Discovery Behavioral Health issued the following announcement on June 26.

Discovery Behavioral Health, Inc, (DBH) an expanding network of evidence-based mental health, substance abuse and eating disorder treatment centers, has announced the appointment of Corey Procuniar as Vice President, Human Resources.

Procuniar will oversee all personnel policies for DBH, which has nearly 3,000 employees who work in treatment centers in 12 states as well as at the company's corporate headquarters in Southern California. Prior to his appointment at DBH, he was head of HR for Cambridge Healthcare Services in Orange County, CA where he worked for 10 years. He holds a B.A. degree in pre-med, chemistry from Brigham Young University.

As an HR executive, Procuniar will face a job market with unprecedented volatility caused by the current national health emergency. In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are being buffeted by civil unrest in many parts of the country and a renewed call for racial and ethnic diversity in the workplace. Procuniar says that he already has learned valuable lessons from the multiple crises, which will continue to inform him in his leadership role. 

"The pandemic forced us to initiate a work-at-home policy for many of our employees. At first, we were concerned about productivity, but we discovered, as have many other companies, that our employees became more productive. That will inform our decision-making as we finalize plans for our new corporate headquarters," he said.

While many DBH employees will continue to work at home even after COVID-19 subsides, he still envisions a workplace where team members can gather on occasion for face-to-face meetings about projects or special events. "As effective as video conferencing has been proven to be over the last few months, there's still the need for the kind of nuanced communication and cohort bonding that's only possible from in-person gatherings," he says.

Over the next three years, DBH plans to add several hundred employees as it acquires existing treatment facilities or opens new ones. To keep the company's various moving parts running smoothly, Procuniar will utilize the latest in human capital management system (HCMS), a comprehensive and strategic approach to building and developing effective staffing in organizations. "HCMS provides the kinds of staffing analytics that will facilitate the growth of the company in the coming years," he said.

In a recent survey conducted by The Conference Board of employees nationwide, 62% said that they would not work for an organization if they disagreed with their stated beliefs. With a renewed focus on diversity in its hiring, retention and promotion of staff, DBH will conduct an audit during the next six months by an outside consulting firm of its current employee practices "Our company is committed to fostering a workplace culture where every voice is welcomed and respected regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural background, sexual identity or religion, and where diverse thinking is encouraged," he said. "Diversity is an essential element in the execution our company's mission: saving lives with compassionate treatment, evidence-based care and an unwavering alliance among staff, patients and communities."  

In his new position, Procuniar will report directly to DBH Chief Executive Officer John Peloquin.

"Corey's honed management skills and in-depth human resources expertise promise to serve the company well in these times of unique challenges for employers and employees alike. He will be integral in our efforts to make DBH a model of diversity and inclusion for the profession and the industry of behavioral health," said Peloquin.

About Discovery Behavioral Health

Discovery Behavioral Health is a leading U.S. behavioral health network delivering accessible, evidence-based care within hospital and community-based centers. Treatment programs include substance use, eating disorder and mental health centers. With more than 100 treatment centers nationwide, Discovery's levels of care include detoxification centers, residential, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs for teens and adults. The company was established in 1998 and is headquartered in Orange County, California. More: https://discoverybehavioralhealth.com

Original source can be found here.