Champions for Mental Health – 2025 Winners Posted on August 18, 2025August 27, 2025 Dominic Geffken and Susan Paschell Named 2025 Champions for Mental Health – Riverbend’s 19th Annual Awards Ceremony Honors Outstanding Leaders in Clinical Practice and Community Education – From health clinics to the State House, Dr. Dominic Geffken and Susan Paschell are being honored for their significant efforts to support the mental health system in New Hampshire. The two will formally receive their awards at the upcoming Champions for Mental Health gala event October 7 in Concord, New Hampshire. Riverbend Community Mental Health provides comprehensive mental health care services to residents of 30 central New Hampshire communities. Through its annual awards ceremony, Riverbend recognizes individuals or organizations that advocate for greater access to mental health services; contribute extraordinary time, talent or treasure to improve the lives of people with mental illness; or publicly give voice to those with mental illness, helping eliminate the stigma and stereotypes that can surround the disease. “As our industry and overall system of care continue to face rapid evolution and external challenges, our annual Champions event reminds the community each year of the value our services and staff provide in changing lives and improving our overall community health,” said Lisa K. Madden, President & CEO of Riverbend Community Mental Health. “This year’s champions come from different worlds – clinical practice and public affairs – but each represent the types of essential skills and expertise we value as community partners and that our entire health system values in support of mental health education and advocacy,” Madden explained. “The work Dr. Dominic Geffken performs in service to the homeless population and to patients with opioid use disorders reinforces the importance of reaching out and helping people where they are, with what they need. In Susan Paschell, we have a champion who has educated not only our partners in community mental health, but other organizations as well as to how to best approach the legislative process, engage with lawmakers effectively and bring more voices into the public policy arena. It will be a distinct pleasure to honor both Dominic and Susan at our event and share our gratitude for their efforts.” DOMINIC GEFFKEN, MD, MPH Dominic Geffken is the Program Director of the NH Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency (NHDFMR), a community-based program at Concord Hospital that trains and educates future family physicians to provide primary care to patients in outpatient and inpatient settings. While teaching important skills, the program also seeks to provide health care to underserved populations needing essential primary care at the Concord Hospital Family Health Center (CHFHC). More than a decade ago, Dr. Geffken partnered with the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness to start a program that delivers primary care services specifically to the unhoused population in Concord, which includes clients with mental illness. Called the ‘Downtown Clinic’, this program allows family medicine faculty and resident physicians, behavioral health clinicians, nurses and medical assistants to deliver physical and mental health care to clients at the Homeless Resource Center in Concord. Approximately 120 patients per year are seen at this outreach clinic and NHDFMR needs assessment data suggests that the majority of people struggling with chronic homelessness in Concord are patients of the Concord Hospital Family Health Center. In addition, beginning in 2015, Dr. Geffken was the first family medicine clinician at the Concord Hospital Family Health Center to provide medication treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). The model he created, in collaboration with a team of behavioral health clinicians and nurses, grew throughout the residency program and now, future family physicians and behavioral health clinicians learn this interdisciplinary model of care as part of their training. Beyond his workplace, Dr. Geffken, a Concord resident, shares his medical expertise with the community through volunteering his personal time at local shelters and vaccine clinics. “As a family physician, my goal is to provide whole person care, delivering health care that treats both the body and the mind,” said Geffken. “I also believe that primary health care delivery should not be confined to the walls of a traditional clinic. Meeting and treating people physically and emotionally allows us, as healthcare workers, to manage medical issues in their initial stages and prevent them from escalating into a devastating and costly crisis. I am honored to accept this award, and I accept it on behalf of all members of the NH Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency, Concord Hospital Family Health Center and Concord Hospital who have supported this work over the years.” SUSAN PASCHELL For more than 40 years, Susan Paschell’s work in the public policy arena has helped individuals and groups navigate the legislative system and advance community-focused causes and missions. Spanning both New Hampshire and Maine, Susan has worked in partnership with numerous business and non-profit clients to help them share their stories, advocate effectively with legislators, and illuminate issues of importance. Paschell’s career includes work as a lobbyist and legislative specialist with the government affairs division of a multi-disciplinary law firm, and – since 2007 – as a senior associate for the Concord, New Hampshire-based Dupont Group. Through the latter, Susan collaborates with the ten community mental health centers in New Hampshire to highlight issues of importance for mental health clients, the mental health workforce and system sustainability. Educating lawmakers on issues relating to protecting Medicaid, the importance of residential housing for the mentally ill, and preserving access to services are some recent efforts. Susan’s work involves everything from prepping ordinary citizens on how to prepare for State House testimony, to crafting speeches, opinion pieces and other written communications to share data and real-life stories around key issues before the State Legislature. In concert with her colleagues, Susan works with everyone from top executives to citizens who have never approached a lawmaker, to educate people on how state government works and how to best advocate for their own or community interests. A Bow resident with a master’s degree from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Susan began her career as a public-school teacher, coordinating special education services and teaching children with disabilities in the Henniker school system. She also spent nearly a decade as a senior researcher in the non-partisan Committee Research Office of the NH House of Representatives, where she prepared analyses of legislation and drafted amendments, testimony and reports for key House committees. “In a democratic society, understanding how state government works and how to support our citizens is a passion and responsibility I take seriously,” said Paschell. “Whether in Concord or in Augusta, to help people navigate the rules and customs of state government and get their voices heard has propelled me every day of my working life for decades. I am honored to accept this award, an award I share with my wonderful colleagues from The Dupont Group who I collaborate with every day on topics and issues important to our state.” Riverbend will honor Geffken and Paschell at its upcoming Champions for Mental Health event on Tuesday, October 7 at the Bank of NH Stage in Concord. The annual ceremony shines a light on the importance of mental health and broadens community engagement around supporting Riverbend and the entire community mental health system in New Hampshire. EVENT DETAILS: CHAMPIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH Where: Bank of NH Stage 16 S. Main Street Concord, NH 03301 When: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 5:30 – 6 p.m. – Reception 6 – 7 p.m. – Ceremony & Awards Presentation Tickets & Registration Sponsorship Information: To support Riverbend or be part of the event, contact Riverbend’s Community Affairs Office at: [email protected]. ### Celebrating 60 years of hope and healing, Riverbend Community Mental Health is a private non-profit and one of the largest providers of specialized behavioral health services for children, adults, and their families in central New Hampshire. Close to 6,000 children, families and adults are served annually. Core services include 24/7 emergency services; counseling services; comprehensive community and school-based services for children; addiction recovery services; community support, vocational services, and residential programs for adults and seniors. For more information, visit www.riverbendcmhc.org, or follow @RiverbendCMHC on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
