In this episode of Brainwaves by Opus, we sit down with Nick Howell, CEO of Northern Illinois Recovery, to explore what it really takes to build sustainable, community-based recovery care.
Nick shares his journey from corporate healthcare into behavioral health leadership, weaving in his own recovery story and the operational lessons he’s applied to grow a local treatment center into a nationally recognized program.
Topics we cover:
-Bridging the gap between clinical and administrative teams
-Using data to prevent clinician burnout
-Engaging families early to improve retention and outcomes
-Building culture around a mission of restoring human connection
-Lessons from scaling Northern Illinois Recovery from startup to three locations
Nick’s story is one of recovery, leadership, and building systems that actually serve both patients and providers.
Episode Resources:
-Northern Illinois Recovery Center website: https://www.northernillinoisrecovery.com/
Mentioned Books:
-Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler
-Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
-The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson
-How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
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