Celebrating New DBH Graduates

Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies (CGI) is thrilled to announce the graduation of five new Doctors of Behavioral Health. Dr. Amanda Barnard, DBH, LCSW, MSW, Dr. Leslie Allison Earl, DBH, LBHP, LPC-S, Dr. Teranda Knight, DBH, CTMP, LSSGB, MS, Dr. Billie Ratliff, DBH, LCSW, MSW, and Dr. Diane Scott, DBH, LCSW, MSW completed the requirements for the Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) program. On April 27, 2023, the new graduates were celebrated at the DBH Commencement Ceremony in Tempe, AZ. CGI is honored to have worked with them during their studies and applaud them for their perseverance and tenacity as they completed their doctoral degrees.

Dr. Amanda Barnard, DBH, LCSW, MSW

Dr. Amanda Barnard received her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Wyoming in 2014. She worked at the Wyoming Department of Family Services, providing families with ongoing case management and reunification services. She completed her Master of Social Work from the University of Wyoming in 2018 and began working with patients experiencing serious mental illness in Dickinson, ND. Dr. Barnard started to take note of deficits in healthcare delivery and decided to increase her knowledge to improve healthcare in rural areas, which inspired her to pursue the Doctor of Behavioral Health degree. While enrolled in the DBH program, she earned full independent licensure as a Clinical Social Worker in North Dakota and established her business, Kahanalo Consulting, LLC, in 2020. Her venture provides clinical and consultation services to citizens of rural North Dakota. Dr. Barnard Earl earned her Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) degree from Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies in 2023 and continues to provide consultation services, improving care access and experience in rural North Dakota.

Dr. Barnard’s culminating project, Integrating Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Food Pharmacy Interventions to Reduce Nutritional Deficits in Patients with Serious Mental Illness in Rural Locations, is a program designed to ease the burden of a workforce shortage in rural areas while increasing positive outcomes for patients. The project incorporates psychiatric rehabilitation services with a food pharmacy to reduce nutritional deficits in patients with a serious mental illness who are experiencing or at risk for physical disorders. By utilizing psychiatric rehabilitation in an integrated setting, the program may increase positive outcomes and increase access to care by using lower licensure staff to ease the burden of a limited higher-level workforce. Incorporating a food pharmacy has been shown to lower nutritional risks. It will reduce the stressors related to meeting basic nutritional needs while the patient is experiencing significant symptoms from behavioral health and physical disorders.

Learn more about Dr. Barnard’s culminating project.

Dr. Leslie Allison Earl, DBH, LBHP, LPC-S

Dr. Leslie “Allison” Earl is a Licensed Professional Counselor, certified trauma specialist, clinical specialist in Autism Spectrum Disorder, and licensing supervisor for LPC candidates serving Oklahoma City, OK and surrounding areas. Dr. Earl initially pursued a career in education, where she discovered a desire to make an impact on patients in a clinical healthcare setting. She earned her master’s degree focused on Human Relations in Counseling from the University of Oklahoma and soon began working with Dr. Larry Ford, DBH, at Hands To Guide You, where she fully realized her passion for becoming a changemaker in healthcare. Dr. Earl is known for her work in the women’s health field in the greater Oklahoma City area. Dr. Earl believes integrated care is the key to identifying the root cause of illness, therefore gaining insight on how to best treat the whole person. Dr. Earl earned her Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) degree from Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies in 2023.

Dr. Earl’s DBH culminating project is entitled Women’s Health Solutions, LLC: A trauma-informed women’s health initiative. The entrepreneurial-focused project is an all-encompassing program designed to start at the beginning of a patient’s confirmation of pregnancy through at least one year postpartum. Women’s Health Solutions, LLC offers therapy, case management, and non-clinical billables and currently operates as a subsidiary of H2GY Health in Oklahoma City, OK. When asked what she loves most about being a DBH, clinician, and LPC, Dr. Earl enthusiastically says, “Because I am a lifelong student – I love to learn, and I’m passionate about living optimally. I lead by example. I want to live my best life, and helping others do the same is my purpose!”

Learn more about Dr. Earl’s culminating project.

