Administrator of Behavioral Health

Duties & Responsibilities

Purpose of Position: Under general direction of the Chief of Psychiatry, provides executive administrative leadership and operational management of behavioral health programs including Inpatient, Outpatient, Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) services, as well as associated Behavioral Health programs.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Directs the administrative and operational functions of behavioral health services, including Inpatient unit, Outpatient services, CPEP, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Consultation Liaison, Critical Time Intervention, and other programs within the Department of Behavioral Health.
• Partners with the Chief and executive leadership in strategic planning, resource allocation, and the development of departmental goals aligned with the delivery of cost effective services and a positive patient experience.
• Oversees the Department of Behavioral Health budget, including preparing budget requests, monitoring revenue and expenditures, management of grants, and ensuring compliance with budgetary guidelines.
• Serves as the senior liaison and ensures health care setting compliance with all licensing and regulatory requirements, including NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH), NYC Department of Health Mental Health (DOHMH), NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), The Joint Commission (TJC), Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and all other applicable regulatory and accrediting bodies.
• Represents the Department of Behavioral Health at executive-level health care setting and System-wide committees, including Environment of Care (EOC), Emergency Management, Patient Experience, and other related committees.
• Serves as the health care setting’s senior administrative representative to the System’s Office of Behavioral Health.
• Directs the development, revision, and implementation of department-wide policies and procedures to ensure alignment with regulatory standards and the System’s goals.
• Oversees utilization, quality assurance, and performance improvement programs to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and continuous quality improvement of behavioral health services.
• Oversees the resolution of patient complaints and grievances for behavioral health services and partners with patient relations to ensure timely and appropriate action.
• Leads auditing efforts for behavioral health services, including compliance, operational effectiveness, and quality of care, to identify improvement opportunities and ensure adherence to regulatory and organizational standards.
• Collaborates with clinical and operational leadership to draft and implement corrective action plans and performance improvement strategies, ensuring timely resolution of identified issues.
• Maintains oversight of health care setting’s quality, utilization, and performance metrics across behavioral health services to identify trends, assess outcomes, and drive data-informed improvements in behavioral health services.
• Oversees the physical environment of behavioral health units to ensure patient and staff safety, including continuous evaluation of facilities, coordinating with Environmental Services and Engineering, and implementation of unit upgrades.
• Leads strategic initiatives and special projects for the Department of Behavioral Health, including System-wide pilot programs, value stream process improvements, and optimization of clinical services.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Hospital or Health Care Administration, Public Health or a related discipline and five (5) years of high-level responsible experience in Hospital, Business, or Public Administration or a Health Care Administrator in a position of direct responsibility for operations of a major part or all of a health care setting, including substantial exposure in meeting community health needs;
• or Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in disciplines, as listed in “1” above, or a related discipline; and six (6) years of high-level experience in areas as described in “1” above.