Austen Riggs Center Selects Oscar F. Hills, MD, as Next Medical Director and CEO

March 10, 2026 — Stockbridge, MA — The Board of Trustees of the Austen Riggs Center, one of the nation’s leading longer-term psychiatric residential treatment centers, has selected Oscar F. Hills, MD, to serve as its next Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Hills will assume the role on July 1, 2026.

Founded in 1919, the Austen Riggs Center is internationally recognized for its open therapeutic community model and its emphasis on psychodynamic treatment for adults with complex mental health conditions. Dr. Hills’ appointment comes at a time of significant change in the behavioral health field, marked by post–COVID-19 consolidation among private equity–backed providers, workforce shortages, evolving reimbursement models, and shifting expectations regarding access and outcomes.

Dr. Hills brings extensive experience leading complex psychiatric services while maintaining a sustained commitment to long-term, depth-oriented care. For more than 14 years, he directed the freestanding Psychiatric Emergency Room and Acute Psychiatric Services at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System’s West Haven campus, overseeing inpatient, emergency, residential, and consultation-liaison services in a high-acuity setting. He is currently an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine and maintains a private practice in psychiatry and psychoanalysis.

A certified psychoanalyst and training and supervising analyst, Dr. Hills has held senior leadership roles within the Western New England Institute for Psychoanalysis, including Chair of the Education Committee and Treasurer of the Board of Directors. His work reflects an integration of psychodynamic treatment, psychopharmacology, and institutional leadership, with ongoing engagement in developments in neuroscience, complexity theory, and technology.

“We are in a moment when mental health care is being reshaped by market forces, consolidation, and changing expectations about speed and outcomes,” said Dr. Hills. “Riggs offers something fundamentally different—time, depth, and serious engagement with psychological life. Leading Riggs forward means protecting that core while strengthening the institution so it can continue to thrive amid competition, workforce challenges, and ongoing change.”

The national search for the position began in January 2025 and attracted candidates from across the United States and abroad.

“We cast a wide net and saw extraordinary interest from leaders nationally and internationally,” said Lisa Raskin, PhD, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Oscar stood out not only for the depth of his clinical and academic leadership, but for how clearly he thinks about the future—what Riggs must protect, and where it must grow. He understands both the responsibility and the opportunity of leading an institution like this at this moment.”

Dr. Hills will succeed Edward R. Shapiro, MD, who has served as Medical Director and CEO since January 2025 and previously held the role from 1991 to 2011.

“Riggs has always worked because it holds clinical seriousness and institutional integrity together,” said Dr. Shapiro. “Oscar Hills understands that balance. He brings the steadiness, curiosity, and respect for institutional culture that this role demands, and I am confident he will lead Riggs thoughtfully as the field continues to evolve.”

The Austen Riggs Center is an open psychiatric residential treatment center and therapeutic community, as well as an institute for education, research, and advocacy in mental health. Located in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts, Riggs has served adults since its founding in 1919. In addition to its residential program, Riggs offers a fully online course of treatment for college students and other emerging adults in Massachusetts and Vermont through its Online Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Riggs focuses on understanding the psychological dilemmas underlying symptomatic behavior so that individuals can increasingly take charge of their lives. Through its Erikson Institute for Education, Research, and Advocacy, Riggs also conducts research, professional training, and community outreach locally and beyond. For more information, visit www.AustenRiggs.org.

Media Contact:
John Zollinger
Director of Communications
Austen Riggs Center
413.931.5816
john.zollinger@austenriggs.net