Director of Clinical BH Services

Job Summary:

The Director of Clinical Behavioral Health Services is responsible for leading and managing behavioral health services at the Oyate Health Center (OHC) for the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board (GPTLHB), with the goal of maintaining and enhancing health and psychosocial functioning for patients and their families related to mental health and substance use needs.

This role focuses on stabilizing operations, strengthening clinical and leadership processes, improving access and care coordination, and supporting staff and service quality.

The Director leads efforts aligned with the department's established vision and long-range goals, advancing priorities that expand and strengthen services to meet community and stakeholder needs, while supporting organizational performance and strategic objectives.

Essential Functions:

The following functions are fundamental to the position and are required of all incumbents, with or without reasonable accommodation. These functions define the role and are not an exhaustive list of all duties.

Clinical Leadership & Medical Oversight
• Provides physician leadership and medical oversight for Behavioral Health services, ensuring care delivery aligns with evidence based practice, regulatory requirements, and organizational standards.
• Performs independent psychiatric/mental health evaluations, diagnoses, and treatment of complex emotional, behavioral, and mental health disorders in accordance with DSM 5 and the scope of licensure.
• Serves as the clinical authority for Behavioral Health practice standards, clinical protocols, and quality of care.
• Acts as a clinical consultant and resource to behavioral health providers, primary care physicians, and interdisciplinary care teams.
• Supports integration of behavioral health services within primary care and other clinical service lines.

Quality, Safety & Compliance
• Ensures Behavioral Health services meet federal, state, accreditation, and HIPAA requirements.
• Actively participates in clinic quality improvement initiatives, including review of clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction data, and complaint trends.
• Provides physician leadership in the development, review, and approval of Behavioral Health clinical policies, procedures, and standards of care.
• Assures appropriate documentation and medical necessity to support compliant and billable services.

Strategic & Programmatic Leadership
• Provides medical leadership in short and long term planning for Behavioral Health services in alignment with organizational goals and community needs.
• Participates in assessment of community behavioral health needs and advises on program development and service expansion using best practice models.
• Collaborates with executive leadership and grant teams to support funding opportunities related to Behavioral Health services.

Medical Staff Leadership & Workforce Support
• Provides physician oversight to Behavioral Health clinical providers, including consultation, mentorship, and professional guidance.
• Participates in recruitment, selection, and credentialing processes for Behavioral Health clinicians as appropriate to the Clinical Director role.
• Assists in establishing clinical qualifications, competencies, and professional standards for Behavioral Health providers.
• Supports clinical education and in-service training for Behavioral Health staff and collaborating partners, including tribal programs.

Operational Collaboration (MD Appropriate Scope)
• Collaborates with administrative and operational leaders on staffing models, coverage needs, and use of contract providers, without assuming day to day operational management.
• Works with Purchased/Referred Care and care coordination teams on complex or high cost clinical cases.
• Advises leadership on prioritization of third party resources and Behavioral Health clinical priorities.
• Maintains effective working relationships with internal departments and external partners.

Professional & Organizational Responsibilities
• Performs the core responsibilities of the position accurately, timely, and in accordance with established medical and organizational standards.
• Communicates effectively with internal and external stakeholders in the capacity of physician leader.
• Maintains regular and reliable attendance consistent with clinical and organizational needs.
• Utilizes required clinical systems, tools, and technology to support patient care and medical oversight.
• Performs related physician duties as assigned within the scope of the Medical Director role.

Minimum Qualifications
• Master's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, or a related human services field required; psychiatrist preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in behavioral health services, including at least three (3) years in a supervisory or management role. Experience in community mental health, program development, administration, grants management, and public relations is preferred.
• Current BLS certification or completed within 90 days

Native American/American Indian Preference in hiring will be applied as defined in title 25 usc 44-46 &474.

Employment is contingent upon the outcome of all required criminal background checks and pre-employment drug screen.


Compliance with our Employee Health Procedure is a condition of employment. You are required to agree that you will comply with all job-related employee health screening and immunizations prior to your first day of employment. Jobs require that you have documentation that you have completed the following immunizations prior to your first day of employment: MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella, Varicella (Chicken Pox), Hepatitis B, Influenza, T-dap (Tetanus - Diphtheria - Pertussis), and COVID-19 vaccination is required.