Director Behavioral Health - Portland, OR

About the role

This Director of Behavioral Health position is responsible for 24-hour administrative oversight of operational, clinical, and fiscal management of all behavioral health services within scope through direct or indirect reporting lines. The role ensures compliance with county, state, and federal regulations and regulatory bodies, and oversees all on-site surveys and investigations. The Director builds and maintains a collaborative multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, chemical dependency counselors, peer support personnel, and administrators, while fostering strong relationships with ministry medical and specialty care teams to ensure quality care outcomes for patients with behavioral health conditions. The Director also develops and maintains relationships with community-based providers and organizations, collaborating with the Regional Behavioral Health team to implement and assess novel programs and services aligned with Ministry and local strategic plans.

Responsibilities

• Dynamically adjust staffing to support changing patient census and acuity; allocate resources to meet productivity goals and processes.
• Provide formal recommendations to Regional Behavioral Health Leadership on workforce planning, recruitment, and retention of well-trained caregivers.
• Ensure ongoing professional development of the caregiver workforce.
• Bear direct responsibility for services and programs overseen, including annual budget oversight and strict budgetary compliance; develop and monitor the BH annual budget and provide recommendations for increases/reductions to address changing behavioral health care needs.
• Develop and implement strategies to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve quality of care; adhere to operating and capital budgets of multiple cost centers; regularly evaluate direct and indirect costs; monitor financial reports for budgetary compliance.
• Collaborate with Regional Behavioral Health Senior Director to address budget variances and ensure cost-effective, high-quality care delivery across multiple clinical services/programs.
• Develop and oversee quality-assurance and quality improvement programs for Ministry BH services and programs.
• Communicate clearly and efficiently with internal and external stakeholders, including Ministry executive leadership, clinical and administrative workforce, and patients as directed.
• Facilitate meetings with key service line stakeholders and community partners to develop BH strategies and execute collaborations to improve patient throughput and outcomes.
• Work closely with inpatient Behavioral Health Managers, Emergency Department BH Manager, and inpatient Medical Leadership teams to achieve program, quality, and financial goals while maintaining the highest safety standards.
• Assess effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery; develop and implement programmatic plans; integrate behavioral health services into the continuum of care as appropriate.
• Provide direction, guidance, and assistance to Behavioral Health Core leaders and caregivers through quality management activities, ensuring adherence to hospital and regulatory requirements.
• Communicate updates to Senior/Executive leadership team in collaboration with Regional Behavioral Health.
• Initiate service line corrective action when necessary; develop strategic plans and ensure successful implementation to maximize access to treatment services and improve efficiencies while maintaining quality outcomes and patient care experience.
• Ensure service line compliance with regulatory standards, policies, and procedures; respond rapidly to regulations and directives from The Joint Commission, Oregon Department of Public Health, and Center for Medicare Services.
• Serve as the facility’s subject-matter expert for current and future legislative directives on behavioral health in collaboration with Regional Behavioral Health Leadership; interpret regulatory requirements for quality management and coordinate processes to support requirements.
• Direct development and implementation of quality and utilization standards across the continuum of care; develop and monitor performance-improvement, safety, quality, and regulatory practices.
• Work closely with Quality and Risk Management to ensure compliance with all safety and quality standards.
• Bear chief responsibility for investigation and response to all formal grievances; manage and interpret service goals, patient-satisfaction metrics, and quality outcomes to assigned service line caregivers.
• Exhibit a comprehensive understanding of service demands for a diverse and expansive marketplace; cultivate strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders in collaboration with Regional Behavioral Health.
• Establish and cultivate healthy and productive professional relationships with providers and other stakeholders; support contracting, provider-relations, marketing, and other organizational services as directed.
• Establish and cultivate professional relationships with other community hospitals, agencies, professional organizations, and academic institutions; collaborate effectively with community organizations in support of joint best practice models.
• Support the Ministry’s access, growth, and viability through community outreach and engagement.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Nursing, Psychology, Social Work, or Counseling.
• Upon hire, must possess one of the following licenses: Psychologist License (Facility Managed), Registered Nurse License (Facility Managed), Clinical Social Worker License (Facility Managed), Professional Counselor License (Facility Managed), or Marriage and Family Therapist License (Facility Managed).
• 6 years of management experience within a behavioral healthcare setting, preferably in a hospital setting.
• Progressive leadership experience in a behavioral health setting.
• Knowledge of social service agencies and state and county regulations related to patient treatment, patient rights, patient confidentiality, and other legal and ethical issues.
• Comprehensive knowledge of federal, state, and local regulatory standards.
• Subject matter expertise in behavioral health.

Qualifications

• Strong management abilities, including time and resource management.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Sound decision-making and problem-solving skills across various situations.
• Demonstrated achievements in management and caregiver development.

Benefits

• Retirement 401(k) Savings Plan with employer matching.
• Health care benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Life insurance and disability insurance.
• Time off benefits including paid parental leave, vacations, holidays, and health issue leave.
• Voluntary benefits and well-being resources.

Schedule

This position requires a hybrid schedule consisting of three days onsite and two days remote, and the leader must live within a reasonable commuting distance to the ministry or service area they support and lead.