Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Administrator

Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Administrator (MAPS3/DBHR)
$65,748.00 - $88,416.00

 
As part of the Adult and Involuntary Services Team, this position coordinates and leads efforts to develop assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) programs throughout the state. This position will work across the differences in regional needs and court systems to develop standards, training, and methods of evaluation for these services. The ideal candidate will have skills in project management, public speaking, and relationship building along with experience in behavioral health crisis systems, preferably in involuntary treatment programs.
 
Division philosophy statement:
The Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) values and seeks diversity, equity, and inclusion as integral to the behavioral health field. We support, embrace, and celebrate everyone’s uniqueness, promote inclusion, and commit to remove systemic barriers that affect our workforce, our providers, and the people that receive prevention, treatment, and/or recovery support services.
 
About the unit:
This position resides in the Adult and Involuntary Services of DBHR. The Adult and Involuntary Services Team’s purpose is to support the Health Care Authority (HCA) mission and strategic goals through ensuring delivery of high-quality mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment though grants, statewide innovative health policies, and service purchasing strategies, including increasing access to community-based treatment for individuals living with behavioral health conditions.
 
About the position:
The position will support development and implementation of AOT programs across the state in each region and will oversee system coordination and legal compliance. This position will work closely with the Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organizations (BHASOs) and their AOT Coordinator staff to develop and implement program requirements, best practices, policy, and procedures, and implement them within the BHASO regions. The position will also require coordination and collaboration with Superior Courts, contractors providing services to persons released on assisted outpatient treatment orders, and other stakeholders across the state. The position will support the BHASOs' requirement to develop and implement a plan with HCA, Regional Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA) courts, AOT providers, and community stakeholders.
 
This position is eligible to telework and is typically not required to report on-site but may require occasional in-person meetings in Olympia or with stakeholders across the state. The default assigned work location of all Health Care Authority (HCA) positions – both on-site and telework eligible positions – is within the State of Washington. Frequency of onsite work will vary based on business and operational needs. HCA may choose, but is not required, to support out-of-state telework on a case-by-case basis.

 
Some of what you will do:

• Serve as subject matter expert of behavioral health services, laws, regulations, and requirements as they relate to AOT
• Create and maintain relationships with community stakeholders including Superior Courts, BHASOs and provider agencies
• Provide problem solving and consultation to contracted entities and communities throughout implementation
• Develop statewide program requirements, best practices, policies, and procedures for the implementation of AOT programs by BHASOs
• Develop contracts to ensure availability of and appropriate use of AOT
• Monitor contracts and maintain relationships with stakeholders to assure contract requirements are being met
• Develop best practices program guidelines
• Collaborate with BHASOs and BHASO AOT Coordinators
• Make policy recommendations to the supervisor and DBHR leadership
• Coordinate and collaborate with Superior Courts, AOT provider agencies, Administrative Office of the Courts, and other stakeholders regarding AOT education and implementation.
• Organize and convene statewide stakeholder workgroups.
• Provide education to stakeholders including AOT petitioner types (hospitals, behavioral health provider agencies, mental health and SUD providers, Designated Crisis Responders, release planners from corrections, emergency room physicians). This will include presentations to stakeholder groups about HB 1773, AOT, progress of implementation, writing petitions, and other relevant topics and updates
• Support the BHASOs requirement to develop and implement a plan, with HCA, Regional ITA courts, AOT providers, and community stakeholders.
• Develop a system to review and track AOT data. Assess and provide relevant suggestions based on trends
• Conduct comprehensive analysis of legislative bills
• Assist with implementation of administrative and programmatic changes prompted by legislation and rule change at the state and federal level
• Respond to constituent inquiries and requests for assistance

 
Required education and experience:
 
Qualified candidates will meet all of the following criteria:

• A master’s degree in social work, mental health counseling, or other related behavioral health field AND
• Two years of clinical mental health experience AND
• Qualification as a Mental Health Professional within State of Washington, in accordance with WAC 246-341-0515.

