Industry veteran Vandewater brings more than 35 years of leadership in behavioral and medical-surgical healthcare services

Summit BHC (“Summit”), a leading provider of high-quality, evidence-based behavioral health and addiction treatment services, today announced the appointment of David T. Vandewater as President and CEO, effective immediately. Vandewater succeeds Dan Slipkovich who has been serving as Interim CEO since December.

Vandewater brings a long track record of success in the behavioral and health services management industry, as well as a values-based and quality-oriented leadership style. Vandewater joins Summit BHC from Anther Health Services, where he served as CEO. Prior to forming Anther, he spent nearly two decades as president and CEO of Ardent Health Services, growing revenues from $300 million to $4.4 billion by the end of his tenure.

Over his more than 35-year career in healthcare, David has been responsible for the operations of more than 500 hospitals and led more than 20 joint venture partnerships that combined the strengths of community hospitals, not-for-profit or academic health systems, and investor-owned operators.

“I am honored by the opportunity to lead Summit, whose work is essential to the communities it serves,” said Vandewater. “On behalf of the entire Summit organization, I’d like to extend my sincere appreciation to Dan Slipkovich for his leadership of Summit over the past eight months. I look forward to supporting our teams as they deliver on Summit’s essential mission and uphold the values of the organization.”

About Summit BHC

Headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, and founded in 2013, Summit’s mission is to develop and operate a network of leading behavioral health hospitals and addiction treatment centers throughout the country while improving all the lives we touch. The Company’s primary focus is on the provision of psychiatric services and substance use disorder treatment within a flexible, compassionate, and dynamic continuum of care. The leadership team at Summit is composed of senior executives with decades of combined experience in the behavioral healthcare industry at the national level. The Company currently owns and operates 38 freestanding facilities in 20 states across the country.

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David T. Vandewater brings more than 35 years of leadership in behavioral and medical-surgical healthcare services to his new role as President and CEO of Summit BHC.