Chief Clinical Officer (CCO)

Apache Behavioral Health Services, Inc.•Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ

52d

About The Position

The Chief Clinical Officer (CCO) is the senior executive responsible for all clinical operations, medical services, and quality oversight at Apache Behavioral Health Services (ABHS). Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the CCO provides vision, leadership, and accountability for the delivery of safe, effective, culturally competent, and compliant behavioral health services to the White Mountain Apache Tribe. The CCO supervises the Clinical Directors, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), and other program leaders, ensuring integration of medical and behavioral health services. This role ensures that ABHS meets and exceeds the standards set forth by Indian Health Services (IHS), Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), the Tribal Regional Behavioral Health Authority (TRBHA), the 638 Contract, and the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (AZBBHE).

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Nursing, Public Health, or related behavioral health field (Doctorate preferred).
Independent Arizona behavioral health license (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, Psychologist, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, etc.).
Minimum of 10 years in behavioral health leadership, including at least 5 years in an executive or senior clinical management role.
Demonstrated success managing multi-disciplinary teams that include psychiatrists, therapists, case managers, and peer specialists.
Experience with Tribal behavioral health systems, 638 contracts, IHS, and AHCCCS required.
Expertise in clinical governance, quality improvement, and compliance management.
Advanced knowledge of federal, state, and Tribal behavioral health laws and funding structures.
Strong ability to integrate clinical and medical models into a unified system of care.
Proven skills in strategic planning, leadership, and conflict resolution.
Excellent communication skills, including public speaking and stakeholder engagement.
Cultural humility and ability to work effectively within Tribal communities.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, EHR platforms, and data reporting tools.

Nice To Haves

Strong preference for candidates with additional medical/psychiatric leadership experience and ability to directly oversee licensed prescribers.

Responsibilities

Provide executive oversight of all clinical and medical programs, including outpatient services, residential care, crisis stabilization, psychiatric care, and wrap-around models (CFTs, ARTs).
Ensure effective coordination and collaboration among Clinical Directors, the CMO, and program managers.
Lead ABHS’s Clinical Governance System, establishing standards of care, ethics, and clinical practice guidelines.
Develop and implement ABHS’s strategic clinical plan in alignment with agency mission, Tribal priorities, and regulatory mandates.
Serve as the CEO’s principal advisor on clinical issues, medical policies, and quality of care.
Represent ABHS at Tribal Council, IHS, AHCCCS, and regional/state clinical leadership forums.
Oversee the Chief Medical Officer and prescriber staff, ensuring psychiatric care and prescribing practices are aligned with agency goals.
Ensure integration of medical and behavioral health services, including telepsychiatry, MAT, and co-occurring treatment models.
Monitor and approve policies governing prescribing practices, controlled substance management, and psychiatric risk assessments.
Facilitate collaboration between psychiatrists, therapists, case managers, peer specialists, and community providers.
Oversee Clinical Directors and program managers in the delivery of direct care services.
Ensure all programs comply with AHCCCS TRBHA IGAs, IHS AFAs, and state licensing standards.
Supervise implementation of evidence-based practices across all programs.
Ensure culturally competent practices, including integration of Tribal traditional healing models where appropriate.
Monitor caseloads, service levels, and workforce allocation to ensure timely and effective care.
Lead agency-wide initiatives in crisis services, residential treatment, community outreach, and prevention programs.
Collaborate with the Quality Management Administrator to design and monitor outcome measures, clinical dashboards, and performance benchmarks.
Oversee credentialing and privileging for all clinical and medical staff.
Direct internal audits, peer reviews, and incident investigations.
Ensure compliance with HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, CARF, DEA, OSHA, Arizona licensure laws, and Tribal requirements.
Lead corrective action plans in response to findings from regulators, auditors, or funders.
Develop and enforce clinical and medical policies and procedures.
Oversee hiring, supervision, evaluation, and professional development of Clinical Directors, CMO, and other leadership staff.
Ensure agency-wide clinical supervision meets AZBBHE and AHCCCS credentialing requirements.
Establish leadership development and succession planning strategies for clinical staff.
Promote staff training in trauma-informed care, cultural humility, ethics, safety, and compliance.
Serve as executive sponsor of internship and workforce pipeline programs.
Collaborate with the CFO and CEO to develop clinical budgets and monitor expenditures.
Ensure efficient and cost-effective use of medical and clinical resources.
Support grant development and fund procurement for clinical and psychiatric service lines.
Oversee clinical productivity benchmarks and fiscal accountability.
Serve as ABHS’s primary clinical representative to the White Mountain Apache Tribal Council, IHS, AHCCCS, and TRBHA.
Advocate for behavioral health and psychiatric service needs in funding and policy forums.
Build partnerships with Tribal agencies, schools, courts, law enforcement, and community organizations.
Ensure that ABHS programs are culturally respectful, trauma-informed, and aligned with Tribal sovereignty.
Oversee optimization of the electronic health record (EHR) for clinical and medical workflows.
Ensure timely and accurate documentation of client encounters for billing, compliance, and reporting.
Support data-driven decision-making and performance improvement.
Collaborate with the IT Director to maintain secure, HIPAA-compliant systems for clinical documentation and telehealth.