RWJBarnabas Health announced on Monday it has named licensed psychologist Frank A. Ghinassi as its senior vice president of behavioral health and addictions service line.
Ghinassi, in addition to his appointment, will maintain an independent role as CEO and president of Rutgers Health University Behavioral Health Care.
“The Behavioral Health and Addictions Service Line for RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers University will benefit from singular executive leadership, streamlining our strategic direction and operational excellence across both organizations,” Barry H. Ostrowsky, CEO and president of RWJBarnabas Health, said. “Dr. Ghinassi’s extensive experience in evidence-based treatments for behavioral health and addiction services will help to create synergies throughout our health care system, strengthening our services and care pathways to the communities we serve.”
Ghinassi, who will report to Ostrowsky, is also a professor at the Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, an adjunct professor of psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Medical School, an adjunct associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and core faculty at Rutgers Global Health Institute.
“Dr. Ghinassi is one of the best leaders in behavioral health in the nation. We have been delighted to have him as our leader for University Behavioral Health Care, a role he will continue to fill,” Brian L. Strom, chancellor, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences and executive vice president, health affairs, Rutgers University, said. “This is yet another example of the synergies between our two organizations and our ability together to bring a new level of care to the people of New Jersey, to the nation, and to the world.”
Prior to UBHC, Ghinassi served as the vice president for quality, patient safety, regulatory compliance and health information management at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian Shadyside.
