New Superintendent named for Oregon State Hospital

Roberts, 59, has worked in the field of human services since 1973. During his decades of service he has fulfilled many roles including chief executive officer at each of the five state psychiatric hospitals in New Jersey. Most recently Roberts served as assistant director overseeing operations of all the state’s hospitals.

“Mr. Roberts recognizes the unlimited opportunities for improvement at the Oregon State Hospital,” said Governor Ted Kulongoski. “He has faced similar challenges in his home state and brings with him proven solutions and the energy to see them through.”

Roberts was selected after a three-month nationwide search. A search committee of OSH employees, patient family members, advocates, lawmakers and staff from Governor Kulongoski’s office helped narrow the field down to three finalists who participated in panel interviews. After those interviews and strong recommendations from Mr. Roberts’s references, Bruce Goldberg, M.D., director of Oregon Department of Human Services and Oregon Health Authority, and Richard Harris, director of Addictions and Mental Health (AMH), made the selection.

“Greg Roberts is an experienced administrator with a reputation for turning hospitals around to focus on our patients and their families while emphasizing wellness and recovery,” Goldberg said.

As construction continues on a modern new state hospital campus in Salem, Roberts will be working on modernizing patient care. He will be responsible for overseeing OSH’s Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) which includes improved patient wellness and safety and building better linkages with patients’ family and friends.

“I have done my homework and I am very aware of the challenges facing the Oregon State Hospital but I’m ready to tackle them,” said Roberts. “There are solutions, I have resolved similar issues here in New Jersey and am excited to begin my work in Oregon.”

Oregon State Hospital is a state-run psychiatric hospital that consists of a campus in Portland and the main campus located in Salem. Staff at the two campuses care for nearly 700 patients on any given day, serving more than 1,000 Oregonians each year.

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