Southern NH Medical Center Welcomes New Behavioral Health Medical Director Rhett Donathan, DO

By Gillian McCarron, Enterprise Communications Specialist

Southern New Hampshire Health, a non-profit health system, has hired Rhett Donathan, DO as its Behavioral Health Medical Director for Southern New Hampshire Medical Center.  

In this role, Dr. Donathan, a psychiatrist, will work closely with the Chair of Foundation Behavioral Health, Dr. William Charmak, to ensure patients across Southern New Hampshire Health receive the highest quality behavioral health care in the region. Southern New Hampshire Medical Center's behavioral health services are integrated throughout the health system and tailored to meet the needs of each patient through expert, compassionate care.  

In New Hampshire, more than 25% of adults have a mental health diagnosis, making timely access to high-quality behavioral health care close to home a priority for the communities Southern New Hampshire Health serves. 

“Dr. Donathan’s arrival will strengthen our commitment to advancing behavioral health services,” said Dr. Joseph Leahy, Chief Medical Officer at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center. “We want patients to feel supported and continue to make access to high-quality care easier, whether at our hospital, at one of our primary or specialty care locations, or at our behavioral health inpatient unit,” Leahy went on to say. 

Dr. Donathan joins Southern New Hampshire Health from Three Rivers Medical Center in Louisa, Kentucky, where he has served as Medical Director of the Behavioral Health Unit since 2023.  

“I’m looking forward to using my experience as a psychiatrist and medical director to build on the already high-quality care that Southern NH Health has been providing for years,” Dr. Donathan said. “We will continue to focus on every aspect of behavioral health that people throughout the greater Nashua community need and deserve,” he said. 

If you or a loved one is experiencing a crisis, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or go to your nearest emergency department.