Director of Behavioral Health

Description

Department

Behavioral Health

Reports To

COO

FLSA Status

Exempt

Employment Type

Full-Time

Location

Lowell, MA


Position Summary

The Director of Behavioral Health Services provides strategic and operational leadership for all behavioral health programs at Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell CHC), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving a diverse, urban patient population. This position is responsible for the integration of behavioral health services within the primary care setting, aligning with the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) and whole-person care principles. The Director oversees clinical staff, program quality, regulatory compliance - including Massachusetts DPH & BSAS licensure - and grant-funded initiatives across Lowell CHC.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership & Program Oversight

• Provides direct clinical care to patients consistent with specific licensure and training.

• Provides overall leadership and direct management of all clinical functions for BH services.

• Direct day-to-day operations of all behavioral health programs, including integrated behavioral health (IBH), care management, and psychiatric consultation.

• Ensure fidelity to evidence-based models including Collaborative Care (CoCM), Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), and Trauma-Informed Care (TIC).

• Oversee clinical supervision of Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs), Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs), Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs), psychologists, and Behavioral Health Care Managers.

• Partner with clinical leadership and primary care providers to strengthen bi-directional integration of behavioral health across all care teams.

• Support expansion of specialty programs including services for patients with neurodevelopmental disorders, pediatric behavioral health, and perinatal mental health.

• Designs, implements, and maintains BH policies, procedures, and operational standards.

• Assesses community needs and develops service expansion, new treatment modalities and innovative program design to meet the changing needs of patients and community.


• Ensure contractual arrangements and partnerships are in place in accordance with regulations.


• Provide programmatic and supervisory oversight of behavioral health services at Lowell CHC's two school-based health center (SBHC) sites, ensuring alignment with the health center's clinical and quality standards.

• Ensure SBHC behavioral health staff maintain appropriate licensure, complete mandated reporter training, and adhere to school-specific protocols including threat assessment and crisis response procedures.

• Coordinate care transitions between SBHC and the main health center, community mental health agencies, and inpatient/crisis services to ensure continuity for students and families.

• Monitor SBHC behavioral health productivity, documentation compliance, and student outcome data; report to leadership and school partners on a regular basis.

Regulatory Compliance & BSAS Licensure

• Serve as the designated compliance lead for Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) licensure, ensuring all licensed programs meet BSAS standards for staffing, documentation, physical environment, and reporting.

• Prepare for and coordinate BSAS site inspections; develop and implement corrective action plans (CAPs) in response to any deficiencies.

• Maintain all required BSAS program licenses and ensure timely renewals in accordance with state requirements.

• Ensure compliance with HRSA, CMS, and Massachusetts DPH requirements.

• Maintain departmental policies and procedures in accordance with FTCA requirements and AAAHC standards as applicable.

• Participate in Incident Review, Risk Management, and Peer Review processes for behavioral health cases.

Quality Improvement

• Lead behavioral health quality improvement activities using PDSA cycles, Lean methodologies, and measures relevant to depression, anxiety, SUD, and chronic disease management.

• Monitor and report on clinical quality metrics including PHQ-9 follow-up rates, warm handoff completion, prescribing rates, and 30-day follow-up post-hospitalization.

• Integrate SBHC-specific quality indicators into the department's broader QI framework.

Workforce Development & Supervision

• Recruit, hire, onboard, and evaluate behavioral health staff and trainees in collaboration with Human Resources.

• Develop and sustain a clinical training program, including supervision of interns and practicum students from affiliated universities.

• Foster a team culture grounded in psychological safety, and continuous professional development.

• Address performance concerns proactively and in partnership with HR, following protocols.

Strategic Planning & Grants Management

• Contribute to organizational strategic planning efforts, particularly initiatives related to behavioral health integration, chronic disease management, and SDOH screening.

• Identify and pursue grant funding opportunities from HRSA, SAMHSA, state agencies, and private foundations; lead program design and narrative development.

• Manage active grants, ensuring compliance with deliverables, reporting timelines, and budget oversight in collaboration with Finance.

• Represent Lowell CHC in community behavioral health coalitions, regional partnerships, and with state and federal agency contacts.

Administrative & Financial Oversight

• Develop and manage the behavioral health department budget, including revenue projections, staffing plans, and operational expenses across all sites.

• Optimize billing and coding practices to maximize revenue consistent with FQHC prospective payment system (PPS) requirements.

• Collaborate with Health Information Technology on EHR optimization, registry management, and behavioral health data reporting.

• Prepare regular departmental reports for senior leadership, Board of Directors, and funders as requested.

Qualifications

Required

• Registered Nurse (RN) with a Doctorate or Master's degree in Nursing, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) certification, or Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or a related behavioral health discipline.

• Active, unrestricted Massachusetts licensure appropriate to discipline (RN/APRN, LICSW, LMHC, or equivalent); independent practice-level licensure required for non-nursing candidates.

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive clinical and leadership experience in a behavioral health setting, with at least 3 years in a management role.

• Demonstrated experience with Massachusetts BSAS & DPH-licensed programs, including knowledge of licensure standards, inspection processes, and corrective action requirements.

• Demonstrated experience in integrated or co-located behavioral health within a primary care or FQHC environment.

• Strong knowledge of behavioral health billing, FQHC reimbursement models, and value-based care.

• Experience with HRSA reporting, federal grant compliance, and quality improvement frameworks (PDSA, Lean, CQI).

• Proficiency with electronic health records; Epic preferred.

Preferred

• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with active prescriptive authority in Massachusetts.

• Experience with SAMHSA grant programs, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model, or PCMH certification.

• Bilingual proficiency (Spanish, Portuguese, Khmer, or other languages reflective of Lowell's patient population).

• Familiarity with Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) billing under CPT codes 99492-99494.

• Experience working within or alongside K-12 school systems, including knowledge of FERPA, 504 plans, and IEP behavioral health components.

• Experience leading or participating in organizational strategic planning processes.

Core Competencies

• Adaptive leadership in complex, multi-site, resource-constrained healthcare environments.

• Trauma-informed and equity-centered program design.

• Cross-functional collaboration with medical, nursing, pharmacy, school, and social care teams.

• Data fluency: ability to interpret clinical quality data and translate findings into actionable improvement.

• Clear, professional communication with staff, patients, school partners, community coalitions, and funders.

• Regulatory knowledge spanning HRSA, CMS, BSAS, state DPH, and applicable accreditation bodies.

Working Conditions

This position requires regular on-site presence at Lowell CHC's main facility and both school-based health center locations, with limited remote work flexibility subject to operational needs. Travel between sites is expected. The role requires occasional evening or weekend availability for community events, grant reporting deadlines, school-year scheduling demands, or urgent clinical matters. The work environment includes direct proximity to patients and students presenting with complex psychiatric, SUD, and psychosocial needs; Lowell CHC maintains a supportive environment and access to employee assistance resources.