Editor’s note: This article is by Howard Weiss-Tisman, of the Brattleboro Reformer, in which it was first published April 29, 2015.
[B]RATTLEBORO — Dr. Robert Simpson will step down as president and CEO of the Brattleboro Retreat at the end of the year.
The Retreat Board of Trustees announced Tuesday that Simpson would not be renewing his contract, and that he would be leaving the psychiatric hospital at the end of the year.
“It has been a privilege to lead the transformation of the Brattleboro Retreat over the past eight years,” Simpson said in a prepared statement. “I have focused on being a good steward in my efforts to put the Retreat in a position of real strength, and I have been inspired by the quality of the Medical Staff, the Executive team, the Board, and the nearly 900 employees whose courage and commitment mirror the courage of our patients.”
When Tropical Storm Irene closed the Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury Simpson opened the Retreat to state hospital patients and Gov. Peter Shumlin recognized the work the Brattleboro hospital did to support the state hospital during that challenging time.
“Rob is a great leader and friend who has done extraordinary work transforming the Retreat into a leading provider for the community and our entire state,” Shumlin said. “He’s an innovative consensus builder and he will be missed.”
Following Irene, and the eventual closing of the state hospital, the Retreat upgraded one of its under-used buildings and opened a 14-bed state-of-the-art unit for severely ill patients.
It was part of approximately $21 million in renovations Simpson has overseen while he headed the Retreat.
“The Brattleboro Retreat has become a financially stable and dynamic organization under Dr. Simpson’s management,” said Board Chair Elizabeth Catlin. “He has touched so many people with his caring and inspirational leadership, and we are grateful to him for putting the hospital in a strong position to move forward.”
Catlin went on to mention the Retreat’s recent reaccreditation by The Joint Commission as a strong indicator of the hospital’s ongoing success under the Systems Improvement Agreement established with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at the end of 2014.
Between now and the end of the year, Simpson and the board will work to assure a smooth and successful leadership transition.
A national search for Simpson’s replacement will be launched with the help of the healthcare recruitment firm Phillips, DiPisa & Associates.
Simpson will accept an offer to become CEO of The World Purpose Forum effective Jan. 1, 2016. He will also join the organizational development firm Linkage, Inc., as a principle consultant in their Executive Leadership & Board Practice to develop leadership teams and boards in more than 25 countries. He has also accepted an offer from the Retreat’s board to provide philanthropic consultation and assistance in an emeritus role beginning in January 2016.
During Simpson’s tenure the Retreat has launched five successful “specialty” clinical services: The Uniformed Service Program, The LGBT Adult Inpatient Program, the Emerging Adult Inpatient Program, the Mind Body Pain Management Program, and HUB Opiate Addiction Program. In 2013 the Retreat launched Vermont Collaborative Care, a partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont that integrates the management of mental health and traditional medical care, thus setting the stage for Healthcare Reform initiatives. And in 2014 Simpson was chosen as a Behavioral Healthcare Champion by Behavioral Healthcare magazine, which cited his “unique brand of dedication, courage, inspiration, and excellence as a behavioral healthcare leader.”
“At the state level, Rob has been a strong and visible advocate on mental health and healthcare reform issues,” said Bea Grause, president of the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. “Rob serves as vice-chair of the Association so we will miss his leadership and counsel as we continue to face many challenging issues.”
Steve Gordon, president and CEO of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, also had high praise for Simpson.
“Over the past several years I have enjoyed working with Rob both personally and professionally,” Gordon said. “We have had a great relationship which has resulted in a truly collaborative alliance between our two healthcare organizations. I wish Rob all the best in his new endeavor and will miss his leadership on both the local and state levels.”
