Jason Barnett
2015 Inductee
Jason T. Barnett is a 1993 graduate of Union City and was a standout athlete in Football, Basketball, and Track and Field. After graduation Jason attended the University of Pittsburgh, main campus, enrolling in its Nursing program. While attending the University, Jason worked as a Student Nursing Assistant at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic on a unit caring for adult patients with dual diagnosis and traumatic brain injury. This is where Jason developed an affection for working with this population and for the mental health field. In 1997, Jason graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and began his nursing career at Presbyterian University Hospital part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. There he acquired a nursing internship position that later developed into a full time nursing position on one of its cardiology units. While there he provided specialized care to patients with varying degrees of cardiac disease on an 18-bed unit which included six beds classified as ICU beds where patients who were awaiting heart transplant would stay and be cared for until receiving their transplant. After two years, Jason relocated to Greenville, North Carolina and continued in cardiology at Pitt County Memorial Hospital's Cardiac Intermediate Unit. However, in 2000, he returned to his mental health roots and accepted a position on the behavioral health Dual Diagnosis and Acute Adult units at PCMH. There Jason served as a Charge Nurse on the 7 pm to 7 am shift. In this role, he gained valuable experience from which he would use to help his future business endeavors including: staff supervision, admitting and discharging patients including assessments, administering medication as well as providing medication education to patients and family, serving as triage nurse, consulting with psychiatrists for the purposes of assessing and triaging patients, participation in quality improvement activities, and perhaps the most important experiences were in the provision of hands on direct patient care, therapeutic interactions and leadership in the prevention and handling of crisis situations on the units.
In 2002, Jason co-founded Paradigm, Inc. and so began his latest journey. Paradigm is a community mental health agency which serves Greenville, NC and its surrounding areas. It is a nationally accredited agency with the Council on Quality and Leadership. At Paradigm, an array of services are offered to adults who require assistance in the management and treatment of mental health symptoms. Also, services are provided to children and adults to help navigate and overcome the challenges associated with developmental disabilities and mental illness while living in the community. Services range from residential around the clock care to day programs and individual therapy. Paradigm's vision is "Equal opportunity for empowerment and improvement for all people and therefore society as a whole." Once Paradigm began, Jason continued to work at PCMH until 2006, when he was able to step down from his position there and focus full time on Paradigm, where he has served as CEO since its inception. Jason believes that Paradigm’s mission is not just to serve the community, but to improve it! He knows that if we all work together, the only acceptable outcome is success for all involved. Jason has successfully petitioned the City Council, Board of Adjustment and the Planning and Zoning committees of the City of Greenville on several occasions in order to ensure the provision of needed services for those with mental health, physical and developmental disabilities in that community.
Jason enjoys spending time with family and friends. He presently serves as the church council chairperson of Salem United Methodist Church in Simpson, NC. Jason is also an active member of the board of directors for the Greenville Learning Center, a private, non-profit center for students with learning disabilities in eastern North Carolina.
Jason is the son of Linda and Ivan Chaffee of Union City and Thomas and Patricia Barnett of Greenville, NC. Jason is married to Jeannette Barnett with whom he shares three children Santana, Trenton, and Jaelyn.
