Elizabeth Garrigan, LPC – Program Director, Carelon Behavioral Health Central Administration Team
Elizabeth is a licensed professional counselor specializing in child and adolescent mental health. Her direct clinical experience ranges from outpatient therapy to intensive residential care, including several years working with children with autism spectrum disorder as well as youth with complex trauma. Elizabeth joined Carelon Behavioral Health in September 2007 and was promoted to Director of the ACCESS Mental Health for Youth program in December 2013. For the past 11 years, Elizabeth has been a key leader in the success of the pediatric program beginning with program startup, launch, and now wrapping up the program’s tenth full operating year. As the program’s director, she supports perinatal Hub team operations and leads monthly Hub team meetings. She ensures contract compliance by providing on-going monitoring of Hub productivity including utilization, follow up and adherence to program requirements – all of which help inform her as one of the principal writers of the program’s report deliverables. Elizabeth’s passion for behavioral health and recovery is always paramount in her work. She can be contacted directly at elizabeth.garrigan@carelon.com.
David M. Aversa, MD, MPH– Medical Director, Carelon Behavioral Health Central Administration Team
Dr. David M. Aversa is triple boarded in general psychiatry, child & adolescent psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry. He has extensive clinical experience in all levels of care including inpatient, intensive day programs, intensive in-home services and outpatient treatment. In addition, Dr. Aversa works with health care providers, schools, courts and various professional and stated agencies providing consultation and evaluations. He has a masters in public health with a focus on organization, finance, and delivery of health care services. At Carelon Behavioral Health, he serves as medical director of the Child & Family Division. His roles include making medical necessity determinations, working on throughput issues in the child mental health system, serving as a liaison to providers and state partners, and working on quality improve on the member and systems level. In addition, Dr. Aversa’s oversees the clinical process and program development for DCF programs through Carelon including but not limited to ACCESS Mental Health for Mom and Youth programs, Voluntary Care Management Program, and Integrated Family Care and Support program.
Shelly Nolan, MS, LPC – Contract Manager, DMHAS
Shelly acts as the Director of Women’s Services for the CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS.) She oversees the women’s specific continuum of care throughout the state including services targeted for pregnant and parenting individuals. She partners with other state agencies, the healthcare system and community partners to work though barriers specific to this unique demographic while implementing new initiatives and collaborative efforts to overcome challenges and mitigate the impact of stigma and healthcare inequity. She supports the direct on site evaluation process to ensure contract compliance, strength of clinical service delivery and implementation of evidence based practices, including trauma informed and gender responsive care, with a focus on risk reduction strategies. She oversees the execution of several SAMHSA grant projects targeted at addressing the specific needs of women and families, LGBTQIA+ individuals, persons with Hoarding Disorder, reproductive health education and integration of peer support and recovery based services. Prior to coming to DMHAS, Shelly has held a variety of direct service and leadership roles within the behavioral health system. She holds a M.S. degree in Counseling and is a CT Licensed Professional Counselor.