Explore next steps to improve your mental health. 
Thriveworks recently welcomed Amy Pearlman, MSW, LICSW, to the role of senior vice president of clinical strategy. An experienced behavioral health executive and licensed clinician, Amy brings deep expertise in advancing evidence-based practice and data-driven solutions, which she’ll apply to her work of defining what “quality” means in behavioral health, embedding it throughout every aspect of care delivery.
In this interview, Amy reflects on the career highlights that shaped her philosophy, why measurement matters in behavioral health, and her vision for balancing digital innovation with the human side of care.
Q: Tell us about a career highlight and what made it so meaningful?
A: Early in my career, I worked with a team to create an online “bed finder” which aimed to make inpatient psychiatric bed availability in Massachusetts more transparent. This website aimed to reduce emergency department (ED) overcrowding, especially for people with behavioral health concerns. I was so excited about the work at the time that I said, “What if this is my peak?”
Although I hope I haven’t reached my “peak” yet, the experience inspired me to look at an issue, such as ED overcrowding, and find a solution that may impact the problem more upstream and help the system overall. The site has since grown to include availability for other levels of care, including community-based care. This example of a solution is core to my approach in terms of transparency, accessibility, and also touches on another passion of mine: data.
Q: Why is it so important to define and measure quality in mental health care, and how do you see this shaping the way we collaborate with clinicians, engage clients, and work with payers and health systems?
A: Measurement goes hand-in-hand with all types of health care, and mental health deserves a seat at the table. I see measurement as our chair. Quality should always be our north star, guiding us toward what works and helping us change course when barriers may arise. Although measurement-informed care (MIC) has been viewed as another task on clinicians’ never-ending to-do list, my aim is to reframe MIC as a tool in our toolbox—something that can make our lives a little easier. Using data can help providers, payers, and health systems speak a common language. However the language is only the start. The conversation that follows is the true magic.
Q: Clinicians are at the heart of delivering quality care. What do you think is most important to ensure they feel supported, engaged, and able to thrive?
A: As a clinician, it’s hard to answer this question: I have to think about myself in both a leadership role and in a clinical role. As a leader, I feel like I can’t do my job without clinician input and buy-in. Clinical strategy is informed and executed by clinicians.
As a clinician, I think about what I would want and need to do my job to the highest of my abilities. My priorities include feeling heard, validated, belonging, and included. Several of these factors are what we know work in therapy. The connection between therapist and client offers the greatest opportunity for success, and I believe that we have an opportunity to create that same connection with our clinicians, offering the support, tools, and resources necessary for their success. This means a clear definition of what success means, how to achieve it, and the tools necessary to do so.
Q: What would you say is the biggest challenge facing the behavioral health industry today?
A: I think one of the biggest challenges is finding the right balance between the excitement and efficiency of technology and the steady appeal of the clinical art and science of evidence-based practice. There are so many tools available now that can make behavioral health treatment more accessible, but the question is where to draw the line between what can be supported by technology and what requires the unique skill of an actual, trained human being. That extends to what services can be delivered by licensed clinicians versus coaches. Ultimately, we’re trying to solve for how we maintain a high quality of care, meet an increased demand for services, and maximize the tools and technology available in today’s age.
Q: What is one prediction you have for the future of mental health?
A: I see mental health as a core part of who we are and how we are doing. In the coming years, I see the industry embracing a more holistic vision of how our mental health fits into our overall health and wellness, integrated into other settings such as primary care, social and emotional learning in school settings, or collaborative care models. Our lives are more than our diagnoses, and I expect that to be reflected more in how services are delivered and reimbursed so that more people—clients and clinicians alike—can truly thrive.
