The Vice President of Behavioral Health provides strategic, clinical, and administrative leadership across a health system’s behavioral health service lines. This position oversees the full continuum of care ensuring high-quality, patient-centered care delivery and operational excellence. The VP of Behavioral Health is responsible for oversight and guidance of behavioral health services across all care venues within the ARH system. Duties include, but are not limited to, financial oversight, operational oversight, marketing, physician recruitment and relations, coordination of referrals and services, growth of the service line, quality improvement activity, and strategic planning.

The VP directly or indirectly supervises all Behavioral Health leadership at the system level as well as within hospitals and clinics. The position has frequent contact with local and regional CEOs, ambulatory administrators, physicians, and department managers across the ARH system.

Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement the behavioral health department’s strategic vision, service offerings, and operational plans, aligning with organizational objectives. Collaborate with Corporate Strategy staff, CEOs, ambulatory leadership, and local managers to implement actions to achieve strategic plans. Monitors and prepare quarterly reports regarding achievement of strategic plan targets and goals.

Clinical Oversight: Lead multidisciplinary care teams, set clinical quality standards, and drive performance improvement initiatives to enhance patient outcomes and reduce harm. Evaluates the quality of services being provided in the service line through an on-going quality improvement program, in accordance with the ARH System Quality Program. Assure action plans are developed for identifying areas of improvement, and progress monitored.

Service Line Management: Oversee growth, expansion, and integration of behavioral health programs; manage budgets, resource allocation, and financial performance. Provides direction and leadership for the Behavioral Health service line in an efficient manner by planning, organizing, and controlling all activities to obtain maximum results by growing existing services and developing and implementing new services.

Compliance & Standards: Ensure adherence to regulatory, accreditation, and quality standards; maintain compliance with clinical guidelines and policies. Stays abreast of changes in regulation/standards that affect Behavioral Health, including reimbursement and communicates changes to service line team, CEOs, ambulatory leadership and senior leadership as appropriate.

Collaboration: Work closely with division presidents, local CEOs, ambulatory administrators, physician leadership, nursing, and interdisciplinary teams to optimize care coordination, patient experience, and to manage and operate Behavioral Health services within the service region.

Community & Partner Engagement: Build relationships with community partners, managed care organizations, and stakeholders to expand access and improve services.

Training & Development: Establish training programs for staff at all levels to support effective behavioral health practices. Implements community outreach and education programs about behavioral health services.

Recruitment & Retention: Provides leadership for the recruitment and retention of Psychiatrist/Psychologists/APRN’s in collaboration with CEOs, ambulatory leadership, and ARH Physician Recruitment staff. Participates in recruitment and retention activities related to the ARH behavioral health service line scope of services.

Assures ARH meets the terms of the KY State Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability contract.

Routine travel to service locations providing care to behavioral health patients in any care setting.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Education (experience can be substituted for education)
Master's Degree Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Nursing, Behavioral Health, or related field Required

Work Experience (education can be substituted for experience)
7–10+ years of progressive leadership in behavioral health or healthcare operations, with experience managing multi-site or system-level services Required
5+ Years of Inpatient Behavioral Health Experience Preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Strong leadership, strategic planning, budgeting, and program development skills; ability to lead change and transformation initiatives
Ability to communicate effectively and document information accurately;
Ability to deal efficiently and effectively with a wide variety of individuals;
Knowledge of basic medical terminology required;
Basic computer knowledge is required;
Ability to work independently within general guidelines;
Ability to communicate in English, both orally and written;
Ability to work flexible hours;
Ability to work with and direct others who work with patients experiencing mental health disturbances or dual diagnoses.
General activity: Must be able to sit or drive 6-8 hours. Must be able to walk or stand 1-2 hours. Must be able to travel, including occasional night and weekend responsibilities.