Executive Director, Regional Mental Health and Addiction Medicine-Northwest Region

The Executive Director of Mental Health and Wellness is accountable for the implementation of Kaiser Permanente Mental Health & Wellness and Addiction Care strategies and setting the clinical vision for the service line and care delivery team in the market. The Executive Director partners with the Medical Director (dyad partner) to provide strategic and administrative leadership for physicians, directors, managers, and staff delivering mental health and addiction care services and integrating and implementing appropriate standards of care and service delivery models. The Executive Director will provide leadership and direction in partnership with the Medical Director (dyad partner) for strategic and service delivery planning, policy/procedure, and design of plan-wide mental health and addiction services. The Executive Director works with market and department leaders to foster a culture of and commitment to cost effective member care, customer service and satisfaction, operational excellence, and ethical and compliant behavior.

1. Strategic Direction
   • Lead the development and execution of service line strategies and work plans in accordance with KP’s vision, mission, and operating plan and in alignment with the National Mental Health and Wellness & Addiction Care Strategy.
   • Lead the development, delivery, and management of designated services and models to achieve breakthrough performance, including ongoing improvement and transformative models across mental health wellness and addiction services.
   • Provide strategic direction, leadership, and programmatic recommendations over areas of accountability. Stay abreast of current health care and public policy trends.
   • Assures compliance with administrative, legal, and regulatory requirements of the Health Plan Contract and government/accrediting agencies.
   • Represent Kaiser Permanente, with an emphasis on integrated mental health/wellness and addiction care service delivery to the Kaiser Permanente market.
2. Business Development
   • Partner with Medical Director (dyad partner) and other physician leaders to develop market strategies and growth partnerships with Sales and Broker groups.
   • Participate in the expansion of mental health and addiction network providers and contracts across the region, including participating in work groups to explore new opportunities, joint ventures, and other innovations with groups that support the region’s strategic plan and growth opportunities.
   • Identify and evaluate opportunities to grow enrollment, improve cost, quality, access, and service performance in the assigned market.
   • Develop and maintain relationships with provider groups, hospitals, purchasers, brokers and key policymakers in the local market.
3. Operations Management & Performance Improvement
   • Lead complex change management and improvement efforts associated with access to care, service, clinical quality and safety, staff engagement, practice efficiency and affordability goals.
   • Develop and engage in initiatives that promote organizational alignment and improve organizational performance.
   • Directly and through subordinates, plan, organize, direct, and control the operation of mental health/wellness and addiction services.
   • Define, report and optimize key performance indicators (KPIs) for mental health/wellness and addiction care services used to monitor results and predict trends. Set market-leading targets for access, service and clinical quality. Monitor performance and initiate improvements to achieve or exceed targets.
   • Establish program standards including staffing models, standard work, metrics, dashboards, and training development in alignment with enterprise standards.
   • Lead the creation and implementation of the department budget and resource plan, including developing, monitoring, and controlling payroll, non-payroll, and capital budgets and expenditures for mental health/wellness and addiction care services.
4. Operational Excellence
   • Provides strategic leadership to management to ensure equitable distribution of resources and delivery of high quality, cost-effective health care and efficient management of staff in accordance with goals, objectives, policies, and applicable regulatory agency rules and regulations.
   • Effectively manage the integration of internal and external provider resources to ensure sufficient appointment supply and a seamless navigation experience for the member.
   • Management of the external provider network, which includes psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, applied behavioral analysis (ABA) providers, psychiatric hospitals, and residential treatment facilities.
   • Develop, oversee, and be accountable for management of services that optimize system, operations, and facility resources; assure cost effective operations through productivity improvement tools in addition to methods that ensure appropriate utilization of all products and services.
   • Facilitate rapid development and adoption of best practices to optimize and standardize services from quality, safety, cost, and operational perspectives.
   • Develop interdepartmental Service Line Agreements and care coordination processes within and across service lines.
5. Staff Management & Engagement
   • Direct oversight of sub-specialty leaders and programs.
   • Responsible for all aspects of total performance of staff to include talent acquisition, employee training and development, performance assessments for assigned staff, disciplinary actions up to and including terminations.
   • Mentor and develop operational managers and medical leaders.
   • Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with labor leaders; serve as a point of contact for all service line grievances and arbitrations.
   • Ensure highly competent staff and managers utilizing performance management, assessment, and training.
   • Establish an environment that supports caregivers and enhances growth, open communication, and job satisfaction; reinforce a leadership culture and values that support achievement of Kaiser Permanente’s mission and vision.
   • Develops and nurtures management structures, systems and processes which enable highly functional managers and teams to engage staff in achieving Kaiser Permanente’s goals.

• Minimum eight (8) years of relevant clinical and healthcare management experience, specifically:
• Experience managing clinical services working in a complex, multi-faceted health care setting.
• Experience working with a large physician group practice managing through influence and collaboration.

• Master’s degree in Mental Health related field, MPH, business administration or related field.

• N/A

• Record of positive relationships with providers, managers and staff that strengthen engagement, quality, and service; ability to select and develop effective managers.
• Demonstrated ability to constructively challenge established ways of doing things to lead improvement and change.
• Ability to communicate effectively within a large, complex, diverse organization.
• Thorough knowledge of legal, regulatory, ethical, managerial, organizational requirements, principles, and standards of care for healthcare systems.
• Experience assessing programs, evaluating organizational needs, designing process changes, and successfully implementing changes to process flow and patient care.
• Experience with integrating systems and services to efficiently maximize service and to support the organizations mission and goals.
• Extensive financial planning and management skills as well as excellent complex problem-solving skills.
• The ability to balance strategic development and day-to-day operational responsibilities.
• Demonstrated skills in team building and organizational development.
• Excellent problem solving and negotiating skills.
• Ability to work in a Labor Management/Partnership environment as demonstrated through established experience.
• Strong communication skills characteristic of an executive who excels in communicating in a variety of formal and informal presentation settings, large and small, both inside and outside the organization, and issuing cogent and consistent written messages that build confidence and achieve desired outcomes.
• Knowledge of health care delivery systems, clinical care and services, and associated regulatory requirements.
• Knowledge of health maintenance organizations, managed care environments and modern health care management in an integrated health care delivery system.
• Demonstrated skills in strategy development, financial management, operations improvement efforts, and cost-management initiatives.

• Proficiency with KP integrated model, operations, and markets is strongly preferred.
• Masters degree in MSW, MA, MS, MPH, MPA, MBA or related healthcare field preferred.
• Experience developing performance metrics and maintaining accountability in key areas of member satisfaction, quality improvement, finance, and delivery system performance is strongly preferred.