Director, Substance Use Disorder|Behavioral Health Services Evergreen| Full-Time Day Shift| 25522

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center • Paramus, NJ

75d • Onsite

About The Position

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center is seeking a dedicated and experienced Director, Substance Use Disorder to lead their Behavioral Health Services. This full-time day shift position involves providing executive and program leadership for SUD treatment programs across the continuum of care. The role requires developing and implementing strategic visions, operational goals, and ensuring alignment with the Medical Center's mission. The Director will oversee day-to-day administrative and operational aspects, manage financial performance, ensure regulatory compliance, and lead quality improvement initiatives. This position also involves significant staff leadership, program development, and community relations, all while ensuring a patient-centered approach and excellent customer service.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Behavioral Health, or a related field required.
• Meets all applicable requirements of N.J.A.C. 13:34C-2.2.
• Current New Jersey Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) or Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) credential, as applicable to the position and scope of responsibilities.
• Completion of required continuing education in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.
• Current American Heart Association HeartSaver CPR/ required
• Minimum of seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressive professional experience in substance use disorder treatment, addiction services, behavioral health, or a closely related healthcare environment.
• Minimum of seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressive management and leadership experience, with demonstrated responsibility for program operations, staff supervision, workforce management, and service delivery.
• Demonstrated experience managing or overseeing multiple SUD programs and/or levels of care.
• Extensive experience with inpatient, withdrawal management, outpatient, intensive outpatient, medication-assisted treatment, or other addiction treatment services.
• Demonstrated experience with program development, strategic planning, quality improvement, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience managing departmental budgets and financial performance.
• Strategic and operational leadership.
• Strong independent judgment and decision-making.
• Program development and implementation.
• Staff development and performance management.
• Financial and resource management.
• Regulatory and compliance management.
• Quality improvement and patient safety.
• Strong customer service orientation.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Conflict resolution and de-escalation.
• Ability to manage sensitive personnel, clinical, and operational matters.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple initiatives in a high-volume environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with senior leadership and multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency with electronic medical records/electronic health records and related healthcare information systems.

