Speaking of Design

In the fourth episode of “Listen, Mental Health Matters,” Brian Giebink, HDR’s behavioral and mental health practice lead, speaks with James Corbett, founder and principal at Initium Health in Denver. Their unguarded conversation dives into the top challenges and opportunities that communities face regarding behavioral and mental health — and why local efforts and community-informed decisions are so critical for the future. Hear about the roots of Corbett’s ambitious career path from law school to divinity school to the founding of Initium Health, and how he found his calling in the advancement of behavioral and mental healthcare in the U.S.

In the third episode of “Listen, Mental Health Matters,” Brian Giebink, HDR’s behavioral and mental health practice lead, talks with Grady Health System’s Shannon Sale, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, and Anne Hernandez, vice president of behavioral health. Their discussion explores strategies they’ve implemented to improve access to behavioral health care, including integration with existing specialty centers and new outpatient centers, as well as the creation of an employee resiliency clinic. Through these strategies they have progressed their mission to address the social determinants of health beyond the care environment with programs to address housing, community partnerships and more.

In the second episode of "Listen, Mental Health Matters," Brian Giebink, HDR’s behavioral and mental health practice lead, has an in-depth discussion with Tom Kozaczynski, chief advancement officer at Compass Health. Their dialogue covers the evolving post-pandemic landscape of mental health care and the challenges faced by Compass Health's diverse clientele — the vast majority of whom are experiencing poverty and navigating care through Medicaid. Tom highlights the critical workforce shortage that the behavioral health field is facing and Compass Health’s strategic use of telehealth to enhance patient care and increase accessibility. The conversation also delves into the organization’s commitment to evidence-based care and its advocacy for a more sustainable funding model. Tom also shares exciting plans for a new facility that will reshape the delivery of mental healthcare for the communities that Compass Health serves.

"Listen, Mental Health Matters" is a special Speaking of Design podcast series. Brian Giebink, behavioral and mental health practice leader at HDR, visits some of the world’s leading healthcare providers for candid conversations about the challenges they face and the opportunities to transform the patient and caregiver experience. The importance of mental health services has never been more evident, and many healthcare organizations are striving to improve access to care and the environments in which that care is provided. In this inaugural episode, Brian sits down with Stacey Johnson, president of Riverside Mental Health & Recovery Center in Hampton, Virginia, for a discussion about her approach to leading the growth of the organization’s services, designing new environments for care delivery and the personal motivation that drives her to help people who are in need.

As airport operators contemplate modernization and development of major programs, they face the challenge of improving the experience for travelers. How can airports create an environment that enhances travel for passengers, while still meeting their core needs? In this expert roundtable discussion led by transportation industry leader Rick Pilgrim, three of HDR’s top aviation minds sit down to discuss practical solutions already being deployed and the global trends that will transform air travel in the near future.

When your project calls for environmental solutions, this team has you covered. Based out of Nanuet, New York, this group of biologists, environmental scientists and technicians operates out of a modern, state-of-the-art facility with everything you need to design and execute your customized environmental study. That includes a fleet of survey vessels, a fabrication shop to design original equipment for the job, and a taxonomy and water quality lab to analyze samples collected in the field. Behind all that equipment and technology is a team passionate about the environment.

After witnessing the impact of a pandemic on the air travel industry, three architects began to reimagine how airports might look if designed with a health environment perspective, through the lens of passenger health and wellness. They submitted their concept to Healthcare Design Magazine's Breaking Through competition, which prompted further conversations with experts across the design industry. The collaboration led to broader ideas of how we might rethink an air traveler’s journeys, the role technology can play in improving air travel efficiency and how different an airport design could look with a blank canvas.

What if you could intertwine education and professional practice to do good? That’s the concept behind the Georgia Tech School of Architecture’s Flourishing Communities Collaborative, a unique academic lab that partners faculty, students and professionals to take on real pro-bono design projects. On this episode of Speaking of Design, we’ll hear about the benefits of that immersive educational experience and the experience of designing a new healthcare clinic for Clarkston Community Heath, a free healthcare clinic for uninsured and underserved residents of Clarkston County.

Each of the 90,000 dams in the U.S. plays a critical role in the community it serves — from preventing floods, to generating hydroelectric power, to providing a water supply for drinking water, irrigation and recreation. On this podcast, meet the professional rope access technicians whose jobs involve preserving the structural integrity of each dam — by providing a rarely seen perspective of some of the largest infrastructure in the world. Collectively, our team of more than 40 certified by the Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians has logged approximately 50,000 hours suspended from ropes, getting an up-close view of dams, bridges, tunnels and other hydraulic infrastructure.

 

Whether it’s limiting interstate noise, preserving the serenity of nature or enhancing an orchestral performance, our acousticians are listening. On this episode of Speaking of Design, hear how their work involves everything from protecting patient privacy in hospitals to maintaining the ambiance of backyard barbeques to visiting polar bear habitat. Their mission is to enhance the sounds you want and help mitigate the ones you don’t.