Liberation Way deal complemented by Rothermel CEO appointment

Drew Rothermel, JD, MBA, has been named CEO of Liberation Behavioral Health LLC in Pennsylvania, just as the company is announcing a transaction. Fulcrum Equity Partners has acquired majority interest in the company, with backing from Vocap Investment Partners. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Rothermel has a 15 year history of operational experience, most recently as president and CEO of Origins Behavioral HealthCare in addition to previous executive roles at Caron Treatment Centers. He says that today’s trends are favoring treatment close to home, and the opportunity with the Liberation Way facilities was attractive to him because the organization has long embraced a model of treatment that is reality-based.

“What that means is the person is treated in a realistic setting close to the setting they’ll encounter post-discharge, namely their own hometown,” he tells Behavioral Healthcare Executive.

Liberation Way has three locations in Pennsylvania currently and is targeting New York and New Jersey for expansion in the future. Rothermel says Fulcrum is committed to growing the model and recognizes the importance of meeting the service needs of local communities.

Treatment modalities include ambulatory detox, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient with a community housing component. Medication assisted treatment and aftercare programs are also available.

Operational improvements

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) earlier this year recorded more than a dozen violations found at Liberation Way facilities. According to the Reading Eagle, the organization was instructed to stop taking patients and was given 60 days to reduce the number of clients it was treating.

In recent weeks, a comprehensive plan of correction was submitted and accepted by the state of Pennsylvania. Rothermel says the organization is working with DDAP now to address the compliance issues.

“That’s part of why I came on board: to put together a seasoned team to create a solid operational platform moving forward,” he says. “The good news for Liberation Way is that demand for services in the Philadelphia market was strong, and they grew fast. One of the byproducts of fast growth is gaps in compliance programs.”

He says the new era for Liberation Way is focused on clinical excellence, uncompromised ethical standards and compliance.