 
Required skills and abilities:
 

• Knowledge of:
  • Washington State community and state behavioral health systems, to include inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment
  • ITA and process for treatment within involuntary inpatient hospitalizations and less restrictive treatment orders
  • Legal process for ITA
• Experience:
  • In public behavioral health system
  • Working effectively with cross system collaboration and coordination
  • Providing clinical behavioral health services
  • Providing clinical consultation or supervision
  • Behavioral health program development and/ or quality management
• Skills:
  • Effectively and professionally communicate technical, sensitive, and/or confidential matters to diverse groups of people both verbally and in writing
  • Ability to effectively use spreadsheets and databases
  • Excellent interpersonal skills to communicate appropriately, effectively, and collaboratively with community partners, personnel at all levels of state and county government, behavioral health professional organizations, behavioral health providers, consumers, advocates, legislators and their staff and local government officials
  • Provide excellent customer service to diverse groups of people with varying needs
  • Analyze and interpret information in order to provide options and solutions
  • Develop and maintain effective, professional, collaborative working relationships with a diverse range of customers and co-workers, encourage teamwork, and establish trust and credibility with others
  • Maintain personal and professional characteristics that are needed to meet organization’s expectations and demands of the workplace
  • Actively listen and understand what is being communicated
  • Independently prioritize workload and multi-task while staying organized and paying close attention to detail
  • Work independently with little supervision and demonstrate initiative
  • Ability to track and interpret data
  • Readily adapt to new situations and be open to change

 
Preferred qualifications:
 

• Experience:
  • Providing inpatient psychiatric discharge coordination services
  • Providing expert witness testimony, declarations, and deposition within context of behavioral health court process
• Knowledge of:
  • Community crisis systems as they interact with law enforcement, and other emergency services
  • Public behavioral health services system including program management principles and models of care, national and local trends in care and practice of managed care and other service delivery models
  • Federal and state behavioral health statues, rules, and regulations, including Medicaid regulations relating to behavioral health access
  • Medicaid managed care principals and contract issues related to funding, medical necessity, quality improvement, cultural competency and provider contracting
  • Protocols and processes of the executive and legislative branches of state and local government

 
How to apply: 

Only candidates who reflect the minimum qualifications on their NEOGOV profile will be considered. Failure to follow the application instructions below may lead to disqualification. To apply for this position you will need to complete your profile and attach:
 

• A cover letter that specifically addresses how you meet the qualifications for this position.
• Current resume
• Three professional references

 
To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:

• Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 long-form copy), NGB 22, or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
• Please black out any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers. Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

About HCA: 
The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is committed to whole-person care, integrating physical health and behavioral health services for better results and healthier residents.
 
HCA purchases health care for more than 2.5 million Washington residents through Apple Health (Medicaid), the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) Program, and the School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) Program. As the largest health care purchaser in the state, we lead the effort to transform health care, helping ensure Washington residents have access to better health and better care at a lower cost.
  
What we have to offer:

• Meaningful work with friendly co-workers who care about those we serve Voices of HCA
• A clear agency mission that drives our work and is person-centered HCA's Mission, Vision & Values
• A healthy work/life balance, including alternative/flexible schedules and mobile work options.
• Infants in the workplace Infants at the Workplace Video
• A great total compensation and benefit package WA State Government Benefits
• A safe, pleasant workplace in a convenient location with restaurants, and shopping nearby.
• Tuition reimbursement
• And free parking!

 
Notes:
Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment.
 
HCA is an equal opportunity employer. We value the importance of creating an environment in which all employees can feel respected, included, and empowered to bring unique ideas to the agency. Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, as well as people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons with disabilities needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this job announcement in an alternative format may contact Jake Nelko at 360.725.0945 or jake.nelko@hca.wa.gov.
 

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is an E-Verify employer. All applicants with a legal right to work in the United States are encouraged to apply.