Listen, Mental Health Matters: Leah Kaiser and Adesola Oni, Hennepin County

In the 16th episode of the “Listen, Mental Health Matters” podcast series, Brian Giebink, behavioral and mental health director at HDR, talks with Leah Kaiser, director of behavioral health for Hennepin County, and Adesola Oni, senior department administrator for Hennepin County Behavioral Health, about building a more equitable, accessible and responsive system of mental health care in Minnesota. Kaiser and Oni share how Hennepin County has spent the past decade using community engagement, data and national best practices to identify disparities and rethink where and how people receive support. Together, they explore how person-centered planning, early intervention, low-barrier access and stronger connections across schools, justice, emergency response and community services can help move behavioral healthcare upstream, meeting people where they are before needs escalate into crisis.

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Featured on this Episode

Brian Giebink is the director of behavioral and mental health at HDR. He has served as the mental health expert on numerous projects around the world and is passionate about creating transformational mental health facilities that foster recovery, independence and a sense of community. He believes that listening is the first step toward shaping a better future for mental healthcare.

Leah Kaiser has spent more than 25 years leading systems and programs that serve youth and adults with mental illness and substance use disorders. She is currently the director of behavioral health for Hennepin County, the largest county in Minnesota. Her leadership experience includes guiding large cross functional teams across county systems, state government and private nonprofit organizations. Kaiser’s background includes managing multimillion dollar budgets with complex funding models, overseeing program operations, advancing strategic planning and directing grant-supported initiatives.

Adesola Oni, MSW, LICSW, is the senior department administrator for Hennepin County Behavioral Health, overseeing operations for children’s mental health, adult behavioral health and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic services. She previously worked in the county’s Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation, where she led youth justice system reform efforts. She joined Behavioral Health in 2022 as an area manager supporting criminal justice behavioral health work.

Credits: Produced by Danny Sullivan and Davis Sussner. Special thanks to Ashley Tucker and Troy Parks.