) at LegitScript, for a candid conversation about what certification really represents. Naomi addresses fake seals, LegitScript’s advertising standard, how gray-area decisions get made, the shift from policing bad actors to supporting good ones, and the compliance risks AI-generated content is creating. Behavioral health leaders will walk away with a clearer view of how certification works, how to protect their organizations, and how to work with LegitScript in...

Americans are drinking less, so is alcohol use disorder declining with them? 
On this OG episode of MasterMined, Jeff Skillen joins host Mark Scrivner in the guest seat to test a question legacy treatment operators keep asking: has the patient changed faster than the program? They dig into young-adult drinking data, wellness culture, rising cannabis and kratom use, and the surge in online gambling. Behavioral health leaders will walk away knowing what the research supports, what it doesn’t, and a 30-day plan for realigning assessment tools, patient profiles, and clinical capability.

Key Moments
00:00 – Cold open...

Your marketing is working. Your phones are ringing. So why are calls still going to voicemail? Zachary Blevins, President and CTO of RVK AI, joins Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen to break down how AI voice and chat agents help treatment centers capture every inquiry, from the 3:00 AM web visitor to the caller in active crisis. Zach explains how RVK detects crisis calls, why every AI agent should disclose what it is, how embedded video drives admissions through chat, and why integrations should disappear into your existing workflow. Behavioral health leaders will walk away with a clear, practical view...

What happens when a drug test gets it wrong? For people in recovery, one inaccurate result can mean dismissal from a program, a return to jail, or a complete breakdown of trust.

Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen sit down with Zed Dhalla, Co-founder and COO of Topaz Diagnostics, who built his company after losing his brother-in-law Tyler to an overdose. Zed explains why point-of-care testing has moved far beyond the "three-dollar cup," how Topaz became the only company detecting orthomethylfentanyl in its fentanyl test, and why the soft cost of fractured trust may be the biggest risk...

What happens when the thing you thought would fix you becomes the thing that nearly kills you?

Scotti Schecter knows.

Before he became one of the most respected names in high-profile addiction recovery, he was a teenage musician signed to a major label, burned out by 18, and eventually homeless on the streets of Los Angeles.

In this episode, Scotti joins Mark Scrivner and Lee Pepper to trace that arc: the isolation of fame, the morning he realized his body had stopped fighting for him, and the work that followed, cofounding Sober Companions and...

What happens when the people who look like they have it all together are the ones hiding the most?

John West, Co-Founder of The Guest House Ocala and Sober Companions and Board Chair of High Watch Recovery Center, joins Mark Scrivner and Lee Pepper to talk about building safe, attachment-based treatment environments for people navigating trauma, addiction, and high-visibility lives.

John shares his own path into the field following his father's sudden death, how a 50-acre property in Ocala became one of the country's most exclusive private treatment estates, and why his staff of "OGs"...

You know you might be owed money. So what do you actually do about it — without painting a target on your own back? In part two of this conversation, Mark Scrivner, Jeff Skillen, and Lee Pepper bring back trial attorney Devin van der Hahn, founder of Vanderhahn LLP, to walk through the practical side of the MultiPlan (now Clarivate) antitrust litigation. Devin explains why you don't need to have ever subscribed to MultiPlan to be affected, how providers can strategically choose which defendants to name, the hard filing deadlines closing in over the next 12 months, and why he believes a...

What if your behavioral health program had been underpaid for the better part of a decade — and you never knew why? In part one of this two-part series, Mark Scrivner, Jeff Skillen, and Lee Pepper sit down with trial attorney Devin van der Hahn, founder of Vanderhahn LLP, to unpack the MultiPlan (now Clarivate) out-of-network reimbursement litigation — one of the largest antitrust cases in the country, and one that names behavioral health and rehab providers directly. Devin walks through how MultiPlan's subsidiary, Data iSight, built a pricing algorithm using competitors' own data, why that violates the Sherman Antitrust Act, and...

What if your census reports look green across the board, and you're still losing?

