About Us
The concept behind PursueCare was developed through collaboration between experienced and entrepreneurial individuals from the behavioral health and pharmacy fields, and the technology industry. The PursueCare team shares a passion for revolutionizing how our country cares for individuals with substance use disorders and creating evidence-based solutions to more effectively address the opioid addiction and dependence.
Our mission is to knock down barriers to accessing high quality therapy and medication resources, preserving privacy and removing stigmas associated with seeking whole-person care and mental health treatment.
Questions You Should Be Asking
PursueCare is a new 24/7 on-demand and scheduled addiction counseling network accessible via a state-of-the-art telehealth app, bringing together qualified therapists with patients in need via video conferencing.
PursueCare provides access to care anywhere an addiction patient is located, reducing cost and hassle associated with conventional in-person trips to therapy and the pharmacy, improving the reach and quality of care, as well as adherence to medication-assisted addiction treatment programs.
PursueCare partners with an existing sterile specialty/compounding pharmacy licensed in 20 states, with the capability to provide addiction medications and non-opioid pain medications via mail-order.
You can fill out our contact form on the contact page or email us directly at: info@pursuecare.com.
PursueCare Leadership
Nicholas Mercadante, Esq.
Chief Executive Officer
Nick previously served as MedOptions’ President and COO. MedOptions is the largest provider of behavioral healthcare to LTC residents. Under his leadership MedOptions grew from a 150-provider regional operation, to 650 providers servicing 1500+ LTC facilities nationally, merging with the company’s largest competitor during that time. He helped integrate operating infrastructure post-merger, develop key client partnerships and relationships with payors, and strategically address operating challenges. Nick also led development of a telehealth program to serve facilities where traditional in-person staffing is challenging. Nick originally joined MedOptions as General Counsel and Vice President of Payor Relations.
Nick has extensive legal and operating experience in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining MedOptions, Nick operated a private law practice advising on corporate governance, growth strategies, acquisitions, and regulatory compliance. He has held roles as a litigation attorney and in litigation management for Chubb Insurance. He also worked in pharmacy business development. Nick graduated from Tulane Law School and is licensed to practice law in CT, NJ, and TX. He is a member of the the American College of Healthcare Executives, American Health Lawyers Association, the Health Care Compliance Association, the Association of Corporate Counsel, the CT Bar Association, and the TX Bar Association.
Thomas E. Menighan, BSPharm, MBA, ScD (Hon), FAPhA
Board of Directors
Tom is executive vice president and CEO of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the oldest and largest pharmacists’ advocacy and education association in America. He also serves on the board of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and holds a number of board and leadership positions in broad pharmacy organization collaborations.
Previously, Tom was founder and president of SynTegra Solutions, Inc., which provides supply chain and chargeback auditing and consulting in risk management, 340B systems, anti-counterfeiting, and technology of medication. Menighan also founded SymRx, Inc., and developed CornerDrugstore.com. Other professional experiences include managing PharMark Corporation, creator of RationalMed, and licensor of systems for states to conduct drug utilization review for millions of state Medicaid enrollees. Tom also was a 20-year Medicine Shoppe owner in Huntington, West Virginia. He is a founder and current partner in Pharmacy Associates, Inc., a multistate sterile compounding and specialty pharmacy that is the predecessor company to CompreCareRx.
Steven Wayne Powell, MD, MPH, CPE, FAPA
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Powell is currently the Chief Medical Officer for Pursue Care, and the Chief Executive Officer for New England Medicine and Counseling Associates which provides addiction treatment across New England. Prior to this role, Dr. Powell was the Chief Medical Officer for New London Hospital, a Dartmouth affiliate, for greater than six years. He graduated Suma Cum Laude from Clayton College and State University in Georgia with a Bachelors of Science in Integrative Studies. He earned his M.D. from Mercer University School of Medicine in Georgia and his M.P.H. in Health Policy and Clinical Practice from The Dartmouth Institute at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. He completed internships in Psychiatry and Internal Medicine, a combined residency in Internal Medicine and Psychiatry, a residency in Leadership Preventive Medicine, and was Chief Resident in the departments of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry all at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. He is Board Certified in Addiction Medicine and Psychiatry, and he is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.
Dr. Powell is also Board eligible in Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine. He is also a Certified Physician Executive through the American College of Physician Executives. Dr. Powell currently works clinically as an Internist and a Psychiatrist, with a focus on Addiction Medicine. He currently holds academic appointments at Dartmouth Medical School as an Instructor in Psychiatry and as an Instructor with The Dartmouth Institute.
Innis Barton
Assistant Vice President of Operations
Innis develops, oversees, and manages the key on-boarding, implementation, and training processes that help launch our partners’ telehealth practices, and the ongoing support to make them successful. She formerly led all training and development initiatives at MedOptions, the nation's largest behavioral health provider in the long-term care setting. She also led EHR training initiatives at Phoenix House, a national leader in residential and outpatient substance use disorder treatment. She holds an MA from the University of Southern California and is working on her MBA. Innis enjoys spending time with her family and her furry companions.
Sherie Friedrich, PsyD
Clinical Director of Psychology
Dr. Friedrich completed her undergraduate studies in Psychology at the University of New Hampshire and received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. She completed an APA accredited internship at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NYC, working with adult patients on a long-term secure psychiatric unit. Additional training experiences include a formal Postdoctoral Fellowship at Seacoast Mental Health Center and a one-year advanced Psychotherapy Fellowship at Boston Psychoanalytic Institute.
Her past work experiences have been in psychiatric hospitals, community mental health settings, and in private and group practice. She has also worked extensively as a psychological consultant conducting comprehensive evaluations for state and private institutions and offering clinical consultation to behavioral health practices and organizations. She has served as Clinical Director at a child and family practice and currently holds the position of Chief Psychologist at MediTelecare. Her clinical interests include ethics, the psychological implications of trauma, personality formation, group dynamics, and lifespan development. Working across a multitude of settings, she has become acutely aware of and increasingly interested in substance abuse treatment. In her clinical practice she has treated patients with dual diagnosis and recognizes the benefit of intensive counseling in the recovery process. She is thrilled to have recently joined the PursueCare team and is passionate about contributing to a vision of making treatment more readily accessible to patients who are ready to engage.
Jessica Badichek, PharmD
Director of Clinical Pharmacy Operations
Dr. Badichek is the Director of Clinical Operations for CompreCareRx, PursueCare's partnering pharmacy provider. With extensive knowledge of psychopharmacology, substance use disorder treatments and pharmaceutical compounding, she is dedicated to providing optimal clinical care that focuses on the needs of every individual patient. Dr. Badichek has also authored psychiatric drug formularies and was involved in the development of PursueCare’s Clinical Policies and Procedures.
She has previously worked for Bryn Mawr Hospital in the greater Philadelphia area and Arrow/Partners Long Term Care Pharmacy working with hospice and senior patients. Dr. Badichek completed her undergraduate studies at Fairfield University in CT and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Sciences in Philadelphia. She is currently a registered pharmacist in 4 US states and counting.