Acadia Healthcare has named Chris Hunter, Acadia Healthcare, as its new chief executive officer, a move the company says will advance its position as a leading provider of behavioral health services in the United States. Hunter will assume the role and join Acadia’s board of directors on April 11, 2022, succeeding Debbie Osteen, who led the company since 2018 and will remain on the board under a consulting arrangement to support the leadership transition.

The board described a deliberate search process that prioritized candidates with deep healthcare experience and a proven record of strategic growth. Hunter brings more than two decades of executive experience across payer, technology and services sectors. His most recent position was president of Humana’s Group, Military & Specialty segment, where he oversaw three business units generating roughly 7 billion dollars in revenue and serving about 20 million members across 45 states. Hunter also served as Humana’s chief strategy officer and has held senior roles at TriZetto and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.

Acadia’s leadership transition arrives as the company pursues continued expansion through acquisitions and partnerships. As of December 31, 2021, Acadia operated 238 behavioral healthcare facilities with approximately 10,500 beds across 40 states and Puerto Rico. The Franklin-based company employs more than 22,500 staff who deliver care to roughly 70,000 patients daily, making Acadia the largest standalone behavioral health operator in the country.

Under its recent growth strategy, Acadia completed several transactions over the prior year, including the acquisition of a Missouri behavioral health provider, purchase of three vacant facilities in the Chicago area, and formation of joint ventures with partners in Florida, Colorado and Minnesota. The board indicated that Hunter’s background in strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and technology-enabled healthcare will support continued execution of that plan while maintaining a focus on clinical quality and workforce engagement.

Hunter holds a bachelor’s degree with highest honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from Harvard Business School. His recent board affiliations include AfterNext HealthTech (NYSE: AFTR), Availity, Youth Villages and the UNC-Chapel Hill Honors Program. The company noted that his combined operational and strategic credentials position him to work with facility leaders and frontline clinicians as Acadia scales services and seeks to meet growing behavioral health needs nationwide.

Debbie Osteen’s decision to remain available during the transition was framed as a measure to ensure continuity for patients, staff and investors. The board underscored appreciation for her stewardship during a period of substantial expansion and said it expects a seamless handover of responsibilities.

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Market observers will be watching how Christopher Hunter balances near-term integration activity with investments in clinical quality and workforce development. Given Acadia’s sizeable national footprint and recent transaction activity, leadership priorities are likely to include optimizing operations across acquired assets, expanding outpatient and specialty treatment offerings, and leveraging technology to enhance care coordination and outcomes.