Theresa Lindberg is new managing director for CARF Child and Youth Services

Theresa Lindberg will assume the role of managing director of child and youth services for CARF International on August 1, 2024. This position supports CARF’s expanding accreditation business and will be under the direction of Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health Michael Johnson. “Theresa has a solid foundation at CARF in her recent role as a resource specialist and prior to that as a practitioner in the field,” said Johnson. “CARF is excited to have her as the new managing director for Child and Youth Services. Her experience with our complex industry will be an asset.”

Lindberg joined CARF in February 2021 as a resource specialist after 13 years as a licensed professional counselor in Arizona in the mental health and child welfare fields. She worked with children as young as four up to 18 years old and their families/support systems at a community mental health agency in Southern Arizona serving in several roles. Also, Lindberg worked with other agencies statewide to streamline procedures for in-home services and helped to create and build partnerships with more than 25 elementary, middle, and high schools to establish mental health services for students.

Lindberg succeeds Managing Director of Child and Youth Services Leslie Ellis-Lang, who retires following 15 years of dedicated service. Lindberg and Ellis-Lang have worked closely together for the past three years.

“Knowing Theresa will succeed me as the managing director allows me to retire with the assurance that CARF will be well represented and continue to thrive in the fields of children’s behavioral health, child welfare, and healthy development,” said Ellis-Lang.

Lindberg holds two Master of Science degrees in counseling/community counseling and organizational management from the University of Phoenix and an undergraduate degree in arts and family studies from the University of Arizona.

Of her appointment to the managing director position, Lindberg expressed, “I am excited for the opportunity to continue to work with the field on improving services to enhance the lives of children, youth, young adults, and families. I am also very proud to be part of an organization that promotes the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services.”

CARF’s child and youth services program areas have seen continued growth and most recently enhanced standards for services for crisis programs, suicide screening and prevention, and coming later this year shelter programs for children/youth and families. More information is available at carf.org/accreditation/programs/child-youth/. CARF-accredited child and youth services programs provide services at more than 3,100 locations globally.