Standardizing Best Practices in Mental Health Treatment

Ever wondered what it takes to navigate the behavioral health industry successfully? Join us in our enlightening conversation with Michael Castanon, CEO and founder of Mindfuli and Alter Health Group. A dedicated advocate for mental health and emotional support, Michael shares his first-hand experience in this competitive landscape. We delve into the challenges of opening an effective treatment center while emphasizing the power of human connection and its transformative impact on mental health care.

Our discourse extends to exploring the significance of establishing standardized best practices and defining clear outcome goals in mental health treatment. We discuss the essence of maintaining a healthy work environment for caregivers, the ripple effect it has on patient care, and the role of therapeutic alliances in facilitating life transformations. Michael's insights on the importance of quality care serve as an inspiration for anyone interested in mental health care. This captivating conversation is sure to leave you both inspired and enlightened about the ever-evolving field of mental health.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Hatching Creativity.
This isn't just anotherbehavioral health podcast.
This is the place where thoughtleaders converge to talk about
real-life challenges,breakthroughs and pivotal aha
moments.
Thanks for tuning in toHatching Creativity.
In today's episode, I get thechance to speak with Michael
Castanon, who's the CEO andfounder of Mindfully, a platform

(00:24):
that's designed for continuedmental health care and support,
as well as Alter Health Group, abehavioral health care
treatment center in OrangeCounty, california.
What we speak about is what ittakes to open a successful
treatment center in thiscompetitive landscape.
If you like what you hear,please like, share, subscribe

(00:44):
and tell all your friends aboutthe Hatching Creativity podcast.
Hello everybody, I'm MichaelCastanon, ceo and founder of
Alter Health Group and Mindfully.
We are a primary mental healthand SUD treatment organization.
We provide a full ecosystem ofcare.
We also have a virtual platformcalled Mindfully that is rooted

(01:10):
in measurement-informed care.
We're big believers in buildingup the science of the
therapeutic alliance and thepower of human connection and
the power of humantransformation.
We've also been awardedmultiple grants to provide
support of mental health andemotional support to the greater
society, first through COVID-19, and now through California

(01:35):
through a grant that came downthrough the Department of Health
Care Services and I'm happy toreport we've provided over
65,000 encounters of care forfree for those in need of
support.
Michael is one of my favoritepeople to talk to in this
interview.
I'm really excited to have youhere.
You can track your datainformation with some of these

(01:56):
people that are watching andsome people that can use some
additional help.
So, michael, my question foryou today is with all of the
treatment centers out there andit seems like there is a ton
there are there are still slowlypeople looking to break into
the industry.
How are people able to come into such a saturated market?

(02:19):
What needs to be donedifferently in order for
somebody to be successful?
That's a great question.
A great question and a question, I think, that is drawing more
providers into the space in ofitself, because there is a
plethora of organizations thatare looking to sort of meet the

(02:42):
demand in our society For mentalhealth care.
Mental health shows up in amyriad of different fashions.
Right, it could be addiction,it could be different diagnosis,
like just depression, anxiety,sort of bipolarism.
There's a number of things.

(03:03):
There's a full myriad of issues, but I think what we're seeing
in the industry is that there'snot generalized, standardized
best practices, even thoughwe're trying to create that, and
so people that are reallywell-intended, that have a
purpose-driven approach toanswering the call.

(03:23):
They come in with goodintentions, but there's not
necessarily a playbook, there'snot necessarily a roadmap for
how do you really actually dothis thing and how do you do it
well and how do you do it insuch a way or at least to
ultimate life transformation ofthe clients that you're looking
to support.
So I think that's where the gapis.

(03:45):
I don't think it's anythingthat's defective in our industry
.
I think there's a lot of reallygood-intended people like you
and I.
We're here because we want tohelp, we want to make an impact.
So what comes first thestandardized best practices or

(04:05):
the standardization of what is agood result?
Like, do you need to know whata good result is first and then
kind of build towards that, ordo you think that it's better to
start by building the bestpractices, then figuring out
what a good result is and thenadjusting the best practices?
Man, you asked great questions.

