Job Description

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Longleaf Hospital

Alexandria, Louisiana

A highly visible executive leadership opportunity to lead Longleaf Hospital, a 139-bed acute behavioral health hospital serving adolescents, adults, and seniors across Central Louisiana. This role provides overall strategic, operational, financial, and clinical leadership for a comprehensive behavioral healthcare organization dedicated to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. Located in Alexandria, Louisiana, Longleaf Hospital plays a critical role in expanding access to behavioral health and addiction treatment services throughout the region.

Opportunity Overview

Executive Benefits & Support

• Competitive executive compensation with performance-based incentives
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous paid time off and executive scheduling flexibility
• Relocation assistance available, if needed
• Strong operational, clinical, and compliance support through a national behavioral healthcare platform

Leadership Scope & Impact

• Executive oversight of a 139-bed behavioral health hospital serving adolescents, adults, and seniors
• Full accountability for hospital operations, financial performance, quality outcomes, regulatory compliance, and physician relationships
• Leadership of inpatient psychiatric, substance use disorder, and outpatient behavioral health services
• Strategic responsibility for growth initiatives, program development, referral expansion, and market positioning
• Direct leadership of a multidisciplinary executive, clinical, and operational leadership team
• Responsibility for fostering a culture of accountability, employee engagement, service excellence, and patient-centered care

Mission & Community Alignment

• Lead an organization dedicated to delivering compassionate, evidence-based behavioral healthcare
• Advance a culture focused on safety, quality, clinical excellence, and exceptional patient outcomes
• Serve as a visible leader and advocate for behavioral health services throughout Central Louisiana
• Build and strengthen relationships with community stakeholders, referral partners, health systems, physicians, and payors
• Support continued growth while ensuring access to life-changing mental health and addiction treatment services

About Longleaf Hospital

Longleaf Hospital is a 139-bed acute behavioral health facility located in Alexandria, Louisiana, providing comprehensive treatment services for adolescents, adults, and seniors experiencing mental health and substance use challenges.

Services Include:

• Acute inpatient psychiatric treatment
• Medical detoxification and substance use disorder services
• Adolescent behavioral health programming
• Adult and senior psychiatric services
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) services
• Military-focused behavioral health programming
• Treatment for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders
• Multidisciplinary care delivered by experienced behavioral health professionals

As part of Acadia Healthcare, Longleaf Hospital is committed to Leading Care with Light, bringing hope, healing, and clinical excellence to the patients, families, and communities it serves.

Responsibilities

Enterprise Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the overall operation and performance of the hospital, aligning strategy with Acadia’s mission and values
• Develop and execute strategic business plans, capital plans, and operating budgets in partnership with the governing body and medical staff
• Leverage local market expertise to drive sustainable growth, access, and service line expansion
• Identify opportunities to enhance performance through innovation, analytics, and operational efficiency

Financial & Operational Performance

• Deliver consistent achievement of census growth and EBITDA targets
• Oversee fiscal management, payer contracting, and revenue optimization strategies
• Ensure disciplined execution across all operational priorities, balancing short-term results with long-term sustainability

Quality, Safety & Regulatory Excellence

• Maintain continuous survey readiness and ensure full compliance with all licensure, accreditation, and regulatory standards
• Champion a culture of safety and accountability, ensuring prompt resolution of patient safety concerns
• Lead performance improvement and QAPI initiatives to drive best-in-class patient outcomes and satisfaction

Talent & Culture

• Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing leadership team and clinical workforce
• Build a culture rooted in accountability, engagement, and continuous development
• Foster an environment aligned to an employee value proposition that supports caregivers and strengthens retention

Medical Staff & Clinical Collaboration

• Partner closely with the Medical Director and medical staff to ensure excellence in clinical care delivery
• Expand service offerings through physician and allied health recruitment

Community Engagement & Business Development

• Serve as the face of the hospital within the community
• Build strong relationships with referral sources, government agencies, and healthcare partners
• Position the hospital as the provider of choice through meaningful engagement and market insight

Leadership & Governance

• Provide clear direction and accountability across the facility
• Lead governing board engagement and reporting
• Drive a high-performance culture grounded in integrity, collaboration, and results

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Demonstrated experience operating an acute psychiatric or behavioral health hospital is required; prior CEO experience strongly preferred
• Minimum 3 to 5 years in a senior leadership role within behavioral health, acute care, or a related healthcare environment
• Proven success in driving financial, quality, regulatory, and operational performance

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Public Health, Marketing, or a related field
• MBA or MHA strongly preferred

Capabilities

• Deep understanding of hospital operations, behavioral health delivery models, and regulatory requirements
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets, growth strategies, and payer relationships
• Skilled at building and leading high-performing teams and fostering accountability
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and influencing skills
• Ability to navigate complexity, adapt to change, and lead with a solution-oriented mindset
• High integrity with the ability to manage sensitive information professionally

Why This Role Matters

This is more than a leadership position. It is an opportunity to:

• Shape the future of behavioral health care in your community
• Expand access to life-changing treatment
• Develop exceptional teams and leaders
• Deliver meaningful outcomes for patients and families

If you are a proven healthcare executive with acute psychiatric hospital leadership experience and a passion for advancing care, we invite you to apply. Join us and Lead Care with Light.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all employees can thrive. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. We believe a diverse workforce strengthens our ability to deliver compassionate care and better serve our patients, their families, and the communities we serve.

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