Dr. Pete Vernig is a clinical psychologist and performance-driven healthcare executive focused on delivering high-quality care and spearheading ambitious program improvements. As Vice President of Mental Health Services at Recovery Centers of America , Dr. Vernig leads clinical and mental health services for an integrated system serving over 20,000 patients per year. He provides strategic clinical oversight for 13 facilities across seven states , which include 1,200 inpatient beds and multiple outpatient service lines. His expertise centers on implementing new clinical care models , developing and rolling out new service lines , and driving key operational and clinical outcomes. Previously, Dr. Vernig served as Chief Clinical Officer at Friends Hospital, the nation's oldest private psychiatric hospital. There, he directed clinical operations for the 200+ bed hospital and led the development of evidence-based, trauma-informed programming that resulted in improved quality and decreased use of restrictive interventions. Dr. Vernig holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Suffolk University and an MBA in Healthcare Management from West Texas A&M University. He is a licensed psychologist, holds a faculty appointment as Assistant Professor at Drexel University College of Medicine, and serves on the board of NAMI Philadelphia and as President of the Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association.