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Yakima K. Black
Yakima Black is the Executive Director of the Mental Health America of Louisiana (MHAL). Ms. Black is a key player in both creating and reforming public policies impacting Louisiana's healthcare system. She is the immediate Past-Chair of the Louisiana Mental Health Planning Council, as well as a member of the Core Leadership Team of the Roadmap for Change: Louisiana Plan for Access to Care, which is charged with coordinating system transformation planning in accordance with an executive order by Governor Blanco. Ms. Black represented behavioral health on the 40-member Healthcare Redesign Collaborative lead by the Department of Health & Hospitals to restructure the hurricane devastated healthcare system. In addition, Ms. Black is a Peer Reviewer of the Center for Mental Health Services Federal Block Grant. Additionally, Ms. Black serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Mental Health Planning and Advisory Councils. In past years, she co-chaired the Disability Systems Supports and Services' Consumer Taskforce which was focused on long-term care for older adults and persons with disabilities. Simultaneously, Ms. Black spearheaded the development and implementation of Louisiana's Medicaid Buy-in Program now called the Medicaid Purchase Plan after recognizing that Louisiana was underutilizing an untapped workforce: Individuals with disabilities.
With a central focus on rehabilitation and recovery, she has collaborated with key persons in the community to examine employment issues affecting persons with mental illness. As a result of consensus building activities lead by Ms. Black in 1998, a supported employment program designed specifically for persons with mental illness was developed and is now being implemented in two local community mental health clinics. She has a wealth of experience providing direct service to mental health consumers. She graduated from Southern University with a Masters degree in Rehabilitation Counseling with a specialization in Vocational Evaluation & Work Adjustment.
Throughout her professional career, Ms. Black has been focused on the
rehabilitation needs of people with severe and chronic mental illness. As Executive Director of the Mental Health America of Louisiana, her efforts are geared toward
making positive changes in healthcare policies that build systems of care for both children and adults with mental illness through advocacy leadership, public
education and the establishment coalitions and partnerships.
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