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Top Delaware Mental Health Official Resigns

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The head of Delaware’s Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health has quietly resigned.

The Wilmington News Journal reports the 67-yearold Mike Barbieri handed in his resignation on July 6th.

One week later indictments were handed down against three former employees of the Delaware Psychiatric Center alleging neglect that resulted in the death of a patient.

Barbieri’s division operated the center.

Adding to the controversy was his time as CEO of Crossroads of Delaware which was an outpatient addiction treatment facility.

The News Journal notes that in March a former employee was sentenced to six and a half years for having sex with a 16-year old patient.

Barbieri owned the facility at the time of the sexual assault but later sold the company.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.