(04:28):
This is why I so I so relate toyou and adore you.
I was curious.
This is good, all right, so letme.
Let me try to unpack that.
So the question is should westart with a standardized sort
of agreement on what theoutcomes should be, or should we

(04:49):
start first with building outsome best practices to get to
that outcome?
Right, I would say they're bothequally important.
But there's a lesson I'velearned in any industry and any
endeavor, and that is to beginwith the end in minds.
Start with the end in mind, andso having some general

(05:11):
understanding of what the targetis and aim for that target is
what I would recommend.
What are the outcomes that youreally want to put into place,
and then what is it going totake to get to those outcomes?
So that would be myrecommendation.
I like that.
You know one of the things that,as it relates to outcomes that

(05:33):
we come across all the time atand I'm not going to try to not
get on a soapbox here Do it,though, if you feel compelled.
All you're looking at, for youroutcomes are symptom based
measures, then there's some kindof a significant missing.
You know I'm a big reportingout for the recovery capital

(05:55):
index.
Yep, talk about them all thetime.
Yeah, they're looking atquality of life.
That's right.
Right, and quality of life isso important, that's right.
They're going into treatmentbecause they don't want to have
schizophrenic episodes.
Right, they're going intotreatment because their life has
become unmanageable, the waythat they're currently living,

(06:15):
that's right.
So when we look at outcomes,it's really important that we
expand what we're looking at andactually measure it in.
You know, long term and qualityof life, oh great.
I don't think that this is aone and done proposition.
Now, going back to the beliefthat you have to have a target

(06:36):
and you have to begin with theend in mind.
Now, there really is no endhere in this regard.
But there are targets and therecould be incremental targets
right.
But outcome measures in ofthemselves are not enough, right
.
I believe that in order to getpositive outcomes, you have to

(06:59):
affect treatments and the wayyou treat in a positive way.
So one of the things that wehave done is we have worked on
the science of human connection,the therapeutic alliance, the
working alliance.
What is it between two humanbeings that makes that
connection, that strategicalliance, lead to life

(07:23):
transformation?
That is critically important.
And then, what are theevidence-based practices
underneath that that you use tobring about the positive
transformation?
The outcomes that you'relooking for?
Outcomes on them, on their ownare not enough.
They must be first preceded byquality outstanding care.

(07:48):
I love it, you know you.
One last thing you know youtalked about quality outstanding
care.
One thing that you guys doreally well that I absolutely
love is the way you take care ofyour own.
Yes, you know, I went, I had achance to visit Walter out for a
bit and get a tour, and thepeople that work are all smiling

(08:08):
.
I mean, you're dealing withhigh-acuity patients, that's
right, not like you're dealingwith the big leziest population.
Yes, but your people seem tohave it all under control and
that comes from doing the rightthing for your people.
So, you know, if we talkedabout this on the, the couple
last week, or that with thelayer, we take care of your

(08:30):
people and they're going to takecare of your, face shows and
overall the whole thing improvesthat way.
Yeah, I think it starts in theculture, the leadership.
The focus has to be on thepurpose first, which is caring
for your clients, and thensecondly is who are the people
that are caring for the clients?
How do you care for them, howdo you pour into them, how do

(08:53):
you support them?
They have to have the mindset,the frame of mind, the
well-being that they're tryingto transmit to others,
absolutely Got some sage advicefrom Mike Nastinon, mindfully an
alternate health group.
Now I have one last question foryou.
Yeah, please, what are yougrateful for today?

(09:16):
You know, I'm grateful here tobe amongst like-minded people
that are all trying to helpothers that are in need, and
it's just.
I've had some great discussionstoday, like with you and others
, that just sort of encourage meto keep moving forward.
So if you are in the industryand your heart and soul is in

(09:38):
this, I encourage you.
You know, please stay with it,stay the course.
I know it's difficult and if wecan ever be of help, mike and
his team.
It has compliance.
It's a world-class compliancesolution.
If you ever need help orcounsel or support or advice,
I'm always here to encourage andsupport as well, and he means

(09:58):
it, by the way, he's not justsaying it, he really does mean
it.
So thank you, and thank you forjoining us.
Thank you, brother.
Now I always like to ask orI'll let you go, because I've
got you captive here now.
Yeah, I'll coffee it up too.
Let me do it why I'll be righthere.

(10:19):
What would be the one piece ofbusiness advice you would give a
treatment center owner who maybe just starting Be
uncompromising about the mission.
Keep the mission front andcenter.
If you focus on the mission,the margin will follow.
But do not compromise beingnon-negotiable.

(10:41):
There's some certainnon-negotiables we have to have
in life.
Keep that quality care frontand center.
Good things will follow if youdo Awesome.
Thank you so much, mike.
Thank you, sir.
Appreciate it, wonderful Thanks.
Thanks for tuning in toHatchin' Creativity.
We appreciate your support.
Please don't forget to like andsubscribe and tell all your

(11:04):
friends about the show andremember it's never just about
one thing.