Charles G. Curie is the principal and founder of THE CURIE GROUP, LLC, a management and consulting
firm specializing in working with national and international leaders in public and private healthcare, particularly
mental health (MH) services and substance use (SU) treatment and prevention arenas, to facilitate the
transformation of services and to attain increasingly positive outcomes in the lives of people worldwide. Curie
has over 40 years of professional experience in the MH and SU services fields and has authored and co-authored
articles on various topics related to the field, including co-occurring disorders and the reduction and elimination
of seclusion and restraint practices.
In 2001, Curie was nominated by President George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to
head the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). As SAMHSA
Administrator, Curie led the $3.4 billion agency responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and
effectiveness of the Nation’s SU treatment and prevention and MH services. Articulating the vision of “a life in
the community for everyone”, Curie charted a new course for SAMHSA.
Prior to his confirmation as SAMHSA Administrator, Curie was appointed by Governor Tom Ridge as Deputy
Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) for the Dept. of Public Welfare in
Pennsylvania. During his tenure the Behavioral HealthChoices Medicaid managed care program was
implemented and he established a policy to reduce and ultimately eliminate the use of seclusion and restraint
practices in the state hospital system. This program won the 2000 Innovations in American Government Award
from Harvard University, The Ford Foundation and The Center for Excellence in Government.
Previous professional experience includes Director of Risk Management Services, Henry S. Lehr, Inc.,
Bethlehem, PA; President/CEO, Helen H. Stevens Community Mental Health Center, Carlisle, PA; and
Executive Director/CEO, Sandusky Valley Center, Tiffin, OH.
Curie has received numerous awards and honors, including a Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa from
Huntington University, 2012; the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration (SSA) E.
Abbott Lifetime Achievement Award, 2011; The John P. McGovern Award for Substance Abuse Prevention,
2005; and The Society of Prevention Research Public Service Award, 2004.
Curie holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration
and a Bachelor of Arts from Huntington University. He has been appointed to the 2020 Behavioral Health
Integration Task Force of the Bipartisan Policy Center, Washington, DC and serves on a number of corporate
and non-profit boards.