Communicare is pleased to announce that it has appointed Melody Madaris, Ph.D., as the new Executive Director, effective March 1, 2023. The selection was made after itwas announced that Sandy Rogers, Ph.D., who has served as the Executive Director for 12 years, would be moving into a more supportive role within the agency.
“I have always been told you will know when it is time to change your path or direction,” said Dr. Rogers. “This decision was not made quickly or easily, but after talking with Dr. Madaris, it became clear that her unparalleled knowledge, energy and passion would allow Communicare to flourish in the next phase of expansion and development.”
Dr. Madaris brings 17 years of experience in mental health and substance abuse treatment and prevention. Her impressive educational background includes a Bachelor's in Human Development, a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling, and more recently, a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from Amridge University. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor with training in both EMDR and ART therapies, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, and a Psychological Autopsy Investigator.
She serves as a Board member for numerous mental health and substance use-related organizations, including the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Mississippi Chapter, and the Lafayette County Fire Department representing Station 3. She also serves on the Mississippi Autism Advisory Council, as well as the Mississippi Intervention Court Advisory Council.
“She is the embodiment of servant leadership, always willing to jump in and help, both behind the scenes and out in the community,” said Rachel Alcorn, Clinical Director of Communicare.
During her tenure at Communicare, Dr. Madaris has championed initiatives to prevent opioid overdoses through training and distribution of Naloxone (NARCAN), established Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for law enforcement in North Mississippi, and expanded services and funding opportunities for the agency. To this date, roughly 1,919 people in our community have been trained in opioid prevention and reversal, 4,622 units of NARCAN have been distributed, 185 lives have been saved through the use of NARCAN, and 64 local officers have been trained in CIT, a program designed to reduce safety risks between law enforcement and people with mental illness.
“I am excited to embark on this new journey,” said Dr. Madaris. “Dr. Rogers laid the foundation for growth, and with the help of our amazing staff at Communicare, I feel confident that we will continue reaching new heights.”
About Communicare
Communicare has served as Northern Central Mississippi’s community mental health center since 1969, providing quality, individualized care to Calhoun, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola, Tate and Yalobusha counties. Their mission is to deliver caring, professional assistance to people of all ages seeking mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, school-based services, IDD services and 24-hour crisis services.
