Tara works in the IS Department as an analyst for CareLogic, BHN’s electronic health record application. She has been with BHN since 2005—first as an office manager for the community-based outreach programs at Child Guidance Clinic. “I was struggling to finish a dissertation and needed a job. I never meant to stay this long.” The position was a good fit for her analytic and organizational skills, and she became part of a team that would help pilot the development of CBHI wraparound services for children in Massachusetts. “I knew nothing about mental health services for children and very little about the challenges faced by the families of kids with a serious mental health diagnosis. Working with the outreach programs taught me a lot and gave me a unique perspective into the mental health field.”
Over the years, Tara has worked with many different BHN programs in several different positions. “I never worked directly with the people we serve, but I have worked to support those who do. For nearly 20 years, I’ve watched BHN grow and expand its services, adopt new technologies, adapt to unexpected challenges, and learn how to walk the walk. I am still amazed at how quickly we were able to switch to telehealth services during the pandemic. Looking back, I can honestly say that I’m proud of the things BHN has accomplished as an agency, and I feel fortunate to have worked with so many of the people who made it happen.”
In 2015, Tara joined the CareLogic team as a HelpDesk Specialist. “It was one of my happiest days at BHN. I was fascinated by CareLogic. More than anything, I wanted to see what was behind the curtain.” She later took the position of EHR Trainer before being promoted to EHR Analyst in 2018. “Here is this big complicated moody piece of software all full of quirks and secrets and I get to poke around inside and make it do what I want.”
Tara works from home and looks forward to the daily team meeting, which is very meaningful to her because the CareLogic team has been remote since 2020. “I love being part of a team and I appreciate being able to work from home. There are some isolating things about being remote, but my team has worked hard to build a sense of camaraderie and connection. We do a lot of collaborative work with a focus on sharing information. Three of us have been with BHN for 17 years or more, so collectively, we hold a wealth of knowledge about the agency and about CareLogic. It’s important to find ways to pass that knowledge along.”
In 2023, Tara left BHN for a position at another behavioral health agency. “I had been at BHN for a long time, and I wanted something new. I wanted to learn new applications. I wanted to work in an office again. After a year, I came back to BHN. I don’t regret my time away. I learned a lot and I met some wonderful people. But I really missed my old team back at BHN and I missed the collaboration and information sharing. Sometimes you have to step back before the whole picture comes into focus.”
Tara will begin easing into retirement in 2025. “I will be going to part-time hours soon. I’m looking forward to having more free time but I’m reluctant to let go of BHN. I found something meaningful in what I do. Whether it’s configuring a new program in CareLogic, helping the tech-challenged master basic navigation skills, or writing documentation that no one will ever read, I like working with the people who work with the people.”
