Amanda Wilde (Host): This is Community Connect: presented by Tampa General Hospital. I'm Amanda Wilde. Joining me is Doug Leonardo, CEO of TGH Behavioral Health Hospital. Doug, welcome. Thank you for being here.

Doug Leonardo: Thanks for having me, Amanda.

Host: So curious, because TGH Behavioral Health Hospital is one of Florida's first behavioral health teaching hospitals. Can you explain, Doug, please, what makes a behavioral health teaching hospital unique?

Doug Leonardo: Sure. As a freestanding psychiatric hospital, it's specifically designed to treat adults, children who have serious mental health issues who are in crisis. They're treated by a team of psychiatrists and nurses and therapists. And the piece that kind of makes it a little unique is that we're going to have residents here. So, we're going to have kind of that next generation of psychiatrists training here, learning from experienced faculty members caring for our patients.

Host: And you've partnered with USF Health and Lifepoint Behavioral Health in this project. What is the role of that partnership?

Doug Leonardo: We have, and it's a fantastic partnership. Lifepoint Behavioral Health is providing a lot of the operational day-to-day support for running the facility. And USF Health as our fully integrated academic health partner is providing all of the psychiatrists as well as the residents and the students that will be here treating patients.

Host: And you mentioned this as a standalone academic behavioral health hospital. How is that different from other behavioral healthcare resources that were previously available to the community?

Doug Leonardo: I think the big difference is that as a freestanding psychiatric hospital, all we do all day is behavioral health. So, everybody here is an expert in their particular role when it comes to treating individuals with significant psychiatric problems. So, that's, I think, one of the big differences. And then, of course, having the academic partner, with USF bringing research, bringing the ability to do clinical trials, bringing the latest in terms of treatment approaches, I think is what makes us different.

Host: Can you elaborate on the specific services you provide?

Doug Leonardo: Sure. So, a lot of what happens here day to day is working with our patients to help them stabilize from whatever the crisis was that brought them in. So, they'll be attended to by our psychiatrist on a daily basis. They'll be in groups working on different areas of focus to help them prepare to be discharged and, hopefully, return to their home or an environment where they can kind of continue down their healing path.

Host: Well, since the grand opening of the TGH Behavioral Health Hospital took place earlier this year, have you seen progress that has been made since the hospital's doors opened?

Doug Leonardo: Yes. I mean, it's really been great to see, one, you're building a brand new team in a brand new facility, so watching them come together. And then, they were very eager to have patients come in here and being able to start caring for them. So, really, every aspect of the program, whether it's in our dietary staff who are preparing nutritious meals for them. We've brought in community members to do things like yoga and art therapy. We have other types of groups that come in here to help support the formal treatment program. So, I think the community's really responded well. And we continue, I think, to make progress everyday.

Host: Very thoughtful and comprehensive set of services that you're reflecting on.

Doug Leonardo: Yes.

Host: Another exciting development is the behavioral health service line that is being built out for the entire health system. Can you describe what that is and share the progress of the service line?

Doug Leonardo: Sure. So, the service line is relatively new to TGH as of maybe a year ago. So, what we're doing is really helping to build out some additional behavioral health services in what we would consider an ambulatory and an outpatient space to help support other aspects of the health system. So for example, if there are patients maybe in our oncology service line or our maternal health service line who have a behavioral health problem that's been identified, we can create kind of a warm transition and a warm handoff to behavioral health professionals who can continue their care once they leave the service that they originally came in for, which might have been a physical health issue that they needed some help with and why we do their assessments, identified a behavioral health issue. So, we will continue that care post-discharge.

Host: Right. I mean, many patients with physical health conditions also experience mental health challenges. For patient experiences within the physical health space, within the health system, what does the behavioral health service line piece look like and who would be involved in the mental health care space?

Doug Leonardo: So, it's really varied. We have teams of psychologists that work to do consults. So if a physician on, let's just say the Oncology Unit, needs some help because they see a patient who might be struggling emotionally they can call for a consult. A psychologist can go and evaluate the patient, and then help determine what other services they need.

We also have services that are helping to work with pediatricians, for example, and help them better understand mental health, what resources are available for their patients, linking them to those resources in an attempt to really treat the whole person. And there are some other things that are happening too within our emergency department and identifying individuals who might have a substance use disorder and helping get them the care that they need. So really, in creating a more comprehensive, integrated health system, we can treat the whole person.

Host: You have dedicated your career to behavioral health and helping patients improve their mental health. What drew you to this field and can you share a little bit also about how you got to this point as CEO of TGH Behavioral Health Hospital?

Doug Leonardo: Sure. I think unlike a lot of people, behavioral health was always something I wanted to do. And it really goes back to high school. I had a high school baseball coach who was also the school psychologist. And when I learned about what he did outside of the baseball field, it interested me. And it kind of set me on my path.

You know, as for how I got here, I've just been fortunate, I think. I've had several mentors over the years who've taken me under their wing and gave me opportunities that I don't know that I would've had otherwise. And a lot of it is just dumb luck but hard work. And being able to land in good organizations like Tampa General who value behavioral health and allow me to help the patients that need the care the most.

Host: I would be remiss if I did not ask you as CEO what you are most proud of and excited about for the future of TGH Behavioral Health Hospital.

Doug Leonardo: Oh, I think the world is kind of our oyster. You know, when I think about the fact that we're really just getting started, we have other units that we're still going to be opening over the next several months, other services that we'll be bringing into the hospital, as well as getting into research with USF looking at some clinical trials, trying to get ahead to the extent that we can of this mental health epidemic that our country faces. There's so much possibility, and it really gets me excited every day.

Host: It's so interesting how the center combines partnerships, academics, and as you said, concentrating on what you do 24/7. Do you think this model for behavioral healthcare will become more common?

Doug Leonardo: I hope so. I hope that we can continue to bring together the best at what healthcare systems offer, as well as what academic systems provide and marry those up. Because I think we're going to move the field a lot further, a lot faster when we're able to do that.

Host: Well, you're on a strong foundation already, and I just want to thank you for the work that you are doing with TGH Behavioral Health Hospital and thanks for being here today.

Doug Leonardo: Thank you for having me.

Host: That was Doug Leonardo, CEO of TGH Behavioral Health Hospital. For more information, please visit tghbehavioralhospital.com. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and follow Community Connect: presented by TGH on your favorite podcast platform. This is Community Connect, presented by TGH. Thanks for listening.