Dr. Teranda Knight, DBH, CTMP, LSSGB, MS

Dr. Teranda Knight obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from North Carolina Wesleyan College and her Master of Science in psychology with a specialization in counseling psychology from Capella University. She holds a provisional clinical addiction specialist license with the state of North Carolina and certifications in lean six sigma and tele-mental healthcare. Dr. Knight earned her Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) degree from Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies in 2023. Her career has expanded into healthcare, higher education, mental healthcare, substance use programs, and intellectual disability populations across the life spans. Throughout her work, Dr. Knight evaluates evidence-based approaches relevant to the Biodyne Model to improve the quality of care and service in integrated behavioral healthcare settings.

Dr. Knight’s culminating project, Integrating Healthcare in Higher Education: Accommodations for Chronic Substance Use with Cognitive Deficits, identified and evaluated accommodations offered for students in higher education environments with cognitive deficits driven by chronic substance use. Dr. Knight’s culminating project ascertained there were no processes currently available for identifying cognitive deficits in students of various higher education environments, and these institutions gathered very little information regarding substance use and treatment options for this population to improve campus and community safety by reducing suicide, homicides, and other criminal activities. The entrepreneurially focused project includes a business plan and menu of services that can be used to integrate behavioral healthcare into higher education settings so that the college student population can improve their academic success and health, and well-being while pursuing higher education.

Learn more about Dr. Knight’s culminating project.

Dr. Billie Ratliff, DBH, LCSW, MSW

Dr. Billie Ratliff is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Colorado, Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work for the Department of Social Work at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS), teaching both in the BSW and MSW programs, certified Trauma Informed Care Instructor and mentor, and a Co-Founder of Synergy Behavioral Health Solutions LLC, a consulting company specializing in assisting organizations change their culture to a Trauma-Informed framework. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky and a master’s degree in social work from Washington University, St. Louis. Dr. Ratliff has recently retired from a 43-year career of working in healthcare settings, primarily hospitals, and most recently held the Director, Behavioral Health position in UCHealth Southern Region. Dr. Ratliff’s clinical specialty is developmental trauma and trauma-informed care. Dr. Ratliff earned her Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) degree from Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies in 2023, where she developed and launched her business Synergy Behavioral Health Solutions LLC, in collaboration with her business partner and fellow DBH alumna, Dr. Diane E. Scott.

Dr. Ratliff’s culminating project, Sounding the Alarm: A Matter of Life and Death for Firefighters, results from a pilot partnership between the Rio Rancho Fire Rescue and Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies. It is a four-module online course series hosted on an online learning platform, developed to increase awareness among first responders, including firefighters, paramedics, and emergency responders, of the impacts of trauma on health and mental health for this population. Specific learning outcomes included an increased understanding of trauma and the connection between untreated trauma and poor health outcomes for first responders; an increased understanding of the increased risk of poor coping skills, suicidal ideation, and lethality for first responders; and increased adaptive coping mechanisms for addressing trauma through help-seeking behavior, goal setting, and confidence building in giving and receiving peer support. In creating an online curriculum utilizing evidence-based behavioral health education and treatment, Dr. Ratliff and her co-author Dr. Scott aimed to increase firefighters’/EMTs/paramedics’ knowledge concerning suicide, developmental and event trauma, and self-care. Primary objectives were to teach first responders to change from the “suck it up” mentality to a trauma-informed mentality, identify and replace unhealthy trauma responses/symptoms early, and reach out for help to heal from events and developmental traumas.

Learn more about Dr. Ratliffs culminating project.

Dr. Diane Scott, DBH, LCSW, MSW

Dr. Diane E. Scott is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, having earned both her BSW and MSW from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She earned a certificate in management from Duke University and is certified as a Trauma-Informed Care Practitioner, Instructor, and Consultant. Dr. Scott has over 25 years of experience working in the mental health field internationally and across the United States. She served as the Chief of Behavioral Health for the Soldier Readiness Processing Center at a U.S. Army installation. Her clinical and program management experience includes emergency, medical, and military social work. Dr. Scott is the co-developer of the “Trauma-Informed Peer-to-Peer Surveillance (TIPPS)” program and co-founder of Synergy Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC, which was developed in collaboration with her business partner Dr. Billie Ratliff while both enrolled in the Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) degree program from Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies, where she completed the DBH program in 2023.

