A former director for Advanced Behavioral Health (ABH), a taxpayer funded not-for-profit organization with numerous state contracts, has filed a lawsuit against the organization, alleging she was subjected to a hostile work environment and subsequently terminated after filing a whistleblower report alleging the organization had inappropriately used state contract funds.
Melissa Ortiz was the former director of Solutions EAP, a for-profit subsidiary of ABH which is contracted by the state and numerous municipalities “to assist people who are facing such complex issues as marital crisis, drug or alcohol dependency, single parenting, stress, financial uncertainty, or emotional distress,” according to the Connecticut Department of Social Services.
ABH relies on roughly $30 million per year from the state to handle administrative and educational services for mental and behavioral health programs. According to the lawsuit, Ortiz made a whistleblower complaint to the Auditors of Public Accounts and the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) in August of 2024, “asserting inappropriate use of contract funds” and copied the ABH board.
Allegations that some of that contract money – which included federal ARPA dollars – were misused, particularly by former ABH CEO Chad Wable, were documented by Inside Investigator in an April 2025 story.
Ortiz also filed a discrimination complaint with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, and, according to the lawsuit, Ortiz was informed that Wable wanted her fired after she sent the whistleblower letter. Several high-level employees raised red flags about the use of funds at the time, according to documents and off-the-record conversations with former employees.
ABH launched an internal investigation, and a couple months later Wable, who earned $350,000 per year, was placed on leave, where he remained employed by ABH through at least April of 2025, according to previous statements given to Inside Investigator.
Wable attempted to open a for-profit cold therapy practice through ABH, called High Impact Performance and Recovery, and secured contracts and employment for friends and companies in which he had a vested interest, like Aspire Health. According to documents obtained by Inside Investigator, Wable had directed ARPA funds received through the OEC and the Department of Children and Families toward branding and promotion of High Impact.
Early in his tenure as CEO, Wable contracted with the Behavioral Health Advisory Group (BHAG), headed by Deena Tampi, who was then later hired as Chief Operating Officer at ABH and assumed the role of CEO after Wable was placed on paid administrative leave following an internal investigation.
According to the court complaint, Ortiz also raised concerns that Interim Vice President Kelli Johansen – another former employee of BHAG who was working as a contractor – was receiving more in payment than allowed by her contract.
Johansen took over management of the Solutions EAP program from Ortiz and, according to the court complaint, lost client contracts. Johansen also allegedly attempted to “enter into a partnership with Step Up, a company the then CEO Chad Wable held an interest in and was employed by despite the conflict of interest.”
Following release of Inside Investigator’s story in April of 2025, Ortiz was accused of leaking information to a reporter (she didn’t) and placed on leave. After Ortiz was cleared of any “wrongdoing” related to the article, she was placed on leave again, saying she was the subject of a “compliance audit.”
ABH claimed the Solutions EAP program was running a deficit but, according to the complaint, refused to provide her with the program’s “financial information needed to run the business and keep track of budget expenses since May of 2024.” After refusing to allow ABH’s attorneys to search her personal cell phone records, Ortiz was terminated in June of 2025.
Ortiz is claiming ABH created a hostile work environment; that ABH’s “manufactured basis for terminating the Plaintiff was a pre-text to hide unlawful retaliation in violation” of state statute, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.”
“The defendant’s conduct in suspending the Plaintiff based on an unfounded belief that she had leaked confidential information to a news reporter, then continuing to manufacture reasons to extend the Plaintiff’s suspension when that concern was found to be baseless created an unreasonable risk of causing the Plaintiff emotional distress,” the court complaint states.
Reached for comment, a spokesperson for ABH emailed a statement disputing Ortiz’s claims but could not offer specific comment as it is pending litigation.
“ABH strongly disputes the claims asserted in the lawsuit filed against it. However, as this is pending litigation, we will not comment further on the substance of that matter,” the statement said. “What we can say is that ABH strives to act with integrity and mutual respect as it pertains to all its employees, and is deeply committed to fostering a workplace where every team member is valued, supported, and treated fairly.”
Ortiz has also filed a complaint with the Freedom of Information Commission against ABH seeking “the investigative report on misuse of state and federal funds from my accepted whistleblower complaint, plus related minutes and correspondence by Attorney Thomas Murphy.” Murphy purportedly conducted the internal investigation for ABH.
“ABH receives ~$40M in state/federal funds and holds contracts with multiple state agencies,” Ortiz wrote. “Denying access undermines transparency and accountability. I respectfully urge the Commissioner to compel disclosure of these records in the public interest.”
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Good morning, I did leave a message under the article itself, I too, am being harassed and premeditated complaints are being made to a local police department and the owner of a facility I worked for along with the manager, have threatened to file false claims against my license, they have bounced my checks, they falsified police reports, and there is no law firm that will take on whistleblower retaliation act. My finances have been seriously compromise, I can’t afford a retainer, and I am currently cashing in the retirement that the employer didn’t even contribute 3% for. I am also one of those little people who are being negatively impacted by fraudsters. PS I was pulled into the investigation that had already been started, but because I was the most recent individual being interviewed, they’re blaming me for their fraud and they’re blaming me for their hardships. This investigation has been going on over a year and I have not worked for the company for a year. So this is happening to a lot of people.