Chris Yakscoe, Senior Director and General Manager of AI for Netsmart, has recently been named one of Behavioral Health Business’s (BHB) 2024 Future Leaders. This prestigious recognition is reserved for professionals under 40 who exhibit exceptional leadership and passion for improving the behavioral health sector. Yakscoe’s journey and commitment to transforming this critical area of healthcare make his recognition truly well-deserved. As someone who is revolutionizing the intersection of technology and behavioral health, Yakscoe’s work exemplifies the qualities that BHB seeks in its Future Leaders.
The Future Leader designation is based on peer nominations, requiring individuals to be high-performing employees who demonstrate a combination of vision, action, and advocacy in the field. They must be committed to improving behavioral health services and supporting both providers and those in need of care. Through his work at Netsmart, Yakscoe has consistently shown dedication to these principles, advancing innovative solutions to ease the burden on behavioral health professionals and expand access to quality care.
In a recent conversation with BHB, Yakscoe shared his insights into what drives his passion for the field, the challenges that have shaped his career, and his vision for the future of behavioral health. Below are the key takeaways from that conversation, edited for length and clarity.
A Personal Journey Into Behavioral Health
For Yakscoe, the decision to enter the behavioral health industry wasn’t simply a career choice—it was personal. He’s always been passionate about the intersection of behavioral health and human services, having witnessed close friends and family benefit from these essential services. At the same time, he saw the devastating consequences of limited or unavailable care.
“Having seen close friends and family benefit from these services, I’ve also seen the detriment when services are unavailable,” Yakscoe shared. His personal experiences fueled a deep desire to make a difference in the field. He recognized early on that a career focused on improving the lives of both providers and patients could be a truly meaningful pursuit.
This realization drove him to co-found Remarkable Health nearly a decade ago. His goal? To create a technology company that would develop high-quality solutions designed to reduce the burdens on behavioral health providers, ultimately improving access to care. “We set out to build exceptional software to remove obstacles for behavioral health staff, in the same way the services they provide help remove obstacles in their clients’ lives,” he explained.
Embracing Challenges: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities
Throughout his career, Yakscoe has learned to view the challenges facing the behavioral health industry as opportunities for growth and innovation. While the sector is burdened with issues like insufficient funding, staff shortages, high turnover rates, and outdated technology, Yakscoe believes that focusing on these limitations can hinder progress.
“There are plenty of obstacles in this field, but it’s my belief that the obstacle is the way!” Yakscoe emphasized. He views the passionate, cause-driven individuals working in behavioral health as an invaluable resource. Many of these professionals entered the field not because it was easy, but because it is crucial, difficult work with a profound impact on society.
His experience has reinforced his belief that success in this industry isn’t about avoiding obstacles—it’s about working with providers, understanding their challenges, and innovating alongside them. For Yakscoe, collaboration is the best way to overcome these barriers and create long-lasting change.
The Role of Technology in Behavioral Health’s Future
When asked about his vision for the future of behavioral health, Yakscoe didn’t hesitate to highlight the transformative power of technology. He believes that the widespread adoption of innovative tools is crucial to advancing care and improving both access and outcomes. “The smartest path forward is paved by leveraging technology,” he said.
Yakscoe has seen firsthand the challenges behavioral health professionals face, and he firmly believes that technology can play a key role in addressing those challenges. He points to telehealth as one example of how new technologies have already started to change the landscape. With the right tools, patients can receive care from the comfort of their homes, and providers can streamline administrative processes, allowing them to focus on what truly matters—helping their patients.
“Now is the time to supply the industry with the tools to deliver or receive the best care possible,” he stated. For Yakscoe, this means removing barriers based on geography, socioeconomic status, and outdated systems that limit access to care. By providing the industry with the best tools, he believes we can create a future where behavioral health services are accessible to all who need them, regardless of their circumstances.
As part of his commitment to driving progress, Yakscoe continues to champion the importance of tech leadership in behavioral health. His work at Netsmart aligns with the growing movement to integrate technology into behavioral health settings, helping to remove obstacles and improve outcomes for both patients and providers.
Looking Ahead to 2025: AI as a Game Changer
Yakscoe also envisions significant change in the coming years as artificial intelligence (AI) begins to play a more central role in the behavioral health industry. “2025 is an inflection point for our industry,” Yakscoe remarked. He sees almost every organization he works with evaluating or implementing an AI strategy, recognizing the transformative potential of AI to drive efficiencies, improve patient outcomes, and enhance the overall quality of care.
“There’s a recent saying that we shouldn’t be worried about AI replacing people, but rather people with AI will replace people without AI,” Yakscoe explained. This concept reflects his belief that technology and AI will be essential to staying competitive in the future of behavioral health. As the industry faces growing demand, AI can help streamline administrative work, optimize clinical workflows, and support decision-making processes.
Yakscoe anticipates that the leaders who embrace AI and other technologies will be the ones who lead the way in this new era. He sees AI as a powerful tool that can help providers meet the challenges of the future, creating opportunities for innovation and improvement that were previously unimaginable. It’s this kind of tech leadership in behavioral health that will shape the direction of the industry in the coming years.
The Core Quality of a Future Leader
When asked what quality is essential for future leaders in behavioral health, Yakscoe emphasizes the importance of challenging the status quo. A future leader must be willing to question outdated norms and push for progress, especially in a sector that has long struggled with systemic issues.
“A great leader of any kind should have a thirst for knowledge, an appreciation for the past, and the ability to inspire and put plans into action,” he said. “But a Future Leader needs gumption to buck the trends.” In Yakscoe’s view, future leaders must not only understand the importance of behavioral health services but also be willing to innovate in order to meet the challenges of the future. The stakes are too high to rely on the same methods that have been in place for decades.
This is precisely why tech leadership in behavioral health is so crucial. As technology continues to advance, leaders in this field must remain agile and forward-thinking to harness the full potential of these tools to improve care, reduce barriers, and drive outcomes. The industry needs leaders who can navigate both the challenges and opportunities that arise from new innovations, including AI and telehealth.
Advice to His Younger Self: Be Patient, Yet Relentless
Reflecting on his career, Yakscoe shared some advice he would give to his younger self at the start of his journey: “Be patient yet relentless. Patient that slow progress is lasting progress. Yet relentless in the pursuit of knowledge.”
Yakscoe recognizes that the behavioral health industry is complex and often slow to change. He advises future leaders to embrace the steep learning curve, remain persistent in their pursuit of knowledge, and use their perspective to find innovative solutions. It’s through this balance of patience and relentless pursuit of progress that meaningful change can happen in the behavioral health sector.
As he looks toward the future, Yakscoe believes that the future of behavioral health is at a pivotal moment. Tech leadership in behavioral health will be essential in shaping that future, and with leaders like him driving innovation, the industry is poised for a new era of growth and progress.
The Future of Behavioral Health: A Pivotal Moment
As Yakscoe’s story and vision make clear, the future of behavioral health care is on the cusp of transformative change. With leaders like him at the helm, the industry is poised to embrace technology and innovation to address long-standing challenges and create new opportunities for providers and patients alike. As he puts it, the future of behavioral health in the U.S. is pivotal—and with the right leadership and collaboration, the industry can meet this moment and usher in a new era of care.
For Yakscoe, the work is just beginning. But with his relentless dedication to improving behavioral health and the transformative power of technology at his side, there’s no doubt that he will continue to be a driving force in shaping the future of this critical sector. As tech leadership in behavioral health becomes more central to the industry’s success, Yakscoe’s influence will undoubtedly continue to make a lasting impact.
