Debra K. Osteen’s appointment as CEO of Acadia Healthcare on January 20, 2026, reunites her with a company she helped shape during her previous tenure from 2018 to 2022. Board Chairman Reeve B. Waud announced the appointment, describing Osteen as “a mission-driven executive with a commitment to patients.”
Her career in behavioral healthcare spans more than 35 years, including nearly two decades building Universal Health Services’ behavioral health division before joining Acadia.
Building UHS’s Behavioral Health Division
Before her first Acadia tenure, Osteen served as Executive Vice President of Universal Health Services, Inc. and President of UHS’s behavioral health division for 19 years. She joined UHS in the late 1990s and helped build the division into one of the nation’s largest networks of freestanding behavioral health facilities.
That experience managing multi-state behavioral health operations at scale provided the foundation for her work at Acadia. When Reeve B. Waud and the Acadia board recruited her in 2018, she brought institutional knowledge about running complex healthcare networks serving patients with mental health and addiction challenges.
First Tenure at Acadia Healthcare
During Osteen’s initial CEO tenure from December 2018 to March 2022, Acadia experienced what the company describes as “a period of significant progress and evolution.” She stewarded the company’s strategic vision while overseeing growth across its facility network.
Osteen remained on Acadia’s board until 2024, maintaining familiarity with the organization’s operations and challenges. That continuity proved valuable when Reeve B. Waud and the board needed to identify a successor for departing CEO Chris Hunter.
Recognition and Industry Leadership
Modern Healthcare magazine has named Osteen among the “Top 25 Women in Healthcare” multiple times. She was also recognized as one of the Top 100 Executives in Healthcare in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Her industry engagement extends to policy and advocacy work. Osteen has served as an executive committee member of the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare for more than 20 years, including two terms as board president. She also served on the Executive Committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.
Return to the CEO Role
Osteen’s statement upon returning emphasized Acadia’s market position and partnership model: “As the largest stand-alone behavioral healthcare company in the U.S., and with joint venture partnerships with deeply respected health systems across the country, the Company is poised for long-term success.”
Reeve B. Waud indicated the board will conduct a comprehensive search for a long-term successor while Osteen leads the organization. Her combination of Acadia-specific experience and broader industry credentials positions her to maintain operational continuity during the transition period.
