Successful Implementation in Hospital Settings

David Rourke, M.S., leads development and delivery of the Safety-Care behavioral safety program, used by more than 260,000 certified staff across the U.S. and Canada. He supervises a nationwide team of 33 Master's-level BCBA Master Trainers and serves on the company's senior leadership team. With over three decades of experience in behavioral health, he has directed residential and rehabilitation programs serving individuals with developmental disabilities, mental health diagnoses, and neurological disorders, including programs affiliated with McLean Hospital, Franciscan Hospital for Children, and UMass. He has been quoted as an expert on school violence by the Washington Post, testified as an expert witness in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, and co-authored peer-reviewed research on behavioral treatment and emergency physical restraint. David holds an M.S. in psychology from Villanova University and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Mackenzie Sommerhalder is a licensed psychologist and an assistant in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She specializes in the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and their families requiring emergency, intermediate, and acute levels of psychiatric care. She specifically works closely within multidisciplinary treatment teams as the lead psychologist and behavioral consultant in the pediatric emergency department (PED), the Child and Adolescent Day Hospital, and the Bridge Clinic. Research and clinical interests broadly include: ED diversion, behavioral parent training in acute and intermediate care settings, improving measurement-based care in youth partial hospitalization programs, staff training in crisis intervention and prevention, improving hospital-to-school transitions, caring for neurodiverse youth with comorbid severe behavior in the PED, and foster care youth boarding.

Dr. Sommerhalder earned her B.A. in Psychology from Creighton University, her M.A. in School Psychology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Kennedy Krieger Institute in the Behavior Management Clinic and the Pediatric Psychology Consultation Program, and her post-doctoral fellowship in the Pediatric Medical Psychology Program at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. Prior to returning to Johns Hopkins, Dr. Sommerhalder was an assistant professor and served as the Director of Acute Pediatric Psychological Services at the University of Maryland School of Medicine Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Mindy Huttenstine is a Program Manager and education and safety leader at Seattle Children’s Hospital, working collaboratively to advance workforce development and behavioral safety practices. Mindy is actively involved with Safety-Care implementation to equip healthcare teams to manage behavioral crises with confidence and compassion, strengthening staff preparedness and patient safety. Known for her strategic thinking and operational execution, Mindy focuses on building practical, sustainable training programs that enhance staff readiness, support a culture of safety, and improve patient outcomes.

Julie Meyer is a Professional Development Associate and education and safety leader at Seattle Children’s Hospital, working collaboratively to advance workforce development and behavioral safety practices. Julie is actively involved with Safety-Care implementation to equip healthcare teams to manage behavioral crises with confidence and compassion, strengthening staff preparedness and patient safety. Known for her strategic thinking and operational execution, Julie focuses on building practical, sustainable training programs that enhance staff readiness, support a culture of safety, and improve patient outcomes.

Scott Sylvester, LMHC, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the Behavioral Health Workforce & Professional Development Manager at Brown University Health. With over 20 years of experience in mental health, he leads a team of clinical educators responsible for competency-based training, evidence-based practice implementation, and Safety-Care certification and recertification for more than 2,000 employees annually across the Brown University Health system. He also developed the Bradley Learning Exchange (BLE), a community-facing education program that provides training in de-escalation, suicide prevention, Mental Health First Aid, and trauma-informed care to school districts, community agencies, and first responders across three states. Areas of focus include: workforce safety program development, centralized behavioral safety training systems, clinical educator team building, and community-based behavioral health education partnerships.