Dr. Scott’s culminating project, Sounding the Alarm: A Matter of Life and Death for Firefighters, results from a pilot partnership between the Rio Rancho Fire Rescue and Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies. It is a four-module online course series hosted on an online learning platform, developed to increase awareness among first responders, including firefighters, paramedics, and emergency responders, of the impacts of trauma on health and mental health for this population. Specific learning outcomes included an increased understanding of trauma and the connection between untreated trauma and poor health outcomes for first responders; an increased understanding of the increased risk of poor coping skills, suicidal ideation, and lethality for first responders; and increased adaptive coping mechanisms for addressing trauma through help-seeking behavior, goal setting, and confidence building in giving and receiving peer support. In creating an online curriculum utilizing evidence-based behavioral health education and treatment, Dr. Scott and her co-author Dr. Ratliff aimed to increase firefighters’/EMTs/paramedics’ knowledge concerning suicide, developmental and event trauma, and self-care. Primary objectives were to teach first responders to change from the “suck it up” mentality to a trauma-informed mentality, identify and replace unhealthy trauma responses/symptoms early, and reach out for help to heal from events and developmental traumas.

Learn more about Dr. Scott’s culminating project.

When reflecting upon the new graduates’ accomplishments, Dr. U. Grant Baldwin, Jr. DBH, Director of the DBH program, shares,

“I want to personally say how proud I am of these scholars for successfully completing their doctoral journey. Each graduate has demonstrated the ability to find their own unique voice as they matriculated through the DBH program with the support of our amazing administrative and academic team and their family and friends. This group of graduates embody the “true spirit” of being a disruptor in health care and will challenge the inequalities seen to ensure that all people have access to the quality healthcare they deserve.”

Each new DBH graduate brings a unique perspective on improving healthcare as a Doctor of Behavioral Health. CGI looks forward to seeing the improvement their new graduates make to healthcare delivery and patient care.

Relive the joy of the DBH Commencement Ceremony honoring Dr. Amanda Barnard, DBH, LCSW, MSW, Dr. Leslie Allison Earl, DBH, LBHP, LPC-S, Dr. Teranda Knight, DBH, CTMP, LSSGB, MS, Dr. Billie Ratliff, DBH, LCSW, MSW, and Dr. Diane Scott, DBH, LCSW, MSW below.

About Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies (CGI)

Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies is a nonprofit, DEAC-accredited, online post-graduate institution of higher learning offering post-graduate education and training in the field of integrated behavioral healthcare. CGI is focused on meeting the healthcare industry’s need for a highly-skilled workforce to support an integrated approach to addressing patients’ needs. To learn more about CGI, visit, https://cgi.edu/.

For further information or to arrange interviews, contact:

Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies
Melissa McGurgan
melissa@cgi.edu

Testimonials

“The totally online DBH program offered by Cummings Graduate Institute of Behavioral Health Studies is focused on the professional I have grown into: a synergistic disrupter for the healthcare industry, who is passionate about Wholistic Healthcare (e.g., health, behavioral health, and Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health), rendered skillfully through interprofessional teams. The program pillars of medical literacy, integrated behavioral health interventions, and entrepreneurship resonate loudly with me. The healthcare industry will continue to change, with doctoral level professionals needed to play a major role in any successful transformation. My goal is to further advance my knowledge-base, professional standing, and industry commitment to be part of these transformational efforts. In this way I can heed the Quadruple Aim: assuring quality-driven patient-centric care is rendered at the right time, through the right population-based treatment processes, at the right cost, and by empowered professionals embracing the work and committed to their charge.”
Ellen Fink-Samnick MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CRPDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 11, 2020

“In the time that I have been a student at CGI, I have learned that integrated healthcare is no longer the exception; providers want behavioral health clinicians on their team. My courses demonstrate that the services that a DBH can offer are valuable and the opportunities abound. I’m learning that as a DBH, I can work to create a new norm in healthcare, one that promotes holistic care provided by a collaborative team delivering diverse services. I now view behavioral healthcare as a crucial piece of the medical care puzzle, rather than a separate entity. I can see the gaps in care that a DBH can fill and why including a DBH in treatment is critical. I am beginning to see how I will play a role in disrupting healthcare to provide quality treatment while advocating for my patients. Although I may still have to explain my role at times, I am learning that once I do, others will seek out my services. I am gaining confidence in what I bring to the medical team and am continuously expanding my knowledge of what else I can do.”
Jennifer KellyDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - July 26, 2020