On this OG episode, Mark Scrivner sits down with co-host Lee Pepper to unpack a concept Lee calls "the standing still paradox": the idea that a behavioral health program can remain fully consistent — same clinical team, same census, same reputation — while quietly losing relevance as population growth, new competitors, and new levels of care expand the market around it. Lee breaks down the math behind relative decline, shares a real-world turnaround story from a 72-bed Memphis facility, and explains why "holding ground" is a lo...

What happens to women after they leave treatment, and who's responsible for what comes next?

In this episode of MasterMined, Mark Scrivner, Jeff Skillen, and Lee Pepper sit down with Denise Marsters, founder and CEO of The McCoy House Extended Care for Women in Jackson, Mississippi.

Denise shares her own 32-year recovery journey — from active addiction to a career as a substance use disorder therapist — and the personal loss that led her to open a home for women who had nowhere safe to land after inpatient treatment. The conversation covers what separates sober living from true...

Most behavioral health programs treat lead generation as the growth lever — but the operators winning long-term have built something deeper: a brand that holds up at every touchpoint. In this OG episode, Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen break down the two sides of brand (the story you tell vs. the experience people actually get), why lead gen without a defined brand backfires, and how to align clinical, operations, admissions, and marketing teams around a clear profile of who you serve. They walk through every touchpoint a prospective client or referral source experiences — website, first call, curb appeal, front-line staff, alum...

What happens when a company built to save patients almost bankrupts the family that runs it?

J.R. Greene is founder and vice chair of Psychiatric Medical Care, a behavioral health company he grew from a handful of failing locations into a 400-site operation spanning geriatric IOP, adolescent programs, inpatient psychiatry, and telehealth. Mark Scrivner, Jeff Skillen, and Lee Pepper sit down with J.R. to unpack how his father's refusal to abandon patients became the founding principle of the business, how a niche strategy of "being the only" fueled sustainable growth, and how he navigated bringing...

What if trying to serve everyone is actually the reason your admissions numbers are stalling?

In this OG episode, Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen dig into one of the most consequential shifts in behavioral health marketing: the move away from broad, generalist programming toward hyper-focused specialty tracks.

Jeff breaks down why "bigger is better" thinking is losing ground, how the "don't be the best, be the only" framework applies directly to treatment center branding, and why niching down can actually lower cost per acquisition instead of shrinking your referral pipeline. They cover how to identify...

What if the biggest lever for fixing addiction treatment reimbursement wasn't a new law, but a file most people are too afraid to open? This episode, recorded at NAATP Nationals 2026, features Greg Williams of Third Horizon, a health policy consultant, data strategist, and person in long-term recovery whose own insurance denial as a teenager set him on a career-long mission to fix how behavioral health is paid for. Greg joins hosts Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen to unpack how payer machine-readable files are exposing massive reimbursement gaps between mental health and physical health providers, why patient steerage and the...

What does it actually take to lead a behavioral health organization through the fastest-moving year the industry has seen? Recorded from the floor of NAATP National 2026 in Amelia Island, this episode brings together two of the field's most influential voices: Jamie Vinck, President of The Meadows and NAATP Board Chair, and Kelly Scaggs, President and CEO of Fellowship Hall and NAATP National 2026 Conference Chair.

Together with host Mark Scrivner and co-host Jeff Skillen, they unpack how AI adoption is reshaping everything from admissions to clinical documentation, why NAATP draws a hard line on ethics even when it...

What actually separates a future behavioral health leader from someone who's just filling a title?

In this episode of Mastermined, Mark Scrivner and co-host Jeff Skillen sit down with Sam Bierman, co-founder of Maryland Addiction Recovery Center, and Ryan Brewer, co-founder and CEO of Zia Recovery Center, at NAATP National 2026 for a candid conversation on what it takes to lead a treatment organization through change without losing what made it work in the first place. Sam and Ryan trace their paths from entry-level roles to the executive chair, the mentors who shaped them, and the "hire for...

What do 41 years in adolescent behavioral health teach you, and what does the field still get wrong? John Lieberman, CEO of Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers, joined MasterMined at NAATP Nationals 2026 to break down the forces reshaping teen addiction: skyrocketing THC potency, social media's role in rewiring young brains, and why the warning signs parents have been taught to look for no longer apply. John also shares what effective adolescent treatment actually looks like, how family systems drive or derail recovery, and the story behind AYAC, one of the field's most respected annual gatherings. If you work in behavioral health...

