Leadership shake-up announced at Tacoma psychiatric hospital with history of challenges
Wellfound Behavioral Health Hospital in Tacoma has a new CEO.
On Friday, an all-staff memo announced that Matt Crockett, who took over leadership of the psychiatric facility in 2019, has been replaced by Angie Naylor, the chief nurse executive and chief operating officer at MultiCare Behavioral Health Network.
The memo indicated that the change was effective immediately. Naylor will take over on an interim basis and be joined by Renee Espinosa, who will serve as the interim chief nursing officer and chief operating officer.
According to the memo, MultiCare and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health — the two health care systems that partnered to open the $41 million nonprofit hospital — “decided it is in the best interest of our patients and staff to identify new leadership as we look toward the future of behavioral health care in our region.”
“We are confident these changes will allow us to maintain our commitment to constant improvement around safety and quality of care to support our patients and community,” the memo continued.
Marce Edwards Olson, a spokesperson for the hospital, confirmed the leadership shakeup. A written statement provided to The News Tribune said that Wellfound is “committed to responsibly serving our patients, families, and the community.”
“We greatly appreciate the community’s support as we ensure the highest quality of care for those who need our services,” the statement continued.
Wellfound declined to answer questions about the circumstances that led to the decision. Attempts to reach Crockett were unsuccessful.
According to the hospital’s statement, Naylor “has deep experience running inpatient behavioral health facilities and is a subject matter expert on regulatory compliance.” In 2019, she served as chief quality officer, helping the facility earn accreditation from the Joint Commission, which it had struggled to achieve.
Previously, Crockett served as CEO of Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital in Marysville. As The Seattle Times’ Daniel Gilbert reported in “Public Crisis, Private Toll,” Crockett’s tenure at Smokey Point was the subject of a 2018 Department of Health facility investigation.
Since opening in May 2019, Wellfound has faced numerous challenges and controversies. A month after celebrating its ribbon cutting, original CEO Maureen Womack abruptly departed.
That same year, Kevan Carter Jr., who was denied admission to Wellfound twice in a 24-hour period, stepped in front of a train near his childhood home of Titlow Beach, taking his own life. Shortly after The News Tribune reported on Carter’s death, the hospital temporarily halted admissions.
The hospital also has faced multiple Department of Health investigations since it opened — including one launched in response to Carter’s death. A 2019 state investigation identified roughly 70 pages of deficiencies at the facility, many of them potentially serious.
Last week, The News Tribune reported that a man who was sexually assaulted by another patient at Wellfound has sued the facility.
Championed by MultiCare, CHI Franciscan and a host of local elected officials as a solution to Pierce County’s long standing lack of psychiatric beds, Wellfound has yet to fully open despite benefiting from millions of dollars in public money that went toward its construction.
In January, The News Tribune reported that only 60 of the hospital’s 120 beds were operational.
Friday’s all staff memo indicated that number has now dropped to 48.
According to the statement provided by Wellfound, the hospital “has been at or below 48 beds this past month to ensure the highest level of safety for our patients and staff in our hospital.” The reduction was planned, the statement said, and “occurred through discharges.”
“We did not transfer patients to reduce the census, and patient safety has never been at risk,” the statement said. “We plan to keep our available bed limit at 48 for the time being, to make sure we have adequate staff to deliver care while also allowing time for additional staff training.”
Material from The News Tribune’s archives was included in this story.
