With education and career paths cultivated in New York City, Melvin Julius Owens Jr, affectionately called Julius, earned his Bachelor's Degree from Molloy University and a Master's degree from the Graduate School of Social Service at Fordham University, with aspirations of pursuing additional higher education as a lifelong learner.
A native New Yorker, Julius is a mental health professional who serves New York City's five boroughs, Nassau and Suffolk counties, two of the city's surrounding areas.
He has practiced as a psychotherapist, community liaison, program developer, and health care administrator for more than 8 years with some of the largest community-based health and wellness organizations.
Growing up in the New York City metropolitan area cultivated Julius’ diverse experiences. He developed an appreciation for unconventional intervention strategies that empower unique individuals and their communities at both the personal and political levels.
He’s currently a managed care administrator at MetroPlus Health Plans in the Behavioral Health Department , responsible for oversight of care delivery for individuals experiencing serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorder (SUD) diagnoses who have significant social determinants of health (SDOH). His work focuses on individuals considered historically disenfranchised, helping them gain access to specialized related services.
Prior to his current position, he held various roles at WellCare of New York and Fidelis Care, now subsidiaries of Centene Corporation — the largest government sponsored health care organization in the U.S., engaging in corporate practice and administration.
Julius has volunteered his time as a lecturer and academic coach at various local colleges. He designed and facilitated UNCHAINED, a mental health program with the Queens-based Caribbean Equality Project, a community organization providing services to LGBTQIA immigrant community members. He continues his commitment to the community by serving as board member and Director of Policy and Government Affairs with DBGM, Inc.—a nonprofit organization that promotes mental health awareness for Black gay men, including suicide prevention and advocacy for LGBTQIA people of color.
In his private practice, Diverse Practice, Julius offers tailored individual treatment while mentoring and providing supervision for aspiring clinicians, collaboration in your care through care management, and corporate partnership through consultation, advising care providers and agencies on efficiencies in systems of care and population health best practices.
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