Behavioral Health Director

Hill Country Community Clinic

Job Description

Job Title: Behavioral Health Director

Department: Administration

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary: DOE

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Revision Date: April 16, 2024

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Behavioral Health (BH) Director works with the Behavioral Health teams to provide clinical and administrative consistency and direction to Hill Country’s BH programs. The BH Director is responsible for developing and implementing effective and consistent policies, protocols and procedures related to the role and function of BH services in the clinic settings. This includes enhancing such policies, protocols and procedures to address co occurring disorders. The BH Director works collaboratively with Hill Country leadership, medical and behavioral health providers, complex care and integrated teams and other support staff to maintain the highest standard of care and professionalism at all Hill Country sites. The BH Director serves as an advocate for programs and staff that address patients mental health needs and will identify and recommend needed training, provide clinical support to BH providers, case managers, complex care teams and assist health care teams to integrate BH services into primary care. The BH Director will continue to provide direct patient care.

Hill Country has been awarded a grant from SAMHSA to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Center (CCBHC). This enables us to expand and refine our recovery oriented approach to substance use and mental health services, especially for people with highly complex needs. CCBHCs are a new form of provider within the Medicaid system approved in 2013 via the federal Excellence in Mental Health Act. They are designed to provide whole person care by integrating physical health care with a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use services to vulnerable adults and children. Whole person care means all aspects of a person’s health are considered, including their physical, mental, and behavioral health, as well as their socioeconomic status, housing situation, and other social determinants of health, which can exacerbate short and long term health issues. CCBHCs are presently considered the “gold standard” care model for people with complex needs.

One aspect of what makes CCBHCs different is that all providers involved in a person’s healthcare have access to all relevant information and communicate with one another to gain the full picture of a patient’s health. All patients are screened for behavioral health related needs at the beginning of an appointment and a full spectrum of services from primary to specialized care is provided by the CCBHC or a close partner.

There are nine types of behavioral health services that a CCBHC is responsible for providing, either directly or by contracting with partner organizations. They are:

• Screening, assessment, and diagnosis
• Primary care screening and monitoring
• Crisis care mental health services
• Patient centered treatment planning
• Outpatient mental health and substance use services
• Targeted case management
• Psychiatric rehabilitation services
• Peer support, counseling, and family support services
• Veteran services

In practice, the CCBHC team partners with primary care and other programs to screen and engage persons with mental health and substance use disorders ( SMI, SED and co occurring disorders), including identifying social factors that may be contributing to health concerns or risks. When concerns, needs, or risks are identified, a more comprehensive assessment is scheduled and completed by a mental health clinician. A treatment plan is then developed together with the client and their family members with attention to the client’s goals, desires, needs, and risks. This plan is whole person oriented, with services being provided by various team members.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be assigned which may become essential to the position.

1. Direct supervision of clinicians working in the BH Department, CARE Center Lead, CCBHC Program Manager, Mobile Crisis Outreach Team clinicians.
2. Provides direct oversight of Circle of Friends Wellness Center.
3. Develops policies, protocols, procedures and workflows to support BH teams and primary health care teams work in collaboration, using an integrated approach to addressing patients needs
4. Develops and implements pathways for those with co occurring disorders to receive the most appropriate and timely integrated care specific to the individual’s needs
5. Provides clinical support, guidance, participate in peer reviews, conduct chart reviews and performance evaluations, participate in competency and privileging protocols
6. Participates in the recruitment, selection, hiring and corrective actions of direct reports
7. Works with BH teams to assess training needs, updates, in service and developmental activities on an individual and group level
8. Assists in developing and maintaining best practices for documentation, protocols, evidencebased practices and quality assurance/improvement activities
9. Mentors newly hired BH staff, providing orientation to integrated care, team based care and Hill Country policies and protocols
10. Provides professional support to BH team members, particularly after difficult or traumatic patient experiences, and guide them to stress management and deescalation resources
11. Provides direct patient care on a consistent schedule as established at the primary work location
12. Performs periodic chart reviews of documentation of services to assess consistency with policies and procedures, integration with the primary health team, clinical standards, billing requirements and payer guidelines
13. Participates in Quality Improvement activities to better integrate and improve the efficiency and quality of care and services throughout Hill Country
14. Collaborates with the Director of Operations, Director of Case Management and Human Resources director to review policies and procedures, develop and implementation of onboarding orientation and trainings of Hill Country’s approach to care.
15. Collaborates with Leadership and the management teams to assure the assimilation and continued effectiveness of BH teams throughout the clinic
16. Works closely with the SUD Program Manager to provide clinical support to SUD care teams.
17. Serves as a liaison with external community partners, resources and agencies, private and governmental
18. Collaborates to develop communication strategies, including content, format, consistency with Hill Country goals and effective dissemination
19. Identifies needs for advocacy and public policy reform to advance services to address behavioral health needs
20. Adherence to Hill Country policies and protocols
21. Other related duties as identified, assigned and required

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include direct supervision of staff and oversight of programs, interviewing, hiring, training, employees planning, assigning, and directing work. appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees, addressing complaints and resolving problems.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education/Experience:

Graduate degree in Behavioral Health with 5 years experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certificates and Licenses:

Current CA drivers license and insurance required. Licensed by CA Board of Behavioral Sciences as a Clinician

Language Ability:

Must have highest level of language skills. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex documents. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints. Ability to write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques or style. Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to top management.

Math Ability:

Must have high level math skills. Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

Reasoning Ability:

Must have very high reasoning skills. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have excellent working knowledge of Windows operating systems; Microsoft Office Suite Word, Excel, Outlook, QuickBooks accounting software, FileMaker Pro and Internet browsers.

Equipment Skills:

Proficient with computers, printers, copiers, faxing, 10-key, multi-line telephone systems.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions The work environment is an indoor business office environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate with normal business office, computer and printer noise.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Employees must regularly utilize close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus.