Jeff Richardson, Integral Care’s new CEO (Courtesy of Integral Care)

Integral Care, the public agency that serves as the largest provider of mental health care in Travis County, has found its next leader. Following a six month search process, Integral Care’s Board of Trustees has appointed Jeff Richardson as the agency’s next chief executive officer.

Richardson previously worked as vice president and chief operating officer of Sheppard Pratt, which serves over 70,000 patients across 380 locations, according to a news release from Integral Care announcing the hire. He also previously served as board president for the National Council for Behavioral Healthcare.

“I am privileged to join Integral Care, an organization with core values and dedication to the well-being of all children, individuals, and families I share,” Richardson said in the news release. He will replace David Evans, who announced an end to his 30-year run as CEO earlier this year. The final years of Evans time leading the organization were rocky as he attempted to navigate staffing and patient challenges brought on – or worsened – by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, Evans and his leadership team resisted efforts by employees to unionize. That resistance failed, the United Workers of Integral Care won unionization. Since then, the relationship between UWIC and Evans was strained, especially when Evans announced the agency’s 2023-2024 budget would require layoffs. Those layoffs were scaled back due to last-minute funding from Central Health, but the agency’s financial state is still precarious.

“Our outlook on the CEO at this point is that we look forward to working with him to improve working conditions and client care,” the UWIC steering committee said in a statement issued to the Chronicle. “We are hopeful that he will be open to a collaborative relationship with our union and will place value in the knowledge and experience of Integral Care employees.”

Evans will continue to serve as CEO until Richardson starts the job, March 29.