A behavioral health hospital in Moosic, Pennsylvania, has won an award that didn’t exist a year ago. Geisinger Behavioral Health Center Northeast received the Joint Commission’s inaugural Care Team Award, Acadia Healthcare announced on October 5.
The accrediting body created the honor in 2026 for interdisciplinary care teams, judging them on collaboration, coordination and patient-centered care. It was presented at UNIFY 2026: Convening for Quality, the Joint Commission’s annual conference.
The Committee’s Findings
Reviewers cited a culture of collaboration, shared accountability and continuous learning, along with strong day-to-day operations. “This recognition is incredibly meaningful because it reflects who our team is and the commitment they bring every day,” said Kelly Ankenbrand, market CEO of Geisinger Behavioral Health Centers.
“I’m grateful to work alongside colleagues who care so deeply about the individuals we serve,” she said. Her staff, she added, “support one another and never stop looking for ways to improve.”
Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, the Joint Commission’s president and CEO, spoke about the full group of honorees. “Their contributions have advanced safer, higher-quality care and inspired progress for patients and families across the U.S. and around the world,” he said.
“We are proud to celebrate their achievements and grateful for their ongoing dedication to shaping a stronger healthcare system and a better health future for all,” Perlin said.
Where Acadia Comes In
Geisinger is one of several nonprofit health systems that partner with Acadia Healthcare to build and run behavioral health hospitals. Those hospitals often carry the partner’s name. Henry Ford Hospital and Nebraska Methodist Health System are partners too.
Acadia CEO Debbie Osteen said the award “reflects the commitment, collaboration and shared purpose that distinguish this team and the care it provides.” Acadia posted the news on its own newsroom.
A Busy Year for Recognition
Reeve Waud founded Acadia in 2005 and still chairs its board. Under Reeve Waud’s board, two more partner hospitals opened in the second quarter of 2026, one in Florida and one in Iowa.
Eight of Acadia’s residential addiction centers were named to Newsweek’s 2026 list of America’s Best Residential Addiction Treatment Centers in August. Wilmington Treatment Center in North Carolina and Mirror Lake Recovery Center in Tennessee ranked first in their states. Reeve Waud’s company also opened the CARF-accredited Northern Virginia Adolescent Treatment Center in March.
When Osteen rejoined Acadia in January, she pointed to “joint venture partnerships with deeply respected health systems across the country” as one of its strengths.