Jay Swarthout – Supervisor Spotlight

In June, our agency hired a major talent in the field: Jay Swarthout, who is serving as both program director at Turning Point House and our Medicaid transition specialist.

Jay is highly regarded among local treatment providers due to his vast knowledge and experience. He is an adjunct faculty member and trainer for the UB School of Social Work, a volunteer therapist through Give an Hour, and serves as the vice president on the board of directors of Restoration Society, Inc. His background includes a vast array of roles that address clinical systems and processes related to mental health, substance use, and complex trauma. Jay has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Fredonia and is a licensed mental health counselor.

As program director at Turning Point House, Jay’s first steps have been to encourage the professional development of his team in thought-provoking ways. “We’re shifting towards having staff become more aware of tying house processes and activities to each person’s treatment,” he said. It’s been a positive process that staff have embraced. “People here really care and they want to make a difference,” he noted.

This change is emblematic of a larger goal Jay has for Cazenovia Recovery in his other role as Medicaid transition specialist. Our agency is moving from an administrative culture to a person-centered, clinical environment that is driven by medical necessity. “This is a philosophical and cultural shift that needs to occur,” Jay explained.

His previous experience in managed care will be advantageous as we move to this new environment. “This is a huge challenge but also a very valuable opportunity that can reinforce our quality of clinical activities.” Not only does Jay believe this to be a beneficial development for the agency, it is also an exciting one. “We have a lot of talent on a number of levels that are working on this,” he said. “I believe we will be very successful in ways that some other organizations might not be.” Thanks to Jay’s experience, our agency is well-suited to adapt to the progressive changes coming our way.