“As a Social Worker, I believe my main mission includes advocating for and empowering patients. The DBH degree will allow me to fully integrate the “medical side of the house” with the “behavioral health side”. My experience working side-by-side with medical providers (PCM’s, ED docs, Hospitalists, etc…) has shown that most of them do not understand behavioral health issues nor how medical symptoms or diagnoses can effect a patients’ mental health and vice-versa. Alternatively, I have worked with a multitude of behavioral health providers who have very limited knowledge of how medical issues might affect their clients. I have often wondered how many patients I have had who were diagnosed with depression or anxiety or other DSM-V diagnosis when in reality the origin was medical. Earning a DBH will allow me to push the envelope when it comes to consulting with medical providers and promote the inclusion of “behavioral healthcare” within “healthcare” as its ALL healthcare! As Mahatma Ghandi said “be the change you wish to see in the world”; earning a DBH will enhance my ability to “change the world” – even if it’s one medical provider or one patient at a time.”
Diane Scott, MSW, LCSWDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - August 7, 2020

“My friend and I were talking about the challenges and frustrations that we face daily in our careers with the clear divide between mental health and physical health and how we wished we had the knowledge and skills to shake up healthcare and bridge the gap. She brought up researching doctorate programs and how interested she was in the DBH. My reponse was, “What on earth is a DBH?” She laughed and said it was a newer doctorate degree in behavioral health, that focused directly on integrated care and doing exactly what we were dreaming of doing….shaking up healthcare and bridging the gap and treating the person as a whole. I had a hard time believing her. It sounded too good to be true. How was there a degree out there that fit my goals and aspirations to a T without me knowing about it? I had been looking periodically throughout my 20 year journey in behavioral health for a program that resonated with me. It was here all this time? How had I missed it? I immediately spent hours scouring the internet to find any crumb of information that I could about the Doctorate of Behavioral Health and the programs associated with it. Then I hit the jackpot. I found the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies.”
Amy McConnell, LCSWDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 18, 2020

“During my tenure as a student at CGI, I wrote a book review that was published in the International Journal of Integrated Care. One of my papers became a newsletter article, a pitch for my population health class became a poster presented at a CFHA conference, a book chapter was developed based on a paper I wrote for my independent study, and I am submitting my CP project to a journal this weekend. So, everything that you write during the program is potentially publishable! You have the advantage of having faculty read and give you feedback on it before submitting it. Take risks! The worst that can happen if you submit a paper for publication is receiving a rejection letter. Well, if you don’t send it you’re already acting as if the paper had been rejected. 😉 Plus, if you receive a rejection letter, it usually comes with feedback, so you can improve your paper and send it again!”
Dr. Liliane de Aguiar-Rocha, DBH, BCBADBH Alumni, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - October 9, 2020

“There is a substantial need for integrating care between our physical, and mental health. The gap between these domains are more so overlooked among those with developmental delays and intellectual disabilities – the very population I serve as a Behavior Analyst. Filling these gaps entails work that demands for a DBH who is competent, empathetic, and altruistic.”
Pauline Pablo, BCBADBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - November 11, 2020

“My interest in a DBH degree grew out of frustration and hope. On one hand, I grew frustrated with the quality of care my clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities were receiving. As members of a marginalized population who lack the skills to advocate for themselves, the clients I serve receive subpar medical care, mental health care, and behavioral health care. Many healthcare providers are not trained to address the unique language and cognitive challenges present when serving a person with Autism and I/DD.

On the other hand, as I learned more about the DBH program, a potential solution came into view. I believe this program will allow me to acquire the knowledge and skills to become a better advocate for my clients, and new job opportunities will open up in positions in which I will be able to make a bigger impact on a system level, thus improving quality of life for many clients. A DBH degree will command interest and respect from other healthcare professionals who are evaluating their practices and noticing areas in which they are not being effective, namely the behavioral health side of the equation. As we are learning in our first classes about the Biodyne Model, the Integrated Care Model is not widely accepted or known in the healthcare field, despite its proven track record. I believe a DBH degree provides the necessary tool to change the landscape of healthcare provision by arming my passion for this topic with knowledge and concrete strategies.”
Valeria ParejoDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - January 15, 2021

