MasterMined: A Behavioral & Mental Health Podcast

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 organiz...

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...

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...

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, tur...

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 indust...

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—shou...

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...

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 delive...

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...

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 div...

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...

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...

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...

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 t...

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...

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 elimina...

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...

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...

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...

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 philoso...

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, ge...

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...

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 deliv...

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 behavior...

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 accou...