From Wall Street to Behavioral Health: Steve Page’s Journey
In this featured podcast conversation, our CEO and Founder, Steve Page, shares the personal journey that led him from a successful career as a Wall Street analyst to establishing SUN Behavioral Health. Steve reflects on the pivotal 2 AM promise he made to his newborn son, a moment that reshaped his sense of purpose and ultimately inspired the mission that guides our organization today.
He also addresses the critical challenges facing our industry, including the alarming trend of psychiatric hospitals closing at a time when the need for mental health services continues to rise. Steve offers an honest look at the economic realities that make delivering high-quality behavioral health care so difficult, and why SUN remains committed to meeting these needs despite the obstacles.
Please see below for a list of Key Takeaways and a link to watch the full conversation:
- Why Steve left a banking career at 2 AM after making a promise to his son
- The shocking math behind psychiatric hospitals: most lose money at 30 beds, break even only at 70+
- How SUN survived opening 4 hospitals before hitting profitability just months before COVID
- Why solving unmet needs requires understanding both human impact and brutal economics
- The culture strategy that scaled from line staff input to 3,000 employees
- How AI is transforming patient intake from hours to seconds
- Why the 2028 Medicaid changes could reshape behavioral health entirely