CLASS SPECIFICATION

CHIEF, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND CRISIS SERVICES
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

DEFINITION OF CLASS:

This is supervisory and administrative work directing Behavioral Health and Crisis Services operations within the Department of Health and Human Services. The employee in this position will be appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council. This is a non-merit position within the Montgomery County Government. The incumbent of this position reports directly to the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services. Key responsibilities of the position include providing oversight and leadership of Behavioral Health and Crisis Services program operations consistent with the County Council's Health and Human Services Policy; membership on the Department's management team, which oversees and ensures a fully integrated public health and human services system which is customer friendly and fiscally and programmatically effective. The Chief of Behavioral Health and Crisis Services promotes collaboration with and among public and private agencies in order to address crisis, mental health, and substance abuse issues.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: (Illustrative Only)

Plans, leads, and supervises staff activities in implementing the core Behavioral Health and Crisis Service functions of assessment, policy development, education, and quality assurance.
Promotes and fosters partnerships with public and private agencies in order to assure a coordinated system of Behavioral Health and Crisis services.
Assures the effectiveness of Behavioral Health and Crisis Service programs and policies through conducting evaluations and assessing customer feedback.
Assures effective fiscal and management controls.
Ensures the provision of adequate and relevant staff training.
Assists the Director in the development and implementation of an integrated health and human services system.
Maintains communications and represents Behavioral Health and Crisis Services to clients, the general public, and to federal, State, and local agencies and officials.
Ensures that employees at all levels are encouraged to participate in program and policy development.
Performs other related duties as required.

RECOMMENDED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience: Seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in organizational management or in behavioral health and crisis service programs, four years of which were in a supervisory or executive capacity.
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's Degree in a public health, human services, or public administration field.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Extensive knowledge of behavioral health and crisis principles and issues, and of developments in the mental health and public health regulatory fields.
Thorough knowledge of, and commitment to, customer service and client-focused service delivery.
Ability to lead, plan, implement, and evaluate behavioral health and crisis programs and services.
Ability to establish collaborative and cooperative approaches to achieving goals.
Ability to establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with management staff, interdisciplinary team members, representatives of public/private and community groups, elected officials, and the general public.
Ability to attend meetings or perform other assignments at locations outside the office.

LICENSE: None.

MEDICAL PROTOCOL: Medical History Review.

Class Established: September 1995
Revised: February 2004

Formerly titled: Chief, Adult Mental Health/Substance Abuse Services