Director of Clinical Services - Behavioral Health

Position Summary

The Director of Clinical Services provides leadership, oversight, and strategic direction for all clinical programs and services. This position ensures the delivery of high-quality, person-centered care that complies with applicable federal, state, accreditation, and organizational standards. The Director collaborates with organizational leadership to develop clinical initiatives, improve outcomes, manage risk, and support a culture of excellence, safety, and continuous quality improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership

• Direct and oversee all clinical operations and service delivery programs.
• Ensure services are delivered in accordance with evidence-based practices and organizational policies.
• Monitor clinical performance indicators and implement strategies to improve outcomes.
• Provide clinical consultation and guidance to management and direct care teams.
• Foster a culture of trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, and person-centered care.
• Ensure all patients, family, and referral complaints are promptly handled.

Regulatory Compliance and Quality Management

• Ensure compliance with all applicable state, federal, payer, and accreditation requirements.
• Oversee preparation for external audits, licensing reviews, and accreditation surveys.
• Lead quality assurance and performance improvement activities.
• Monitor incident reporting, corrective action plans, and risk management activities.
• Ensure timely implementation of regulatory and policy updates.

Staff Development and Leadership

• Recruit, supervise, coach, and evaluate clinical supervisors and clinical staff.
• Ensure clinical staff maintain required licensure, certifications, and competencies.
• Develop and implement staff orientation, training, and professional development programs.
• Promote employee engagement, accountability, and retention.
• Assure that hiring, disciplinary actions, and termination procedures are conducted in accordance with hospital policies.
• Involve appropriate facility management in all decisions and review these decisions with the Executive Director prior to implementation.
• Assure adequate orientation for new employees, attending physicians/licensed practitioners and Allied Health Professionals.
• Provide educational needs and professional development of staff, which may include planning and presenting educational sessions.
• Coordinate with other management concerning schedule and configuration to meet the needs and demands of the patient population and census and adjust accordingly.
• Ensure that the staff schedule and configuration will meet the needs and demands of the patient population and census and adjust accordingly.
• Create a structure that best meets the needs of the organization, particularly department organizations related to supervision and assignment of staff.
• Routinely review job assignments and utilization of staff.
• Ensure that clinical staff actively participate as members of the interdisciplinary team.
• Coordinate the collection of outcome data within the corporate deadline.
• Monitor and evaluate the utilization of the patient satisfaction survey and evaluate trends.

Professional Collaboration and Communication

• Serve as a member of the organization's leadership team.
• Collaborate with medical, behavioral health, nursing, and operational leaders.
• Represent the organization with external agencies, community partners, and regulatory bodies.
• Prepare and present reports related to clinical operations and quality outcomes programs.
• Communicate with patients, families, referral sources, and fellow staff effectively and professionally.
• Ensure the implementation of an ongoing system of program orientation for patients, families, professionals, and others.

Patient Care Standards

• Ensure programs adhere to specific Standards of Care of Child Patients ages 5 through 11.
• Ensure programs adhere to specific Standards of Care of Adolescent Patients ages 12 through 18.
• Ensure programs adhere to specific Standards of Care of Adult Patients ages 19 through 64.
• Ensure programs adhere to specific Standards of Care of Geriatric Patients ages 65 and older.

Continuous Quality Improvement

• Ensure that a system is developed to provide continuity of care and communication with family and appropriate referral sources, and ensure the system is evaluated and reviewed regularly.
• Evaluate the achievement of program goals and objectives with appropriate staff on a regular basis.
• Ensure the program meets JCAHO, Medicare, and federal and state regulatory requirements.
• Develop and implement a Performance Improvement Plan, evaluate the results monthly, and report results to the Corporate Performance Improvement Committee in a timely manner.
• Ensure that all deficiencies identified through the performance improvement analysis are addressed with appropriate problem-solving actions.
• Review all risk management occurrences and ensure that complete and timely reports are submitted to Risk Management.
• Analyze statistical data of the program to determine and respond to trends.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of clinical practices, healthcare regulations, and quality improvement.
• Understanding accreditation standards and licensing requirements.
• Excellent leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities are important.
• Ability to direct changes or corrective actions related to regulations or survey outcomes.
• Ability to analyze data and use outcomes to guide clinical decision-making.
• Proficiency with electronic health records and healthcare technology platforms.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships internally and externally.
• Monitor service utilization, productivity, and performance metrics.