Director of Social Work and Ambulatory Services

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Inpatient Behavioral Health, the Director
of Social Work and Ambulatory Services ensures quality care to patients by developing and
maintaining standards of care in the social work, admissions, groups, outpatient, utilization
management departments and in the partial hospital program for the inpatient behavioral
health division. The Director will ensure that there are systems in place and in use to allow for
effective and timely communication with patients, families, collaterals, referral sources,
community agencies and payors. The Director is responsible for providing leadership to social
workers, clinicians and ambulatory services staff to support the organization’s goals for delivery
of effective and efficient high quality patient care and aftercare planning. Collaborates with the
senior leadership team to provide guidance and direction for social work, utilization
management, aftercare planning, administrative and staffing management, communication and
collaboration, professional development and orientation, quality improvement and financial
management. Directs utilization review activities for the inpatient behavioral health division,
interfaces with external payors to determine medical necessity of admissions and continued
hospitalization. Partners with other departments, community agencies, vendors and payors.

Job Description:

Primary Responsibilities:

1. Directs and ensures high quality inpatient social work services and aftercare planning that meets state and regulatory requirements.

2. Develops, implements and maintains revenue generating strategies related to admissions and patient capacity.

3. Plan, monitor and manage department budgets. Responsible for staffing within budgetary guidelines across the social work, admissions, groups, outpatient, utilization management departments and in the partial hospital program.

4. Understands and hard wires the nuances in behavioral health payment (340b). Oversees Utilization Management and appeals.

5. Responsible for the development and implementation of all general, emergency, and program-specific policies and procedures necessary to ensure a safe, productive and therapeutic program. Ensures that all policies and procedures are designed to comply with standards set by the hospital and regulatory and accrediting agencies.

6. Works collaboratively with group leaders to create, evaluate and periodically update group programming.

7. Ensure the outpatient department maintains sufficient productivity to meet its fiscal goals and meets documentation standards.

8. Stays apprised of federal and state regulations governing capacity, billing and reimbursement, including Medicaid and Medicare guidelines, and Joint Commission standards.

9. Works to ensure that partial hospital program and outpatient requirements are met regarding licensing and regulatory requirements.

10. Provide supervision to department managers.

11. Networking and collaboration with stakeholders

12. Provide clinical consultation and oversight of case planning

13. Hiring, development, training and performance management of staff

14. Oversee student contracts for master's level interns

15. Serve as back-up coverage to Human Rights Officer and responsible for performing service recovery

Education, Experience, & Licensing Requirements:

• Master’s degree in social work (MSW)

• Current Massachusetts Licensed Independent Clinical Social Work (LICSW) license

• Minimum 5 years of experience in an inpatient behavioral health setting

• Minimum 3 years of managerial experience

• Prior experience in healthcare admissions preferred

Pay Range:

$103,359.10 USD - $133,706.00 USD

The pay range listed for this position is the annual base salary range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on several factors, that may include seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors permissible by law. 

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) as a condition of employment.

More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled