Christal Montague

Christal Montague joined Outreach in 2019 as its Chief Strategy Officer, a newly created position. In this role, Montague ensures the agency remains well positioned for the evolving behavioral health landscape. To develop next-generation strategies, she collaborates with the Executive team and Strategic Planning Board, explores new partnerships/affiliations and manages pilot projects.

Montague possesses a unique 360-degree view of the behavioral health services field. She holds 20 years of executive-level experience with nonprofits that provide treatment for substance use disorder, healthcare and housing programs. Her extraordinary background spans the areas of social work, program management, compliance and organizational strategy. As such, she oversees the agency’s Development, Marketing and Human Resources functions as well as the Outreach Training Institute, New York State’s largest provider of CASAC training programs.

Previously, Montague provided strategic guidance and programming oversight as the Chief Program Officer for VIP Community Services. While at VIP, Montague successfully directed the organization’s Residential Redesign (Part 820) of its residential treatment program. She also led the agency’s effort to gain both Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic designations. Her policy decisions further enhanced VIP’s programs and defined long-term organizational strategies that benefited underserved communities.

Montague maintains numerous active licenses and certifications from the field. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) and a Certified Addiction Recovery Coach (CARC). She is also internationally certified by OASAS as an alcohol and drug counselor. Currently, Montague is a Board Member of the New York State Association for Substance Abuse Providers (NYS ASAP).

Montague received her Master of Social Work from Fordham University and her Bachelor of Arts from SUNY Binghamton University. Through Columbia University’s SIFI (Seminar in Field Instruction), Montague is certified as an MSW Field Instructor. She also gained critical change management expertise from the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx) Change Leader Academy.