Lakes Regional Community Center has approved a three-year strategic plan to guide the organization’s next chapter of service and impact.

For many individuals and families, Lakes Regional is a place to turn when needs are complex, systems are difficult to navigate, or support feels out of reach. The organization supports people navigating behavioral health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, substance use, early childhood, crisis, and other complex community-based needs.

As community needs continue to grow and change, Lakes Regional is preparing for the future by strengthening the people, systems, partnerships, and financial foundation required to serve with compassion, coordination, and sustainability.

This strategic plan reflects a clear commitment:
Lakes Regional will strengthen its people, systems, partnerships, and financial foundation so it can continue providing compassionate, coordinated, and sustainable care across the communities it serves.

Why This Plan Matters

Across the region, individuals and families are facing increasingly complex needs. At the same time, community-based care organizations must navigate workforce challenges, changing funding conditions, technology and data needs, and growing demand for timely access and coordinated support.

Lakes Regional’s strategic plan responds to this moment by focusing on the areas that will most strengthen the organization’s ability to serve well over time.

Four Strategic Priorites

1. Build and Sustain a Strong Lakes Regional Workforce
   Supporting the people who carry the mission.
   Lakes Regional will continue strengthening recruitment, retention, staff support, leadership
   development, supervisor strength, and succession readiness.
   A strong workforce is essential to access, quality, continuity of care, crisis response, and long-term sustainability.
2. Strengthen Data, Technology, Outcomes, and Storytelling
   Building systems that make the work easier and impact clearer.
   Lakes Regional will improve the data, technology, and outcomes infrastructure needed to support care coordination, reduce administrative burden, guide decision-making, and communicate impact more clearly.
   Better systems and stronger data will help Lakes Regional understand needs, track progress, and demonstrate value to partners, funders, policymakers, and communities.
3. Improve OperaƟonal Efficiency and Financial Sustainability
   Protecting the mission for the long term.
   Lakes Regional will strengthen financial visibility, operational alignment, reimbursement performance, and sustainability so the organization can protect its mission and make disciplined decisions about growth, investment, service delivery, and advocacy.
   Financial and operational strength help ensure Lakes Regional can continue serving individuals, families, and communities over time.
4. Increase Visibility, Advocacy, and Community Understanding
   Helping people understand, access, and support Lakes Regional.
   Lakes Regional will make its role, services, access points, and impact easier to understand across the region.
   Clearer communication will help individuals and families connect to support earlier, help partners coordinate more effectively, and help local leaders advocate for the funding, policy, and resources needed to meet regional need.

What Happens Next

The first year of the plan will focus on foundation-building. Lakes Regional will begin by clarifying Year 1 priorities, strengthening workforce support, advancing data and technology decisions, improving communication, increasing financial visibility, and identifying practical ways to track progress. The plan will not be implemented all at once. Lakes Regional will continue responding to urgent community needs while growing thoughtfully where need, funding, staffing capacity, and partnership align.

A Continued Commitment to Community

Lakes Regional’s work has always been rooted in care, dignity, access, and connection. This plan strengthens that commitment and provides a shared direction for the next three years.
By investing in its workforce, systems, sustainability, partnerships, and community understanding, Lakes Regional is preparing for the future while staying grounded in its mission: helping individuals and families build independence, dignity, and connection.

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At the May board meeting, the Board of Trustees appointed Wayne Vaughn as the next Chief Executive Officer of Lakes Regional. Wayne joins us from Pecan Valley Centers for Behavioral and Developmental Healthcare, where he served as Chief Financial Officer.

During his time at Pecan Valley, Wayne led in several key roles, including Chief of Compliance and Director of Clinical Services. He brought strategic oversight to both administrative and clinical operations and consistently championed high standards of care and accountability.

The Board chose Wayne for his wide-ranging experience, steady leadership, and strong alignment with Lakes Regional’s mission. His deep understanding of behavioral health systems and hands-on leadership style will help guide Lakes Regional forward.

We welcome Wayne to the Lakes Regional team and look forward to working together as we continue serving our communities with care, integrity, and purpose.

Contact Wayne

• waynev@lakesregional.org
• 972-524-4159 Ext. 1150

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