Real Help-Real Hope: How Can We Access You Part 5?

Kevin Tanner serves as the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Prior to his appointment by Governor Brian Kemp, Kevin Tanner served as the County Manager of Forsyth. Governor Kemp also appointed him as chair of the Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission in 2019, helping to secure meaningful improvements in this field. Previously, he served four terms as a State Representative for District 9 and has a total of thirty-two years in public service. Before his time in the General Assembly, Tanner served as the Dawson County Manager where he oversaw day-to-day operations as the county’s chief operating officer. He was recognized in 2011 as the Appointed Official of the Year by the Georgia Association of County Commissioners and in 2007 as one of Georgia Trend Magazine's 40 under 40. Tanner received his undergraduate degree from North Georgia College and State University and earned a master's of public administration from Columbus State University. He and his wife, Stacie, are the proud parents of three daughters, and he serves as a Deacon and adult Sunday school teacher at Bethel Baptist Church.

Dr.KimberlyColeyHenderson,

Dr.KimberlyColeyHenderson,servesasthe OrganizerandChiefExecutiveOfficerof CareLink of Georgia, a Non-Profit Corporation dedicated to facilitating access to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) treatment for patients with financial barriers.As CEO of CareLink Of Georgia, Dr. Henderson has allocated and disbursed over $7 million to Opioid Treatment Programs across Georgia, since 2023, supporting MOUDtreatmentforuninsuredandunderinsuredindividualswithOpioidUseDisorder (OUD) who lacked financial resources for care.Additionally, CareLink plays an active role in educating key stakeholders about MOUD.

Dr. Henderson brings extensive clinical and business expertise to her work. With more than 25 years dedicated to serving the OUD patient community, Dr. Henderson has demonstrated enduring commitment and leadership. In 2021, she was honored with the DBHDDAward of Excellence for her contributions to the treatment of individuals with OpioidUseDisorder.Dr. Hendersonhas alsobeenanactivememberoftheOpioidTreatmentProviders of Georgia (OTPG), previously serving as Treasurer and currently, as of 2024, holding the position as Presidentof OTPG. Previously, she had a distinguished tenure at Eckerd Drugs, where she participated in the Pharmacy Speakers Bureau, served as Corporate Initiatives Representative, and held the position of Pharmacy District Manager. During her time with Eckerd, she was also a member of the Georgia Drug Utilization Review Board. Subsequently, Dr. Henderson worked as a Pharmacy and Durable Medical EquipmentAuditor for Xerox Corporation, auditing claims for major health insurance providers such asAetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Humana.

Marie Sutton is the founder and Chief Founding Officer (CFO) of Imagine Hope, Inc., an Atlanta-based healthcare consulting firm. With over 30 years of human services experience, she is a prominent public health advocate specializing in integrating infectious disease screening into substance use and behavioral health treatment facilities

Jeff Breedlove serves as Chief of Communications and Policy for the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse. Jeff is an Assistant Scout Master for the Boy Scouts of America, and serves on the Board of Directors of MARR Addiction Treatment Center and the Georgia School of Addiction Studies. In 2018, Jeff was awarded the “God Send Award” from the Boy Scouts of America for dedication and service to the Boy Scouts. In the recent past, Jeff Breedlove served as Chief of Staff for DeKalb County Commissioner Nancy Jester. Jeff served as a senior staff member to Congressman Bob Barr in the historic 104th Congress and again in the 105th Congress.

Jeff Breedlove served as the Deputy Director for the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development for Governor Nathan Deal and as a policy analyst for the Georgia State Senate.

In 2004, Jeff was selected to serve as a volunteer for the G-8 Summit on Sea Island, Georgia. He has served as a staff vice-chair for The National Conference of State Legislatures on the Transportation Committee and as a member of The Council of State Governments Southern Legislative Conference Committee on Economic Development, Transportation and Cultural Affairs.

Jeff also served as the Georgia state director for The American Council of Young Political Leaders and was the former Georgia state director Sister Cities International and a member of the City of Atlanta Sister City Commission.

Jeff is married to Kathryn Ballou; they reside in the Grant Park neighborhood in Atlanta. They have a son, Lawrence Foster “Jack” Breedlove, who was born in Gansu, The People’s Republic of China. He is a person in long-term recovery with a passion to share his story so others know Recovery is real.