Acadia Healthcare has named a new chief executive as it seeks to extend its reach in the behavioral health sector. The company announced that Chris Hunter, Acadia Healthcare was identified as its incoming chief executive officer and will assume the role and join the board on April 11, 2022. He will join Acadia’s senior executive team and board.
The appointment follows a board-led search intended to identify an executive with a combination of operational, strategic and healthcare-industry expertise. Hunter succeeds Debbie Osteen, who served as CEO since 2018 and will remain on Acadia’s board while providing transitional consulting support through an agreed arrangement.
Hunter arrives with more than two decades of healthcare experience across payor, technology and provider segments. Most recently he served as president of Humana’s Group, Military & Specialty segment, overseeing three business units with roughly $7 billion in revenue and a membership base spanning 20 million across 45 states. His prior roles include positions at TriZetto and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, and he has held responsibilities for corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions and partnership activities in previous posts.
Acadia’s board emphasized that the selection was driven by a need to build on the company’s existing executive bench and to continue execution of a strategic growth plan centered on access, quality of care and long-term shareholder returns. Board leadership cited Hunter’s track record in strategy and growth as aligning with Acadia’s objective to remain a patient-first organization and an employer of choice.
Under Osteen’s tenure, Acadia further expanded its geographic footprint and service capabilities. Recent deals include the acquisition of a Missouri behavioral health provider, purchases of three vacant facilities in the Chicago area, and the establishment of joint ventures in Florida, Colorado and Minnesota. The company said these transactions reflect a broader industry trend toward consolidation and partnership to meet rising demand for behavioral health services.
Acadia operates a sizable national network. As of December 31, 2021, the company managed 238 behavioral healthcare facilities with approximately 10,500 beds across 40 states and Puerto Rico. With more than 22,500 employees, Acadia reported serving about 70,000 patients daily, positioning it as the largest stand-alone behavioral health company in the United States. Its clinical settings include inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment facilities, residential centers and outpatient clinics.
Hunter’s academic credentials include a bachelor’s degree with highest honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. His recent board service spans both health technology and nonprofit organizations, including AfterNext HealthTech (AFTR), Availity, Youth Villages and the UNC-Chapel Hill Honors Program.
The leadership transition is expected to be orderly, with Osteen’s continued board presence providing continuity while Hunter integrates into the executive team. Observers say the selection of a CEO with deep experience in payor strategy and health technology signals Acadia’s intention to pursue both organic growth and strategic partnerships as it adapts to evolving payer models and increasing demand for behavioral health services.
Related: https://bhbusiness.com/2022/04/01/acadia-healthcare-names-humana-veteran-christopher-hunter-ceo/