What happens when a clinically-minded leader decides to stop watching AI from the sidelines and actually run the experiment? Brian Wind, Ph.D., Chief Clinical Officer at JourneyPure, did exactly that, launching a year-long clinical research study into AI-assisted documentation and operations, and measuring every metric that mattered.

This episode of MasterMined covers how JourneyPure implemented the Sunwave AI assistant across a multi-state system of care, the data they collected, and the outcomes that surprised even Brian.

Leaders tuned in will come away with a clear-eyed, evidence-grounded playbook for evaluating AI in their own organizations...

What happens to your patients when they walk out the door?

For most treatment centers, that question is answered with a sheet of paper and a handshake, and AJ Diaz knows exactly how that feels. Co-founder of You Are Accountable and a person in long-term recovery himself, AJ joined hosts Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen on the floor of NAATP National 2026 to share how he and his co-founder, Matt, turned a gap in the continuum of care into a thriving, peer-led continuing care platform.

The conversation covers the clinical and personal origins of Accountable, why...

What does it take to move behavioral healthcare from the margins into the mainstream?

Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen sit down with Dr. Joseph Lee, President and CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, for a powerful conversation about stigma, community, innovation, and the future of addiction treatment at NAATP National 2026.

Dr. Lee shares how Betty Ford's legacy continues to shape the industry, why belonging may be the most overlooked element of recovery, and how Hazelden Betty Ford is leveraging data, AI, research, and standardized care to advance truly personalized treatment. From the role of...

What happens when behavioral healthcare moves beyond labels and starts focusing on root causes?

In this episode of MasterMined, Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen sit down with Cole Dyar, Executive Director of Northbound Treatment Services and Co-Founder of Nourish Wellness, to discuss the evolution of mental health treatment, the importance of accurate diagnosis, and why outcomes—not assumptions—should guide care.

Cole shares his journey from recovery to leadership, how Nourish Wellness was built to address gaps in psychiatric care, and why understanding the person behind the diagnosis is essential for lasting recovery. He also expl...

Youth suicide is now the second leading cause of death for ages 10–24 in the United States. In this powerful episode of the MasterMined Podcast, Clark Flatt shares how he has spent nearly 30 years working to change this heartbreaking reality.

After losing his 16-year-old son, Jason, to suicide, Clark turned his grief into action. What began at a kitchen table in Tennessee has grown into The Jason Foundation, a national organization providing youth suicide prevention training and resources across all 50 states.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

The Warning Signs: The critical, often-missed red fl...

In Part 2 of this MasterMined conversation, Mark Scrivner and Lee Pepper dive deeper into what happens after selecting a marketing agency partner—and why onboarding, communication, transparency, and trust determine long-term success. From setting expectations in the first 30–60 days to leveraging AI-driven efficiencies and improving collaboration between providers and agencies, this episode delivers actionable insights for behavioral health leaders navigating growth and change.

The discussion also explores the future of marketing in behavioral health, the growing role of AI tools, and why agencies that educate, communicate clearly, and act as true partners will continue to outperform transactional vend...

Choosing the wrong marketing agency can cost a behavioral health organization time, money, momentum, and admissions growth. In Part 1 of this two-part MasterMined series, Mark Scrivner and Lee Pepper break down the behavioral health RFP process, how to properly evaluate agency partners, and the biggest mistakes organizations make when selecting a marketing firm.

Lee shares practical guidance from his experience leading marketing initiatives at Foundations Recovery Network and consulting with behavioral health organizations nationwide. From defining conversion metrics and budgeting correctly to building strong agency relationships rooted in accountability and trust, this episode gives operators a practical...

In this episode of MasterMined, Ben Camp, CEO and co-founder of Recovery.com, joins the conversation to unpack the challenges of finding ethical, transparent, and effective treatment in behavioral health. From the early days of digital marketing in addiction treatment to building a patient-first marketplace, Ben shares how Recovery.com is reshaping how individuals discover care.