Nice To Haves

• Additional graduate education in healthcare administration, behavioral health, public health, addiction studies, or a related discipline preferred.
• Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) credential.
• Dual New Jersey clinical licensure or another applicable behavioral health credential.
• Completion of required clinical supervision coursework.
• Experience with Medicaid, Medicare, commercial insurance, managed care, state contracts, professional billing, grants, and/or QIP measures preferred.
• Experience preparing for regulatory, licensing, and accreditation surveys preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and oversight of SUD treatment programs across the continuum of care.
• Develops and implements the strategic vision and operational goals for Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services.
• Establishes annual departmental goals, objectives, performance measures, and key performance indicators.
• Ensures alignment of SUD services with the Medical Center's mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities.
• Advises leadership regarding SUD treatment trends, regulatory requirements, community needs, access to care, program performance, and opportunities for growth.
• Participates in long-range planning, strategic initiatives, and development of new SUD services.
• Evaluates community needs and identifies opportunities to expand or enhance addiction treatment services.
• Provides day-to-day administrative and operational oversight of SUD treatment services.
• Directs daily operations through subordinate directors, managers, supervisors, and other designated staff.
• Organizes departmental operations, workflows, procedures, records, supplies, and resources.
• Oversees staffing models, productivity, scheduling, resource allocation, patient access, and operational efficiency.
• Monitors patient throughput, census, referral patterns, access to care, and continuity of services.
• Identifies operational and service delivery gaps and develops recommendations for improvement.
• Ensures efficient utilization of staff, facilities, equipment, and other operational resources.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates policies, procedures, workflows, and systems.
• Assesses gaps in policies and procedures and develops necessary policies and procedures to address identified needs.
• Ensures departmental policies and procedures remain consistent with regulatory requirements and Medical Center standards.
• Provides administrative and programmatic oversight of patient care processes in collaboration with the Clinical Director.
• Ensures services are delivered using evidence-based practices and in accordance with applicable clinical and regulatory standards.
• Promotes integrated care across substance use disorder treatment, behavioral health, medical, psychiatric, and recovery services.
• Supports appropriate assessment, treatment planning, level-of-care determination, referral, continuing care, discharge, and transfer processes.
• Develops and maintains referral processes for acute, rehabilitation, support, medical maintenance, continuing care, mental health, and substance use disorder services.
• Participates in interdisciplinary diagnostic and treatment planning meetings and makes recommendations regarding patient needs.
• Participates in multidisciplinary rounds, case consultation, and treatment planning activities.
• Ensures clinical staff are supervised by appropriately credentialed personnel.
• Works with the Clinical Director to ensure clinical services are provided within applicable scope-of-practice, licensing, and regulatory requirements.
• Promotes continuity of care and appropriate transitions between levels of treatment.
• Assesses the counseling needs of SUD patients.
• Assesses patients using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI), standardized assessment tools, or other evidence-based validated assessment instruments.
• Participates in the assessment and diagnosis of substance use disorders using the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
• Determines or participates in determination of the appropriate level of care consistent with applicable ASAM criteria.
• Obtains prior records relevant to the current treatment episode.
• Collaborates with patients to develop individualized, recovery-oriented treatment plans containing measurable goals and objectives.
• Provides substance use disorder counseling services within the scope of applicable licensure and assigned responsibilities.
• Reviews patients throughout the treatment episode to determine the continued need for services, discharge, or transfer.
• Reviews and revises the substance use disorder counseling portion of treatment plans when clinically indicated.
• Develops discharge and transfer plans to facilitate movement to appropriate levels of care.
• Contacts referral sources and provides case consultation and coordination.
• Participates as a member of multidisciplinary teams for assigned patients.
• Documents assessments, reassessments, counseling, education, referrals, follow-up, and other services in the patient's clinical record in accordance with applicable requirements.
• Ensures clinical documentation is complete, accurate, appropriately signed, and dated, including electronic documentation.
• Participates in the development and management of departmental operating and capital budgets.
• Monitors financial performance, productivity, staffing costs, and resource utilization.
• Collaborates with Finance and Revenue Cycle regarding professional billing and reimbursement.
• Supports financial performance related to Medicaid, Medicare, commercial insurance, managed care, state contracts, grants, and other funding sources.
• Monitors and supports compliance with contractual requirements and Quality Incentive Program (QIP) measures.
• Identifies opportunities to maximize reimbursement and improve financial performance.
• Develops financial projections and business plans for new and expanded services.
• Evaluates opportunities to improve operational efficiency and resource utilization.
• Ensures ongoing compliance with applicable requirements, including: New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), Joint Commission, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as applicable, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicaid and managed care requirements, Applicable New Jersey licensing requirements, State and federal regulations, Medical Center policies and procedures, Contractual and funding requirements.
• Maintains regulatory and accreditation readiness.
• Participates in regulatory, licensing, and accreditation surveys.
• Develops and implements corrective action plans when deficiencies are identified.
• Monitors compliance with applicable staffing, documentation, patient care, safety, and operational requirements.
• Collaborates with Quality, Compliance, Risk Management, and other departments to address regulatory and operational concerns.
• Leads and participates in performance improvement initiatives within SUD Treatment Services and across the Medical Center, as appropriate.
• Establishes and monitors clinical, operational, patient experience, and financial performance measures.
• Monitors patient satisfaction and clinical outcome measures.
• Reviews incidents, patient complaints, risk events, and service concerns.
• Develops and implements action plans to improve patient safety, quality, patient experience, and program effectiveness.
• Utilizes data and performance metrics to identify trends and drive continuous improvement.
• Develops and maintains processes for implementing, tracking, and analyzing screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment activities.
• Continuously evaluates SUD services to ensure programs remain responsive to patient and community needs.
• Participates in the selection, hiring, orientation, training, supervision, and evaluation of program staff.
• Provides administrative supervision and direction to assigned Directors, Managers, Supervisors, Counselors, and multidisciplinary staff.
• Initiates and participates in disciplinary action, including termination, in accordance with Medical Center policies and Human Resources procedures.
• Conducts and/or participates in annual performance evaluations.
• Orients and trains new employees regarding departmental operations, policies, procedures, and expectations.
• Provides ongoing supervision, coaching, mentoring, and training opportunities for counseling and other program staff.
• Ensures staff receive mandated in-service education related to Safety, Quality Improvement, Risk Management, Customer Service, Infection Control, and other applicable requirements.
• Coordinates and promotes staff meetings, group supervision, in-service education, and professional development.
• Ensures staff maintain required licenses, certifications, competencies, and continuing education.
• Promotes employee engagement, professional growth, retention, and accountability.
• Supports succession planning and leadership development within the department.
• Coordinates and maintains direct-service staff schedules in collaboration with the Senior Director and other leadership.
• Ensures minimum facility coverage and appropriate staffing across all shifts.
• Monitors staffing utilization and overtime and identifies opportunities to improve workforce efficiency.
• Maintains safe staffing consistent with patient needs and state licensing requirements.
• Ensures critical staffing requirements are maintained across all shifts.
• Supports continuity and non-abandonment of patient care.
• Serves as a leadership resource for staffing emergencies and assists in securing appropriate coverage when replacement staff are unavailable.
• Evaluates community needs and develops new addiction treatment programs and services.
• Leads the development, implementation, and evaluation of new clinical and operational services.
• Develops business plans and operational strategies for program expansion.
• Identifies opportunities to improve access to treatment and continuity of care.
• Develops partnerships with community organizations, recovery agencies, hospitals, healthcare providers, county and state agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Evaluates emerging evidence-based models of addiction treatment and recovery services.
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with internal and external referral sources.
• Represents the Medical Center at county, state, community, and professional meetings.
• Serves as a liaison with regulatory and governmental agencies, as applicable.
• Participates in professional organizations, advisory committees, and community initiatives.
• Develops relationships that support access to appropriate levels of care and continuity of treatment.
• Incorporates the Medical Center's customer service goals into departmental policies, procedures, and systems.
• Promotes a patient-centered culture throughout SUD Treatment Services.
• Receives, acknowledges, and addresses patient complaints and concerns in a timely manner.
• Responds promptly to and resolves problems related to services and patient care.
• Continuously evaluates service delivery processes to improve patient and family satisfaction.
• Promotes respectful, culturally responsive, and recovery-oriented interactions with patients and families.
• Participates in departmental meetings and organizational activities.
• Serves on Medical Center and external committees as assigned.
• Participates in required continuing education and professional development.
• Maintains current knowledge of substance use disorder treatment practices, regulatory requirements, and emerging treatment models.
• Understands and adheres to the Medical Center's Code of Conduct.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and commitment to the Medical Center's Mission, Vision, and Values.
• Performs other related clinical and administrative duties as assigned by the Clinical Director or other authorized Medical Center leadership.
• Receives, acknowledges, and addresses patient complaints in a timely manner.
• Performs other related clinical and administrative duties as assigned.
• Ensures quality care consistent with regulatory standards and program policies.
• Assists in the ongoing improvement of SUD treatment services.
• Enhances professional growth through continuing education and professional development.
• Participates in departmental and Medical Center meetings.
• Serves on Medical Center committees and external committees as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support the overall objectives of the department and organization.

Benefits

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Generous time off policy that includes ample vacation days, personal time, sick leave and nine paid holidays.
• Robust tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs.

What This Job Offers

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