Deer Oaks Behavioral Health

09/02/2025

Big news at Deer Oaks – The Behavioral Health Solution.

After years of dedicated service, Susan Norris, PhD is stepping down as CEO. We are deeply grateful for her leadership and the positive impact she has had on our organization and the communities we serve.

We are proud to announce that Philip Chauvin, PhD has been appointed as our new CEO. A licensed Clinical Psychologist with extensive training in Geropsychology, Dr. Chauvin brings over a decade of experience in long-term care, clinical leadership, and program development. His vision and commitment to excellence will guide Deer Oaks as we continue advancing behavioral health care for older adults.

Please join us in thanking Dr. Norris for her leadership and in welcoming Dr. Chauvin into this new role.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/4mEGPtM

08/29/2025

📢 Expanding Access to Mental Health Care in Senior Living

We’re excited to share this feature from McKnight's Senior Living highlighting our new partnership with Civitas Senior Living. Together, we are breaking down barriers to behavioral health by bringing on-site and virtual therapy, psychiatric medication management, treatment plan reviews, and counseling directly to residents in six Civitas communities across Texas.

This collaboration ensures older adults receive the behavioral health support they need—without travel, waitlists, or added stress. By integrating Deer Oaks’ specialized geriatric expertise with Civitas’ commitment to resident well-being, we’re making quality mental health care accessible, seamless, and centered around each resident’s needs.

👏 Special thanks to Ashlee and Dr. Brown for spearheading this partnership—your leadership helps us extend the Deer Oaks difference every day.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/45UjsoP

Civitas Senior Living is expanding access to mental healthcare for its residents through a partnership providing on-site and virtual therapy.

08/28/2025

Please join us in welcoming Tricia, Certified Social Worker (CSW-PIP) in South Dakota, to the Deer Oaks team! Tricia brings a unique mix of talents and passions — she’s skilled in reining with horses, loves pizza, and has a hidden talent for singing. She dreams of visiting Hawaii or Jamaica one day, and if she weren’t in social work, she’d be writing children’s books. We’re so glad to have her dedication, compassion, and creativity on our team.

08/27/2025

The Deer Oaks Great Plains team had an incredible time at the 77th Annual Missouri Health Care Association Conference this week! 🎉

This year’s theme was Back to the Future—and our team joined in the fun by bringing out their favorite themed items while connecting with long-term care partners and professionals from across the state.

A special highlight of the event was our own Dr. Brown, Chief Medical Director for Deer Oaks, who spoke during the opening sessions on “Drinking and Drugging in Long Term Care.” With over 100 participants in attendance, his presentation sparked important conversations about addressing substance use and supporting resident well-being in LTC settings.

We’re grateful to have been part of such a meaningful event and look forward to continuing our mission of supporting behavioral health in long-term care.

08/26/2025

We’re happy to welcome Jessica, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado, to the Deer Oaks team! Jessica loves baking, lobster is her favorite food, and she enjoys participating in Secret Santa for team building. She has always wanted to go skydiving, and if she weren’t a counselor, she’d be a librarian. We’re so glad to have her warmth, dedication, and expertise joining our mission.

08/22/2025

Please welcome Tara, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) in Texas, to Deer Oaks! Tara’s clinical expertise, compassion, and dedication to improving the lives of others make her a wonderful addition to our team. We’re looking forward to the positive impact she will have.

08/21/2025

Deer Oaks is proud to celebrate one of our very own, Brandon, LPC, who serves our partner facilities in Texas. When Brandon isn’t providing exceptional care to residents, you can often find him in the kitchen sharing his passion for cooking with family and friends.

Recently, Brandon and his brother, Blaine, took that passion to the national stage on Food Network Family Showdown (Season 1, Episode 5). In a nail-biting finale, the brothers came out on top as the episode champions, showcasing their culinary skills and teamwork. 🏆

We are thrilled to congratulate Brandon on this exciting achievement and are proud to have him as part of the Deer Oaks family. Want to taste a bit of his winning touch? Here’s his recipe for savory bacon jam that wowed the judges:

🥓 Dice 1 lb bacon and cook until crisp
🧅 Remove bacon, then sauté ½ diced yellow onion in 1 tbsp reserved bacon grease until soft
🍁 Add ½ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup maple syrup, ½ cup brewed black coffee, ½ cup apple cider vinegar
🥓 Return bacon to pan and reduce until thick and sticky

👏 Congratulations, Brandon—you inspire us both in the kitchen and in the care you provide every day.

08/20/2025

We’re excited to introduce Mia, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) in Texas! Mia can win a crawfish peeling race, loves Indian food, and enjoys scavenger hunts for team building. Her hidden talents include crafting and mixology, and she dreams of starting her own podcast one day. If she weren’t in behavioral health, she’d be an entertainment lawyer. We’re lucky to have her creativity, drive, and expertise as part of our team.

08/19/2025

We’re proud to see Stan Scott, our Regional Account Manager for Austin, representing Deer Oaks at the Austin Apex Keystone Event!

Stan’s commitment to building strong partnerships and supporting our mission to provide exceptional behavioral health services shines through in every interaction. Events like this are a great opportunity to connect with industry leaders and strengthen the resources available to the communities we serve.

08/18/2025

We’re pleased to welcome Misti, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in Texas, to the Deer Oaks family! Misti’s skills, compassion, and dedication to high-quality behavioral health care will be an incredible asset to our mission of serving adults and seniors with excellence.

08/15/2025

Dr. Brown and Dr. Jackson recently attended the first-ever OPCO Medical Board Advisory Meeting—an exclusive gathering of top-tier medical directors, executives, and clinical operational leaders driving innovation in skilled nursing care.

During the event, Dr. Brown presented on the strong, collaborative work between OPCO facilities and Deer Oaks, highlighting our shared commitment to excellent clinical care and regulatory compliance. Both Dr. Brown and Dr. Jackson also recorded an interview for an upcoming podcast, where they discussed the powerful impact of this partnership and our long history of working together to enhance resident well-being.

📍 Here’s to building meaningful connections and raising the bar for behavioral health in long-term care.

08/14/2025

Join us in welcoming Amie, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Virginia, to the Deer Oaks team! Amie loves pizza, enjoys napping, and has a knack for team-building activities that encourage problem-solving. She has a hidden talent for making fairy gardens, dreams of flying a plane or helicopter, and says that if she weren’t a counselor, she’d be a graphic designer. We’re so happy to have her creativity, warmth, and expertise on board.