The discussion dives deep into industry ethics, SEO realities, data transparency, and the tension between business growth and patient-first principles. Whether you're a provider, marketer, or operator, this episode offers a candid look behind the curtain, and a forward-thinking perspective on...

Only one in ten people who need treatment actually receive it, and Jaime Vinck is on a mission to change that. In this episode, Jaime shares her journey from corporate HR to leading one of the most recognized behavioral health organizations in the country. She unpacks what keeps people from seeking care, how trauma-informed leadership transforms teams, and why expanding access through managed care, AI, and better data is critical to the future of treatment.

From the "100-pound phone call" to the realities of clinician burnout, this conversation offers practical insight for leaders navigating workforce challenges, payer...

What does it take to transform an entire field from fragmented and inconsistent to ethical, evidence-based, and respected within healthcare? Marvin Ventrell, CEO of NAATP, joins MasterMined to unpack the evolution of addiction treatment—and the hard decisions required to elevate it.

Drawing from his journey as a trial lawyer and his personal recovery experience, Marvin shares how NAATP rebuilt its foundation by enforcing ethical standards, removing bad actors, and pushing the industry toward measurable outcomes and clinical rigor. He challenges the idea of addiction treatment as a "calling" and instead reframes it as professional healthcare that mu...

Digital marketing costs in behavioral health are climbing fast, and many organizations don't fully understand why. In this episode, we unpack the forces driving higher acquisition costs, from Google's evolving search landscape to increased competition and AI-driven bidding.

We also break down the critical metrics every operator should know, including the lifetime value to customer acquisition cost ratio, and how to determine whether a $10,000 patient is actually a smart investment.

If you're leading growth, marketing, or operations in behavioral health, this episode will help you rethink your strategy and make more informed decisions.

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When leads drop, is it really a marketing problem, or something deeper?

In this episode of MasterMined, Mark Scrivner, Jeff Skillen, and Lee unpack one of the most common (and costly) mistakes in behavioral health: misdiagnosing growth issues.

They break down how to identify "leakage" across your funnel, why data should drive every decision, and how admissions teams often struggle due to lack of training, not lack of leads. You'll also hear why there's no such thing as a "bad lead," and how the first few minutes of a call can determine everything.

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What if the future of behavioral health isn't just clinical—but deeply human?

In this episode of MasterMined, Riley Osborne, Chief Growth Officer at Recovery Unplugged, shares how music, culture, and emerging technologies like AI and virtual reality are transforming how we deliver care. From a life-changing moment in a transport van to building national programs and AI-powered call centers, Riley unpacks what it really takes to scale impact without losing empathy.

This conversation dives into leadership, innovation, and the power of meeting people where they are—emotionally, clinically, and technologically. If you're leading in beha...

In this episode of MasterMined, Jimmy Lyons, President of Further, shares how AI is transforming behavioral health admissions—not by replacing humans, but by empowering them. Drawing from both his professional background in AI and personal experience navigating treatment systems, Jimmy breaks down how speed, empathy, and operational alignment can dramatically improve patient outcomes.

From eliminating missed calls to increasing qualified leads and admissions, Jimmy explains how AI agents are helping programs capture critical "moments of crisis" when individuals are most ready to seek help. He also dives into the evolving role of AI, why the future is...

Policy decisions made in Washington can ripple quickly across behavioral health systems nationwide—and right now, providers are feeling the impact.

In this episode of MasterMined, hosts Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen welcome back policy expert Andrew Kessler, Principal at Slingshot Solutions and a longtime advocate in behavioral health policy. Andrew breaks down the real-world consequences of the Affordable Care Act subsidy changes and the broader political dynamics shaping healthcare access in the United States.

From enrollment shifts in ACA marketplaces to pressure on emergency departments and rural hospitals, Andrew explains why behavioral health providers co...

Behavioral health access remains one of the greatest challenges in healthcare—but new models powered by telehealth, integrated care teams, and AI-driven insights are transforming what's possible.

In this episode of MasterMined, hosts Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen sit down with Dr. Tom Milam, Chief Medical Officer of Iris Telehealth, to explore how healthcare systems can rethink behavioral health delivery. Drawing from decades of clinical, academic, and leadership experience, Dr. Milam shares how telepsychiatry can expand access to underserved populations, why healthcare must move beyond "encounter-based" care, and how AI could help patients and providers understand health pa...

