Professional Role and Leadership
James R. Varrell, M.D. is the founder and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Array Behavioral Care, a pioneering organization in virtual behavioral health services. He is also the founder of the CFG Health Network. Dr. Varrell co-founded Array Behavioral Care and has been instrumental in shaping the telepsychiatry landscape since the inception of the company and the broader industry.
Company and Industry Impact
Array Behavioral Care, under Dr. Varrell’s leadership, has celebrated 25 years of innovation in virtual behavioral health care, positioning itself as an industry pioneer. The company specializes in telepsychiatry and virtual therapy, addressing critical gaps in mental health care access, particularly through scalable solutions that promote continuity of care. Notably, Array Behavioral Care secured $25 million in equity funding led by CVS Health in early 2023, indicating significant market validation and strategic partnership strength to expand national mental health services via virtual care platforms.
Key Achievements and Contributions
- Dr. Varrell performed the nation’s first involuntary psychiatric commitment via telepsychiatry in 1999, a landmark event establishing telepsychiatry’s clinical and legal viability.
- He has consistently advocated for telepsychiatry as a solution to the behavioral health crisis, emphasizing its capacity to increase accessibility, reduce patient response time, and enhance care delivery efficiency.
- Experienced in telemedicine since the late 1990s, Dr. Varrell has over 35 years of medical practice with extensive focus on child and adolescent psychiatry, emphasizing integration of telehealth methods in pediatric behavioral health care.
- Dr. Varrell’s work has been recognized by prominent healthcare organizations, including interviews and authored articles on behavioral health innovation and telepsychiatry’s role during the national mental health crisis.
Clinical and Educational Background
- He earned his medical degree from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
- Completed residency in Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
- Completed fellowship training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Center Fellowship Program (1994).
- Board certifications include the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and certification by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
- Holds a clinical specialty in autism.
Professional Affiliations and Credentials
- Active medical practice in Marlton, NJ, where he is affiliated with hospitals such as Jefferson Stratford Hospital and Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes.
- Recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
- Maintains leadership and clinical responsibilities within Array Behavioral Care and the CFG Health Network, influencing both operational and clinical strategies.
Thought Leadership and Public Presence
- Frequently featured in healthcare media, including NeuroFlow, Healthcare IT News, MedCity News, and others, discussing advancements in telepsychiatry and virtual care.
- Authored numerous articles focused on telepsychiatry’s impact on mental health care delivery, accessibility, and outcomes.
- Engages in industry discussions regarding the future of virtual behavioral health and technology's role in mitigating provider shortages.
In summary, James R. Varrell, M.D. is a highly experienced psychiatrist and executive whose longstanding leadership at Array Behavioral Care has helped position the company at the forefront of virtual behavioral health innovation. His pioneering involuntary telepsychiatric commitment and decades of telemedicine practice underpin a deep clinical expertise combined with strategic insight into virtual care scalability and partnerships. Array Behavioral Care’s recent $25M funding led by CVS Health reflects confidence in his leadership and the company’s growth trajectory amid increasing national demand for accessible mental health services.
