Strengthening Collaboration to Improve Mental Health Care
An Academy for Healthcare Leaders Project Spotlight
Featuring Danielle Mohlhenrich-Thompson, LCSW, LCAS | Advanced Healthcare Leaders
Danielle Mohlhenrich-Thompson, LCSW, LCAS, took a nontraditional path into social work, earning her undergraduate degree from Auburn University and Master of Social Work from the University of Tennessee while raising twins.
After moving to North Carolina with her military husband, she joined Daymark Recovery as an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team lead, where she developed a passion for supporting individuals with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI) through the ACT model.
Mohlhenrich-Thompson advanced to ACT director, overseeing five teams, serving as an ACT co-reviewer, and joining the ACT Coalition advisory board before becoming Director of Adult Enhanced Services at Daymark Recovery. Today, she oversees ACT, Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Individual Placement and Support, and residential inpatient services.
Her dedication to supporting individuals with complex mental health needs and strengthening the systems that serve them led her to the Advanced Healthcare Leaders (AHL) program, part of the NCMS Foundation’s Academy for Healthcare Leaders.
The Project: Hospital and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team Collaboration
For Mohlhenrich-Thompson, effective mental health care depends on strong communication and coordination among the professionals supporting patients.
Through her Advanced Healthcare Leaders project, “Hospital and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team Collaboration,” she is working to improve communication between ACT teams and Holly Hill and Old Vineyard hospitals.
Drawing on her leadership experience, the project focuses on reducing communication barriers, strengthening education around the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and helping prevent vulnerable clients from “falling through the cracks” as they navigate different levels of care.
By strengthening collaboration between hospitals and community-based treatment teams, Mohlhenrich-Thompson hopes to support more coordinated care for individuals with serious mental illness.
Her commitment to underserved communities is both personal and professional, shaped by her experiences supporting individuals with SPMI and their families. These experiences have reinforced her dedication to advocating for those who may struggle to advocate for themselves.
Growing as a Leader to Strengthen Connections
Beyond her project, the Advanced Healthcare Leaders program has provided Mohlhenrich-Thompson with opportunities to expand her professional network and strengthen her leadership skills.
Through her project work, she has developed new connections, including with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), creating opportunities for greater collaboration across the health care system.
The program has also encouraged her to reflect on her own leadership approach. Through Insights Discovery and work on setting boundaries, she gained a greater understanding of her preference for structure and perfectionism while exploring how vulnerability and storytelling can help build meaningful connections.
For Mohlhenrich-Thompson, leadership is about more than managing programs and teams. It’s about strengthening relationships, advocating for vulnerable populations, and creating opportunities for better coordination across the continuum of care.
Her project demonstrates how investing in health care leadership can help bridge communication gaps, strengthen collaboration, and support more connected mental health care for the communities that need it most.
Learn more about the Academy for Healthcare Leaders and how the program equips health care professionals to lead meaningful change.