The administrator of the troubled Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs is leaving his job and will be going to another administrative role, the state health department confirmed April 21.
Kyle Fouts, who has headed Montana State Hospital since 2019, will lead the Intensive Behavior Center, an intensive, short-term treatment facility in Boulder, Mont., as its new administrator, effective May 9, according to a Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services news release, which was shared with Becker's.
Carter Anderson, who has served as administrator of the Montana Office of Inspector General since 2018, will serve as the interim administrator at Montana State Hospital, a psychiatric facility.
Michelle Truax will serve as the interim OIG administrator, in addition to her current role as program compliance bureau chief for OIG, the state department said.
Mr. Fouts is departing Montana State Hospital in the wake of a CMS decision earlier in April to end reimbursement to the facility over patient safety concerns. The CMS decision came after inspectors uncovered noncompliance issues at Montana State Hospital in February and placed the facility on "immediate jeopardy" status. Inspectors attributed four patient deaths to the deficiencies.
The state has contracted with consultants from Alvarez and Marsal Public Sector Services as part of work to assess state-operated facilities, including Montana State Hospital.
"Alvarez and Marsal Public Sector Services officials hit the ground running this week and participated in several in-person meetings with DPHHS leadership, MSH officials and external stakeholders," the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services news release said. "DPHHS is committed to a methodical, strategic and data-driven approach to reforming MSH and other state-operated facilities."
State officials said the contract with Alvarez and Marsal Public Sector Services establishes an executive support team for most state-run healthcare facilities, including the role of executive facilities director. That position will be filled jointly by Diane Rafferty and Chris Baglio of Alvarez and Marsal Public Sector Services.