Q&A with Owensboro Health and CredibleMind: Tackling Behavioral Health Through Community Collaboration

In this insightful conversation hosted by Nancy Myers of the American Hospital Association, we explore how Owensboro Health (Ky.) and CredibleMind are partnering to address behavioral health needs in Kentucky and beyond. Joining Nancy are Debbie Zuerner, Director of Community Engagement at Owensboro Health, and Derek Van Brunt, CEO of CredibleMind.

Q: Debbie, what led Owensboro Health to focus on behavioral health in your community?

Debbie Zuerner: We serve 18 counties — 16 in western Kentucky and two in southern Indiana. Through our community health needs assessment and other data sources, mental health consistently emerged as the top health issue. Initially, the response was to call for more providers, but we realized that wasn’t enough. We needed new strategies and partnerships to truly support our community.

Q: How did your partnership with CredibleMind begin?

Debbie Zuerner: Derek and I go way back to the early days of the Affordable Care Act. We stayed in touch, and when he introduced the concept behind CredibleMind, I saw its potential immediately. The platform offers vetted, expert-reviewed resources, which builds trust — something our community desperately needed.

Q: Derek, what inspired you to create CredibleMind?

Derek Van Brunt: It’s personal. I’ve taught public health at UC Berkeley for over 20 years and have family members with mental health challenges. CredibleMind is about prevention and early intervention—helping people before they reach that point.

Q: What is “population behavioral health,” and how is it different from traditional approaches?

Derek Van Brunt: It’s a term we use to describe a holistic approach that combines traditional care — therapy, medication — with prevention through something that’s easy to use. Many people don’t know their risk levels or where to go for help. CredibleMind helps guide them to evidence-based self-care or professional support, depending on their needs.

Q: Debbie, how has this approach impacted your community partnerships?

Debbie Zuerner: We formed a formal mental health collaborative with our local health department and community mental health center. We clarified roles, set objectives and used CredibleMind to raise awareness and reduce stigma. It’s not just collaboration — it’s a true collaborative with shared leadership and goals.

Q: What kind of impact are you seeing?

Debbie Zuerner: We track usage monthly. Early on, we saw high engagement from youth — ages 13 to 24. People are taking assessments, coming back and spending time on pages. It’s helping us identify key issues and tailor our outreach.

Derek Van Brunt: In Monterey County, California, we saw a threefold increase in access to mental health resources. We reached new populations and helped redirect care to those who needed it most. Over half of users reported behavior changes like better sleep and reduced anger.

Q: How are communities funding these kinds of behavioral health initiatives?

Derek Van Brunt: Funding often comes from community health budgets, coalitions, public health departments, foundations, and even schools and law enforcement.

Q: What advice do you have for other health systems looking to support behavioral health?

Debbie Zuerner: Think broadly. Behavioral health affects all patient populations, not just those in crisis. Engage your quality, accreditation and service lines — geriatric, wellness, behavioral health. Build relationships with community partners. It’s about making behavioral health support part of your culture and strategy.

Learn More

This conversation highlights the power of collaboration, innovation and data-driven strategies in addressing behavioral health. Whether you're a large health system or a small hospital, the lessons from Owensboro Health and CredibleMind are clear: Start with your community, build trust and invest in scalable solutions.

To learn more, visit Community Behavioral Health Solutions.