Compliance Officer-Behavioral Health

The Wave International • Clearwater, FL

35d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Compliance Officer will serve as a trusted resource to executive leadership and operational teams, ensuring that organizational practices align with regulatory requirements while supporting exceptional patient care, ethical operations, and continuous organizational improvement. We are looking for a professional who can identify potential risks before they become deficiencies, implement practical solutions, strengthen accountability, and foster a culture of ongoing readiness across all programs and locations.

The Compliance Officer is responsible for directing and monitoring the organization's compliance program, ensuring adherence to applicable federal, state, and accreditation standards governing behavioral health and substance use treatment services. Working collaboratively with Executive Leadership, Medical Providers, Nursing, Clinical Directors, Human Resources, Operations, and Quality Management teams, this individual will support operational excellence by developing effective compliance systems, conducting monitoring activities, coordinating regulatory preparation efforts, and guiding departments through process improvement initiatives. This position requires a strategic thinker who can effectively balance regulatory requirements with operational realities while maintaining a focus on quality outcomes, patient safety, and organizational integrity. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Success in this role requires strong relationship-building skills and the ability to work effectively with stakeholders throughout the organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Nursing, Behavioral Health, Business Administration, Compliance, Public Health, or a related field.
• Leadership experience in healthcare compliance, quality improvement, accreditation, or risk management.
• Experience supporting detoxification and residential treatment programs.
• Experience conducting medical record and documentation reviews.
• Familiarity with electronic medical record (EMR/EHR) systems.
• Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) or similar professional credential.
• Professional compliance experience within behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorder treatment, detoxification services, residential treatment, or a related healthcare environment.
• Direct experience with AHCA regulations, inspections, and licensing requirements.
• Direct experience with Florida DCF licensing standards.
• Experience with The Joint Commission accreditation process and standards.
• Demonstrated success preparing organizations for inspections, licensing reviews, audits, and surveys.
• Experience developing, implementing, and monitoring corrective action plans.
• Strong understanding of healthcare compliance principles and regulatory expectations.
• Knowledge of HIPAA, privacy regulations, and healthcare documentation standards.
• Experience conducting audits, assessments, and operational evaluations.
• Ability to interpret regulations and apply them in practical settings.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, investigative, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams

Nice To Haves

• Additional certifications related to healthcare quality, accreditation, patient safety, or risk management.

Responsibilities

• Maintain organizational adherence to applicable federal, state, and local healthcare regulations.
• Monitor regulatory changes and communicate operational implications to leadership.
• Ensure compliance with AHCA and Florida DCF licensing requirements.
• Maintain organizational alignment with The Joint Commission accreditation standards.
• Evaluate business practices and identify opportunities to strengthen regulatory performance.
• Provide guidance to department leaders regarding regulatory obligations and industry best practices.
• Support implementation of operational changes necessary to maintain compliance.
• Lead preparation activities for Joint Commission surveys.
• Coordinate readiness efforts for AHCA inspections and DCF licensing reviews.
• Conduct mock surveys, tracers, and readiness assessments.
• Identify compliance vulnerabilities and areas requiring improvement.
• Maintain organized records and documentation required for inspections and accreditation reviews.
• Prepare leaders and staff for survey participation and interviews.
• Facilitate action planning related to survey observations and recommendations.
• Serve as a primary organizational liaison during surveys, inspections, audits, and regulatory visits.
• Develop and maintain an ongoing compliance monitoring program.
• Perform chart reviews and healthcare documentation audits.
• Assess clinical and administrative records for completeness and regulatory alignment.
• Conduct environmental rounds and operational reviews.
• Evaluate compliance indicators and key performance measurements.
• Monitor adherence to organizational policies, procedures, and standards of practice.
• Prepare reports outlining findings, trends, recommendations, and follow-up actions.
• Verify implementation of corrective measures and sustained improvements.
• Participate in quality management and performance improvement initiatives.
• Analyze trends that may affect service quality, patient safety, or regulatory standing.
• Support development of improvement projects and performance goals.
• Conduct root cause analyses when appropriate.
• Collaborate with leadership to strengthen workflows and operational effectiveness.
• Evaluate outcomes of improvement efforts and recommend additional enhancements when necessary.
• Investigate compliance concerns, deficiencies, complaints, and regulatory findings.
• Develop and implement corrective action strategies.
• Coordinate follow-up activities with department leadership.
• Monitor action plans through completion.
• Validate effectiveness of remediation efforts.
• Develop preventive measures designed to reduce recurrence of identified issues.
• Assist with responses to regulatory agencies and accrediting bodies when required.
• Draft, revise, and maintain organizational policies and procedures.
• Ensure documentation reflects current legal, regulatory, and accreditation requirements.
• Collaborate with operational leaders to implement policy changes.
• Maintain scheduled policy reviews and updates.
• Promote consistency across programs and facilities.
• Translate complex regulatory requirements into practical operational guidance.
• Identify and assess organizational risks related to compliance and operations.
• Review incidents, grievances, complaints, and reportable events.
• Recommend strategies to minimize regulatory and operational exposure.
• Participate in investigations related to compliance concerns.
• Support initiatives designed to strengthen patient safety and organizational accountability.
• Partner with leadership to develop sustainable risk reduction strategies.
• Design and deliver compliance-related education programs.
• Provide regulatory updates to leaders and staff.
• Develop training materials and educational resources.
• Support orientation and ongoing workforce development activities.
• Promote ethical decision-making and accountability throughout the organization.
• Serve as an internal resource for compliance-related questions and guidance.

Benefits

• The Wave International and The Wave of North Florida are committed to delivering compassionate, evidence-based behavioral health and substance use treatment services. Our mission is to create a safe, supportive environment where individuals receive high-quality care that promotes recovery, wellness, and long-term success. We believe strong compliance programs support better outcomes for patients, staff, and the organization as a whole. This position offers the opportunity to shape organizational strategy, strengthen quality initiatives, enhance patient safety, and contribute to a growing healthcare organization dedicated to excellence.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager