Speaking of Design

In the 14th episode of the “Listen, Mental Health Matters” podcast series, Brian Giebink, behavioral and mental health practice director, talks with President and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health Behavioral Health Center Deanna Sperling about building and leading one of the nation’s largest integrated behavioral health service lines. Drawing on nearly three decades of experience, Sperling shares how commitment to standardization and collaboration across specialties has helped expand access to behavioral healthcare throughout New Jersey. Together, they explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the field today, from telehealth and workforce shortages to persistent stigma and social determinants of health, while highlighting the partnerships and patient-centered strategies that help connect people with care when and where they need it most.

In the third episode of “Listen, Mental Health Matters,” Brian Giebink, HDR’s behavioral and mental health practice lead, talks with Grady Health System’s Shannon Sale, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, and Anne Hernandez, vice president of behavioral health. Their discussion explores strategies they’ve implemented to improve access to behavioral health care, including integration with existing specialty centers and new outpatient centers, as well as the creation of an employee resiliency clinic. Through these strategies they have progressed their mission to address the social determinants of health beyond the care environment with programs to address housing, community partnerships and more.

"Listen, Mental Health Matters" is a special Speaking of Design podcast series. Brian Giebink, behavioral and mental health practice leader at HDR, visits some of the world’s leading healthcare providers for candid conversations about the challenges they face and the opportunities to transform the patient and caregiver experience. The importance of mental health services has never been more evident, and many healthcare organizations are striving to improve access to care and the environments in which that care is provided. In this inaugural episode, Brian sits down with Stacey Johnson, president of Riverside Mental Health & Recovery Center in Hampton, Virginia, for a discussion about her approach to leading the growth of the organization’s services, designing new environments for care delivery and the personal motivation that drives her to help people who are in need.

When your project calls for environmental solutions, this team has you covered. Based out of Nanuet, New York, this group of biologists, environmental scientists and technicians operates out of a modern, state-of-the-art facility with everything you need to design and execute your customized environmental study. That includes a fleet of survey vessels, a fabrication shop to design original equipment for the job, and a taxonomy and water quality lab to analyze samples collected in the field. Behind all that equipment and technology is a team passionate about the environment.

What if you could intertwine education and professional practice to do good? That’s the concept behind the Georgia Tech School of Architecture’s Flourishing Communities Collaborative, a unique academic lab that partners faculty, students and professionals to take on real pro-bono design projects. On this episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll hear about the benefits of that immersive educational experience and the experience of designing a new healthcare clinic for Clarkston Community Heath, a free healthcare clinic for uninsured and underserved residents of Clarkston County.

Whether it’s limiting interstate noise, preserving the serenity of nature or enhancing an orchestral performance, our acousticians are listening. On this episode of Speaking of Design, hear how their work involves everything from protecting patient privacy in hospitals to maintaining the ambiance of backyard barbeques to visiting polar bear habitat. Their mission is to enhance the sounds you want and help mitigate the ones you don’t.

When construction comes to your street for a water main replacement, the technical side is only half the challenge. On this episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll meet the people responsible for communicating with residents during construction in New York City. Their work took on added significance during COVID-19, as they initiated a multilanguage public outreach plan for a predominantly Chinese-speaking community.

Drones are leading to exciting advances in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. In the first part of a two-part episode, we’ll learn about what it takes to become a drone pilot, some of the unique challenges they face in the sky and how they’re making safety a priority while flying.