Director of Social Drivers of Health

Open Door Community Health Centers•Arcata, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) provides strategic, operational, and people leadership for departments that address patients’ social risk factors and enabling needs, including Social Work Case Management, Member Services, Latino Health Coordinators, and Gardens & Food Programs. This role is responsible for advancing programs that improve patient access, reduce disparities, and optimize program efficiency within statewide initiatives such as CalAIM and other value-based payment models. The Director ensures that ODCHC remains responsive to the evolving regulatory, reimbursement, and policy landscape related to social drivers of health, enabling services, and population health transformation. The Director leads cross-departmental initiatives focused on care coordination, eligibility support, food and resource access, advocacy, and community partnerships. This position builds cohesion between historically siloed roles, strengthens team infrastructure, and champions data-driven performance improvement. The role also oversees grant-funded initiatives and external partnerships that support social needs programming and community health improvement.

Requirements

Demonstrated leadership in multidisciplinary team management and cross-functional collaboration.
Deep understanding of social drivers of health, CalAIM (including ECM and Community Supports), value-based payment models, and evolving state and federal policy impacting SDOH reimbursement and compliance.
Experience managing grant-funded programs, including implementation oversight, reporting, compliance, and sustainability planning.
Strong community collaboration skills with the ability to build trusted partnerships across healthcare, public health, and social service sectors.
Proven ability to analyze workflows, optimize program structures, and lead change in complex regulatory environments.
Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills to lead diverse teams and represent ODCHC externally.
Proficient in using EMRs, data dashboards, and reporting tools to guide decision-making and demonstrate program impact.
Culturally responsive, equity-driven approach to patient and team engagement.
Minimum of 5 years in health or social service leadership, preferably in FQHCs or integrated care settings.
Minimum 3 years supervising managers or multi-site teams across departments or service lines.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Public Health, Social Work, Health Administration, or related field preferred.
Experience working within Medi-Cal managed care environments, CalAIM implementation, or value-based payment models strongly preferred.
Experience with grant development, implementation, and reporting preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership and direct supervision to department managers supporting Social Work Case Management, Member Services, Gardens & Food Programs, and other enabling services.
Guide strategic planning and execution of SDOH-related services to ensure measurable impact on patient access, engagement, health outcomes, and value-based performance.
Maintain deep understanding of CalAIM, Enhanced Care Management (ECM), Community Supports, and other state and federal policy changes impacting reimbursement, documentation, compliance, and program design related to social drivers of health.
Maintain deep working knowledge of state and federal eligibility and enrollment programs (e.g., Medi-Cal, Medicare, Covered California), including policy changes that impact patient coverage, access to care, and continuity of benefits.
Proactively monitor eligibility, enrollment, and redetermination changes at the state and federal level, assessing operational and patient-level impacts across ODCHC populations.
Partner with Senior Director of Population Health to establish and oversee monitoring mechanisms to track enrollment trends, coverage loss risk, disenrollment patterns, and eligibility-related barriers to care.
Lead the development and delivery of data‑informed program reports and presentations to support leadership decision‑making and strategic planning.
Translate eligibility and enrollment policy changes into clear operational guidance, workflows, and escalation pathways for Member Services, Case Management, and related teams.
Lead the development and delivery of education and training in collaboration with department managers for direct teams and the broader organization to ensure timely understanding of eligibility changes, enrollment requirements, and patient-facing implications.
Partner with Quality, Compliance, and Population Health teams to ensure eligibility and enrollment workflows support accurate documentation, regulatory compliance, and performance in value-based and incentive programs.
Proactively monitor regulatory and payment changes and translate policy shifts into operational strategy, workflows, and training.
Align department goals with organizational initiatives including population health, care transformation, value-based payment models, and equity strategies.
Develop, implement, and monitor protocols and standards that ensure consistent, patient-centered delivery of services such as case management, benefits navigation, outreach, and food access.
Oversee grant-funded SDOH initiatives, including proposal collaboration, implementation planning, compliance oversight, performance tracking, and reporting requirements.
In partnership with Finance and Population Health leadership, develop, manage, and be accountable for budgets supporting enabling services, including financial forecasting, active variance management, cost containment, and programmatic decision‑making necessary to maintain fiscal sustainability and align services with organizational financial priorities.
Oversee program performance metrics and contribute to the design of dashboards, reporting mechanisms, and quality improvement strategies to demonstrate impact and return on investment.
Strengthen collaboration with community-based organizations, managed care plans, public agencies, and social service networks to expand resource access and coordinated care pathways.
Represent ODCHC in community coalitions, regional collaboratives, and cross-sector partnerships related to health equity, CalAIM implementation, food security, housing stability, and social care integration.
Collaborate with internal departments (Clinical Services, Behavioral Health, Quality, Compliance, Finance, and Operations) to enhance coordination, reduce care fragmentation, and ensure regulatory alignment.
Support a trauma-informed, equity-focused approach to team development, service delivery, and community engagement.
Promote a positive work culture by modeling transparent communication, supportive supervision, and continuous learning.