Chief Behavioral Health Officer

About Seattle Indian Health Board

Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB) is a community health center that provides health and human services to its patients, while specializing in the care of Native people. We are recognized as a leader in the promotion of health improvement for urban American Indians and Alaska Natives, locally and nationally.

Seattle Indian Health Board opened its doors to the community in 1970. In the 1960s, Native activists refused to let urban Indians go unseen and ignored any longer, which inspired the formation of a number of Native organizations, including Seattle Indian Health Board. For the first time, urban Indians in Seattle had access to healthcare and services by organizations that were operated by Native people, for Native people.

Today, Seattle Indian Health Board operates three sites and is preparing to open one more. SIHB currently serves approximately 7,500 Relatives.

The Chief Behavioral Health Officer (CBHO) is a senior executive leader responsible for the strategic direction, operational and clinical oversight, and clinical quality of all behavioral health services across the organization. This position provides executive-level leadership over a comprehensive continuum of care that includes outpatient mental health services, outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and inpatient substance use treatment.

As a key member of the executive leadership team, the CBHO champions an integrated, whole-person approach to care that is consistent with Seattle Indian Health Board’s Indigenous Knowledge Informed System of Care. The CBHO ensures all behavioral health programs meet or exceed applicable regulatory and accreditation standards, and advances a culture of trauma-informed, evidence-based, and culturally attuned care.

• Leads our growth strategy for all divisions of Behavioral Health, creating more opportunities to serve our Relatives and fostering an environment of innovation.
• Leads the full integration of behavioral health into our Indigenous Knowledge Informed System of Care model.
• Collaborates closely with the Chief Health Officer to ensure the continued growth and success of our programs and better health outcomes for our Relatives.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategic plan for behavioral health services aligned with the organization’s mission, regulatory and accreditation requirements, and community health needs assessments.
• Lead long-range program planning, service expansion, and innovation initiatives, including telehealth, integrated care models, and new grant-funded programs.
• Represent behavioral health at the executive leadership level; serve as the primary subject matter expert on behavioral health policy and clinical strategy.

• Oversee day-to-day operations of all behavioral health departments, ensuring efficient, effective, and patient-centered service delivery.
• Ensure appropriate licensure for each of our behavioral health programs, meeting all standards and expectations for establishment and renewal.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets totaling several million dollars; monitor financial performance and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Oversee billing, coding compliance, and revenue cycle operations in collaboration with the finance team to maximize sustainable reimbursement.
• Lead capacity planning and resource allocation across outpatient and inpatient programs to optimize access and utilization.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with payers, vendors, and community partners.

• Maintain a Relative panel that is consistent with the expectation that 50% of time will be in direct care, and 50% will be devoted to administration and leadership.
• Establish and maintain clinical standards, protocols, and evidence-based practices across all behavioral health programs.
• Lead quality improvement initiatives; monitor key performance indicators, including access to care, patient outcomes, retention in treatment, and readmission rates.
• Ensure full compliance with all applicable regulations (42 CFR Part 2, HIPAA, SAMHSA…