The Brattleboro Retreat board of trustees has appointed Louis Josephson as the hospital's new president and chief executive officer.
Josephson will take over for outgoing president and CEO, Rob Simpson. Simpson announced in April that he would be stepping down at the end of this year, after nine years at the Retreat.
Josephson most recently served as the president and chief executive officer of Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services in Los Angeles and before that, served for eight years as president and CEO of Riverbend Community Mental Health in Concord, New Hampshire.
"The Retreat is a wonderful organization, a very unique, free standing psychiatric system," Josephson said. "It is a critical service provider for Vermont and our whole area. It is an honor and I just look forward to building on the strengths there and creating an outstanding service system."
Changes in health care should ensure that people who need addiction and mental health services receive an appropriate level of care, Josephson said.
Josephson recognized the work done in Vermont to improve mental health services and said he was eager to work for mental health parity.
"Building a robust mental health component into our health care system is really one of the big goals for us in the next few years," he said. "I look forward [to] partnering with government and other community leaders to make sure addiction and mental health services are available for all citizens who need them."
The Vermont Attorney General's office is currently investigating allegations of Medicaid fraud made by a former employee of the Brattleboro Retreat. The Retreat has also faced a number of surveys from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services following reported incidents at the psychiatric hospital.
"Building a robust mental health component into our health care system is really one of the big goals for us in the next few years." - Louis Josephson, new president and CEO of The Brattleboro Retreat
Josephson holds a doctorate in clinical social work from NYU, a master’s degree in social work from the Columbia University School of Social Work, and bachelor’s degree in English from Tufts University. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Josephson is a New York City native. He is the former assistant commissioner in the Office of Child and Adolescent Services for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and was director of Family Court Mental Health Services for the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.
Josephson will take over at the Retreat on March 1.
A Retreat spokesman said the board will appoint a member of the senior management team as interim CEO until Josephson arrives in Brattleboro.
