Meridian Behavioral Health Leader Joins University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital Philanthropic Board

Meridian Behavioral Health President and CEO Fran Sauvageau was named to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital Philanthropic Board. He brings to the position more than 30 years of experience leading and consulting behavioral health and healthcare systems, serving adolescent and adult programs within organizations both big and small.

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Meridian Behavioral Health President and CEO Fran Sauvageau was named to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital Philanthropic Board. (Photo: Business Wire)

Sauvageau has led Meridian since 2011. As president and CEO, he advises the direction of 17 facilities and the company’s substance abuse treatment services. He was a driver in opening Meridian’s residential addiction treatment program, Beauterre Recovery Institute, to deliver patient-centric care to the professional market. He brings strong start-up and turnaround experience, most recently leading Meridian through a corporate restructuring to establish it as a leading – and one of the fastest growing – behavioral healthcare companies in the country.

“By focusing on creating exceptional care experiences, healthcare organizations can have a powerful and lasting effect on the community. The U’s Masonic Children’s Hospital does this in its vision to transform the health of children, and I am honored to serve that greater purpose as a board member,” Sauvageau said.

Before leading Meridian, Sauvageau served as division president of Psychiatric Solutions Inc. (now part of Universal Health Services), where he managed 13 multi-level behavioral healthcare hospitals and systems for the Tennessee-based organization. He was also founding partner, president and CEO of Lighthouse Care Centers of South Carolina, which provided behavioral treatment for adolescents and adults. The organization grew to include five locations across three states during his tenure. Sauvageau also served over six years as a Medical Services Corps Officer in the United States Air Force, attaining rank of Captain.

University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital is a premier pediatric hospital that helps advance cures through research and innovation. The hospital is affiliated with the University of Minnesota Medical School.

About Meridian Behavioral Health
Meridian Behavioral Health is a leading and one of the fastest growing behavioral healthcare platforms in the country. The company treats individuals suffering from substance use disorders with co-occurring mental illness across its extensive network of 17 programs spanning residential, outpatient and a medication-assisted treatment. For more than 25 years, Meridian has developed and refined an innovative, evidence-based approach to care focused on the addictive disease treatment model. Visit www.meridianprograms.com or call 1.877.367.1715.

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