Alabama’s Glenwood, Inc., which operates autism and behavioral health centers in several locations in the state, on Thursday announced that Ken Oliver has assumed the role of president and CEO for the nonprofit.
Oliver succeeds Deborah “Lee” Yount, who has announced her retirement after 38 years leading Glenwood.
The private nonprofit was started in Birmingham in 1974 by a small group of community leaders with a commitment to providing treatment, education and research in the area of children’s mental health. Since then, Glenwood has grown into one of the largest nonprofit behavioral health centers in Alabama, expanding from a single staff person to now employing over 350 people in the state.
According to a release, Oliver has more than 25 years of health care, social services and mental health experience. Most recently, he has been serving as Glenwood’s chief operating officer since 2013.
Oliver will now lead an organization which touched the lives of over 18,000 families just last year alone. He holds a master’s in public administration from the University of Tennessee and a graduate degree in health care administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Oliver will be Glenwood’s third CEO in the organization’s history.
“There is a tremendous need for the services Glenwood provides. While we have grown tremendously, even over the past three years, there’s still so much to do,” stated Glenwood’s board chair, Philip Young. “With 20 percent of school children experiencing mental health disorders, and 1 in 59 children being diagnosed with the autism, Glenwood’s work is important to many families. The fact that Ken is stepping in, with the learning curve behind him and a strong leadership team in place, positions Glenwood well to continue helping many families.”
Glenwood’s hallmark main campus behind Liberty Park in Birmingham spans 363 acres. The nonprofit’s current other locations include Montgomery, Avondale, Birmingham and Huntsville.
The nonprofit is a leader in the Yellowhammer State in providing behavioral health care and educational services for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and severe emotional disturbances. These include home and school based services, campus based programs and services offered in communities and neighborhoods statewide. In addition to direct care services, Glenwood provides consultation and training for mental health and educational professionals and is a member of a scientific research community affiliated with UAB that includes physicians, scientists, clinicians, Glenwood staff and Glenwood board members. A research committee, developed in 1987, is dedicated to cutting edge research to improve treatment modalities for individuals with autism and mental illness.
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Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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