Program Director, Behavioral Health

About the role

Facility: Maria Parham Franklin. Job Type: Fulltime, Exempt. Schedule: Days, Monday - Friday.

Lifepoint Behavioral Health is part of Lifepoint Health, a diversified healthcare delivery network with facilities coast to coast. We are driven by a profound commitment to prioritize your well-being so you can provide exceptional care to others. As a Program Director of Behavioral Health joining our team, you're embracing a vital mission dedicated to making communities healthier. Join us on this meaningful journey where your skills, compassion and dedication will make a remarkable difference in the lives of those we serve.

More About Our Team: Maria Parham Franklin serves the residents of Louisburg, North Carolina, and surrounding communities with compassionate, high‑quality care. Backed by a trusted network of physicians and caregivers, the Franklin location is recognized for its commitment to patient safety, quality outcomes, and personalized care. We take pride in getting to know each patient as an individual and creating care plans tailored to their unique needs. Maria Parham Franklin offers essential services including emergency care, adult and geriatric behavioral health, outpatient imaging, and laboratory services—delivering reliable, community‑focused healthcare close to home.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic, operational, clinical, and administrative leadership for the behavioral health program within an acute rural hospital setting.
• Plan, direct, coordinate, and evaluate program operations to ensure delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centered, accessible, and cost-effective behavioral health services while supporting the hospital's mission and strategic objectives.
• Oversee program development, regulatory and accreditation compliance, quality and performance improvement, staffing, employee engagement, productivity, budgeting, financial performance, and implementation of organizational policies and initiatives.
• Provide leadership and supervision to behavioral health staff and collaborate closely with hospital and divisional leadership, medical staff, patients, families, community partners, and other key stakeholders to promote continuity of care and strengthen behavioral health services within the rural community.
• Participate in patient care as needed, support outreach and program growth, maintain readiness for regulatory and accreditation requirements, and serve as a liaison between the behavioral health unit and hospital/divisional leadership.
• For Program Directors who are Registered Nurses, also serve as the Director of Psychiatric Nursing for the behavioral health unit.
• For Program Directors who are Licensed Master's-level Social Workers or other qualified clinicians, serve as the Director of Social/Clinical Services, with nursing leadership designated separately as appropriate.

Requirements

• Master's degree required; Bachelor of Science in Nursing qualified by education and experience in the care of behavioral health patients accepted.
• Licensure in State of Practice required.
• Licensed Master's level clinician required (LMSW, LCSW, LICSW, or BSN).
• Leadership experience preferred.
• Three (3) years of experience in caring for behavioral health patients preferred.

Benefits

• Multiple levels of medical, dental and vision coverage for full-time and part-time employees.
• Financial Protection & PTO: Life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity insurance, short- and long-term disability, paid family leave and paid time off.
• Financial & Career Growth: Higher education and certification tuition assistance, loan assistance and 401(k) retirement package and company match.
• Employee Well-being