Program Manager of Discharge Planning and PATH

About the role

The Loudoun County Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Services (MHSADS) is seeking an experienced, innovative, and collaborative behavioral health leader to serve as the Program Manager for the Discharge Planning and PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness) Programs.

This position provides clinical, administrative, and operational leadership for two critical behavioral health programs that support individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders as they transition from inpatient psychiatric treatment and homelessness to stable, community-based recovery.

Responsibilities

• Providing supervision and oversight of the County's Discharge Planning team, ensuring individuals transitioning from inpatient psychiatric hospitals, Crisis Stabilization Units (CSUs), and partial hospitalization programs receive coordinated, recovery-oriented discharge planning that promotes continuity of care, self-determination, and successful community reintegration.
• Overseeing collaboration with hospitals, private providers, courts, families, internal MHSADS programs, and community partners to facilitate timely access to behavioral health treatment, housing, transportation, medical care, employment support, and other essential community resources.
• Overseeing the development of comprehensive discharge plans in accordance with Virginia Code and DBHDS requirements and providing oversight of Local Inpatient Purchase of Service (LIPOS) authorizations and Discharge Assistance Program (DAP) funding to support successful community placement and recovery.
• Providing leadership for outreach and engagement services for adults experiencing homelessness or who are at imminent risk of homelessness and living with serious mental illness or co-occurring substance use disorders through the federally funded PATH Program.
• Ensuring compliance with PATH grant requirements while promoting person-centered outreach, engagement, case management, motivational interviewing, and connection to mainstream behavioral health, medical, housing, and entitlement services.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work, Counseling, Psychology, Human Services, Public Administration, or a closely related behavioral health field.
• Current independent clinical licensure in Virginia as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LCP).
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience providing behavioral health services, including experience working with individuals experiencing serious mental illness and/or co-occurring substance use disorders.
• Minimum of one (1) year of supervisory, program management, or leadership experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering or overseeing Discharge Assistance Program (DAP) funding, Local Inpatient Purchase of Service (LIPOS), or other state-funded behavioral health programs.
• Experience administering federal or state behavioral health grants, including PATH or similar homeless outreach initiatives.
• Knowledge of Virginia behavioral health regulations, discharge planning requirements, DBHDS performance measures, and community-based behavioral health systems.
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

Skills

Successful candidates are strategic leaders who excel at building collaborative partnerships, supporting staff development, improving systems of care, and leading quality improvement initiatives. The ideal candidate possesses exceptional clinical judgment, strong organizational and communication skills, and a passion for improving outcomes for individuals with serious behavioral health needs through coordinated, community-based care.