10/22/1997 48795

MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES MANAGER

DEFINITION: This is responsible administrative and professional work in the development and implementation of program policies and regulations and the review, analysis, and evaluation of the mental health and substance abuse community services delivery system for the office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS).

An employee in this class plans, coordinates, and administers the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of managed care mental health and substance abuse health care initiatives to county programs, and monitors and administers the existing Medicaid fee-for-service and program funded service system through the county mental health and drug and alcohol programs within the Western or Eastern Operations Area. Work involves providing leadership in policy development and implementation by participating with executive managers as a member of the DPW HealthChoices Policy Board and the OMHSAS Managed Care Core Team establishing all Departmental policy pertaining to the development and implementation of the HealthChoices Managed Care Initiative, including behavioral health services on a statewide basis; and representing the OMHSAS in statewide committees and with statewide organizations, such as the Provider's Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, to communicate and clarify policies and procedures related to behavioral health services. Work includes responsibility for developing Requests for Proposals (RFPS) for the implementation and/or expansion of managed care initiatives; participating in contract negotiations; and maintaining liaison and coordination with DPW Executive Staff, HCFA, county commissioners, county government executives, the Comptroller's office, other state agencies, state legislators, service providers, advocates, and private health care agencies. Employees are required to exercise initiative and a high degree of independent judgment to implement and ensure program policy and criteria are enacted at the local level and that programs contracted for or directly provided by the local authority are in full compliance with DPW and OMHSAS program policy and criteria. Supervision is exercised over professional and clerical staff. Work is performed with considerable independence under the general direction of the Director, Bureau of Operations and Quality Management who reviews work through conferences, evaluation of reports, program effectiveness, and results achieved.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Participates in the development of policies, procedures, and methods for the statewide implementation and expansion of managed care initiatives for behavioral health services across the Commonwealth through interaction with OMHSAS executive managers and activity on the DPW HealthChoices Policy Board and OMHSAS Managed Care Core Team.

Directs staff who coordinate and monitor community mental health and substance abuse services for the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in the Western or Eastern Operations Area.

Directs subordinate managers in providing technical assistance to county programs for managed care operation and readiness and identifies needed interface with other OMHSAS bureaus on policy and program development issues.

Directs OMHSAS program/contract monitoring teams to ensure the implementation and compliance with program policy and criteria at the local level, and recommends to DPW executive staff corrective action and monetary sanctions necessary for contract compliance.

Interprets and clarifies OMHSAS program policy at the local level and with statewide organizations and identifies and recommends policy changes based on implementation and management experience of the field operations.

Leads the review of proposals for managed care expansion and readiness reviews at the county/MCO level for the implementation of a managed care program for all behavioral health care programs within the Western or Eastern Operations Area.

Directs the implementation and expansion of Community/Hospital Integration Projects Program by soliciting proposals from county programs, finalizing budget recommendations, implementing and monitoring of CHIPPS, and identifying policy issues that must be addressed at Executive Council.

Participates in the development of state Medicaid plan amendments, federal regulation/program waiver requests, local planning activities and county readiness for managed care expansion, contract and budget review, policy development, and consumer satisfaction initiatives.

Supervises the implementation of mental health and substance abuse services at the local level to ensure an effective system of local service delivery coordination, problem resolution, full access to service, and monitoring of the local services and their delivery system.

Investigates and recommends corrective action related to client abuse, neglect, and/or poor clinical treatment; and recommends policy and procedural changes needed by local counties to correct deficiencies of client care.

Incorporates the findings of program standards and licensing staff into the monitoring and corrective actions required of county programs and managed care organizations; interfaces with the Division of Program Standards and Licensing to identify trends in areas needing improvement or opportunities to address unmet need.

Directs the ongoing program and financial requirements of the county mental health programs for services provided through fee for-service and MH grant/program funding in the assigned geographic area including technical assistance to county programs, coordination with local, state, and national foundations to secure private sector financial resources, problem resolution activities, monitoring and follow-up on corrective actions, budget review, and approval/disapproval of county programs, and county annual plan documents.

Coordinates OMHSAS participation and collaboration with other DPW program offices and other human services and state agencies; represents the OMHSAS on multi-program office task groups or review teams.

Employees in this class may participate in the performance of their subordinates work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the principles, practices, and methods of policy development and program planning, development, evaluation, and administration.

Knowledge of the provisions, objectives, and goals of federal and state legislation and regulations governing the Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Medical Assistance Programs, including recent trends and developments regarding health care reform initiatives.

Knowledge of the principles and methods of program administration and of the structure, organization, and methods of public and private agencies as they relate to the provision and planning for mental health and substance abuse services and programs.

Knowledge of the principles, dynamics, and structure of community organizations and community public and private mental-health and substance abuse agencies.

Knowledge of the principles of governmental accounting, administration, budgeting, personnel management, and statistics.

Ability to analyze and evaluate complex data involving programs and operations and make recommendations leading toward policy and method determination.

Ability to plan, organize, administer, integrate, and coordinate effectively all mental health and substance abuse programs and services.

Ability to prioritize work and to direct the work force to accomplish established goals and objectives.

Ability to provide leadership and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with officials of federal, state, and local governments, and public and private agencies.

Ability to plan and direct the work of professional and technical staff.

Ability to express ideas clearly and effectively, orally and in writing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: Five years of progressively responsible experience in a human services agency, two of which must have been in the field of mental health or substance abuse services, including three years in a managerial, consultative, or supervisory capacity involving planning and coordinating the development and implementation of human services programs, and a bachelor's degree in business or public administration. A master's degree in business or public administration may be substituted for one year of managerial, consultative, or administrative experience;

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Any equivalent combination of experience and training.