“As a Doctorate of Behavioral Health (DBH) student my vision for healthcare is to disrupt the current model, close gaps to care and create healthcare improvements. In the evolving world of healthcare I believe behavioral healthcare providers (BCP) are essential to the development of integrative healthcare. Once I obtain a DBH degree, I know I will gain a leadership role and be able to add quality to the creation of integration efforts worldwide. I know I will graduate with the essential tools I need to stand at the forefront of integrated healthcare. I want to create healthcare improvements for marginalized populations that are typically underserved or forgotten. As an individual of two minority groups; woman and African American, I am very passionate about helping reduce cultural, ethnic, social economic and geographic disparities within healthcare systems.”
Ebony WatsonDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 30, 2021

“Since beginning my studies at CGI, I have been awakened to how much I truly did not know and understand despite my specialty training in Social Work and behavioral health needs. The classes at CGI allow me to explore topics that I may not have thought to investigate and encourage me to question and think outside the “normal” delivery of behavioral health services. Services that I previously thought were quality and designed to meet the needs of special populations, I now believe to be woefully inadequate to serve the needs of the patients. Patients cannot receive the best quality, efficient, and timely care they need and deserve within institutions that are not integrated. Institutions that continue to silo and do not encourage collaboration and integration are not focused on the needs of the patient.”
Amanda BarnardDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 30, 2021

“I believe, as a DBH, I will disrupt the current healthcare systemby promotingguaranteed health care for allasa right, not a privilege.I willadvocate fora national, rather than state, licensing of providers. This will allow clinicians (medical,behavioral health, etc…) to provide care across state lines using telemedicine.Finally, the skills I have learned at Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies allow me to identify healthcare delivery concerns, propose alternative interventions and cost–effective solutions and evaluate theirreturn on investment.”
Diane ScottDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - March 29, 2021

“Since entering CGI, I have more confidence in discussing the need for healthcare systems to have a population health approach to care, and to put in place “upstream” programming. I have always been proud of working in a hospital and delivering care, working as a multidisciplinary team member, and making a difference. I now realize I have been part of healthcare’s focus of “treating the sick” rather than being an influencer for preventative care.

Preventative care can be part of service delivery from a hospital system; we should not rely only on public health programs to tackle social determinants of health. COVID-19 is not only impacting mental health but also how we are delivering medical care. Could COVID-19 be an unintended force for healthcare policy change? Apostolopoulos et al. (2020) reports the complexity presented to the health care system by COVID-19 has created change that will continue in healthcare for years to come. The needed changes to delivery and access will require a policy shift in all levels of healthcare (Apostolopoulos et al., 2020).”
Billie RatliffDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - December 13, 2021

“The DBH is exactly the type of doctorate degree that I’ve been searching for. A doctorate that is clinical focused is where my interest lies. I am motivated to pursue this degree, and courses like Pathophysiology, Psychopharmacology, Neuropathophysiology, only add to that excitement. One must be motivated to complete any degree program. The Doctor of Behavioral Health fits that bill for me. In fact, I would say that I am beyond motivated.”
Arthur Williams IIIDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - July 8, 2022

“As a member of the AAPI community, I’m very familiar with the barriers to mental health services and the need to break through the glass wall of cultural stigma that prevents many from receiving potentially life–saving treatment. I was the only Asian American person in my master’s cohort, the only Asian American person in many of my clinical work settings, the only Asian American person to walk into many of the professional settings that I pushed myself to show up to. In my current practice, I’m constantly reminded by my patients of how difficult it is to find an Asian American mental health provider, though this reminder constantly informs me that more needs to be done for my community. Day after day, I read stories of Asian American people who die by suicide as a consequence of our culture’s avoidance of mental health topics. As a DBH, my biggest goal is to use my expertise in whole–person care to amplify the conversation around mental health and help my community understand that mental healthcare is not a privilege that we are not entitled to, it is a crucial part of our healthcare that will manifest differently in us than what many Western psychology or psychiatry textbooks will describe, and that our unique experience of mental health issues are valid, important, and is time to be part of the larger conversation.”
Willam ChumDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 16, 2022

“Pursuing a doctorate in behavioral health is essential in helping to transform my thinking as a healthcare provider; moving from a more traditional mindset, embracing change and a “different world view” of tools for successful client outcomes. This type of advanced study will equip me with the clinical and leadership skills to be a leader on the cutting edge of behavioral health. This type of training would make me an asset to the healthcare workplace; specifically to function effectively as a change agent for the successful outcomes of the workplace and its clients.”
Judith AllenDBH Candidate, Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies - September 23, 2022 Previous Slide