Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Mental Health has named Wendy Shapiro as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital (VPCH).
Shapiro’s background in human services spans more than three decades, encompassing both direct service roles and high-level leadership positions. She comes to Vermont having most recently served as CEO of Clarion Psychiatric Center in Clarion, PA, where she led her team to earn the prestigious 2021 Quality Award for outstanding achievements in outcome measures, patient satisfaction, restraint reduction, and regulatory success.
Shapiro received her B.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Penn State University and her M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Arcadia University.
As CEO, Wendy Shapiro will lead the state facility charged with providing recovery -oriented psychiatric treatment and care for individuals whose illness or mental health-related actions may require periods of involuntary commitment. Her responsibilities include direct collaboration with both staff and those receiving services. She oversees strategic planning, spearheads development initiatives, manages operations, and upholds focus on patient rights and successful recovery.
Department of Mental Health Commissioner Emily Hawes said Shapiro is the right person at the right time to lead the hospital.
“At some point in our lives, many of us will experience some kind of mental health challenges, and for some those challenges can be overwhelming, and can lead to tragic outcomes,” said Hawes. “That's why having individuals in these critical roles with expertise in mental health care systems, a dedication to equitable, empathetic, and effective treatment services, and support is absolutely crucial. Wendy has these skills and more.”
"The success of our system of care is about all of us coming together, working collectively to focus on and support every individual who walks through our doors, and recognizing that recovery is a unique journey for each person," Wendy Shapiro said. "I am excited to join the phenomenal VPCH team to provide these essential supports, and I look forward to all we will accomplish together for the people we serve and the communities in which we all live.”
The Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital (VPCH) in Berlin is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of one of Vermont’s most vulnerable populations. Offering a state-of-the-art facility designed to promote and enhance recovery, the 25-bed, acute care hospital offers patient areas designed for comfort, dignity, and safety.
Exclusive features of the hospital include charming yards, half basketball court, lush planting beds, jogging track, meditation labyrinth, and other custom landscaping details. Interior aesthetics include a robust library that functions as part of Vermont’s broader library system, a greenhouse, a large activity room, and a fitness room. While hospitalized, individuals are encouraged to engage in activities and participate in all aspects of prescribed treatment to facilitate recovery.
For more information about the Vermont Psychiatric Hospital, visit https://mentalhealth.vermont.gov/services/psychiatric-hospitalization/vermont-psychiatric-care-hospital
If you or someone you know is in crisis or is thinking about suicide:
Call 988 for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) or text VT to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line. Trained counselors are available 24/7.
Source: 9.14.2023. Waterbury, VT – The Vermont Department of Mental Health. https://mentalhealth.vermont.gov/
