Behavioral Health Director | Lead Clinicians & Strategy

Primary Health Care, Inc.; Ames (IA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO accrual

License reimbursement

CE reimbursement

401k with match

Life & disability insurance

FSA/HSA

Supplemental insurance

Job summary

Primary Health Care, Inc. in Ames, IA is seeking a Behavioral Health Director to lead and supervise the BH team across clinics in Des Moines area, Ames, and Marshalltown. The role includes budgeting, policy development, and grant management, with 16 hours per week of direct therapy as part of duties.

Responsibilities emphasize improving care quality, staff development, recruitment, credentialing, and cross-functional coordination with primary care and support services within ambulatory settings.

Qualifications

• Licensed social worker, counselor, or therapist per Iowa regulations.
• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling or related field.
• Minimum 2 years of clinical behavioral health experience.
• BLS for Healthcare Providers and Mandatory Reporter Training within 90 days.

Responsibilities

• Leads the behavioral health team with direct supervision and coaching.
• Oversees recruitment, onboarding, credentialing, and training of BH staff.
• Ensures policy alignment, quality outcomes, and regulatory compliance.
• Monitors budgets, staffing, and productivity targets across clinics.
• Integrates behavioral health with primary care and supportive services.
• Provides direct patient care as needed, including brief therapy.

Skills

Leadership

Management

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Collaboration

Problem solving

Detail oriented

Resilience

De-escalation

EHR proficiency

Education

Master’s degree in Social Work / LMHC / LMFT

Tools

EHR systems

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Behavioral Health Director

Full Time Ames, IA, US

13 days ago Requisition ID: 2273

About Company:

As a Behavioral Health Director at PHC, you will be responsible for the oversight and direction of PHC's behavioral health care delivery model, directly supervising the behavioral health team. The Director will establish standards for care delivery that are consistent and compliant with the organization's delivery models and grant requirements for behavioral health care.

This position will be responsible for behavioral health care services at PHC clinic(s) in the Des Moines area, Ames, & Marshalltown. This position is full-time with 16 hours per week spent providing therapy.

What You Will Do

Leads the behavioral health team. Provides direct supervision and oversight to the behavioral health clinicians and team. Mentors, coaches, evaluates and provides feedback to team members. Assists with recruiting, interviewing, and hiring for new BH team members. Ensures orientation and training of BH team members, oversees credentialing of BH clinicians.

Monitors behavioral health quality and outcomes in collaboration with the Quality and Operations departments. Develops and updates organizational policies and procedures for assigned areas, supporting implementation and ongoing compliance. Ensures department compliance with the ethics of the profession, as well as all applicable regulations and laws.

Facilitates process improvement work. Ensures behavioral health representation on committees when needed. Maintains current knowledge of trends in ambulatory/community health centers. Identifies and implements best practices in conjunction with internal and external resources.

Participates in the annual budget planning process. Collaborates with clinic leadership to establish behavioral health clinician and team productivity targets and ensures that the department’s budget expectations are achieved. Monitors staffing levels to respond to patient demand.

Integrates behavioral health, primary care, and supportive services in collaboration with internal partners.

Participates in strategic planning and leads assigned strategic initiatives. Oversees and applies for related grants and contracts.

Provides direct patient care coverage for the behavioral health team as needed, which may include but is not limited to brief targeted therapy, assessment, and behavioral interventions.

Qualifications You Need

Required Qualifications

Social Worker (LISW or LMSW), Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) or Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT) license recognized by the State of Iowa.

Master’s degree in Social Work, Marital and Family Therapy, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, or related field accepted for required license.

A minimum of 2 years of experience in clinical behavioral health.

Experience with and working knowledge of third-party payers and associated regulations.

Must be obtained within 90 days of employment:

Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers.

Mandatory Reporter Training for Child Abuse and Dependent Adult Abuse recognized by the State of Iowa.

Required Skills

Excellent leadership skills with ability to inspire, guide and mentor others towards goal achievement while fostering collaboration and employee engagement.

Excellent management skills with ability to organize, prioritize, and consistently meet timelines.

Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse groups and individuals.

Effective verbal and written communication skills and listening skills.

Excellent collaboration and team-oriented skills.

Outstanding problem-solving skills with analytical and critical thinking capability.

Detail oriented with a high degree of accuracy.

Flexible and adaptive with ability to manage stress and maintain resilience.

Strong professional skills with ability to interact with others calmly and empathically along with de-escalating difficult situations.

Basic computer proficiency, including use of email, word processing and spreadsheet applications, and electronic health records.

Preferred Qualifications and/or Skills

Experience in a supervisory role.

Experience in a clinic, community health center, or working with underserved populations.

Fluency in spoken English and Spanish, with the ability to communicate clearly and accurately in both languages.

Additional related certifications including: CADC, IADC, or tCADC.

We Take Care of Our People

Your related experience and skills determine your base pay within our pay range. In addition to base pay, PHC offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

Generous PTO accrual

License/certification fee reimbursement*

Paid time off for continuing education & continuing education reimbursement*

401k with company match

Life & disability insurance

Flexible spending & health savings accounts

Supplemental accident & critical illness insurance

*Applies to positions requiring clinical licensure or certification.