Rich VandenHeuvel

Principal

Health Management Associates

Lansing, MI

[javascript protected email address]

(517) 482-9236

As a former behavioral health executive, Rich VandenHeuvel knows how to help organizations successfully navigate the challenges of the health reform era.

Rich has facilitated regional and statewide technical and strategic responses to opportunities presented by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). He has extensive experience collaborating with government partners at all levels, building consensus among diverse stakeholders, and moving projects from conception to completion. His background in providing direct services offers an important perspective for determining the impact of policy on communities, families and individuals.

Prior to joining HMA, Rich served as the CEO for a newly formed public behavioral health managed care organization. As the organization’s first employee, he was responsible for building it from the ground up. He oversaw an annual budget of more than $250 million to provide specialty behavioral health services across a diverse population and geographic area. In addition to managing multiple funding waivers, he was responsible for integration and management of substance abuse services, collaboration with Medicaid managed care health plans, and governing board and leadership development. Rich led the creation of regional service standards, cost comparison standards, and provider network management standards.

As executive director of a multi-county community mental health organization, Rich oversaw a comprehensive restructuring of the organization, managed government funding streams, and led efforts to form local collaborative partnerships in the areas of health care, human services, law enforcement, housing, and children’s services. Rich also served as clinical director for a mental health organization serving adults and children living with mental illness, developmental disabilities and/or substance use disorders in three Michigan counties. He spearheaded strategic planning and organizational restructuring and managed affiliations and service network partnerships.

Rich has served as spokesperson for the 10 Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans responsible for the Specialty Behavioral Health Services Benefit throughout Michigan, which included the lead role in joint contract negotiations with the State of Michigan.

He received his master’s degree in social work from Grand Valley State University and his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University.

Rich enjoys all of his children’s activities and a few of his own, including hiking, cooking, traveling, history and watching or playing nearly any sport (enthusiastically, if not all equally well).