Seasoned Behavioral Health Services Executive to Lead Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Michael Brody, until recently the Vice President of Service Operations of the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania (MHASP), has rejoined MHASP as its Chief Executive Officer. Brody assumed leadership of MHASP on January 8, 2014, following the early retirement of MHASP's President and CEO, Bill Dinwiddie, for health reasons.

"We are very sorry to see Bill go and we wish him all the best as he tackles the difficult challenges before him," said Carol Boylan, who chairs MHASP's Board of Directors. "At the same time, we are grateful that Michael Brody has agreed to rejoin MHASP as the new CEO. Michael's experience and commitment to our mission will do much to stabilize the agency during this time of transition. We know that his experience will enable him to get up to speed quickly."

Brody brings to MHASP more than 30 years of experience in the mental health arena. As a Vice President of MHASP and its Director of Service Operations from July 2009 through December 2013, he directed multiple levels of community support services in southeastern Pennsylvania, serving more than 4,000 people with behavioral health diagnoses annually. He managed an annual budget of more than $15 million, and led and created opportunities to develop recovery-oriented services and involve people in recovery from mental health conditions in all aspects of service delivery.

From 1998 to 2007, Brody served as Chief Operating Officer of the Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System. Before joining MHASP in 2009, he was Recovery Services Administrator at Recovery Innovations of Pennsylvania.

Brody holds a B.A. in history from SUNY at Oswego, and a master of science in social work from Columbia University. He has taught at Adelphi University, SUNY at New Paltz, and Marist College.

"We are delighted that Michael brings such strong credentials in promoting recovery and resilience, and that he has a heart for our advocacy work," Boylan said. "We are confident that Michael will do great work and further our mission of advocacy and peer support."

MHASP's mission is "to promote groundbreaking ideas and create opportunities for resilience and recovery by applying the knowledge learned from the people we support, employ, and engage in transformative partnerships."

Contact: Susan Rogers, Director of Special Projects, MHASP, [email protected], 267-507-3812

SOURCE Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania