Press Release

New Executive Director Joins Behavioral Health Partners of Frederick, Inc.

Avi Burstein, LCPC, leads outpatient mental health program as of June 12th

Behavioral Health Partners (BHP) of Frederick, a joint venture of Sheppard Pratt Health System and Frederick Memorial Hospital, announced today the appointment of Avi Burstein, LCPC, as executive director. Burstein will lead program planning and management of BHP, which provides comprehensive outpatient mental health services in community- and home-based settings across Frederick County.

Burstein brings to the position more than a decade of experience working in community-based mental health care delivery. Before joining BHP, Burstein served as the Director of Psychosocial Services for Chase Brexton Health Services, a community-based health service located in Baltimore City.

At Behavioral Health Partners, Burstein will oversee operations for clinic-based services, which include psychiatric evaluations; counseling services; medication management; individual, family, group, and couples counseling, as well as play therapy for children. He will also supervise off-site services meant to serve high-risk children and adolescents in settings such as their home or school. 

“The team at Behavioral Health Partners offers essential mental health services to our community here in Frederick,” Burstein said. “As executive director, it will be my mission to ensure we continue to reach residents where they are in times of need—whether that’s at home, in school, or at one of our two clinic locations.”    

Over the course of his career, Burstein has provided community-based mental health services for a variety of populations with a range of diagnoses. He has special expertise in the areas of substance abuse treatment, working with the LGBTQ community, and conducting suicidal/homicidal risk assessment evaluations.

“Burstein’s extensive experience working with people of all ages and backgrounds makes him uniquely qualified to serve as the new director of BHP of Frederick,” said Gerald Noll, chairman of the BHP Board of Directors. “We are confident that he will be able to apply his insights to successfully serve the community and move our organization forward.”


About Sheppard Pratt

Sheppard Pratt is the largest private, nonprofit provider of mental health, substance use, developmental disability, special education, and social services in the country. A nationwide resource, Sheppard Pratt provides services across a comprehensive continuum of care, spanning both hospital- and community-based resources. Since its founding in 1853, Sheppard Pratt has been innovating the field through research, best practice implementation, and a focus on improving the quality of mental health care on a global level. Sheppard Pratt has been consistently recognized as a top national psychiatric hospital by U.S. News & World Report for more than 30 years.