Director of Behavioral Health

Prime Healthcare; Bristol Township (Bucks County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, PA is seeking a Director of Behavioral Health (RN) to provide 24‑hour leadership for Behavioral Health Services and lead a high‑performing team delivering evidence‑based mental health care.

Reporting to the Chief Nursing Officer, the leader will partner with physicians and nursing leadership to improve patient outcomes, ensure regulatory readiness, and expand behavioral health services to meet community needs.

Qualifications

• Must have a current and valid RN licensure.
• Master's degree in psychiatric or mental health nursing preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree with 2+ years’ experience in psychiatric nursing or equivalent.
• Minimum of two years of management experience in Behavioral Health Care programs.
• BCLS (AHA) certificate upon hire and maintained.
• Working knowledge of mental health laws and practice standards.
• Knowledge of the continuum of care for behavioral health treatment.
• Excellent verbal, written, and management skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide 24-hour leadership and oversight of Behavioral Health Services.
• Direct clinical operations, staffing, scheduling, productivity, and resource management.
• Recruit, mentor, develop, and evaluate nursing and behavioral health staff.
• Lead quality improvement, patient safety, regulatory readiness, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with The Joint Commission (TJC), CMS, OSHA, HIPAA, and PA Department of Health standards.
• Collaborate with physicians and interdisciplinary teams to improve patient outcomes and care delivery.
• Develop and expand Behavioral Health programs to meet community and organizational needs.
• Manage departmental budgets, strategic planning, and operational goals.

Skills

Leadership

Staff development

Regulatory knowledge

Clinical operations

Budget management

Quality improvement

Education

Registered Nurse Licensure (RN)

Master's degree in psychiatric or mental health nursing

Bachelor’s degree with 2+ years in psychiatric nursing

Job description

Lower Bucks Hospital is seeking Director of Behavioral Health (RN)

Lower Bucks Hospital is a community hospital, serving the Lower Bucks County region with medical, surgical, and emergency care. Located in historic Bristol, Pennsylvania, the Hospital is well-known for its knowledgeable medical staff, including cardiology, orthopedics, radiology, wound care, and general surgery. The hospital has more than 200 physicians on staff, as well as another 700 employees.

At Lower Bucks Hospital, we believe exceptional patient care begins with exceptional leaders. We are seeking a hands-on, servant leader to oversee our Behavioral Health Services and build an engaged, high-performing team dedicated to delivering compassionate, evidence-based mental health care.

Reporting directly to the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), the Director of Behavioral Health provides strategic, clinical, and operational leadership while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

The Director of Behavioral Health (RN) provides 24-hour leadership for Behavioral Health Services, ensuring safe, high-quality, patient-centered care while supporting the hospital's mission and strategic goals. This leader partners closely with physicians, nursing leadership, and interdisciplinary teams to improve clinical outcomes, strengthen employee engagement, maintain regulatory excellence, and expand behavioral health services to meet the needs of the community.

• Provide 24-hour leadership and oversight of Behavioral Health Services.
• Direct clinical operations, staffing, scheduling, productivity, and resource management.
• Recruit, mentor, develop, and evaluate nursing and behavioral health staff.
• Lead quality improvement, patient safety, regulatory readiness, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with The Joint Commission (TJC), CMS, OSHA, HIPAA, and Pennsylvania Department of Health standards.
• Collaborate with physicians and interdisciplinary teams to improve patient outcomes and care delivery.
• Develop and expand Behavioral Health programs to meet community and organizational needs.
• Manage departmental budgets, strategic planning, and operational goals.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, TRAINING

1. Must have a current and valid Registered Nurse Licensure.

2. Director of psychiatric services has a master's degree (preferred) in psychiatric or mental health nursing

3. Must have a minimum of have a Bachelor’s degree, with at least 2 years’ experience in psychiatric nursing providing care to the mentally ill , or be qualified by education and experience in the care of the mentally ill, in accordance with local and state regulatory requirements.

4. Must have minimum of two (2) years management experience with Behavioral Health Care programs.

5. Must have BCLS (AHA) certificate upon hire and maintain current.

6. Must have working knowledge of mental health laws and practice standards.

7. Must have knowledge of the continuum of care for behavioral health treatment.

8. Must have excellent verbal, written, and management skills.

#LI-TA1

Join an award-winning team of dedicated professionals committed to our core values of quality, compassion and community! Lower Bucks Hospital, a member of Prime Healthcare, offers incredible opportunities to expand your horizons and be part of a community dedicated to making a difference.