"Director of Mental Health Services"

Job Details

Department: University Health Services

Appointment Type and Duration: Regular, Ongoing

Salary: $168,000 - $192,000

Compensation Band: OS-OA13-Fiscal Year 2024-2025

FTE: 1.0

Application Review Begins: May 16, 2025; position open until filled

Special Instructions to Applicants: The University of Oregon has contracted the search firm Spellman Johnson to assist with this search. Please submit your application directly to them here: https://spelmanandjohnson.com/position/director-of-mental-health-services/

Department Summary

The Division of Student Life supports the university's academic mission and strategic plan through comprehensive programs and services that promote and advance student learning and success while fostering an inclusive and vibrant campus community. Student Life includes four major departments, the Office of the Dean of Students, Erb Memorial Union, Physical Education & Recreation, and University Health Services. Student Life also runs a number of key programs, including Parent and Family Programs, Major Student Events (Commencement, Homecoming, University Day), Fraternity and Sorority Life, Counseling, Health Promotion, Multicultural and Identity Based Support Services, Student Government Engagement & Success, Student Conduct and Community Standards, and Support for Students in Crisis and Students of Concern.

University Health Services (UHS) is a unit within the Division of Student Life and is a nationally accredited (AAAHC) outpatient clinic providing primary care to students at the University of Oregon. All staff are required to uphold the values of the UHS.

This position works in support of the University Health Services mission and vision and is consistent with UO policy. Some aspects of this position may be completed in collaboration with other University departments.

Position Summary

The Director of Mental Health Services is responsible for 1) the delivery of excellent, effective, efficient, and evidence-based mental health care to students at UHS, and 2) coordination, consultation, and collaboration on psychological issues to UO leadership, faculty, staff, and organizations within the campus community.

The Director provides overall leadership and management of Counseling Services, Psychiatry Services, Integrated Behavioral Health, and the Mental Health Access Team within UHS. Responsibilities include developing and maintaining systems, processes, policies, and procedures for mental health care delivery, ensuring student access to timely and effective care, prioritizing quality improvement opportunities, monitoring emerging trends, and aligning UHS care with current best-practices for collegiate mental health care. The Director is responsible for the budget oversight of Counseling Services and Psychiatry Services and has primary responsibility for allocation of funds toward operations, including salary issues, day-to-day maintenance of services, and funding of other programming that supports student mental health. The Director has ultimate responsibility for the success of the training program including oversight of the Training Director's management of internship, practicum, and externship programs.

The Director is also responsible for assessing and communicating the needs of the changing student body to the university leadership and community based on broad knowledge of psychological concerns of undergraduate and graduate students. The Director is responsible for maintaining collaborative relationships with faculty, staff and University administrators; participating in division and college-wide committees and efforts to support and improve student life and retention and performing other job-related duties. This position participates in various campus threat/risk assessment and student of concern teams.

The Director is actively involved in mental health crisis management, both in UHS and at the campus level.

As a member of the UHS Executive Team, the Director serves as a content expert and strategic thinker on mental healthcare and closely collaborates with other directors and assistant directors to ensure seamless and holistic care for students.

The Director reports to the Associate Vice President for Student Life and Executive Director of University Health Services and is a member of the Student Life leadership team. As a Student Life leadership member, the director chairs or co-chairs committees and task forces as needed and has shared responsibility with other leadership team members for ensuring that the division's diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities are met, and provides input on issues relevant to the division.

The Director directly supervises the Lead Psychiatrist, the Counseling Services Assistant Directors, and some clinical and administrative staff. The Director indirectly supervises other clinical and administrative staff.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a proven track record of multicultural competency and excellent clinical acumen. They will have a history of providing services to a wide variety of clients/students and supervision to various levels of professional staff. They will possess a strong commitment to professional development, whether through conducting research, providing training and supervision, ensuring on-going accreditation, upholding ethical standards of practice, or actively participating in professional organizations or other scholarly activities. This level of professionalism and regional and local connections are key for the successful candidate to remain a catalyst for competent responses to the changing societal issues and complex developmental, psychosocial, and mental health concerns of students.

This position requires successful completion of a criminal background check and routine screening of Medicaid and Medicare Exclusion Lists. Employee loses eligibility for employment if on the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) and/or System of Award Management (SAM). In addition, employee must follow Compliance with UHS policies regarding tuberculosis screening, measles and mumps (MMR), seasonal flu, hepatitis B, and other immunization requirements.

Minimum Requirements

• Mental health professional with terminal degree in a related field, including clinical or counseling psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D.), counseling (LPC or LMFT), social work (LCSW), or psychiatry (M.D. or D.O.).
• Licensed as a psychologist, counselor, therapist, or psychiatrist in the state of Oregon and/or currently licensed in another state and eligible to obtain licensure in the state of Oregon within six months.
• Minimum of six years of post-licensure experience providing mental health services in a clinic, agency, or college counseling center.
• Administrative experience in a college counseling or similar mental health setting with increasing leadership and oversight responsibilities including at least four years of experience overseeing clinicians.

Professional Competencies

• Ability to relate effectively with persons of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds in support of an inclusive and equitable environment.
• Knowledge of fiscal management, strategic planning, and personnel issues, and experience in working in conjunction with Student Life to develop strategies for ensuring the academic success of our student population by providing psychological expertise and developing relevant primary and secondary prevention efforts.
• Ability to supervise and manage employee relations with a team of mental health professionals that is diverse across many dimensions including identity, training, background, and professional expertise.
• Expert knowledge of current counseling/psychotherapy practices and methods, and strong knowledge of effective mental health promotion strategies.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff and other agencies to deliver student services and to plan and achieve shared goals.
• Experience working within a culturally diverse community and/or commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and ability to develop and maintain inclusive work environments.
• Excellent public speaking, interpersonal, communication, and critical thinking skills.
• Knowledge of related accreditation and certification requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate degree (Ph.D., Psy.D., M.D.).
• Tten or more years of providing administrative supervision for a team of mental health providers.
• Experience or past participation with a clinical training program (i.e., doctoral internship, postdoctoral fellowship, advanced practicum training program) within a college or university counseling center.
• Active engagement in professional associations related to higher education student mental health and clinical services.
• Active experience with emergency management and/or behavioral/healthcare intervention activities on a college campus.
• Experience working in an integrated health care setting.
• Experience recruiting, managing, supervising and evaluating professional, clinical, and administrative staff.
• Experience in managing budgets and developing program initiatives to campus or community constituencies.
• Experience providing data-driven decision-making and leadership in a college or other mental health setting.