NEWS
AIBH Executive Director Meets with Vets Recover, Inc. Executives
30 Sept 26; Mobile, AL
Alabama Institute for Behavioral Health, P.C. Executive Director, John M. Duffey, Sr., met with RAdml(ret) Kent Davis of the Vets Recover, Inc. substance use recovery facility in Mobile, AL on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, to discuss methods, procedures, and joint process flows that will maximize availability and access to care for Alabama's nearly 500k veterans in need of psychotherapy and addiction intervention and recovery assistance.
It proved to be highly productive and easy for the two veteran-focused mental health agencies as both focus on separate but key factors in helping veterans in crisis and in addiction struggles. The Alabama Institute focuses on in-person and tele-health psychotherapy for PTSD, MST, MDD, Panic/Anxiety Disorder, and other issues such as adjustment to civilian living and linkage with resources in the community in East-Central Alabama while Vets Recover focus on all steps of detox, in-patient rehabilitation, intensive outpatient treatment, and reintegration services in addition to psychotherapy and resource-linkage for the Southern Alabama and Florida Panhandle areas.
"This is an access to care partnership made in Heaven," said John Duffey in an interview with AIBH's PAO. "I was afforded a tour of the entire facility and I am highly impressed with the facility, the services, the highest technology medical and mental health treatment modalities, and the highly trained and professional staff. I've seen nothing like it anywhere in the 10 years I have been in practice," Duffey said further.
Alabama currently ranks 50th out of 50 for availability of mental healthcare professionals. In basic terms, Alabama is the worst state in the union for mental health care availability and access. The national average for availability of mental healthcare professionals is 362.6 per 100,000 people while Alabama barely reaches 162.9 per 100,000 residents leaving a deficit of professional availability of 199.7 per 100,000 people in the State.
According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), about 860,000 Alabama adults (22.09%) experienced some form of mental illness within the last year. About 224,000 of them experienced serious mental illness. The NSDUH goes on to publish that only 52% of adults experiencing a mental illness received treatment for their condition. Applying that rate to Alabama's 860,000 renders 410,000 Alabama residents, experiencing some form of mental illness, untreated and absent of access to care throughout the state and across demographic spectrums.
Mental Health America reports that 19.1% of Alabama adults with mental illness, about 90,000 people, said they needed mental health treatment but did not and could not acquire or access any. Alabama's lower provider supply level suggests the true figure may be well above the numbers reported here. "It amazes me that the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) hasn't asserted more energy and effort to increase provider availability and supply while simultaneously working with a full spectrum provider organizations throughout the state to enhance access to care for the entire general population. There are a lot of organizations out there that can supplement and achieve the state's goals and needs if accessed and certified by Alabama to do so. Right now, it seems as though there is a narrow bottleneck that is grossly insufficient to meet the target population in Alabama," Duffey stated.
However, Vets Recover, Inc. and the Alabama Institute for Behavioral Health, P.C. continue to strive towards meeting the needs of the community within the area of mental health provider availability and access to care. These two, who are working well with a number of statewide organizations, are making great strides in serving the Alabama community at large as well as its honored veterans.
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Mirela Ties the Knot with Ty!!
Mirela Thompson, was wed to Ty Thompson last Saturday, 19 September 2026. It was a Beautiful wedding and a very loving union finally come to fruition. In spite of the weather vows and reception were both wonderful. All of us here at AIBH welcome Ty into the family, too. |
DUFFEY TO BROADCAST VETERAN-STUDENT SUICIDE PREVENTION
PRESENTATION IN PODCAST.
John Duffey, Executive Director and Founder of the Alabama Institute for Behavioral Health will complete a podcast of his presentation to the Higher Education Suicide Prevention Convention 2026, held in Montgomery Alabama. This will permit more decision makers and counselors on university campuses to hear the data and suggestion for implementation focused on reducing veteran suicides in university settings.
Duffey wasn't able to personally deliver the presentation due to a family emergency. However, making it available on the web will permit reaching out to the higher education leadership community.
STAY TUNED!
PRESENTATION IN PODCAST.
John Duffey, Executive Director and Founder of the Alabama Institute for Behavioral Health will complete a podcast of his presentation to the Higher Education Suicide Prevention Convention 2026, held in Montgomery Alabama. This will permit more decision makers and counselors on university campuses to hear the data and suggestion for implementation focused on reducing veteran suicides in university settings.
Duffey wasn't able to personally deliver the presentation due to a family emergency. However, making it available on the web will permit reaching out to the higher education leadership community.
STAY TUNED!
Mirela Thompson Joins the Team!
28 July 2026, Phenix City, AL.
Ms. Mirela Thompson has become the next member of the Finance Department taking over the position of Accounts Receivable Specialist. She has years of experience in medical billing, claims, and coding and is definitely an asset to the Alabama Institute. She comes with high skills and experience with a history of optimizing revenue generation and engaging rejected claims for successful payment by insurance companies.
Ms. Thompson has been able to save and secure millions of dollars in lost or missed revenue for other clinical practices and corporations. We are all very happy to see her take the reins and repair a struggling department.
Mirela is originally from Romania and relocated to Phenix City, Al from Atlanta, Ga.
28 July 2026, Phenix City, AL.
Ms. Mirela Thompson has become the next member of the Finance Department taking over the position of Accounts Receivable Specialist. She has years of experience in medical billing, claims, and coding and is definitely an asset to the Alabama Institute. She comes with high skills and experience with a history of optimizing revenue generation and engaging rejected claims for successful payment by insurance companies.
Ms. Thompson has been able to save and secure millions of dollars in lost or missed revenue for other clinical practices and corporations. We are all very happy to see her take the reins and repair a struggling department.
Mirela is originally from Romania and relocated to Phenix City, Al from Atlanta, Ga.
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John Duffey, Sr. completes final Court Informing Assessment Case24 July 2026, Phenix City, AL.
John M. Duffey, Sr., creator and proponent for the Court Informing Mental Health Assessment Model (CIMHA) for assessing court-involved adults and veterans and founder of the Alabama Institute for Behavioral Health completed his 14th and final CIMH case by testifying in court regarding the assessment performed. His plans now are to continue research on PTSD and the CIMHA model as well as assuming a greater administrative leadership role in AIBH. |
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Alabama Higher Education Suicide Prevention Conference
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VIDEOS & PODCASTS
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VETERAN-STUDENT SUICIDE RISKS & REDUCTION
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