Vice President, Ambulatory & Community Behavioral Health

The Vice President of Ambulatory and Community Behavioral Health Services reports directly to the President of Western Psychiatric Hospital/Western Behavioral Health Service Line and serves as a key member of the service line’s Executive Management Group. The Vice President provides operational oversight and strategic leadership in the development and execution of objectives for ambulatory behavioral health services – including outpatient, intensive outpatient (IOP), group therapy, partial hospitalization, and IBHS – ensuring alignment with the organization’s overarching goals. 

The Vice President is also responsible for leading and setting the strategic direction of community-based behavioral health services across UPMC’s geographic footprint, which includes programs such as residential care, service coordination, psychiatric and vocational rehabilitation, among others. This includes leading the development, application, and negotiation efforts for these programs in collaboration with contracting jurisdictions and agencies. 

Currently overseeing a portfolio of approximately 60 programs across 10 primary locations, the Vice President will work closely with both system-level and regional leaders to ensure the continued growth, sustainability, and success of the Service Line. Specific responsibilities include: 

Responsibilities  

• Establish and implement a patient centered care delivery process which embraces clinical quality, patient satisfaction, and cost sensitivity while ensuring a competitive edge in the region.   
• Oversee and direct clinical programs to assure efficiency and optimization of capacity – to assure timely access to care for patients to the appropriate level of acuity and service need. 
• Oversee a team of Clinical Directors, who have either regional or population-specific responsibilities for the ambulatory and community programs. Provide leadership, mentorship, and human resource support to this team.  
• Implement, monitor, and evaluate quality initiatives to demonstrate clinical effectiveness, efficiency, improved outcomes (measurement-based care), and excellent patient experience. Endorse service line efforts to advance quality. 
• Supervise and oversee department budgets for all ambulatory and community programs across the Western Behavioral Health Service Line, including those licensed as HBCs, licensed mental health clinics, other facility licenses defined for behavioral health, as well as psychology and physician practices. These operational programs include those within Western Psychiatric Hospital, UPMC Western Behavioral Health, as well as psychology, and physician outpatient programs.       
• Effectively manage the human resources of the organization according to authorized human resources policies and procedures. Supervise departmental staff either directly or indirectly. Ensure appropriate staffing of clinical programs and departments, including during times of expansion or growth. Responsible for overall employee engagement and retention across these areas.  
• Support clinical research within identified academic programs. Work collaboratively with professional staff in leadership positions (including faculty members who may hold such leadership positions) regarding coordination of clinical care with ongoing research activities. Include such faculty members in administrative supervision, program planning and evaluation, ongoing operational communication, and quality assurance activities. Endorse academic programs as centers of excellence and partners to distribute care models across UPMC’s larger footprint.   
• Partner with and takes input from practice management, finance, and care management to create and implement business plans that maximize reimbursement, optimize productivity of professional resources, implement revenue cycle improvement opportunities, and to maximize patient access healthcare benefits. Partner with the Department of Psychiatry on professional staffing levels for their employed providers. 
• Direct and oversee the content of clinical programming, and the materials designed and implemented for marketing and promotion. Leverage the UPMC Western Behavioral Health brand.   
• Ensure compliance with UPMC policies and procedures and with the requirements of any applicable regulatory agencies or accrediting bodies (i.e. JCAHO, PA DoH, DHS, OMHSAS, and DDAP).  
• Liaison for construction, renovation projects and building utilization.  
• Participate actively in the development and management of clinical and administrative policies and procedures across the Behavioral Health Service line.   
• Perform in accordance with system-wide competencies/behaviors. 
• Perform other duties as assigned. 
• Participate in larger UPMC system-wide initiatives.  

Educational and Knowledge Requirements 

• Bachelor's Degree in Health Care Administration, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or related field / 10years of experience / 5 years in a management capacity; OR Master's Degree in Health Care Administration, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or related field / 6 years of experience / 5 years in a management capacity. 
• Experience in behavioral health, with strong understanding of licensure and regulatory requirements for both individual providers (MDs, APPs, Psychologists, LCSWs, therapists), and facilities (HBCs and mental health clinics).   
• Familiar with reimbursement mechanisms including those from third party commercial and government-funded entities, and/or from contracted entities (county, state, private foundations).  
• Experience with leveraging infrastructure including information systems for electronic health records, financial and productivity reporting, as a means of optimizing operational management.    
• Experience in writing or contributing to business plans.  
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with physicians, psychologists, staff, CEO, CFO, and other senior leadership.

About UPMC Western Behavioral Health

UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH), located in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood, is a nationally recognized leader in mental health care, research, and education. As a cornerstone of UPMC’s Behavioral Health service line, WPH provides comprehensive psychiatric services through its main hospital and nearly 60 community-based programs. These programs span 10 main locations, providing compassionate, evidence-based care for individuals of all ages throughout western Pennsylvania, north and central Pennsylvania and in nearby counties in Maryland and New York. 

UPMC offers a wide range of services to address various mental health and behavioral concerns, including: 

• Addiction Services: Programs for adults and adolescents, including methadone treatment, detoxification, and outpatient counseling. 
• Adult Mental Health Programs: Services for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and stress, including outpatient therapy, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient programs. 
• Autism and Developmental Disorders: Comprehensive care for individuals with autism and other developmental disorders, from childhood through adulthood. 
• Child and Adolescent Programs: Age-appropriate mental health care for children and teens, addressing early-onset mental health issues. 
• Eating Disorders Care: Treatment for individuals with eating disorders, in collaboration with UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. 
• Emergency and Crisis Services: 24/7 crisis intervention, including phone hotlines, walk-in centers, and mobile crisis services. 
• Geriatric Mental Health Care: Specialized services for older adults dealing with issues like dementia, depression, and isolation. 
• Serious Mental Illness Programs: Support for individuals with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.