4-29-25 “Behavioral Health” InnovAge Behavioral Health Services VP Leslie Minna on Great Day CO
What is Behavioral Health? InnovAge Vice President of Behavioral Health Services Leslie Minna shares how behavioral health can impact any and every part of someone’s health and well-being. And, she explains how behavioral health in a PACE model elevates its impact.
“Behavioral health providers are embedded within our centers to help meet the providers and the patient’s needs in real time, says Minna. “Let’s say a patient mentions they’re sad or anxious. The behavioral health provider or psychiatric nurse practitioner can go right into the exam room and talk to the person about their problem and help them with coping skills.”
“I was in a really, really bad spot,” says Scott, and InnovAge Colorado PACE participant. “I wasn’t talking to anyone. I was just destroying myself.”
“Sometimes it’s just acknowledging, that gosh, that it’s hard,” says Behavioral Health Provider Shae Hocker. “How often do you see people walking around that are saying the hard things out loud? I think people come in here and say the hard things.”
“With InnovAge, we take a really unique approach to behavioral health,” says Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Michael Moore. “We work in an integrated model of primary care. So behavioral health and primary care work hand-in-hand to optimize patient care.”
“It’s just been absolutely incredible. The people here are wonderful,” says Scott. “They pay really good attention to you. They listen, which is huge. And they really do whatever they can. It’s just a really good program.”
Minna shares more: “It doesn’t have to be a big blown out issue. It could be something simple. You’re having a hard day. Maybe you didn’t sleep well last night.”
In this Great Day Colorado segment, Minna goes on to explain “Solutions-Focused, Brief Interventions” and other everyday coping strategies.