Chief Behavioral Health Officer

Voices for Voices; Seattle, Northern (WA, KY); On-site; USD 160,000 - 256,000; Full time

Job summary

Seattle Indian Health Board seeks a Chief Behavioral Health Officer to set strategic direction, oversee operations, and assure clinical quality across outpatient, SUD, and inpatient services within our Indigenous Knowledge Informed System of Care.

The role leads a multidisciplinary team, ensures regulatory compliance, and advances trauma-informed, culturally attuned care while balancing clinical excellence with fiscal stewardship.

Qualifications

• Master’s or doctoral degree in behavioral health or related field.
• Current, unrestricted WA state licensure or willingness to obtain.
• Experience supervising clinical programs and leaders.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for all behavioral health services.
• Lead integration into Indigenous Knowledge Informed System of Care.
• Ensure regulatory, accreditation, and quality standards are met.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Regulatory compliance

Financial oversight

Operational management

Education

Master’s degree or doctoral degree in behavioral health

WA state licensure or willingness to obtain

Clinical supervisor qualification

Tools

UDS reporting

Regulatory/compliance systems

Job description

About Seattle Indian Health Board

Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB) is a community health center that provides health and human services to its patients, while specializing in the care of Native people. We are recognized as a leader in the promotion of health improvement for urban American Indians and Alaska Natives, locally and nationally.

Seattle Indian Health Board opened its doors to the community in 1970. In the 1960s, Native activists refused to let urban Indians go unseen and ignored any longer, which inspired the formation of a number of Native organizations, including Seattle Indian Health Board. For the first time, urban Indians in Seattle had access to healthcare and services by organizations that were operated by Native people, for Native people.

Today, Seattle Indian Health Board operates three sites and is preparing to open one more. SIHB currently serves approximately 7,500 Relatives.

The Opportunity

The Chief Behavioral Health Officer (CBHO) is a senior executive leader responsible for the strategic direction, operational and clinical oversight, and clinical quality of all behavioral health services across the organization. This position provides executive-level leadership over a comprehensive continuum of care that includes outpatient mental health services, outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and inpatient substance use treatment.

As a key member of the executive leadership team, the CBHO champions an integrated, whole-person approach to care that is consistent with Seattle Indian Health Board’s Indigenous Knowledge Informed System of Care. The CBHO ensures all behavioral health programs meet or exceed applicable regulatory and accreditation standards, and advances a culture of trauma-informed, evidence-based, and culturally attuned care.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Planning

• Leads our growth strategy for all divisions of Behavioral Health, creating more opportunities to serve our Relatives and fostering an environment of innovation.
• Leads the full integration of behavioral health into our Indigenous Knowledge Informed System of Care model.
• Collaborates closely with the Chief Health Officer to ensure the continued growth and success of our programs and better health outcomes for our Relatives.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategic plan for behavioral health services aligned with the organization’s mission, regulatory and accreditation requirements, and community health needs assessments.
• Lead long-range program planning, service expansion, and innovation initiatives, including telehealth, integrated care models, and new grant-funded programs.
• Represent behavioral health at the executive leadership level; serve as the primary subject matter expert on behavioral health policy and clinical strategy.

Operations and Financial Management

• Oversee day-to-day operations of all behavioral health departments, ensuring efficient, effective, and patient-centered service delivery.
• Ensure appropriate licensure for each of our behavioral health programs, meeting all standards and expectations for establishment and renewal.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets totaling several million dollars; monitor financial performance and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Oversee billing, coding compliance, and revenue cycle operations in collaboration with the finance team to maximize sustainable reimbursement.
• Lead capacity planning and resource allocation across outpatient and inpatient programs to optimize access and utilization.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with payers, vendors, and community partners.

Clinical Quality & Compliance

• Maintain a Relative panel that is consistent with the expectation that 50% of time will be in direct care, and 50% will be devoted to administration and leadership.
• Establish and maintain clinical standards, protocols, and evidence-based practices across all behavioral health programs.
• Lead quality improvement initiatives; monitor key performance indicators, including access to care, patient outcomes, retention in treatment, and readmission rates.
• Ensure full compliance with all applicable regulations (42 CFR Part 2, HIPAA, SAMHSA standards, etc.), licensure requirements, and accreditation standards (CARF, The Joint Commission, NCQA, AAAHC, etc.).
• Oversee credentialing and privileging of behavioral health providers; ensure adherence to scope of practice standards.
• Lead the response to regulatory audits, surveys, and corrective action plans.

Workforce Development & Human Resources

• Recruit, hire, develop, and retain a high-performing, multidisciplinary behavioral health workforce including psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinicians, counselors, nurses, and peer support specialists.
• Provide direct supervision and professional development to department directors and managers; foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Address employee relations issues in collaboration with Human Resources; ensure compliance with applicable labor laws and organizational policies.
• Champion a positive, inclusive workplace culture that promotes staff wellness, reduces burnout, and supports high-quality patient care.
• Design and lead learner programs across the Behavioral Health Division including MSW
• Practicums, Substance Use Disorder Professional – Trainees, clinical supervisory programs for non-independently licensed mental health staff. Provide clinical oversight and supervision to all learners.

