Medical Director of Behavioral Health

THIS IS A PART TIME POSITION OF 21 HOURS PER WEEK . THE SELECTED CANDIDATE WILL BE OFFERED AN HOURLY RATE OF $128.00 AN HOUR.

The Administration for Children's Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of New York City's children and families by providing child welfare, juvenile justice, and early care services. In child welfare, ACS contracts with private nonprofit organizations to support and stabilize families at risk of a crisis through preventive services and provides foster care services for children not able to safely remain at home. Each year, the agency's Division of Child Protection responds to more than 50,000 reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. In juvenile justice, ACS manages and funds services including detention and placement, intensive community-based alternatives for youth, and support services for families. ACS is also a key part of NYCs early childhood and education continuum, providing childcare assistance to thousands of child welfare involved and low-income children so they can access safe, affordable, quality care.
The Administration for Children's Services (ACS) Office of Child and Family Health (OCFH) delivers direct medical services to children entering foster care and ensures that the health care provided is comprehensive and appropriate. OCFH also offers individualized case consultations and training to ACS staff and foster care agencies on a variety of health-related topics and provides clinical expertise in developing medical and mental health policies that support best case practice agency-wide.
The Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Unit (PBHU) within the Office of Child and Family Health (OCFH)is responsible for promoting best Mental Health practice principles to guide decision-making, program and policy development, and development of resources to ensure that children known to ACS are receiving the best possible care to address psychiatric and behavioral health conditions. The PBHU is also responsible for providing direct assistance to all ACS Divisions and contracted agencies in promoting best practices and ensuring that children have timely access to high-quality mental health care. The Unit works to ensure that psychiatric medications are used and monitored appropriately. The New York City Administration for Children's Services' OCFH is seeking a Medical Director to provide clinical and administrative oversight for the PBHU. The Medical Director will report to the ACS Chief Medical Officer.
Specific duties for this position include but are not limited to the following:
- Manage and oversee all Unit activities, including psychiatric medication consents, tracking and technical assistance for psychiatric inpatient admissions and case audits
- Provide clinical and administrative supervision to the Assistant Director of Psychiatry and Psychologists
- Provide administrative oversight, with support from Unit Psychologists, for mental health services at the Nicholas Scoppetta Children's Center
- Implement and modify standards for prescribing and monitoring treatment of psychiatric diagnoses and respond to questions and feedback from the community, practitioners, and foster care agency administrators
- Review requests for consents and overrides for pharmacological treatment of psychiatric diagnoses for children and youth in foster care
- Develop and update audit and monitoring tools for assessing agency consent procedures for psychiatric medications
- Collect data, develop reports and recommend database modifications related to completing required reports on the psychotropic medication use, prescription, and consent approvals and reviews for any and all children and youth under the care and custody of the ACS Commissioner
- Provide case-specific consultation for issues related to pharmacological treatment and inpatient hospitalization of children under the care and custody of the ACS Commissioner
- Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders and represent OCFH on issues surrounding pharmacological treatment of psychiatric diagnoses for children in foster care, juvenile detention, close to home, and preventive care
- Develop and update ACS practices, policies and procedures related to pharmacologic treatment of mental health and behavioral health conditions
- Provide guidance and training to all ACS staff and provider agency staff on topics related to pharmacologic treatment of mental health and behavioral health conditions
- Provide partial oversight to the Medical Audit Team in developing and updating auditing and monitoring tools for assessing agency procedures for pharmacologic treatment of psychiatric diagnoses in foster care children and youth
- Perform other duties and tasks as assigned

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Section 424-A of the New York Social Services Law requires an authorized agency to inquire whether a candidate for employment with child-caring responsibilities has been the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report.

TO APPLY:
- Please go to www.cityjobs.nyc.gov or www.nyc.gov/ess for current NYC employees and search for Job ID #776773
- NO PHONE CALLS, FAXES, OR PERSONAL INQUIRES PERMITTED
- NOTE: ONLY THOSE CANDIDATES UNDER CONSIDERATION WILL BE CONTACTED

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at StudentAid.gov/PSLF

CITY MEDICAL DIRECTOR - 53047

1. Possession of a valid license to practice medicine in the State of New York plus valid Board Certification issued by the appropriate American Specialty Board in an approved medical specialty; and four years of medical practice including one year of experience in an administrative or supervisory capacity; or
2. A combination of education and/or experience equivalent to that listed in "1" above. However, all candidates must have a valid license to practice medicine in the State of New York, and one year of medical practice in an administrative or supervisory capacity.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.