Psychiatric Medical Care (PMC), one of the nation’s leading behavioral health management companies, has appointed Bob Zagerman as its new Chief Financial Officer. Zagerman, who brings nearly three decades of experience in behavioral health finance, most recently served as the operations CFO at Acadia Healthcare (NASDAQ: ACHC). His appointment marks another step in PMC’s ongoing growth strategy, particularly as the organization continues to expand its services in rural and underserved communities.
This leadership addition comes at a pivotal moment for the Nashville, Tennessee-based company, which manages behavioral health programs in more than 250 facilities across 26 states. With a growing demand for mental health services—accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic—PMC is investing heavily in leadership talent and infrastructure to sustain its momentum.
Who Is Bob Zagerman?
Zagerman is no stranger to the complexities of behavioral health care finance. Over the course of nearly 30 years, he has built a reputation as a seasoned executive with the ability to guide organizations through periods of rapid change and expansion. At Acadia Healthcare, a publicly traded leader in behavioral health treatment, Zagerman served as operations CFO, where he oversaw financial strategy for one of the industry’s largest players.
By joining PMC, Zagerman brings both operational expertise and strategic insight that will help strengthen the company’s financial foundation. His experience in managing large-scale behavioral health systems makes him uniquely positioned to guide PMC’s continued growth, particularly as it scales services across a variety of treatment settings, including inpatient behavioral health units, intensive outpatient programs, and telehealth services.
PMC’s Mission and Reach
Founded with the mission of expanding access to behavioral health care in rural and underserved areas, Psychiatric Medical Care partners with hospitals and health systems to create and manage mental health programs. The company’s services span multiple levels of care, including:
- Inpatient behavioral health units for patients in crisis who need immediate stabilization.
- Intensive outpatient programs that provide structured treatment while allowing patients to maintain daily responsibilities.
- Telehealth services to improve access to evaluation and treatment for conditions like depression, anxiety, mood disorders, memory problems, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
With more than 250 partnerships nationwide, PMC is one of the largest behavioral health management organizations in the United States. Its model helps hospitals in underserved communities launch and sustain behavioral health programs that would otherwise be difficult to manage independently.
Growth Amid the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has put an unprecedented strain on the mental health of Americans. Rising rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance use have pushed demand for services higher than ever before. At the same time, providers have faced significant operational challenges in ensuring safe access to care.
For PMC, this environment has underscored the importance of expanding resources and investing in growth. CEO J.R. Greene noted that the company has made “significant investments for growth” throughout the pandemic. These investments include the addition of new leadership positions, both at the executive and board levels, to support PMC’s growing inpatient and outpatient divisions.
The addition of Zagerman as CFO represents a major step in this strategy. His role will be to help navigate the financial complexities of expansion while ensuring that PMC can deliver sustainable, high-quality behavioral health programs to communities in need.
Strengthening the Leadership Team
Zagerman is not the only new face on PMC’s leadership team. The company recently announced the hiring of two new vice presidents and the addition of a new board member, further strengthening its executive bench.
- Dustin Davis has been named vice president of inpatient operations. Davis previously served as a market CEO for Springstone Mental Health Facilities in Houston, Texas, bringing with him 20 years of executive healthcare management experience. His expertise will help PMC enhance its inpatient division, which has been an area of rapid growth.
- Maggie Music has been appointed vice president of human resources. With 15 years of healthcare experience, Music will play a critical role in developing strategies to recruit, retain, and support staff across PMC’s programs—an essential priority given the industry’s workforce challenges.
- Brent Turner, former President of Acadia Healthcare, has joined PMC’s board of directors. Turner’s strategic leadership and deep industry knowledge provide valuable guidance as the company continues to expand.
Together, these appointments reflect PMC’s commitment to building a leadership team capable of managing both the opportunities and challenges facing behavioral health care today.
Why This Matters for Behavioral Health
The addition of Zagerman and other leaders comes at a time when the U.S. healthcare system is reckoning with the importance of behavioral health. Nearly one in five adults experiences a mental illness each year, yet access to treatment—particularly in rural communities—remains a major barrier.
PMC’s focus on underserved areas is critical in bridging this gap. By partnering with hospitals that may lack the resources or expertise to manage behavioral health programs independently, PMC expands access to care where it is needed most. Strong leadership and financial management are essential to sustaining and scaling this mission.
Zagerman’s experience at Acadia, one of the largest behavioral health providers in the country, equips him to help PMC meet these challenges head-on. His financial stewardship will support innovation in care delivery, expansion into new markets, and the ongoing integration of telehealth—an area that has become increasingly vital since the onset of the pandemic.
The Role of Telehealth in PMC’s Future
One of PMC’s most significant growth areas has been its telehealth offerings. Virtual care has rapidly become a cornerstone of behavioral health services, allowing patients to access evaluations and therapy from the safety of their homes. This has been particularly important during the pandemic, when in-person access has been limited.
With Zagerman as CFO, PMC is well-positioned to continue investing in telehealth infrastructure. Expanding virtual services not only increases access for patients in rural and underserved areas but also enhances flexibility and convenience for all patients. In the long term, telehealth will likely remain an integral part of PMC’s service model, complementing traditional inpatient and outpatient programs.
Looking Ahead
As Psychiatric Medical Care continues to grow, the company’s success will depend on its ability to balance expansion with quality and sustainability. By bringing in experienced leaders like Bob Zagerman, Dustin Davis, Maggie Music, and Brent Turner, PMC is laying the groundwork for continued success.
Zagerman’s appointment signals a commitment to financial discipline and strategic growth at a time when the need for behavioral health services has never been greater. With his guidance, PMC is poised to expand its reach, strengthen its partnerships, and continue delivering on its mission of making behavioral health care accessible to all—especially those in underserved communities.
Conclusion
The addition of Bob Zagerman as CFO represents a pivotal moment for Psychiatric Medical Care. Backed by decades of experience in behavioral health finance, Zagerman brings the leadership and insight needed to guide the company through its next chapter of growth. Coupled with new leadership appointments across inpatient operations, human resources, and the board of directors, PMC is strengthening its foundation for the future.
As demand for behavioral health services continues to rise nationwide, PMC’s commitment to rural and underserved markets makes its work more vital than ever. With strong leadership at the helm, the company is well-positioned to expand access, innovate care delivery, and make a lasting impact on communities across the United States.
