Mental Health Program Specialist

CFGC; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

Life insurance & disability

Paid time off

Job summary

Child and Family Guidance Center in Dallas seeks a Mental Health Program Specialist to provide administrative, operational, and compliance support for outpatient mental health services. You will assist the Senior Director with program operations, policy development, and quality improvement initiatives.

The role supports documentation, reporting, and coordination across departments, ensuring alignment with agency policies and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of outpatient behavioral health operations and regulatory compliance.
• Regulatory and HIPAA guidelines knowledge.
• Ability to interpret and implement policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Assist Senior Director with day-to-day operations of outpatient mental health programs.
• Provide admin and project management support for initiatives and quality activities.
• Coordinate action items, deadlines, and follow-up for program operations.
• Support audits, chart reviews, and regulatory reviews.

Skills

Outpatient ops

HIPAA

Org skills

Comm skills

Policy interpretation

Prioritization

Audit experience

EHR systems

MS Office

Customer service

Confidentiality

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in rehab counseling, psychology, social work, or related field

Tools

Electronic Health Record systems

Job description

Child and Family Guidance Center is seeking a Mental Health Program Specialist for the Dallas location. The Mental Health Program Specialist provides administrative, operational, compliance, and programmatic support to the Senior Director of Mental Health Services and outpatient mental health programs. This position assists with the development, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of departmental processes and procedures, ensuring compliance with agency policies and procedures, regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and contractual obligations. The Program Specialist serves as a resource to outpatient program staff, coordinates and monitors quality improvement activities, oversees medical records processes, prepares reports, supports audits and reviews, and assists the Senior Director with special projects and administrative functions to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position does not have direct supervisory responsibilities. The Program Specialist may provide guidance, training, coordination, and technical assistance to staff and may lead projects or initiatives as assigned.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Program Operations and Administrative Support

• Assists the Senior Director of Mental Health Services with the day-to-day operations of outpatient mental health programs.
• Provides administrative and project management support for departmental initiatives, strategic goals, and quality improvement activities.
• Coordinates and tracks action items, deadlines, and follow-up activities related to program operations.
• Assistswith the development, implementation, evaluation, and improvement of outpatient mental health services.
• Serves as a liaison between departments tofacilitatecommunication and promote operational efficiency.
• Assistswith preparation of reports, presentations, meeting agendas, minutes, and other program documentation.
• Completes special projects and performs other duties as assigned by the Senior Director of Mental Health Services.

Policy and Procedure Compliance

• Assistsin the development, implementation, revision, and ongoing monitoring of departmental policies, procedures, workflows, and forms.
• Ensures departmental proceduresremainaligned with agency policies, accreditation standards, regulatory requirements, payer guidelines, and best practices.
• Monitors staff adherence to agency policies and procedures and reports findings to leadership.
• Coordinates policy reviews and updates,maintainingappropriate versioncontrol and documentation.
• Provides guidance and training to staffregardingoperational procedures and policy changes.

Quality Assurance and Auditing

• Coordinates and supports internal audits, chart reviews, compliance reviews, and quality assurance activities.
• Tracks audit findings, corrective action plans, and follow-up activities to ensuretimelyresolution.
• Assistsin monitoring compliance with federal, state, local, payer, and agency requirements.
• Reviews documentation and records for completeness, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
• Maintains audit schedules and prepares reports for leadership review.
• Identifiestrends, potential risks, and opportunities for process improvement.

Medical Records Oversight

• Oversees andmonitorsthe processing, maintenance, storage, retention, and release of medical recordsin accordance with regulatory requirements and agency policies.
• Coordinates medical record requests and ensures releases of information are processed accurately and timely.
• Monitors electronic health records for compliance with documentation standards.
• Assistswith record retention, destruction schedules, and records management practices.
• Conducts periodic reviews of medical records to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
• Collaborates with clinical and administrative staff to address documentation deficiencies and improve record management processes.

Compliance and Regulatory Monitoring

• Participate as an active member of the CFGC Compliance Committee, contributing to the review, discussion, and oversight of compliance-related policies, procedures, risks, and regulatory requirements.
• Assistswith preparing documentation and materialsrequiredfor audits, surveys, accreditation reviews, and external monitoring visits.
• Maintains records and documentation necessary todemonstratecompliance with agency, state, federal, and contractual requirements.
• Monitors deadlines and reporting requirements related to outpatient mental health services.
• Supports implementation of corrective actions associated with compliance findings.

Staff Training and Support

• Assistswith onboarding and orientation of new outpatient mental health staffregardingadministrative procedures and documentation standards.
• Develops and delivers training related to policies, procedures, compliance, documentation requirements, and operational workflows.
• Serves as a resource to staffregardingoperational processes, forms, and program requirements.
• Supports continuous quality improvement and professional development initiatives.

Data Collection and Reporting

• Collects, organizes, analyzes, and prepares operational, quality, and compliance data.
• Develops andmaintainstracking systems, logs, and monitoring tools.
• Assistswith preparation of departmental reports, dashboards, and performance metrics.
• Supports data-driven decision making through analysis and reporting of program outcomes and operational measures.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Knowledge of outpatient behavioral health operations, medical records management, quality assurance processes, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of applicable state and federal regulations, accreditation standards, confidentiality requirements, and HIPAA guidelines.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to interpret, implement, andmonitorpolicies and procedures.
• Ability to independently prioritize work and manage multiple assignments while meeting deadlines.
• Ability to conduct audits, reviews, and quality improvement activities.
• Ability to prepare reports,maintainrecords, and analyze operational data.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and electronic health record systems.
• Ability to provide exceptional customer service to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability tomaintainconfidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.

Education & Experience:

• Mustpossessa minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in rehab counseling, psychology, social work, or related field as specified in the Texas Administrative Code Rule §353.1415 for Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP-CS).
• Trained in working with individuals with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness, Children with Severe Emotional Disturbances, and delivery of services based on curriculum
• Training in child and/or adult counseling, and family dynamics preferred
• Experience in an outpatient behavioral health or healthcare setting preferred.
• Experience with electronic health record systems and regulatory compliance activities preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit, stand, bend, reach, and perform routine office tasks.
• Ability tooperatestandard office equipment and computer systems.
• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to travel locally as needed.

Additional Duties:

• Performsadditionalduties and responsibilities as assigned by the Senior Director of Mental Health Services.
• Scheduled hours and work locations may bemodifiedbased on organizational needs.
• Supports organizational initiatives, accreditation activities, audits, and quality improvement efforts as needed.
• Assist in the development and preparation of grant proposals by researching funding opportunities, compiling required documentation, and supporting submission efforts.

Benefits:

Comprehensive benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Basic Life, Short term disability, Long term disability, Voluntary life, Accidental death & dismemberment, Voluntary Accident, Critical Illness, Legal & 401K

Paid time off (vacation and sick time)

About Us:

A community leader since 1896, Child & Family Guidance Center takes a comprehensive approach to treating individuals with complex mental and behavioral health challenges throughout seven North Texas counties - Dallas, Collin, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall. Since our establishment, we have been committed to providing quality, compassionate care to those in need. Today, we take immense pride in providing a wide range of comprehensive mental health services tailored to meet the unique needs of every North Texan.
At Child & Family Guidance Center, we believe everyone deserves access to quality care, so no one is ever turned away-regardless of their ability to pay. From initial assessment to ongoing care, our doctors and counselors are committed to helping tens of thousands of North Texans each year recover from trauma caused by abuse, severe neglect, and poverty-empowering them to thrive in their communities.