Ascellus (formerly IMCS Group), the nation’s leading behavioral health provider focused on helping injured workers restore their physical and emotional wellbeing, has today announced Patrick J. Kennedy, a former U.S. Congressman and founder of the national mental health nonprofit, The Kennedy Forum, has joined as a strategic advisor to the company.
Offering expanded access to high-quality, personalized behavioral healthcare, Ascellus brings people and technology together in the company’s nationwide network of over 1,500 licensed clinicians to deliver customized treatment options, reduce costs for workers’ compensation claims and empower injured workers to return to work safely and effectively.
“We are delighted that Patrick is joining us as a strategic advisor at Ascellus,” said Lori Daugherty, Ascellus, Chief Executive Officer. “His years of campaigning and tireless advocacy for mental health make him the ideal person to help drive our mission forward. I am proud to have him by our side as we provide behavioral healthcare for injured workers and treat the psychosocial issues that escalate pain and prevent recovery.”
During his 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Kennedy co-authored the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (Federal Parity Law), which requires insurers to cover treatment for mental health and substance use disorders no more restrictively than treatment for illnesses of the body, such as diabetes and cancer.
“Ascellus’ vision is something I take very seriously,” said Kennedy. “I’m proud to join a company that helps workers restore their health and rebuild their livelihoods, while helping American businesses remain both competitive and compassionate. The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced an urgent need for more innovative care that meets people where they are. And that’s just what Ascellus delivers.”
The Ascellus platform provides evidence-based treatment plans for pain management, workplace trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), COVID-19, and California Stress Claims. Approximately two-thirds of treatment goals – set by the employee and provider and consistent with the claim’s examiner objectives – are reached on average within seven weeks of work-focused cognitive behavioral therapy.
As founder of The Kennedy Forum, former Congressman Kennedy unites advocates, business leaders, and government agencies to advance evidence-based practices and policies in mental health and addiction. In 2017, he was appointed to the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. He currently serves as co-chair of the Action Alliance’s Mental Health & Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19, and co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Behavioral Health Integration Task Force.
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