Director Clinical Services

Purpose and scope:
The Director of Clinical Services (DCS) provides leadership and clinical oversight to ensure the highest standards of clinical excellence and patient-centered care. This role designs, implements, and sustains evidence-based treatment programs (e.g., CBT, DBT) that drive measurable outcomes, uphold regulatory compliance, and foster recovery across the continuum of care. The DCS champions evidence-based practices, advances staff competencies, and embeds fidelity to proven models of care, creating a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Through collaboration with interdisciplinary teams and leaders, the DCS ensures high quality clinical services are provided consistently and in alignment with the hospital’s mission and goals.

• Leadership & Management: Provide strategic direction to clinical teams, including therapists, social workers, and other staff. Oversee day-to-day clinical operations, including budget management, developing marketing and strategic plans, and independent decision making for programs requiring clinical expertise. Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and patient-centered care and ensure efficiency and collaboration between departments. Serve as a member of the facility leadership team and make independent clinical decisions to ensure quality care and alignment with organizational goals.
• Clinical Staff Oversight, Development and Supervision: Provide direction and oversight to staff members; provide clinical consultation, oversight of case planning and care coordination; direct crisis intervention efforts; supervise, mentor, and support clinical staff; ensure all clinical staff are trained on and consistently implement evidence-based practices, including assessments, measurement-based care, and evidence-based interventions. Engage in regular fidelity monitoring of clinical programming and groups delivered by clinical staff and provide ongoing trainings when drift occurs.
  
  Manage hiring, development, training, and performance management of staff; conduct regular reviews of caseloads to optimize utilization of services; ensure staff are current on all certifications and regulatory requirements.
• Program Development & Implementation: Develop and implement clinical programs based on evidence-based models (e.g., CBT, DBT) and integrate evidence-based practices into treatment plans. Evaluate clinical performance metrics (service-delivery models, patient-reported outcomes, satisfaction scores, length of stay, treatment completion, discharge effectiveness). Conduct regular clinical audits to ensure high-quality documentation, fidelity to care models, and appropriate levels of care. Champion best practices in suicide risk assessment, safety planning, and risk mitigation with standardized application across facilities.
  
  Facilitate the continuum of care, partnering with outpatient facilities to develop robust step-down processes. Provide clinical oversight of other programs and levels of care as needed.
• Quality & Compliance: Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and accrediting bodies (e.g., Joint Commission, CMS, CARF, state licensing boards). Monitor clinical performance metrics and implement corrective actions as needed. Oversee documentation and reporting to maintain accurate patient records. Ensure safety and infection control requirements are met.
• Collaboration & Communication: Work with hospital or facility leadership to align clinical services with hospital-wide initiatives and organizational values. Serve as a liaison between clinical staff, administration, and external partners, fostering clear communication. Engage with community organizations and healthcare providers to enhance patient access to services.
• Additional Responsibilities: Direct crisis intervention efforts and oversee case planning and care coordination. Maintain a limited caseload when necessary and provide onsite coverage for other programs. Develop operating policies and ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and standards of care. Recognize patient safety as a top priority and address complaints as…