In this episode of MasterMined, Jordan Young—CEO of Jordan & Associates Consulting—pulls back the curtain on what's really happening in the behavioral health hiring market.

With experience spanning admissions, national conferences, and executive recruiting, Jordan has worked with more than 100 organizations and surveyed thousands of professionals across the industry. He shares what hiring managers consistently get wrong, why business development roles turn over more than any other position, and what actually drives employee retention.

From resume red flags to generational dynamics, this conversation offers practical, data-backed insights for behavioral health executives who want to buil...

What happens when lived experience, clinical expertise, and entrepreneurial grit collide?

In this episode of MasterMined, Dr. Dan Callahan shares his remarkable journey—from addiction and incarceration to becoming a licensed social worker, treatment center founder, and technology innovator serving behavioral health providers nationwide.

Dan opens up about how recovery shaped his leadership philosophy, why traditional "push harder" clinical models often backfire, and how motivational approaches create real engagement. He also dives into the operational side of care—EHR frustration, payor clawbacks, compliance risks, and why AI-powered chart auditing and cybersecurity protection are no longer opti...

Is SEO dead—or just evolving? In this episode of MasterMined, Snapshot's Digital Growth Director Abigail Carroll breaks down what behavioral health leaders must understand about search in the age of AI.

From Google's market share dipping below 90% for the first time to the rise of ChatGPT and AI overviews, Abigail explains what's really changing—and what's not. She unpacks zero-click searches, generative engine optimization (GEO), YouTube's growing dominance, and why "people-first" strategy beats checklist SEO every time.

If you're a behavioral health executive wondering how to protect admissions, increase visibility, and make smarter digital inve...

In this episode of MasterMined, returning guest L.A. Galyon of Brentwood Capital Advisors joins Mark Scrivner, Jeff Skillen, and Lee Pepper to unpack what he's seeing across healthcare investment as the industry heads toward 2026. Fresh off the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, L.A. breaks down capital trends, valuation realities, and why behavioral health remains one of the most compelling—yet misunderstood—sectors for investors.

The conversation digs into why outpatient and hybrid care models are gaining momentum, how payer dynamics and middlemen continue to distort incentives, and what founders must do now to build durable, inve...

In this episode of MasterMined, Mark Scrivner and Jeff Skillen sit down with Andrew Kessler, Principal at Slingshot Solutions, to demystify how behavioral health policy actually gets made in Washington. Andrew breaks down the difference between lobbying and advocacy, why education—not emotion alone—drives sustainable change, and how funding decisions ultimately determine whether legislation delivers real impact. From parity and appropriations to today's shifting political trade winds, this conversation equips behavioral health leaders with a clearer lens on how to engage policy strategically and effectively.

Key Moments

01:28 – Introducing Andrew Kessler and Slingshot Solutions

02:1...

Ward Blanchard joins MasterMined to share his deeply personal journey from a life-altering medical diagnosis and substance use disorder to becoming a nationally respected behavioral health entrepreneur. Ward unpacks how family systems, leadership accountability, and operational clarity shape better clinical outcomes—especially in outpatient care. This conversation is a practical guide for behavioral health leaders navigating growth, culture, and long-term impact.

Key Moments

00:00 – A life-changing diagnosis and the start of Ward's recovery journey

06:21 – Losing a future identity and confronting trauma

12:53 – How unresolved grief shapes addiction and leadership

16:07 – Why recovery and career...

In this MasterMined episode, Mark Scrivner, Jeff Skillen, and Lee Pepper break down what performance-based budgeting really means for behavioral health organizations. From aligning marketing and finance around shared metrics to building budgets from real conversion data—not vibes—this conversation reframes marketing spend as a growth roadmap. Leaders will walk away with practical guidance on accountability, data discipline, and how to plan marketing investments that actually support admissions and capacity.

Key Moments

00:00 – Why marketing must claim its seat at the financial table

03:29 – Marketing as a revenue engine, not just an expense

06:05...