Marco E. Jacome MA., LCP, CSADC, CEAP

Marco E. Jacome has been working in the field of social services for more than twenty (20) years. The last nineteen (19) years, has been with Healthcare Alternative Systems, Inc. (HAS), a behavioral health care organization. He has functioned in various departments since his date of hire in 1983. During the last twelve (12) years he has served as the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the organization.

In his capacity as Executive Director, the organization has grown from an operating budget of $1.8 million to $6 million, and from four (4) facilities in the Chicago area to eight (8), and an additional one in DuPage. HAS employs 160 staff which includes physicians, social workers, counselors, and support staff. Programmatically, in June of 1999, the organization was accredited with commendations from the National Certification Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). The organization hasbeen recognized as the leading and largest Hispanic behavioral health provider in the State of Illinois.

As part of his involvement in the field of alcohol and substance abuse, he has advocated to state and federal government agencies for more services for the Hispanic communities. He also serves as a Regional Advisory Board Member for the Great Lakes Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Past Board President of the Illinois Alcoholism Drug Dependency Association (IADDA), Board Member of Northern Illinois EAPA. Past Board President of the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association (IAODAPCA), Past Board President of Advanced Behavioral Health (ABC), a managed care organization, Past Board Member of St. Elizabeth's Hospital, and serves in many other local community committees. He is also a member of the Hispanic Latino Caucus for the Target Capacity Expansion Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), and the Cultural Competency and Diversity Network.

He currently holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology/Sociology from North Park University, and a graduate degree in Family and Community Counseling from Northeastern University. He was selected to participate in a Fellowship Program at the School of Public Health at Boston University, and a Fellowship Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) through the State of Illinois, Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP), Illinois Certified Supervisor Addictions Counselor (CSADC), and Board Registered Mental Illness/Substance Abuse Counselor (MISA II).

He has presented trainings at conferences in chemical dependency, employee assistance services, adult education, and cultural diversity workshops. He has participated in programs on television and radio, both in Spanish and English. In 1998, he completed an unpublished article entitled "A Relationship Between Difficulties in Acculturation and Drinking Behavior in Hispanic/Latino Males." In addition, he has been part of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) Improvement Protocol in the development of Intensive Outpatient Treatment for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Manual.

mjacome@hascares.org