Behavioral Health, Psychologist Lead/Manager Oklahoma Children's Behavioral Health Center

Job Description

Psychologist Lead/Manager Oklahoma Childrens Behavioral Health Center

The Oklahoma Childrens Hospital Behavioral Health Center seeks a Psychologist Lead/Manager to oversee the delivery of behavioral health services within the Oklahoma Childrens Hospital Behavioral Health Center (BHC). The role involves managing a team of behavioral health professionals, ensuring the delivery of high-quality care, and coordinating with other healthcare professionals to support patients mental health and well-being. The behavioral health providers in the BHC provide empirically supported assessment and treatment of youth who present with serious mental illness, and complex behavioral problems in the context of acute psychiatry services. The purpose of Psychologist Lead/Manager in the BHC is to demonstrate leadership in the areas of clinical service, research, and excellence in the provision of care for youth and families with serious behavioral health difficulties in the context of acute psychiatric care, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient treatment services. The Psychologist Lead/Manager will oversee and manage the psychologists providing care to patients in the Behavioral Health Center at Oklahoma Childrens Hospital. Roles include oversight of individualized consultation and assessment of behavioral interventions across the behavioral health center units, partial hospitalization program, and intensive outpatient program, as well as collaboration with a team of masters level Behavioral Health Consultants and supporting multi-disciplinary treatment teams. Other responsibilities are dedicated to training and development of direct-care staff competence in implementing behavioral strategies across the inpatient system, as well as supervision of trainees in psychology. Psychologists are integral to the multidisciplinary patient team including psychiatrists, pediatricians, advanced nurse practitioners, therapist(s), behavioral health technicians, speech therapist(s), occupational therapist(s), social worker(s), nurses, medical residents, and support staff. Involvement in other academic activities include research, clinical supervision and mentoring of psychology and medical learners, and program development.  

Essential Responsibilities

Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position. Inability to perform these responsibilities with or without accommodation may result in disqualification from the position.

• Supervises behavioral health team members by providing performance evaluations, training, guidance, and support for patient care. Ensures compliance with organizational policies and procedures.
• Plans, implements, and evaluates psychology service programs and initiatives to enhance quality, access, and effectiveness of services. Monitors program outcomes and adjust workflows, staffing, or processes as needed. Supports onboarding, orientation, and ongoing professional development of staff.
• Ensures adherence to standard operating procedures related to schedules, referrals, documentation, and clinical workflows across inpatient and outpatient programs.
• Ensures regulatory and accreditation compliance, including Joint Commission, CMS, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and other applicable agencies. Maintains current knowledge of healthcare policies and integrates requirements into behavioral health operations.
• Provides leadership during crisis situations, including availability for consultation and support of staff managing complex or high-risk cases. Supports safe, timely, and appropriate clinical decision making consistent with organizational expectations.
• May provide pediatric psychology/behavioral health services focusing on adolescent patients with behavioral health complexities: This includes psychological assessment, short-term intervention, and consultation/liaison services.
• May provide crisis-focused individual and family interventions, risk and lethality assessments, and diagnostic assessments.
• May facilitate evidence-based skills groups (e.g. DBT, CBT) on the inpatient psychiatric units or within other programs, such as PHP or our Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP).
• May provide ongoing therapy services for patients and families within treatment programs.
• Ensures accurate and timely documentation of patient care activities and operational processes. Prepares reports and maintains records in accordance with regulatory and organizational requirements. Oversees peer review activities and ensures clinician participation as outlined in standard operating procedures.

• Collaborates closely with Behavioral Health managers, unit leaders, and interdisciplinary partners, including nursing, psychiatry, case management, Pediatric Behavioral Health Services, and the Child Study Center, to provide integrated, patient?centered care.
• Establishes and maintains community partnerships and referral relationships. Provides education regarding available resources to clinicians, managers, and partner departments. Advocates for patients and families to ensure access to appropriate services and supports.
• Participates in multidisciplinary meetings and case conferences to promote quality, safety, and consistency of care delivery.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

• Doctoral degree (PhD/ PsyD) in clinical, counseling, or school psychology. 
• Completion of an APA/CPA accredited internship.

License/Certification/Registration Requirements

• Must be licensed as a Health Service psychologist in the state of Oklahoma.
• Must be OU Health credentialed prior to start date.

Experience Requirements:

• 3 years of experience in Clinical, Counseling, or School Psychology.
• 3 -5 years progressive leadership experience in behavioral health.
• Specialized training, such as postdoctoral residency/ fellowship in clinical child, pediatric, or acute care psychology.
• Clinical experiences and advanced competencies in the specialty area of acute psychiatric care
• Competency in administration, scoring, report writing and feedback of psychological assessments including intellectual, adaptive, executive, and academic functioning as well as symptom specific and personality assessment measures.
• Competency in evidenced based treatments including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults with a wide range of behavioral health concerns, including evidence-based interventions for common psychological problems, physical health issues, and prevention.
• Experience in an integrated care setting. 
• Experience in research, research training, or program development.
• Demonstrated potential to contribute to the OU Health missions of patient care, education, and research.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities Required

• Knowledge of federal and state laws particularly related to patient confidentiality.
• Ability to resolve issues, applying judgement, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to determine a course of action.
• Ability to exercise discretion when making decisions and seek management advice to determine proper course of action while following established standards.
• Ability to handle stressful situations and complete projects in a timely manner.
• Ability to explain technical data in a form understandable to patients, families, and hospital staff.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proficiency in utilizing electronic health records (EHR).

Oklahoma City is one of the fastest-growing metros in the U.S., home to over 1.4 million residents. The city offers the perfect blend of affordability, cultural richness, and opportunity. With top-rated schools, short commutes, diverse dining, and a welcoming community, its an exceptional place for families and professionals.

In 2025,  U.S. News & World Report ranked Oklahoma City the #1 Best Big City to Live in the nation, citing its affordability, strong job market, and vibrant cultural amenities. Beckers ASC Review also reports Oklahoma City as having the  fastest-growing physician salaries among major U.S. cities (6.3% increase).