Jaime has made a mark in the behavioral health industry by providing high quality, high value mental health and substance use disorder care.  Jaime believes, “Families shouldn’t have to experience financial hardships by taking out second mortgages or borrowing money in order to get the care that their loved ones deserve.  When it takes several days to get someone into care while sorting out finances and insurance coverage, tragedy can and will happen.” That is why, at Recovery Ways, immense effort has been put into developing their network and processes.  This enables them to have a patient come into their centers within 24 hours of contacting them, all with the peace of knowing exactly what their insurance will be billed.

Jaime’s centers focus on a high level of family support in addition to cutting-edge mental health strategies. A powerful example of this includes Sensory Integration, which teaches a “bottom up” approach rather than the traditional “top down” approach.  The “bottom up” approach focuses on teaching clients to get out of their heads and into their bodies, utilizing all of their senses to regulate. The outcomes of practicing these methods are measured, and clients routinely report noticeable levels of positive immediate impact on their mental health.

With the nation in a mental health crisis, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance use are all on the rise.  We have also seen an increase in suicide attempts and death by suicide.  Likewise, it has been a challenge for insurance-dependent people who struggle with depression and/or trauma to find a program that meets their needs. Recovery Ways, under Jaime’s leadership, has opened a stand-alone residential facility licensed to treat primary mental health with or without a substance use disorder.   This is in addition to enhancing the other facilities she oversees as CEO, which are licensed to treat substance use disorder.

Jaime W. Vinck, CPF Recovery Ways’ Chief Executive Officer, takes great pride in the quality of patient care. Under her supervision, multi-treatment disciplinary teams of therapists, psychologists, occupational and recreational therapists, physicians, and residential and medical coaches (front-line staff) all work synergistically to provide the best therapy for their patients.

In July 2020, she was recruited as CEO to lead the national expansion of Recovery Ways. Jaime is a unique CEO in this industry as she is also a licensed clinician.  This distinction makes her specifically capable to balance the issues patients and their loved ones face, while ensuring the overall health and growth of the company.  When asked her secret to success, Jaime stated, “I have a wonderful husband and incredible adult children who believe in me and that motivates me.  To model a life that is lived on purpose, in the service of helping others is the greatest gift I can give my kids.”

An Admirable and Interesting Background

Early in her career, Jaime worked in human resources as a compensation manager for Chrysler Corporation and Omni Point Communications. When she entered the behavioral health profession as a clinician, she quickly rose to a leadership position as the Clinical Director with Journey Health Centers and Chief Clinical Officer at Sierra Tucson. Jaime was promoted to Chief Operations Officer and ultimately CEO.  While working at Sierra Tucson, Jaime demonstrated her ability to be a CEO and lead a successful mental health organization, leading with the heart of a clinician.

Recognitions for Excellence

Jaime has been recognized as a mentor to women in leadership. She was named Licensed Professional Champion as part of the 2018 Women of Influence Awards, sponsored by Inside Tucson Business.  In 2019, she was named as one of Arizona’s Most Influential Women by AZ Business Magazine. Jaime has regularly been named one of the top leaders in Arizona in both Healthcare and Behavioral Health.  Her influence has reached further than Arizona and the United States.  She was asked to speak in London, England at the All Parliamentary Meeting, House of Commons, on Today’s Marijuana and the Addiction Treatment Experience in 2019.

An industry advocate, Jaime serves as a Treasurer/Finance Chair on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Addicted Treatment Providers. She speaks nationally and internationally on trending topics including: Suicide; Addiction and Depression; Compassion Fatigue and Provider Resilience; Trauma Informed Leadership; and Suicide and the Organization.

Promising Treatment for Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health

Recovery Ways is a nationally recognized ‘Center of Excellence’ for the treatment of substance use disorders and mental health disorders.  They provide a full continuum of care that includes outpatient services, medication-assisted therapy, partial hospitalization, residential care, and detox. Recovery Ways is in-network with most major payers including United Healthcare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cigna, Tri-Care, and Tri-West. In a comprehensive, patient-centered treatment approach, its evidence-based care model incorporates medical treatment, clinical care, complete case management, as well as recreational and occupational therapy.

The Salt Lake City core of Recovery Ways’ network of programs provides high quality, high value care with expertly trained, compassionate staff who are committed to its mission of expanding access to care, one life at a time. Recovery Ways also has programs in Washington, Idaho, and Texas. Jaime says, “Our program in Texas, Omega Recovery, specializes in the treatment of tech and screen addiction, which is an emerging issue in our nation. We are in the process of launching Omega West in Salt Lake City, a residential program where we will work with folks who have serious co-occurring disorders in addition to their screen, tech, and/or gaming addictions.” 

According to Jaime, Recovery Ways will continue to provide high quality, high value care for growing challenges by reaching out to communities dealing with difficulties such as technology/screen addiction, gambling addiction and sports betting, and suicidal ideation. Their team is also deeply committed to assisting the neurodiverse population and their families.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

The main goal of CBT is to better understand the connection between people’s beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and actions. Jaime shares that the goal is to develop positive self-talk and to eliminate negative thinking patterns (or thinking errors). She explains, “For example, if you tell yourself that you are not good enough, smart enough, etc., then that will become your belief. If you tell yourself that you are strong and smart and deserve to be treated well, that will change your outlook and how you show up in your relationships.”

Being Nimble and Always Having a Plan B

As per Jaime, she has failed, at times, to find a work-life balance. She has been speaking about compassion fatigue for years and often feels the symptoms. It’s the typical “Cobblers Children Have No Shoes,” and she holds herself accountable. Jaime overcomes challenges by being nimble and always having a Plan B. For her, success is “feeling peaceful that all the organization’s programs have been able to reach everyone that needs help in their communities and that the teams feel valued and successful as well.”

“Trauma Informed” Work Culture

Jaime’s approach to life is kind, compassionate, spiritual, energetic, driven, and fair. At work, she is always by her team’s side, ready to lend a helping hand when necessary. She also keeps her team focused on the mission and why they do what they do.

Jaime believes that a performance culture should be “trauma informed,” which means that the culture should feel safe, connections should be respected, and system regulation should be understood and taught. She feels that everyone has had some darkness in their life, some more than others. Jaime explained, “Everyone’s pain is maximum to them.  And sitting in that dark and painful place with another human when they have no idea how to get out of it is work that I will do until the day I die.”

A trauma informed culture understands that there are emotions rolling around under the surface. Jaime says, “Our responsibility is not to re-traumatize one another.  We all have trauma.” This is accomplished by treating everyone with dignity, even in unpleasant situations.

Message for Women Visionaries

Jaime’s message to all women is, “You deserve a seat at the table, even if you aren’t at the head of it. I see every table as round.  It’s important for women to develop rational authority – be the one people turn to because you are confident, compassionate, and competent. Allow others to lean in, and on you. Also, if someone talks over you or interrupts you, pause and say that you will continue when they are prepared to listen.  Don’t tolerate being made invisible. Your voice matters; use it.”

Website: https://www.recoveryways.com/