Effective Data Collection and Reporting Drives Effective Policy
Susan Jacobsen, MA, LMHC, CCM
Job title or function
Susan Jacobsen currently serves as Senior Director of Health Equity Initiatives at the Thundermist Health Center, where she is responsible for the development and oversight of strategies to improve the health of patients and communities via whole-person/family, place-based approaches, including the Health Equity Zone work across the health system. Thundermist Health Center, a non-profit, federally qualified community health center, provides primary care, behavioral healthcare, and dental services to over 50,000 patients in Woonsocket, West Warwick, and Washington County, Rhode Island. Thundermist also has the honor of serving as the ‘backbone’ agency for the Woonsocket HEZ and West Warwick HEZ. Susan also serves as the project director for a Washington County behavioral health planning initiative with the Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Health Equity Zone. Susan is a licensed mental health counselor and an expert in behavioral health systems and policy development. She is particularly interested in how total health is supported by communities that foster social cohesion, engagement, and interdependence. Before joining Thundermist in 2015, Susan was the executive director of the mental health association of Rhode Island. She is a graduate of Bucknell University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Gender/Women’s Studies and of West Chester University, earning a Master of Arts in experimental and clinical psychology. She also studied holistic counseling at Salve Regina University in preparation for licensure in Rhode Island. Susan is a resident of South Kingstown.
Janette Baird, PhD
Janette Baird, PhD., is an Associate Professor in Emergency Medicine (Research) at the Alpert Medicine School of Brown University, and a behavioral scientist and researcher at the Injury Prevention Center of Rhode Island Hospital. Dr. Baird has been a Principal Investigator or Co-investigator on twenty six federal or foundation-funded research studies, and has been an author on 126 peer reviewed publications.
Currently Dr. Baird is a co-Principal Investigator on a CDC-funded R01 (R01CE003149) focused on the implementation of emergency department standards of care for patients presenting after an opioid overdose or with an opioid use disorder.
Dr. Baird has been trained in advanced statistical analyses and evaluation methods and is currently utilizing these skills evaluating the work of two Rhode Island Heath Equity Zone communities in addressing disparities associated with the social determinants of health, and is the lead evaluator on the recently NIH funded COBRE on Injury Control awarded to Rhode Island Hospital.
Gloria Rose, RN, BSN
Job title or function
Senior Director of Community Care Management, Thundermist Health Center