Cahaba hires new director
Published 9:23 pm Tuesday, September 5, 2017
- Carrie Bearden has accepted the executive director position with Cahaba Mental Health. She previously served as the developmental disabilities service director and has worked at the agency for 16 years. She started her new role Sept. 1.
Carrie Bearden, former developmental disabilities service director at Cahaba Mental Health, has been promoted to executive director.
Bearden has worked at the center for 16 years, and said she is excited to serve the people in her community in a new capacity.
“I was just excited about the opportunity to help move the agency forward. I’m really interested in providing quality care for the people in our communities,” Bearden said. “My home is in Selma and I really feel strongly about making sure we have what people need locally. I really enjoy working with the people I work with and I just want to continue to make us a stronger agency.”
Cahaba serves Dallas, Perry and Wilcox counties and has a number of programs and services.
They provide Early Intervention Services, provide outpatient counseling services for children and adults with mental health concerns, residential services for adults with mental illness and developmental disabilities, and day programs for individuals with mental illness, substance abuse problems and developmental disabilities among more.
“I love interacting with the people that we serve and being able to help them is really important to me,” Bearden said.
“A lot of families and people entrust us with their care to do the right thing and empower them to take care of themselves.”
Bearden said she will now be overseeing the day to day operations of the agency, but she hopes to continue working with the people that they service.
“I hope to do as much as I can as far as interacting with the people we serve,” she said.
“Working with individuals that we serve is the whole reason I’m here.”
Bearden received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Auburn University and is a licensed rehabilitation counselor.
“I’m very excited. I have a lot of things to learn, but we have a great team of people that work here and I know that they all have their own knowledge and experience,” Bearden said.
“I feel like we all have a lot to bring to the table to help continue to make Cahaba Center a good place for people to get services.”
