Newport Healthcare Appoints Brent Nelson, MD, to Chief Innovation & Optimization Officer

New role underscores Newport's commitment to advancing exceptional, innovative behavioral health care

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Newport Healthcare, a leading provider of evidence-based behavioral health treatment, today announced the promotion of Brent Nelson, MD to Chief Innovation & Optimization Officer, a newly created executive leadership role reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. The role reflects Newport's organization-wide commitment to the development and implementation of cutting-edge services.

In his new role, Dr. Nelson will dedicate the majority of his time to working across Newport's inpatient, residential, and outpatient mental health treatment programs to identify and advance opportunities that enhance clinical quality, improve operational efficiency, and support the company's long-term success. He will continue to see patients on a limited basis, maintaining a strong connection to clinical practice.

As part of his expanded responsibilities, Dr. Nelson will also chair the Care Council, composed of internal and external medical and clinical leaders, that focuses on care innovation and quality oversight. The Council serves as a primary forum for advancing Newport's mission of delivering exceptional, innovative behavioral health care.

"Adding Dr. Nelson's unique combination of clinical expertise, strategic insight, and technological innovation to our executive leadership team to help inform care delivery will be of great benefit to the company and to our patients," said Brian Setzer, Chief Executive Officer of Newport Healthcare. "His ability to bridge patient care, technology, and operational strategy will help propel Newport into the future while maintaining our unwavering commitment to clinical excellence."

Dr. Nelson most recently served as Chief Medical Information Officer and led the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) program for Newport's PrairieCare program. As CMIO, he led companywide clinical informatics, optimization, and innovation initiatives across multiple levels of care. His background as a physician-executive and healthcare innovator includes advancing technology-enabled care delivery, improving clinician efficiency, and strengthening systems that support quality, access, and outcomes. He has also practiced as an adult interventional psychiatrist and led innovative treatment programs, bringing a practical, clinician-informed perspective to system-level transformation.

In addition to his leadership roles, Dr. Nelson is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, serves on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Mental Health Community Foundation, and has been featured extensively as a subject matter expert in the media.

"I'm honored to step into this role at such an important time for Newport Healthcare," said Dr. Nelson. "Our ability to thoughtfully integrate innovation with clinical care is essential to meeting the needs of our patients, families, and teams. I look forward to working closely with colleagues across the organization to build solutions that support results-driven, exceptional care."

Newport Healthcare is committed to increasing access to evidence-based behavioral health care, operating nationwide programs for youth, young adults, and families, and offering in-network coverage with most major insurance providers.  For more information, visit www.newporthealthcare.com.

About Newport Healthcare

Newport Healthcare is the nation's leading provider of evidence-based behavioral health treatment for youth, young adults, and families. Its full continuum of care includes residential services, partial hospitalization programs (PHP), and intensive outpatient programs (IOP) for mental health and substance use disorders, as well as psychiatric inpatient services. Newport's family-centered, integrated approach fosters sustainable healing from a foundation of compassionate care and clinical expertise, with a primary mission to empower lives and restore families.

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SOURCE Newport Healthcare