Dr. Courtney Cantrell, Senior Director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services (MH/DD/SAS), has accepted a position outside of NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Her last day will be June 30, 2016. In her 3 ½-year tenure with DHHS, Dr. Cantrell has been instrumental in realigning the Division of MH/DD/SAS to meet the changing health care needs of behavioral health patients and those with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. She has ensured that integration of physical and behavioral health care, along with integration of developmental disabilities, remain core tenets of our reform efforts.

The NC Council on Developmental Disabilities has found Dr. Cantrell to be responsive to our engagement on issues affecting people with I/DD. She has worked collaboratively and in partnership with private and public agencies who are involved in promoting the priorities of the Council. In the time leading up to Dr. Cantrell's departure, Secretary Brajer will work to identify a temporary leader to serve in an interim capacity to ensure continuity of operations and continued success of this division, while also beginning the search process to identify a permanent replacement.

Please join the Council in thanking Dr. Cantrell for her numerous contributions to the citizens of North Carolina and also wishing her continued success in her new role as ​a Customer Solutions Advisor for Care Management Technologies (CMT), a North Carolina-based leader in population health management through data analytics.

Chris Egan
Executive Director