HSC General Counsel

Freeman Fire Department; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance (0 premium)

Eleven paid holidays

Vacation and sick leave accrual

Dental and vision insurance

Retirement benefits

Job summary

Department of Social Services in South Dakota seeks a General Counsel for the Human Services Center, based in Yankton with a secondary site in Sioux Falls. The role requires leadership on legal matters across divisions, including contracts, investigations, and policy development, with reporting to the Division Director of Legal Services.

The ideal candidate will have a law degree, SD Bar membership, and proven ability to navigate complex public sector legal issues within behavioral health

Qualifications

• Applicant must be a graduate of an accredited law school.
• Member of the South Dakota State Bar or eligible to become a member.
• Ability to provide guidance to senior leadership on legal matters.

Responsibilities

• Develop thorough understanding of operations at the Human Services Center, BH and related legal processes; provide guidance and counsel.
• Serve as a member of the HSC Senior Leadership Team.
• Assist in contract negotiations and affiliations; educate staff on legal matters.
• Provide legal guidance to the Division of Behavioral Health and staff; lead policy and legislative support.
• Represent HSC in state court proceedings and manage external professional relationships.

Education

Graduate of an accredited law school

Job description

Department of Social Services
Division of Legal Services
Job ID: 37731
Job Title: HSC General Counsel
Location: Sioux Falls or Yankton, South Dakota (some travel expected)
Salary: Depending on experience
Pay Grade: L3
Employment Type: Permanent Employee – 40 hours weekly
Closing Date: Open Until Filled

Our Team: Dependable. Committed. Compassionate.

As a member of the Department of Social Services at the Human Services Center you will be part of a team of professionals who are dependable, committed, and compassionate. We believe collaborative communication, teamwork, partnerships, and trust are foundational to operation of a state behavioral health hospital that serves individuals on an in-patient basis. This facility provides services for acute, psychiatric rehabilitation, geriatric, adolescent, and adults with substance use disorders.

Who we want:

• a highly motivated attorney with a passion for serving the public and who displays a high level of effort and commitment towards completing assignments and goals to serve as General Counsel for the Human Services Center;
• a dependable and organized individual who effectively plans and organizes work activities;
• a person who is dedicated and who will represent the Human Services Center with integrity and enthusiasm;
• an individual who works cooperatively with others and promotes a friendly work climate in order to achieve shared goals.

Primary duties include by are not limited to:

• Overall Support:
  • Develop a thorough understanding of and familiarity with operations at the Human Services Center, the Division of Behavioral Health and related legal processes, and use this knowledge in providing guidance and counsel to the Human Services Center team and Division of Behavioral Health team;
  • Serve as a member of the HSC Senior Leadership Team;
  • Assist the HSC Finance Department and hospital staff in contract negotiations/Affiliation Agreements;
  • Provide education to staff on legal matters as directed by BH Leadership;
  • Guidance with personnel matters that intersect with legal system as well as the internal investigation process;
  • Provide legal guidance and support to the Division of Behavioral Health as requested;
• Provide Policy and Legislative Support:
  • Develop and review policies, procedures, and training materials to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements;
  • Research and draft memoranda regarding assigned issues;
  • Analyze problems, identify and develop alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations/solutions;
  • Provide leadership support in designing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and improving initiatives as assigned;
  • Identify and lead potential statutory and/or ARSD needs;
• Serve as primary point of contact for outside legal/law enforcement entities that intersect with HSC and/or DBH including but not limited to:
  • Coordination and follow through for legal processes involving the hospital including:
    • Communication with the courts on scheduling, subpoenas, testimony, and other court requests;
    • Communication with Restoration to Competency defense attorneys, state’s attorneys, and courts in regard to legal processes and proceedings;
• Represent the Human Services Center in proceedings in state court, to include psychotropic medication petitions; ECT, guardianship, and healthcare authority hearings.
• Foster and manage relevant professional and external colleague relationships with respect to legal matters;
• Liaison with County Mental Health Board chairs/ Board of MI;
• Provide active involvement the pursuit of Guardianships/ Conservatorships/ Advanced Directives;
• Be an active member of the Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) Board and provide legal counsel and direction in the release review process;
• Work in a leadership role within the Division of Legal Services and Human Services Center, and assist with supervision of attorneys and other staff. Participate in strategic planning and other agency wide initiatives.

Education/Licenses:

The applicant must be a graduate of an accredited law school; be a member of the South Dakota State Bar or willing and qualified to become a member of the South Dakota State Bar and qualify for appointment as a Special Assistant Attorney General.

The Ideal Candidate will:

• display high standards of ethical conduct;
• communicate effectively and efficiently;
• develop and maintain strong relationships with diverse groups;
• exhibit strong work ethic and interpersonal skills, discretion, confidentiality, and a positive approach;
• exercise sound judgment when making decisions and take prompt, decisive action;
• analyze information, issues, situations, practices, and precedents to arrive at a logical interpretation;
• work independently while accepting guidance and soliciting input;
• actively seek, collect, and evaluate information to learn more about issues or events.
• successfully plan and organize work activities, adjust to multiple demands, and prioritize tasks to complete assignments and meet schedules and deadlines;
• knowledge of laws and regulations related to behavioral health services;

Additional Expectations:

• Position will primarily be located at the Human Services Center in Yankton, SD.
• Secondary location will be at the DSS Tech Building in Sioux Falls, SD.

Reporting Expectations:

• Position will directly report to the Division Director of Legal Services.
• Position will also be accountable to the Deputy Administrator at HSC.

This position is exempt from the Civil Service Act.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9.The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits.You can view our benefits information here.This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

Contact

South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources
Telephone: [phone] Email:[e-mail]
http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus
"An Equal Opportunity Employer"

#LI-Onsite