AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Northwest Texas Healthcare System announced the selection of Chris Veal, RN, MSN, CEN, as Chief Executive Officer for the NWTHS Behavioral Health hospital, effective Nov. 13.

According to NWTHS, Veal began his career in healthcare in 2009, Veal attained his nursing degree from West Texas A&M University. At the University Medical Center in Lubbock, he became the Assistant Director for the Emergency Center. Veal later moved back to Amarillo to serve as the Director of Nursing for a local Freestanding Emergency Center. In 2019, Veal began his career at NWTHS as the Emergency Department Manager, was promoted to the Director of Med/Surg then transitioned to the Director of the Emergency Department.

According to hospital officials, NWTHS Behavioral Health Hospital is an 85-bed hospital that has taken care of patients with mental illnesses since 1967. The hospital serves patients from the area surrounding Amarillo, including the surrounding states of Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Colorado. The Behavioral Health hospital offers services to children, adolescents, adults, seniors, and uniformed service members.