RWJBarnabas Health appointed Frank Ghinassi senior vice president of behavioral health and addictions service line.

In addition to his new position, Ghinassi will maintain a dual role and continue to serve as president and chief executive officer of Rutgers Health University Behavioral Health Care (UBHC).

The assets and employees of the respective organizations will remain intact and independent, with UBHC maintaining its fiduciary and operational responsibilities to the State of New Jersey.

“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,” said Barry Ostrowsky, president and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health. “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,” said Ostrowsky.

Ghinassi will report to Ostrowsky.

RWJBarnabas Health said Ghinassi’s leadership will further position the Behavioral Health and Addictions Service Line as a premier, comprehensive behavioral health provider, serving as the preferred destination for patients, families and clinicians who seek high quality, fully integrated and interdisciplinary behavioral health care throughout New Jersey.

RWJBarnabas Health said it is focused on providing “unparalleled expertise and stigma-free behavioral health services. ”

As president and CEO for UBHC, Ghinassi is responsible for a statewide system of academically based mental health and addiction services across New Jersey, managing a budget in excess of $300 million and approximately 2,100 staff and faculty. In this role, HE will continue to report to Dr. Brian Strom, chancellor, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences; executive vice president, Health Affairs, Rutgers University.

“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,” said Strom. “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.”

Ghinassi is also professor in the Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, an adjunct professor of Psychiatry for Rutgers Robert Wood Medical School, adjunct associate professor of Psychiatry for University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and core faculty at Rutgers Global Health Institute.