Director, Pediatric Mental Health Service-Administration - Behavioral-FR

Health Care District of Palm Beach County•West Palm Beach, FL

About The Position

The Pediatric Mental Health Services Director provides strategic, clinical, and operational leadership for pediatric behavioral health services within the organization. This role is dual-focused: immediate oversight of existing outpatient pediatric mental health programs and integrated services, and active participation in the design, development, and future leadership of a new pediatric behavioral health facility.

Requirements

Agency of Health Care Administration (AHCA) background screening and clearance may be required.

Responsibilities

Provide administrative and clinical oversight of Outpatient pediatric mental health clinic and Pediatric integrated behavioral health services within primary care.
Supervise multidisciplinary teams (psychiatrists, therapists, care coordinators, nurses, support staff).
Ensure compliance with all regulatory, accreditation, and FQHC requirements.
Monitor clinical quality, outcomes, and patient satisfaction.
Optimize access, scheduling, and throughput for outpatient services.
Develop and maintain workflows for integrated care delivery.
Manage departmental budget, productivity, and resource allocation.
Implement evidence-based practices and quality improvement initiatives.
Build and maintain strong partnerships with schools, pediatricians and primary care providers, emergency departments, community mental health agencies, and child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Develop referral pathways into outpatient and crisis services.
Ensure timely intake, triage, and follow-up processes.
Establish “warm handoff” protocols to ensure continuity of care.
Represent the organization in community coalitions and behavioral health initiatives.
Lead recruitment and workforce planning for future staffing needs.
Provide full operational oversight of pediatric services within the new facility, including outpatient services, 23-hour pediatric observation/stabilization chairs, and a 16-bed inpatient pediatric behavioral health unit.
Ensure safe, efficient patient flow across levels of care.
Oversee admission, stabilization, and discharge processes.
Maintain high standards of patient safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.
Lead interdisciplinary care coordination across all service levels.
Establish and oversee pediatric crisis response protocols.
Ensure trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate care delivery.
Support risk assessment, safety planning, and crisis stabilization.
Ensure compliance with involuntary/voluntary admission regulations (as applicable).
Provide clinical consultation for complex or high-risk cases.
Promote use of least restrictive, patient-centered interventions.
Develop and oversee safe discharge processes for all levels of care.
Ensure effective “warm handoffs” to outpatient providers, community-based services, schools and family supports.
Reduce readmissions through strong follow-up and care coordination.
Monitor post-discharge outcomes and engagement.
Establish and monitor quality metrics and performance indicators.
Lead continuous quality improvement initiatives.
Ensure adherence to State and federal regulations, accreditation standards (e.g., Joint Commission, CARF), and FQHC requirements.
Oversee incident reporting, risk management, and patient safety efforts.
Recruit, train, supervise, and retain high-performing staff.
Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and clinical excellence.
Provide ongoing staff development, training, and mentorship.
Promote staff wellness and resilience in high-acuity environments.
Contribute to organizational strategy for pediatric behavioral health services.
Identify opportunities for service expansion and innovation.
Monitor trends in pediatric mental health and crisis care.
Support grant development, funding opportunities, and program sustainability.