Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health Services - Advocates

Overview

The Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health Services (SVP BH) is responsible for providing strategic leadership, ongoing development, and management of Advocates’ Behavioral Health Services. The SVP BH serves as Advocates’ subject matter expert in the MA behavioral health system of care and actively engages with internal and external stakeholders to achieve the agency’s BH strategic goals. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the SVP BH oversees cross-functional services and systems to support and integrate the continuum of care across all services offered throughout Advocates.

Application Deadline: 4/26/2024

Minimum Education Required

Responsibilities

• Supervise senior staff responsible for managing Advocates’ portfolio of BH services including emergency, outpatient, diversionary, residential, community justice, care management, and other community-based services. Collaborate with them and the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in planning, developing, and overseeing Advocates BH services as outlined below.
• Develop a vision for Advocates’ BH services and lead strategic planning and business development to achieve that vision, while continuing to nurture, sustain, and expand existing BH services.
• Ensure that the clinical and operational integrity of all BH services is maintained including achieving excellence in service delivery through exemplary performance relative to contract specifications, regulatory requirements, licensing and accreditation standards, prevailing industry standards, and Advocates values and philosophy. In collaboration with the CMO and BH senior leaders, communicate and manage clinical risk issues.
• Provide overall fiscal accountability including budget development, projections, and fiscal management to ensure that BH services meet fiscal requirements to ensure viability and sustainability. Collaborate with other Advocates departments to implement value-based payment methodologies in BH service lines.
• Design models of BH/primary care integration, develop internal capacities and infrastructure, build partnerships with primary care providers, and implement integrated services.
• Maintain active engagement with local community stakeholders such as municipal leaders, other providers, diverse community groups, and peer and advocacy communities to inform the development of Advocates’ BH services that are responsive to local community needs and are experienced as active collaborators with these entities.
• Foster effective working partnerships and customer relationships, and represent the agency with EOHHS agencies, health plan and third-party payers, other funders, providers, and trade organizations to position the agency to play a sustainable role in the MA health and BH systems of care.
• Represent Advocates through active participation in groups and venues to impact policy related to health care reform, the MA behavioral health roadmap, and other key issues in the BH system of care that affect the organization and support our BH strategic plan.
• Contribute to agency-wide strategic planning, fundraising, and new program development to enable the agency to meet growth Work with the BH services senior leaders and Advocates Advancement Office to apply for grants, write proposals, and obtain contracts to support current business and garner new business opportunities.
• Develop and implement a philosophy of service delivery that elevates the voices of people served and supported, and ensures they are treated with dignity and respect in accordance with Advocates’ Human Rights Policy and consistent with The Advocates Way.
• Promote an atmosphere of quality customer service through responsiveness to internal and external stakeholders on the part of all staff in BH services. Maintain constructive and productive internal and external communications with staff, managers, providers, vendors, and funding sources.
• Motivate and lead high performance, diverse teams; provide supervision, mentoring, and professional development opportunities. Promote a culture of diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging. Foster a success-oriented, accountable environment within the agency.
• Perform all duties in accordance with the agency’s policies and procedures.
• Strictly follow all agency performance standards.
• Create a system for senior leaders in behavioral health services to provide 24-hour on-call support to staff in 24- hour programs and/or as required to meet contractual and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Master’s or doctoral degree in social work, psychology, or other BH-related field, with a current independent license (LICSW, LMHC, LMFT, PhD, PsyD, or licensed advanced practice nurse).
• At least 10 years of senior leadership experience in BH services in Massachusetts including the management and supervision of a variety of BH service types with various funding models.
• Knowledge of the Massachusetts BH service delivery system across service types and payers, including Mental Health, Substance Use/Addictions, Criminal Justice, Elder Services, and Child & Family Services.
• Working knowledge of applicable regulations including Medicare, MassHealth, MassHealth payers and commercial insurance companies, and EOHHS agencies (DMH, DPH, and BSAS).
• Experience in other BH-related roles in such settings as payers and state agencies is also valued.
• Demonstrated understanding of and competence in developing programs and strategies to serve culturally diverse populations.
• Demonstrated application of sound business practices, including budgeting, financial projections, and implementation of fiscal controls. Knowledge and experience with value-based payment models.
• Exemplary customer service skills and focus. Strong interpersonal skills, and experience and enthusiasm for engaging and collaborating with external stakeholders in the MA BH field, payers, and the communities we serve.
• High-level of communication and interpersonal skills necessary to lead and motivate teams.
• Strong computer skills including working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Strong analytical and reasoning abilities. Experience managing by data. Ability to execute a variety of decision-making models.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including public speaking.
• Ability to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
• Hold a valid drivers’ license and access to an automobile to travel as necessary to perform all job functions.

Advocates is committed to cultivating a diverse and welcoming community where everyone feels respected and valued. Advocates fosters a culture of inclusion that celebrates and promotes diversity along multiple dimensions, including race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, partnered status, age, national origin, socioeconomic status, religion, ability, culture, and experience.