Salary: $137,681.04 - $155,770.80 annually

Days Off: Saturday, Sunday

Shift: Office Day

Insurance Benefits: Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical

Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan

Applicants must submit a cover letter describing their interest in and motivation for this role at DESC

About DESC:

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) is a nonprofit organization working to help people with the complex needs of homelessness, substance use disorders, and serious mental illness achieve their highest potential for health and well-being through comprehensive services, treatment, and housing. Our vision is a community where no person is abandoned, ignored, or experiencing homelessness.

As the region's leading provider of services to multiply disabled adults who have experienced chronic homelessness, DESC serves almost 2,000 people each day. Our integrated service model is designed to help people secure and maintain appropriate, safe and affordable housing. DESC is recognized nationally and regionally as an innovator in developing solutions to homelessness.

About the Job:

The Outpatient Behavioral Health Director is a leadership position in DESC’s Clinical department, reporting to the Senior Director of Clinical Programs and collaborating with the Director of Mobile Response on overall department leadership.

The Outpatient Behavioral Health division includes about 200 staff across multiple programs serving about 1,900 people at a given time. All programs serve people living with serious and complicated behavioral health conditions while also currently or previously experiencing homelessness. Outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment services are funded through Medicaid and other state and local resources as part of the King County Integrated Care Network. Specialty programs include outreach and engagement to people with substance use disorder, intensive support for people with histories in the criminal legal and psychiatric hospital systems, supported employment, a daytime drop-in center, and a short-term residential program.

Clinicians include licensed mental health professionals, certified peer providers, substance use disorder professionals, and other staff such as mental health care providers. Psychiatric medical services are provided by DESC nurses, nurse practitioners, and psychiatrists from DESC’s Medical department. Most clinicians have offices in one of DESC’s two main behavioral health clinic sites, while many work significant hours at other locations such as DESC supportive housing and emergency shelter sites.

Scope of work includes culture setting at all program sites, promoting integration between clinical, medical, and housing/shelter programs related to behavioral health care provided at these sites, implementing DEI practices throughout operations of the department, leading or assisting in the implementation of new programs or projects, facilitating hiring and onboarding plans, participating in department or agency wide initiatives, and promoting adherence to quality standards across the department.

JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide oversight of DESC’s outpatient behavioral health activities and all assigned programs.
• Supervise Senior Managers in the division as well as relevant clinic managers and division support staff.
• Collaborate with other DESC departments to operate the clinic sites; collaborate with Harborview Medical Center on joint operational issues at clinic sites; provide oversight of clinic safety/security and equity strategies implemented throughout operations.
• In conjunction with the Sr. Director of Clinical Programs, develop implementation strategies and execute launch of agency initiatives in the Clinical department.
• Collaboratively coach and advise Senior Clinical Program Manager team and coordinators, focusing on the day-to-day operations of each program and escalating issues to Sr. Director for awareness and action.
• Assist in overseeing operating procedures and duties for clinical programs in concert with relevant staff in the Medical, Housing, Quality and Information Management, Facilities, HR, Organizational Equity and Inclusion, and Finance to ensure all programs are being implemented and maintained at the highest level of performance.
• Closely collaborate with Quality and Information Management, Medical, and other departments to advance agency wide healthcare integration priorities across the clinical programs.
• In conjunction with DESC equity leaders, incorporate a thorough equity framework for all aspects of work across the Clinical departments.
• In conjunction with DESC’s Training department and clinical coordinators, develop, improve, and implement training across the clinical department and when appropriate across agency.
• Support and assist supervisors, project, and program managers to troubleshoot and solve issues related to IS or facilities/maintenance; manage work and clinic spaces; liaison with fleet management.
• Maintain a working knowledge of contracts and compliance issues, data reporting, understanding financial models and assist in adjusting to be more financially sound.
• Maintain familiarity with relevant contracts and regulatory and procedural requirements associated with project operations; work with contract teams to maintain high performance standards.
• Write and refine procedures as needed in coordination with relevant managers.
• Help facilitate meetings to ensure that all critical incidents related to staff and client assaults are being reviewed and receiving appropriate follow-up.
• Be aware of all clinical programs in the continuum of services and be available to cover for Sr. Managers when away, or position is vacant.
• Maintain collaborative relationships with other Directors, and awareness of the work that is done in each of these departments. Communicate changes in these departments, offer guidance on how and when to access services to Sr. Managers.
• Remain aware of the connection between contract compliance, reports, quality improvement and training and assist Sr. Managers in strengthening their portfolios.
• Have working knowledge of state and local regulatory and contract requirements, to assist Sr. Managers with audits and quality improvement of programs.
• Help organize and facilitate department wide hiring events to promote efficiency and consistency, in collaboration with HR department recruiters and hiring and onboarding specialists.
• Facilitate forums and skill building sessions for mid-level supervisors and managers to promote cross program consistency and broad support for developing supervisors and project managers.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Eligible for a Licensed AAC credential or any other superseding credential that meets RCW 71.05.020 requirements to act as a Mental Health Professional whose scope of practice includes independently conducting mental health assessments and making mental health diagnoses.
• Master's degree in social work, psychology or other relevant behavioral science.
• Five or more years' experience providing services to chronically homeless adult population, mental illness, substance abuse, and chronic health conditions.
• Five or more years' supervisory/management experience in social service setting with staff providing direct services to clients.
• Have proven experience in planning and managing clinical programs.
• Have a strong understanding of DEI work and how it is implemented throughout clinical work.
• Demonstrated ability to drive project related activities.
• Knowledge of relevant state and local regulatory guidelines.
• Ability to manage and lead practice improvement initiatives.
• Strong organization and time management skills and ability to effectively manage multiple competing priorities.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including ability to articulate complex concepts.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds.
• Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for clients.
• Commitment to key principles of Housing First and harm reduction.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous DESC supervisory experience. 
• Program/Project Management experience.
• Previous experience leading, managing, coaching, and developing direct reports.

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 will be required sit for long periods of time, communicate with other persons by talking and hearing, required to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace, and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply.