Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, the main state-run psychiatric hospital for people charged with serious criminal offenses, will get new leadership next month, a year after a previous CEO was ousted following complaints of threatening staff.

Taking the helm at the Jessup facility in February will be Dr. Aliya Jones, a psychiatrist and former head of the state’s Behavioral Health Administration, according to a message to staff from officials at the Maryland Department of Health.

Lawmakers and advocates have been critical of working and living conditions at Perkins and say Jones is well-regarded and may be able to help that and a yearslong backlog in jails of people legally entitled to services at a forensic facility.

Forensic hospitals in Maryland house those who have been accused of serious crimes, including rape and murder, and are being evaluated before standing trial or were deemed unable to stand trial.

The state health department’s announcement last week touted Jones’ abilities and years of behavioral health experience. Jones is board-certified in psychiatry and addiction medicine and served in the administration of former Gov. Larry Hogan.

Jones, who is leaving a position as executive medical director of behavioral health for Luminis Health, referred a request for comment to the health department.

The acting CEO, Dwain Shaw, resigned Jan. 9, according to the department message. He was tapped to temporarily head the hospital after having filed a complaint last February against the previous leader, Dr. Scott Moran.

Shaw has declined to comment through state health officials and attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.

Moran was removed from the post he’d held since 2019, and his medical license was suspended after he was accused of threatening behavior and ordered by the Maryland District Court in Catonsville to stay away from other staff. Moran consented to the peace order without admitting to the allegations.

A lawyer for Moran did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

Shaw and another employee said Moran “has been using electronic methods to harass and threaten” subordinates. The order also says he is “believed to be in possession of weapons.”

Staff at Perkins have long complained about conditions, including a climate of fear, though documented assaults are more typically by patients on other patients or staff. Moran was not accused of assault.

Dan Martin, senior director of public policy for the Mental Health Association of Maryland, said that bringing Jones in to lead Perkins is a positive step.

“Dr. Jones is very well respected among Maryland’s mental health community,” he said in an email.

Patrick Moran, president of a AFSCME Maryland Council 3, representing Perkins workers, said while the union was glad action was taken on leadership, “more work needs to be done throughout the system to address the staffing crisis and workplace safety issues our members are facing so that they can deliver high quality patient care.“

The forensic system in general has been under stress for decades, with a lack of beds in state-run facilities and delays in moving people from jails to forensic facilities. Courts have ruled repeatedly that delays violate the law.

The advocacy group Disability Rights Maryland filed the most recent lawsuit Jan. 9 in U.S. District Court against the state for failure to provide legally required mental health care and services to 200 criminal defendants deemed incompetent to stand trial.

A spokesperson for the group did not respond to a request for comment.

Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk, chair of the Maryland General Assembly’s Health and Government Operations Committee, said bringing Jones back into the behavioral health system “shows that the Department of Health is serious about correcting these problems” in the state.