Leadership at Acadia Healthcare Transforms the Behavioral Health Landscape

The direction and success of any healthcare organization stem largely from its leadership team. At Acadia Healthcare, a group of experienced executives has been guiding the company through significant changes in the behavioral health sector while maintaining focus on the core mission of providing high-quality care to those with mental health and substance use disorders.

A Strategic Shift Under Current Leadership

Since taking the helm as Chief Executive Officer in April 2022, Christopher “Chris” Hunter has brought a fresh perspective to Acadia Healthcare. Drawing from his background as a senior executive at Humana, where he oversaw major business segments, Hunter has introduced strategies that leverage data and payer relationships in new ways.

“Leadership transitions often signal strategic shifts,” notes healthcare management expert Dr. Rebecca Thompson. “When Acadia brought in Hunter, they gained someone with deep understanding of how payers think about behavioral health, creating opportunities for new types of partnerships and payment models.”

Under Hunter’s guidance, Acadia has placed increased emphasis on long-term growth through thoughtful capacity expansion while making substantial investments in technology. These technology investments—particularly in electronic health records—are geared toward enabling value-based care arrangements, reflecting Hunter’s forward-thinking approach to behavioral healthcare delivery.

“What stands out about the current leadership approach is its blend of growth ambition with clinical quality focus,” observes healthcare strategist Michael Jordan. “They’re not just looking to get bigger—they want to set new standards for how behavioral healthcare is delivered and measured.”

Building a Leadership Team for the Future

The CEO transition was just one part of Acadia’s leadership evolution. In mid-2023, the company welcomed Heather Dixon as its new Chief Financial Officer. Coming from Everside Health with prior financial leadership roles at Walgreens and Aetna, Dixon brought fresh financial acumen to complement Hunter’s strategic vision.

This newer leadership team has placed notable emphasis on transparency and modernization. They’ve publicly addressed challenges faced by the company while committing significant resources to technology and safety improvements. This approach signals a commitment to strengthening Acadia’s foundation while pursuing continued growth.

“What I find striking about Acadia’s current leadership is their commitment to discussing difficult topics openly,” says corporate governance specialist Samantha Chen. “By acknowledging areas needing improvement rather than avoiding them, they build credibility with stakeholders while creating accountability for positive change.”

Beyond the C-suite, Acadia has also expanded its organizational structure with new roles focused on providing safe, quality care. The company split Quality and Compliance into two distinct, specialized teams, with a Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer providing direct oversight of patient safety, clinical quality, and regulatory compliance initiatives.

Leadership Philosophy in Action

The leadership philosophy at Acadia is perhaps best captured by the company’s stated purpose: “Lead Care with Light.” This guiding principle reflects an approach that goes beyond managing facilities to truly transforming the behavioral healthcare experience.

Dr. Stephanie Eken, Acadia’s Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Navdeep Kang, Chief Quality Officer for Inpatient Services, have been instrumental in implementing this philosophy through concrete clinical improvements. Their focus on standardizing clinical protocols and oversight directly addresses the fragmentation that patients have historically faced when seeking treatment for behavioral health disorders.

“Medical leadership in behavioral healthcare organizations is particularly crucial,” explains Dr. James Wilson, a psychiatric hospital administrator. “Having physicians and clinical specialists in key leadership roles at Acadia Healthcare ensures that business decisions are balanced with clinical considerations.”

This integration of clinical and business leadership has resulted in measurable improvements. For example, across Acadia’s 161 Comprehensive Treatment Center programs, the company scored above 99% against all 13 dimensions of quality as measured by CARF, a leading accreditation body for behavioral health facilities.

Navigating Industry Challenges

The behavioral health sector faces numerous challenges, from workforce shortages to changing reimbursement models. Acadia’s leadership team has demonstrated resilience in addressing these industry-wide issues while maintaining focus on the company’s growth trajectory.

One notable approach has been the emphasis on joint ventures with established health systems. Under the current leadership, Acadia has expanded its joint venture strategy, creating partnerships with healthcare providers across the country. These collaborations allow Acadia to extend its reach while sharing both the costs and expertise required to establish new behavioral health facilities.

“The joint venture strategy shows sophisticated thinking about capital allocation,” notes healthcare finance analyst Thomas Rivera. “Rather than taking on all the risk and investment themselves, Acadia’s leaders have created a model that accelerates growth while building valuable relationships with health systems.”

This approach exemplifies how the leadership team balances ambitious expansion goals with financial discipline—a combination that positions the company for sustainable long-term growth.

Looking Forward: Leadership Vision for the Future

As the behavioral health landscape continues to evolve, Acadia’s leadership has articulated a clear vision for the company’s future. They aim to double the size of the business to increase access to treatment while driving exceptional outcomes—a goal that addresses both business growth and patient care improvement.

Technology figures prominently in this vision, with substantial investments in electronic medical records, patient monitoring systems, and communication tools. These technological enhancements support the company’s clinical quality initiatives while preparing Acadia for potential shifts toward value-based payment models in behavioral health.

“What impresses me about Acadia’s current leadership direction is how they’re preparing for future healthcare trends,” says healthcare futurist Sarah Martinez. “They’re not just reacting to today’s challenges—they’re building capabilities that will position them favorably as behavioral healthcare continues to evolve.”

Through their strategic vision, commitment to quality, and balanced approach to growth, Acadia Healthcare’s leadership team is helping transform behavioral healthcare delivery while expanding access to essential services for those in need.

Marsha Martin