The interim administrator at the Montana State Hospital has recently been placed on administrative leave, marking a new development in the ongoing efforts to bring stability to the troubled adult psychiatric facility.
On Monday, Chief Healthcare Facilities Officer William Evo informed staff members at the hospital in Warm Springs that Carter Anderson had been placed on leave, as reported by an anonymous state employee who was present during the announcement and wished to remain unidentified to avoid any negative impact on their professional standing.
According to the witness, Evo did not provide a reason for the decision but did reveal that David Culberson, a former hospital executive in California, will take over as administrator, replacing Anderson.
On Tuesday, Bernadette Franks-Ongoy, director of Disability Rights Montana, a watchdog organization for the state hospital, confirmed to Montana Free Press that Anderson is no longer employed at Montana State Hospital.
When reached by phone on Tuesday morning, Anderson chose not to comment on his employment status.
Before Carter’s change of status, the Chief Operating Officer of the hospital, Christopher St. Jean, was also placed on administrative leave, according to the state employee and Disability Rights Montana.
On Tuesday, a representative from the state Department of Public Health and Human Services, responsible for overseeing state hospital operations, chose not to comment on inquiries regarding the staffing changes. However, they did confirm Culberson’s new position at the facility.
In a statement made on Tuesday, DPHHS spokesperson Jon Ebelt announced that David Culberson will assume the role of interim administrator at Montana State Hospital (MSH) starting from Monday, March 20. With over 30 years of experience in hospital administration and turnarounds, particularly in publicly owned and operated facilities, David brings valuable expertise to MSH. The department is optimistic about the positive impact David’s leadership and experience in managing inpatient behavioral health facilities will have on the ongoing reform efforts at MSH, which aim to address the years of neglect the institution has faced.
Anderson took the helm at the state hospital in April 2022 after the facility’s former administrator, Kyle Fouts, was transferred to the state’s Intensive Behavior Center in Boulder. Fouts had been the subject of staff criticism and blamed for high levels of turnover at the state hospital. The federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare removed the hospital’s accreditation during Fouts’ tenure after investigating patient falls, deaths and insufficient disease control measures.
Hospital employees had praised Anderson’s leadership in the months following his appointment, describing the transition as a “huge energy shift.” Vicky Byrd, CEO of the Montana Nurses Association, one of the unions representing hospital employees, responded on Tuesday to Anderson’s administrative leave by reiterating the importance of steady leadership.
Byrd stated in a written statement that MSH requires continuous stability in the nursing workforce (recruiting and retention) and strong leadership to promote collaboration in providing safe and high-quality healthcare for one of our most vulnerable populations.
Despite the Gianforte administration’s commitment to making systemic improvements to the publicly run facility in order to regain federal accreditation, issues continue to persist. These problems include high levels of staff vacancies, dependence on contract employees, and excessive spending.
Throughout the ongoing legislative session, the subject of state hospital reforms and financing has been consistently discussed and debated.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This story was updated March 21, 2023, to include post-publication comment from the state Department of Public Health and Human Services.
