Peter Vernig is highly regarded for ambitious program improvements and impressive results across large healthcare systems. He is currently serving as Vice President of Mental Health Services at Recovery Centers of America, a fast-growing organization dedicated to providing high quality substance use and mental health services with locations across multiple states. Prior to this position, he was the Chief Clinical Officer at Friends Hospital, the oldest private psychiatric hospital in the United States. In this role, he collaborated effectively alongside the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, supplying clinical oversight and crisis-response for the entire hospital, residential program, and outpatient/crisis center. Among his many achievements, he increased alignment and standardization of care by designing and launching a skills-based group curriculum utilized daily by staff throughout the hospital’s eight units, and in two other hospitals. He also holds clinical faculty appointments at Drexel University’s College of Medicine and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
With an exemplary record as a patient-focused clinical psychologist, Dr. Vernig has training in a wide range of settings and populations and expertise with many different facets of modern behavioral healthcare. His success comes from forging robust partnerships to deliver optimal care outcomes, leading large-scale projects to fruition and motivating large teams to rally behind a common goal. As the Director of a therapeutic day camp serving children and adolescents with behavioral and autism spectrum disorders, he drastically reduced the use of physical holds by over 90% by spearheading a thorough restraint reduction initiative including staff training and accountability. He is known for being an out-of-the-box thinker, committed to improving operational efficiency and compliance with policies and best practices through creative problem solving and keen business acumen.
Dr. Vernig holds a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management from West Texas A&M University, a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a Master of Arts in Psychology from Suffolk University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Summa cum Laude) from the University of Colorado. He is licensed as a Psychologist in Pennsylvania and certified by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. He is an active researcher and scholarly contributor with multiple publications and positions with professional organizations. In his spare time, he enjoys running and the outdoors.
