Exemplar – August, 2026

Welcome to Exemplar, the Benchmark Human Services (Benchmark) company newsletter. Enjoy, and please contact our Development team with any questions: [email protected].

Navigating Hard Choices

By Doug Beebe, Chief Executive Officer 

In this issue of Exemplar, we are celebrating ten years of Case Management services in South Dakota. Our services began at a pivotal time, as South Dakota transitioned to conflict-free Case Management. This change was liberating for the individuals we all serve as it allowed them to have a Case Manager who was independent of their service provider. For the providers, it was a significant shift in their business model and forced leaders to make hard choices on where and how to lead their agencies.

The year ahead will be filled with more difficult choices, as both individuals being served and providers are facing potential rate cuts, caps on services, and even the cessation of services. The pressure on legislatures and state program staff will be intense as provisions of HR 1 are implemented and states are faced with potentially large reductions in Medicaid budgets.

Case Managers will have a crucial role in guiding people through these changes as the unbiased representatives of those who have selected them. The overall Medicaid environment is facing upheaval, and the uncertainty was accentuated on June 18, 2026, when the Department of Justice provided an opinion that opens the door to re-establishing institutional care as a standard:

“In prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, neither section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act nor Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (‘ADA’) imposed an integration mandate on states in their treatment of mentally disabled individuals. Nor does either statute authorize the responsible Executive Branch agencies to impose such a mandate.”

Read the full opinion.

Community-based services are clearly the preference of people receiving services, and Case Managers will be working with individuals served and their teams to maximize the benefit of whatever support they receive so they can remain in the community. It is a time to stick together with a common goal and a certain purpose, and Case Management will be at the center of it, representing the voices of people too often unheard.

Where Potential Leads

Tacey Dunwoody has led Benchmark’s South Dakota Case Management program since it launched in 2016. We asked Dunwoody about her leadership philosophies, accomplishments, and more in this installment of Where Potential Leads.

What leadership philosophies guide your work in Case Management?

To me, successful Case Management is not just about completing paperwork or meeting goals, it’s about building relationships and helping people feel empowered to live their best life possible. Every person has a story and I try very hard to listen rather than making assumptions.

What accomplishment over the past decade makes you the proudest?  

One of the things I am most proud of is the amazing team we have built. We have built a culture where people care about the work they do and understand why it matters. The work we do in South Dakota Case Management has had lasting impact, making a difference in the lives of so many individuals and families that we support.

What has working in Case Management taught you about people?

I have learned to listen without judgment. The people we support don’t need to be fixed. They need someone who will listen, believe in them, and remind them that their voice matters.  When we take the time to truly see people rather than circumstances we can discover how much goodness there can be.

I have also learned that small acts of kindness can have a significant impact on others. A phone call, showing up when you say you will, and just taking a few extra minutes out of a busy day to say hello can make a huge difference.

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In our Where Potential Leads series, we get to know leaders from across the country. Benchmark operates in 19 states and our leadership staff support people through a variety of programs and services. View previous posts, featuring Nikhol B. Jackson and Jaime Garza.

Measuring Success 

“Case Management is crucial to ensure individuals have access to support, advocacy, and services that are free from conflicting priorities,” says Rick Adams, Benchmark’s Vice President overseeing Case Management, children’s services, and vocational rehabilitation. “A successful Case Management provider will be person-centered and knowledgeable of the system, so they can assist the individual with navigating available services and community programs.”

Survey responses from fiscal year 2025 show that we are living up to our values, with 99% of South Dakotans served reporting that their Case Manager treats them with dignity and respect, and 100% indicating that their Case Manager offers choice about services and supports to their satisfaction.

Benchmark’s Case Management reach extends beyond South Dakota. We also provide Case Management services in Alabama, Georgia, and Vermont, employing more than 200 people and serving 5,500 individuals. Learn more about our programs: BenchmarkHS.com

News

Dr. Brian Hepburn (left) and Brian Gill (right) present at Crisis Now IV conference. 

An Inflection Point: Build or Repaint?

Brian Gill, Benchmark’s Vice President of Behavioral Health, presented at the Crisis Now IV conference during a session called “An Inflection Point: Build or Repaint?” alongside Dr. Brian Hepburn, Executive Director of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD). Their conversation explored the current crisis system of care and challenged the audience to consider an important question: Do we continue making incremental improvements to the existing system, or do we have the opportunity to build an entirely new model designed around the needs of those in crisis?

Benchmark’s mobile crisis response programs in Georgia and Idaho are already helping to shape a better future by demonstrating what a community-based, person-centered crisis system of care can look like. Contact our Development team to learn more.

Benchmark Joins Local Disability Alliance to End Sexual Violence

In Maryland, Benchmark was invited to become a founding member of the Carroll County Disability Alliance to End Sexual Violence (CCDASV). Organized by the CARE Healing Center, this alliance will bring together organizations committed to improving prevention efforts, increasing accessibility, strengthening collaboration, and promoting survivor-centered, trauma-informed responses for people with disabilities.

Kenneth R. Williams, Benchmark’s State Director of Maryland, will represent our organization as part of this alliance.