PRS Long-Time Leader Wendy Gradison to Retire in 2020; Joseph Getch to Become Head of Region-Wide Mental Health Nonprofit
OAKTON, Va. (November 7, 2019) – After 22 years of service, Wendy Gradison will be retiring on June 30, 2020 as CEO of PRS, a local nonprofit that helps individuals living with serious mental health issues and facing life crises. She will be succeeded by Joseph Getch, PRS’ President and COO, who will continue to build upon Wendy’s tremendous legacy that has helped thousands of people throughout the region achieve safety, personal wellness, recovery and community integration.
“This announcement is bittersweet. Wendy has been a tremendous leader and visionary, shaping and growing PRS over the past two decades, and we are grateful that she has given us the time to plan and prepare for the transition,” explained Liz Barnes, Board Chair, PRS. “She will be leaving us in great hands with Joe, who has the leadership skills and experience to continue building and adapting PRS to meet the mental health needs of our clients and community into the future.”
With Wendy’s guidance, PRS has matured into a regional nonprofit that is a leader in addressing the needs of people with serious mental health issues and facing life crises. She did this in a rapidly changing mental health landscape while maintaining PRS’ core values. During her tenure, clients served increased three-fold; staff grew more than 200%; and the organization was repeatedly recognized by The NonProfit Times as one of the nation’s 50 Best Nonprofits to Work For. In addition, revenue increased 162%; PRS merged with and grew the region’s suicide prevention and crisis hotline—CrisisLink, which now receives 300% more call volume as a National Back-up Center and Core Chat Center for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network. Further, the organization expanded to serve all of Northern Virginia and Washington, DC.
For the past 14 years, Getch has been an integral part of leading PRS’ growth, vision and success in serving the greater community. Noting his skills, experience, and vision, the Board of Directors felt he was the perfect leader to take over the helm of PRS to continue its important work and trajectory. Getch will start as CEO on July 1, 2020.
“I look forward to building upon the foundation of excellence established at PRS through Wendy’s leadership. PRS is a premier organization that changes and saves lives every day,” explained Joseph Getch, President and COO, PRS. “As Virginia undertakes a process to redesign its behavioral health system and on the heels of the introduction of managed care last year, we have an unprecedented opportunity to meet our communities’ behavioral health, crisis intervention and suicide prevention needs in new ways, and I know that we are well positioned to take on this challenge.”
Getch began at PRS in 2005 and currently provides leadership and oversight for the organization’s financial and administrative operations and works collaboratively with clinical leadership and managers to improve operational quality and efficiency of PRS’ programs. In addition, Getch manages PRS’ relationships with Virginia’s managed care organizations, serves on statewide workgroups, and as a board member and treasurer of the Virginia Association of Community-Based Providers, works to strengthen opportunities for its private provider members throughout the state. He is also an administrative surveyor with CARF International, which provides worldwide accreditation services to health and human services providers.
Prior to PRS, he held C-Suite positions at Best Friends Foundation, First Nations Development Institute, Benton Foundation, and the Hitachi Foundation. Over the years, he has also been active in the community serving on a number of nonprofit boards. Getch has an MBA from Virginia Tech, a Master’s in Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Bachelor’s in Economics from George Mason University.
Contact: Shawn Flaherty, 703‐554‐3609
About PRS, Inc.
PRS is a leading local nonprofit helping those living with serious mental health issues and anyone who faces life crises achieve independence and self-sufficiency. Operating in Northern Virginia and DC, PRS provides clients with skill training and support to help them recover and rebuild their lives through programs such as: Recovery Academy Day Programs, Community Support Services, Employment Services, Community Housing, Coordinated Specialty Care and CrisisLink—a 24/7 phone, chat and text hotline. www.prsinc.org. For 24/7 support from CrisisLink, call 1-800-273-TALK or text ‘Connect’ to 855-11. For 24/7 chat support, visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/.
