A Journey of Personal Connection and System-Wide Change
With Dr. Veronica Kelley
Stories to Solutions
From her early days as a social worker to her current role as Director of OC Health Care Agency, Dr. Veronica Kelley's path in mental health care has been shaped by both personal experience and professional dedication. Coming from a family that experienced trauma and addiction, Dr. Kelley's approach to mental health care is deeply rooted in lived experience.
"I was really chosen for the field by my family and community," she reflects, describing how she naturally gravitated toward helping others process their pain. This personal connection to mental health challenges has informed her innovative approach to system-wide improvements in one of the nation's largest counties.
Dr. Kelley brings a fresh perspective to traditional healthcare challenges, advocating for a more integrated, collaborative approach that brings together clinicians, law enforcement, peers with lived experience, and academic partners. Her work spans from transforming crisis response systems to reimagining how mental health services are funded and delivered.
Dr. Kelley's message is clear: the future of mental health care depends on our ability to work together, share resources, and learn from each other's experiences. Through her leadership, Orange County is demonstrating how combining personal insight with systematic change can create more effective, compassionate mental health care systems.
For those interested in getting involved or learning more about mental health resources in Orange County, visit OCHealthInfo.com or OCNavigator.org for free access to information about mental health services and support.
"I was really chosen for the field by my family and community," she reflects, describing how she naturally gravitated toward helping others process their pain. This personal connection to mental health challenges has informed her innovative approach to system-wide improvements in one of the nation's largest counties.
Dr. Kelley brings a fresh perspective to traditional healthcare challenges, advocating for a more integrated, collaborative approach that brings together clinicians, law enforcement, peers with lived experience, and academic partners. Her work spans from transforming crisis response systems to reimagining how mental health services are funded and delivered.
Dr. Kelley's message is clear: the future of mental health care depends on our ability to work together, share resources, and learn from each other's experiences. Through her leadership, Orange County is demonstrating how combining personal insight with systematic change can create more effective, compassionate mental health care systems.
For those interested in getting involved or learning more about mental health resources in Orange County, visit OCHealthInfo.com or OCNavigator.org for free access to information about mental health services and support.
From her early days as a social worker to her current role as Director of OC Health Care Agency, Dr. Veronica Kelley's path in mental health care has been shaped by both personal experience and professional dedication. Coming from a family that experienced trauma and addiction, Dr. Kelley's approach to mental health care is deeply rooted in lived experience.
"I was really chosen for the field by my family and community," she reflects, describing how she naturally gravitated toward helping others process their pain. This personal connection to mental health challenges has informed her innovative approach to system-wide improvements in one of the nation's largest counties.
Dr. Kelley brings a fresh perspective to traditional healthcare challenges, advocating for a more integrated, collaborative approach that brings together clinicians, law enforcement, peers with lived experience, and academic partners. Her work spans from transforming crisis response systems to reimagining how mental health services are funded and delivered.
Dr. Kelley's message is clear: the future of mental health care depends on our ability to work together, share resources, and learn from each other's experiences. Through her leadership, Orange County is demonstrating how combining personal insight with systematic change can create more effective, compassionate mental health care systems.
For those interested in getting involved or learning more about mental health resources in Orange County, visit OCHealthInfo.com or OCNavigator.org for free access to information about mental health services and support.
"I was really chosen for the field by my family and community," she reflects, describing how she naturally gravitated toward helping others process their pain. This personal connection to mental health challenges has informed her innovative approach to system-wide improvements in one of the nation's largest counties.
Dr. Kelley brings a fresh perspective to traditional healthcare challenges, advocating for a more integrated, collaborative approach that brings together clinicians, law enforcement, peers with lived experience, and academic partners. Her work spans from transforming crisis response systems to reimagining how mental health services are funded and delivered.
Dr. Kelley's message is clear: the future of mental health care depends on our ability to work together, share resources, and learn from each other's experiences. Through her leadership, Orange County is demonstrating how combining personal insight with systematic change can create more effective, compassionate mental health care systems.
For those interested in getting involved or learning more about mental health resources in Orange County, visit OCHealthInfo.com or OCNavigator.org for free access to information about mental health services and support.
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Links to Solutions
The power of lived experience in mental health care:
Dr. Kelley emphasizes the importance of incorporating perspectives from people who have personally navigated mental health challenges, advocating for their voices to be as normalized in healthcare discussions as physical health conditions.
Breaking down silos through collaboration:
Success in mental health care requires partnerships across multiple sectors - from universities and private providers to law enforcement and crisis response teams. Dr. Kelley's work demonstrates how breaking down traditional barriers between these groups leads to more effective care delivery.
Transforming systems through crisis:
Rather than viewing current healthcare challenges as insurmountable obstacles, Dr. Kelley sees them as opportunities for meaningful change. She advocates for using present challenges to redesign mental health systems from the ground up, with input from those who understand the needs best - providers and patients alike.
Meet Our Guest
Dr. Veronica Kelley
Dr. Veronica Kelley is the Director of the Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA), a position she has held since March 2024. With over 33 years of experience in behavioral health, she has been instrumental in leading initiatives that address mental health crises, opioid misuse, and the implementation of innovative healthcare reforms. Her career is marked by significant contributions to public health, including her previous role as the Chief of Behavioral Health Services at HCA and her leadership in San Bernardino County.
Connect to Dr. Veronica Kelley
Business Website https://ochealthinfo.com/
Personal Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dr_veronica_kelley/
Business - IG https://www.instagram.com/oc_hca/?locale=en-US
Dr. Emily Carter
Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Mental Health Advocate
How To Get Involved?
Dr. Emily Carter
Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Mental Health Advocate
How To Get Involved?
Dr. Emily Carter
Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Mental Health Advocate
How To Get Involved?
Dr. Emily Carter
Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Mental Health Advocate
How To Get Involved?
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