Haven Behavioral Healthcare Inc., a newly formed Nashville company with private equity backing from the major national firm Thoma Cressey Equity Partners and Nashville's Clayton Associates, has made its first facility purchase. The company bought Remuda Ranch Co., an inpatient and residential center in Wickenburg, Arizona that treats women with eating disorders.

The companies did not divulge the purchase price. 

Vern Westrich, CEO of Haven, is a former president of the behavioral health division of Nashville-based Ardent Health Services. Ardent sold that division last year to Psychiatric Solutions Inc., based in Franklin. The chief financial officer of the company, formed in May of this year, is Page Barnes, also an Ardent veteran. He served as senior vice president of finance for the acquisition and development group of Ardent and previously headed up healthcare lending at AmSouth Bancorp.

Thoma Cressey also has a stake in Essent Healthcare, the rural hospital operator started in Nashville by former HCA and HealthTrust executive Hud Connery.