Director of Behavioral Health

REPORTS TO: Vice President of Population Health – Unity Health Care

INTRODUCTION

Under the supervision of the Vice President of Population Health , the Director of Behavioral Health is responsible for further developing and monitoring the success of a behavioral health program that is fully integrated with Unity’s medical practice . The Director of Behavioral health sets the overall strategic direction and alignment for behavioral health and substance use disorder services at Unity and is responsible for the management and oversight for Behavioral Health and P sychiatry services at all Unity Health Care community health center s and homeless sites . They collaborate closely with the B ehavioral H ealth team at the Department of Corrections to ensure strategic alignment . Additionally, they serve as Unity Health Care’s primary liaison with key external stakeholders . As a clinical leader, the Director of Behavioral Health maintains an active clinical practice in Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) at Unity Health Care .

MAJOR DUTIES/ ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Supports the organization in contributing to the quadruple aim: improving health outcomes, improving patient experience, supporting care team well-being and the financial sustainability of the organization

Health Outcomes

Develops and implements an IBH model throughout Unity including engaging and educating members of the medical practice

Supervises Behavioral/ Mental Health providers to assure accuracy and quality in their work.

Serves as subject matter expert and organizational champion for integrated behavioral health

Serves as a subject matter expert on behavioral-health related workflows in the medical practice including screening for depression and drug and alcohol use

Collaborates with Medical Director for Addiction Treatment to ensure that substance use disorder treatment is well-integrated in behavioral health services

Identifies , implements, and supervises the clinical delivery of best-practice behavioral health care.

Periodically monitors psychiatric and mental health records, provides appropriate feedback , and, when necessary, takes corrective action; and oversees peer review of Behavioral/ Mental Health providers . This includes reviewing provider charts at around 45 and 90 days upon hire and re-evaluating those charts that do not meet the minimum standard .

Participates fully in all aspects of Unity's continuing quality improvement efforts , and in the process of outside agency evaluation and accreditation review.

Responsible for creating and updating policies related to b ehavioral h ealth

Develops a patient centered and integrated approach to behavioral health

Ensures each patient has a treatment or care plan and encourages providers to develop strong, trusting therapeutic relationships , models the same

Reviews patient experience data and provides feedback to team members

Investigates patient complaints, particularly those with quality-of-care concern s or those that relate to providers . P rovides feedback, counseling, or other action s including documentation and remediation when appropriate .

Participates effectively with the Medical Directors and health center leadership to provide leadership and ensure coverage for all Unity sites and services.

Actively recruits and hires appropriately trained and competent (including culturally competent), mission driven providers

Coordinates patient schedules to ensure access to patients in the centers and coverages for absences.

Researches and suggests novel care models as needed to improve access and meet the needs of patients and staff.

Care team well being

Assures that Behavioral/ Mental Health providers are fully trained in all aspects of their work and especially in the IBH model, crisis intervention and suicide prevention

A ssures that all Behavioral/ Mental Health providers function collaboratively with the other health and human services offered at Unity Health Care.

Assures that all personnel of the Department are fully compliant with the administrative policies and procedures of Unity Health Care.

Assures that all Behavioral/ Mental Health providers carefully observe HIPAA and other local and Federal compliance regulations.

Assists in assessing opportunities, via grants and billing reviews, to increase reimbursement for mental health services.

Monitors the productivity of providers and identifies opportunities to improve access and utilization

Creates and implements strategy in conjunction with VP of Population Health to ensure behavioral health visits meet productivity, financial and quality standards

Collaborates with the behavioral health program manager to identify grant opportunities and implement funded grants

Monitors grant deliverables and work s with program managers to ensure budgets are managed responsibly

Other duties

Collaborates with Fellowship Director of behavioral health fellowship to ensure training and curriculum are designed to train clinicians adept at providing IBH services

Participates effectively as a representative of Unity with D.C. Departments of Behavioral al Health , other officers of the District of Columbia, and with local and national community/advocacy groups.

Establishes collaborations and partnerships with mental health providers and agencies within the District of Columbia and with national networks of Community Health Centers.

Assists in preparing testimony on mental health policy, and, when requested , testifies on behalf of Unity Health Care.

Communicates with providers and staff regularly about broader organizational initiatives, site initiatives and processes, procedures, and policies.

Collaborates with other members of the leadership team, including participating in monthly Medical Directors’ meeting and the Unity wide QI meeting.

Serves on committee(s) as assigned by the CMO.

Performs or has performed clinical duties of a Mental Health Clinician.

Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

L icensed mental health professional P h .D. Psychologist , Psychiatrist , or Psychiatry NP preferred ; LIC S W-Licensed to practice indepen dently in DC will also be considered.

10 + years of senior management experience required .

3 years of related experience with chronically mentally ill.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

Familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within the field , including integrated behavioral health models

General knowledge of psycho-pharmacology

Expert knowledge of team work , team intervention models and the ability to work in multi-disciplinary settings

Ability to provide supervision, performance evaluations, and the ability to work in multi- disciplinary settings.

Ability to determine appropriateness to transferring inmates to and from the mental health units to general population as clinically indicated .

Ability to provide comprehensive clinical psychological services to inmates and those inmates who have severe mental illness.

Ability to conduct psychological assessments, if needed and the incumbent is a psychologist.

Skill in conducting individual and group psychotherapy, and ability to provide supervision to the behavioral health team.

Ability to make sound decisions and act quickly in critical circumstances.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS

The Senior Director of Behavioral Health has Behavioral/ Mental Health Providers reporting to them.