Organizational Responsibilities

• Hold Indigenous values and practices with respect and integrity.
• Hold yourself accountable to the highest standard by being resourceful, innovative, creative, and solutions-oriented.
• Actively participate in organizational activities with the understanding that success is achieved through teamwork.
• Recognize that communication is central to the organization’s success and actively champion your words and actions to maintain respect for others, encourage constructive feedback, be open to share laughter and acknowledge differences in skills and opinions, all while keeping others’ best intentions in mind.

At SIHB, we refer to our customers as Relatives. Our Relatives come first and deserve the best. Serve the needs of our Relatives first by delivering the highest quality, professional, responsive, and innovative care.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a seasoned behavioral health executive and clinician who brings together strategic vision, operational discipline, clinical excellence, and a deep commitment to culturally responsive, community-centered care. They are an innovative and collaborative leader who can grow and strengthen a comprehensive continuum of behavioral health services while remaining grounded in the needs of the Relatives and communities Seattle Indian Health Board serves.

This leader will have demonstrated success overseeing complex behavioral health programs spanning mental health and substance use disorder services, including outpatient and inpatient or residential care. They understand how to balance clinical quality with strong operations and financial stewardship and are comfortable navigating regulatory, accreditation, licensing, and reimbursement requirements. Just as importantly, they remain connected to direct care and bring a clinician’s perspective to executive-level decisions.

The successful candidate will be a relationship-driven leader who builds trust across disciplines and organizational levels. They will work closely with the Chief Health Officer and other executive leaders, develop and empower behavioral health leaders and clinicians, and foster an environment of accountability, innovation, learning, and staff well-being. They will see workforce and learner development as essential to building sustainable, high-quality behavioral health services.

Above all, the ideal candidate will approach this work with humility, respect, and a genuine commitment to Seattle Indian Health Board’s mission and Indigenous Knowledge Informed System of Care. They will respect and uphold Indigenous values and practices, listen to and learn from community, and understand that excellent behavioral healthcare must be culturally attuned, trauma-informed, accessible, and responsive to the people it serves.

Qualifications

Required Education & Licensure

• Master’s degree or doctoral degree (PhD, PsyD, MD, DO, or equivalent) in a behavioral health field, including but not limited to social work, counseling, psychology, or psychiatry.
• Current, unrestricted professional licensure in Washington State, or willingness to obtain Washington State licensure, with SIHB support.
• Independent licensure and qualification as a clinical supervisor is required.

Required Experience

• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive leadership experience in behavioral health, with at least three (3) years in a senior or executive management role.
• Demonstrated experience managing both outpatient mental health and substance use disorder programs.
• Significant experience with inpatient or residential substance use treatment, including oversight of 24/7 operations.
• Proven track record of operational and financial management, including budget development and fiscal oversight.
• Experience working in a community health center, FQHC, or safety-net healthcare setting strongly preferred.
• Experience with HRSA regulations, Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting, and federally qualified health center operations preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral-level preparation (PhD, PsyD, MD/DO with psychiatry specialization).
• Substance Use Disorder Professional license, certification in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry (FASAM, DABAM, or equivalent).
• Experience with accreditation preparation and survey processes.
• Experience working with the unique healthcare needs and social issues facing American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and the desire to promote the delivery of appropriate health services to this population.

SIHB Core Competencies

Core Competencies are foundational commitments and skills that all SIHB staff are expected to develop. These competencies define common measures for performance that are applied to every role in the organization.

• Commitment to Indigenous and Organizational Values: Everything we do at SIHB is centered on Traditional Indian Medicine. It is our responsibility to maintain cultural integrity in all that we do.
• Accountability: All employees of SIHB effectively manage their own work and the work of their teams. We take ownership of our actions and decisions. We all strive to deliver the highest quality work and care, while respecting our teammates and relatives.
• Collaboration: SIHB is a team-oriented organization. As team members, we share the responsibility of working toward a common purpose. We collaborate with our colleagues across the organization to deliver the highest quality of care and results in alignment with our mission, vision, values, and Indigenous Knowledge Informed System of Care.
• Communication: We practice effective and clear communication with staff, relatives, teams, and community. We demonstrate empathy among each other and with those we serve, and transparency in our decision-making.
• Customer Service Orientation: All employees of SIHB recognize the needs of the diverse community we serve. We put the needs of our relatives first by delivering the highest quality, professional, responsive, and innovative care. Our relatives come first and deserve the best.

Salary, Location, and Work Environment

The salary range for the position is $159,808 – $255,692.

SIHB operates on a 4/10 schedule, with office hours from 7:00am – 6:00pm, including a 1-hour break. Staff are 100% in the office at SIHB’s office in Seattle’s International District office. Some evening, weekend, and extra hours may be necessary for events or to meet deadlines.

For additional questions, please contact [e-mail]

Applications received by October 2, 2026 will be given priority consideration, with the position open until filled. Interviews with the GoodCitizen team will take place through mid to late September. Three rounds of interviews with the SIHB team will take place from October through November/December. We hope to make an offer by mid December.