Deputy Director Behavioral Health

Deputy Director Behavioral Health

The County of Monterey Health Department seeks an experienced behavioral health professional for the position of Deputy Director Behavioral Health to oversee the Behavioral Health Bureau's Quality Division.

The Deputy Director Behavioral Health reports directly to the Behavioral Health Bureau Chief and provides oversight and management of various services focused on all systems of care. The Behavioral Health Bureau provides a wide range of early intervention, diagnostic, treatment and community-based services for children, youth, adults and older adults with mental illness, substance use disorder, and co-occurring conditions. The Deputy Director will be engaged in a wide range of Bureau priorities and initiatives to include CalAIM, Behavioral Health Transformation, and BHSA.

The Deputy Director is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating evaluation and monitoring of county-wide behavioral health services and contracts in accordance with all the laws governing the delivery of behavioral health services in the State of California.

This Deputy Director will oversee the Quality Division for the Behavioral Health Bureau and provide strategic leadership and oversight of quality improvement, quality assurance, and compliance activities across specialty mental health and substance use disorder services. This role is responsible for guiding system-wide efforts to ensure services meet state and federal requirements, including oversight of the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS), privacy and compliance functions, grievance and investigation processes, and audit readiness and response.

This position leads a large, multidisciplinary team and fosters a highly collaborative environment that supports innovation, accountability, and continuous quality improvement. In addition to direct oversight responsibilities, this Deputy Director plays a key role in guiding and aligning activities across divisions and works closely with leadership in Access to Treatment, Administration, Adult, Children and Youth, Community Crisis and Justice Involved Services to ensure coordinated, high-quality care is provided throughout our delivery system.

The role also oversees key operational areas including workforce development and training, ethnic services, and special projects that support equitable, culturally responsive, and high-quality care. The Deputy Director is responsible for interpreting and operationalizing complex policies from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and the federal Medicaid program, translating regulatory requirements into effective local procedures and practices.

As a member of the Bureau's executive leadership team, this position requires a deep understanding of county behavioral health systems and the ability to bring together diverse community stakeholders, including providers, managed care partners, and public agencies, to guide the direction of public behavioral health services. The Deputy Director serves as a trusted advisor to leadership and represents the County during audits, responding to inquiries and defending system practices while driving continuous improvement efforts that enhance outcomes for the community.

The Deputy Director embodies the values of a mission-driven leader that understands the County's role in the delivery of specialty mental health and drug Medi-Cal services to those most in need in our community. The position will require exceptional management and administration skills, emphasizing the importance of developing sustainable programs and services through productivity and generating revenue to expand the ability to provide additional essential services.

The ability to work efficiently and effectively both within and across systems is vital.

The ideal candidate will be a licensed practitioner, have held positions of increasing responsibility to include supervisorial and managerial roles, and will have a strong sense of ethics and a commitment to the mission of community wellness and health protection that integrates an emphasis on enhanced service delivery, strategic thinking, productivity and efficiency, and an operational style inclusive of effective communication, collaboration and respect.

The Eligible List established by this recruitment process will be used to fill current and future vacancies, both regular and temporary, as they arise.

• Plans, implements, organizes, evaluates and directs services through subordinate managers and supervisors in operations and in the service delivery of mental health or drug and alcohol programs.
• Resolves administrative problems and develops joint procedures and policies to ensure that all programs meet State regulations.
• Participates with other agencies and departments in community planning, service monitoring and development of coordinated services.
• Oversees the development and monitoring of the operations budget for assigned area, including…