What makes a behavioral health organization truly worth the work?

In this episode of Worth the Work, Jason Dana Costa sits down with Eric Perry, Executive Director and CEO of Avenir Behavioral Health Center, to explore what it takes to lead, rebuild, and grow in one of healthcare’s most demanding environments.

Eric shares how an early fascination with medicine and human behavior led him from clinical work as a therapist into executive leadership. He and Jason discuss the realities of behavioral healthcare, including staff retention, continuity of care, building stronger teams, and the importance of listening to the people closest to the patients.

Eric also explains why he believes a resume only gets someone through the door, how he hires for character and culture, and why some of his greatest leadership lessons came from seeing what not to do.

The conversation dives into difficult organizational decisions, including rebuilding teams, changing psychiatric provider groups, and creating a more collaborative approach to patient care. Eric also shares what Avenir’s upcoming 24-bed expansion means for the organization and the community it serves.

At its core, this episode is about building organizations where people trust each other, employees feel supported, and better operations ultimately lead to better patient care.