Medical Director, Forensic Services Division

State of Oklahoma; Oklahoma; On-site; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous state-paid benefit allowance

Wide choice of health insurance plans

Flexible spending accounts

11 paid holidays

15 days of vacation

Retirement Savings Plan

Job summary

The State of Oklahoma is seeking a Medical Director for the Forensic Services Division. This senior position requires extensive knowledge in forensic psychiatry and leadership in providing clinical oversight to multidisciplinary teams.

The ideal candidate will have a MD or DO degree with relevant board certifications. A robust benefits package is offered, including health insurance and paid time off.

Qualifications

• Strong executive level experience providing oversight of forensic competency services.
• Demonstrated ability to develop continuous process improvements.
• Experience in psychiatric care of forensic patients.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical governance and strategic direction for forensic services.
• Ensure delivery of safe, effective forensic mental health services.
• Offer some clinical care to the forensic population.

Skills

Executive level oversight

Stakeholder relationship management

Strategic guidance

Clinical assessment

Forensic psychiatric care

Education

MD or DO degree

Board certification in forensic psychiatry

Job description

About the Position

The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) is looking for a highly experienced physician leader with specialized expertise in forensic psychiatry to serve as the Medical Director for the Forensic Services Division (FSD). This role is designed for a senior clinician capable of providing authoritative medical and forensic oversight to multidisciplinary clinical teams delivering competency restoration services, including those operating within the Jail‑Based Competency Restoration (JBCR) program and at the Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita, Oklahoma.

In this capacity, the FSD Medical Director will exercise clinical governance and provide strategic direction to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and legally sound forensic mental health services to a highly vulnerable and justice‑involved population. The position requires advanced knowledge of competency‑to‑stand‑trial standards, restoration of competency processes, and the intersection of psychiatric care with statutory and constitutional requirements. This position would also provide some clinical care for a forensic population.

Job Type & Salary

• Location: Vinita, Oklahoma
• Application period: until filled
• Full‑time
• Vacancies: 1
• Annual Salary: Commensurate based on education, experience, and overall qualifications.
• FLSA Status: Exempt

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, And Competencies

• Strong executive level experience providing oversight and coordination of adult forensic competency services on a wide scale
• Ability to navigate and leverage existing relationships with stakeholders while seeking new partnerships to strengthen the forensic evaluation process across the state
• Successful experience providing strategic guidance and decision making with long‑term impact in business and political environments where precedents and approaches are not always clear
• Demonstrated ability to assess clinical and organizational needs and develop and implement continuous process improvement measures and activities to meet those needs
• Experience in psychiatric care of patients in a forensic setting

Preferred Qualifications And Experience

• Certified in general psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) and have specialized certification in forensic psychiatry
• Strong understanding of the intersection of psychiatric care and legal standards, including Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) and Never to Attain (NTA) populations
• Extensive knowledge of applicable state and federal laws, court requirements, and Consent Decree obligations related to forensic mental health services

Minimum Qualifications And Experience

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from an accredited institution with a valid state medical license (or eligible to obtain)
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive clinical leadership experience in forensic, correctional, or state hospital settings
• Experience developing and implementing clinical policies, quality assurance processes, and performance improvement initiatives

Benefits

ODMHSAS is proud to provide a robust and comprehensive benefits package designed to support our employees and their dependents. Our benefits include:

• Generous state‑paid benefit allowance to help cover insurance premiums for state employees as well as eligible dependents
• A wide choice of health insurance plans with no pre‑existing condition exclusions or limitations
• Flexible spending accounts for pre‑tax dollars to be used for health care expenses or dependent care
• 11 paid holidays, 15 days of vacation and 15 days of sick leave the first year
• Retirement Savings Plan with a generous state match

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.

Reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities may be provided upon request.