The CEO of a behavioral health hospital in Florida has left his post following allegations that he was not qualified for the job, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Bryon Coleman Jr., a former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers practice team, became head of North Tampa Behavioral Health back in 2018. Before taking the job, he also worked in sales for a trucking company and as a manager of employee benefits for an insurance company.
However, 31-year-old Coleman had no healthcare experience when he took the job, according to a September investigation by the Times. The report also found that more than 90 other employees didn’t have the proper training.
North Tampa Behavioral Health is owned by Franklin, Tennessee-based Acadia Healthcare. A spokesperson for the company told the Times Coleman had moved to another position within the organization and that the switch “had nothing to do with any regulatory findings.”
The investigation by the Times also found that North Tampa Behavioral’s problems extended beyond its workforce. The report also detailed instances of the hospital holding mental health patients longer than was legally allowed to help its bottom line and of employees cutting off patients’ contact with their families, among other issues.
Following the September report, lawmakers called for review of the hospital and it’s practices.
After an inspection, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said it would withhold the hospital’s public funding if the problems weren’t fixed, according to the Times.
However, Acadia denied such claims and allegations that Coleman wasn’t qualified.
Companies featured in this article:
Acadia Healthcare, North Tampa Behavioral Health, Tampa Bay Times
