Job Description

Boston Children’s Hospital is excited to announce an opening on the Government Relations team that is critical to the success of ongoing efforts to improve access to and the quality of behavioral health services for children: Director of Behavioral Health Advocacy and Policy. This position provides an entirely unique opportunity to influence the structures, systems, and policies that support behavioral health services at city, state, and national levels. The ideal candidate has a strong background in policy, including an understanding of legal and regulatory processes, and an advanced degree in a relevant field of study. Clinical and/or operational experience in the behavioral health field is preferred. A familiarity with payor issues (Medicaid managed care, mental health parity) is a plus. The successful applicant will possess the ability to analyze and resolve complex problems, and demonstrate a strong commitment to serving vulnerable children.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Pediatric mental health advocacy: The Director of Behavioral Health Advocacy & Policy has responsibility for development and implementation of a comprehensive state-wide pediatric mental health advocacy agenda, created in consultation with the Department of Psychiatry and other relevant clinical and administrative leaders. Based on the advocacy agenda, the Director provides strategic direction and leadership for the implementation of established goals within the Children’s Mental Health Campaign and enterprise-wide guidance related to behavioral health policy.
  2. Engagement with elected and executive branch officials: The Director develops biennial legislative and annual budget behavioral health policy priorities in conjunction with hospital and coalition leadership. In order to advance the hospital’s legislative priorities, the Director must continually consider the impact of public policy on the enterprise, maintain deep and enduring relationships with state policy makers, and identify and foster new relationships with key elected officials and administrative leaders.
  3. Behavioral health thought leadership: The Director provides enterprise-wide behavioral health policy leadership and/or consultation to broader leadership, as appropriate as well as thought leadership on the impact of the behavioral health policy environment on the enterprise. Additionally, the Director provides coalition leadership at meetings, conferences, and public hearings
  4. Patient advocacy: The Director provides patient-level advocacy consultation to clinical and leadership teams with external systems, including state agencies, local education authorities, and payors.
  5. Raising awareness about behavioral health: The Director oversees development of media messages and other public communications related to behavioral health. The Director supervises support staff and interns working in the behavioral health space and helps cultivate additional advocacy resources.

Minimum Knowledge and Skills required by the Job

  1. Work requires the knowledge of theories, principles, and concepts acquired through completion of Master’s Degree in Public Health, Public Administration, Social Work, Law or related field. Minimum of 7-10 years’ relevant experience.
  2. Work requires the ability to effectively manage multiple demands simultaneously within assigned department/division and to persuade and negotiate with peer‑level department heads and/or with external agencies/facilities on legislative and regulatory issues and programs.
  3. Work requires interacting closely with senior policy-makers to advocate both on the policy and the patient level. Knowledge of child and adolescent behavioral health clinical and systemic issues is preferred. Relationship building and negotiation skills are essential.
  4. Advanced knowledge of PC-based software applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and manual and web-based applications for collecting/ reporting data and managing projects.
  5. Ability to lead and conduct basic secondary research (e.g., literature reviews) and advanced quantitative and qualitative analysis preferred.
  6. This position will be registered as a lobbyist with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Apply Now!

Submit a resume and cover letter highlighting your relevant experience:

https://jobs.bostonchildrens.org/job/19375642/director-behavioral-health-advocacy-policy/

Please note that resumes submitted without a cover letter will not be considered.

About Us

The Office of Government Relations at Boston Children’s Hospital works at the federal, state and city levels to advance policy issues (both legislative and regulatory) that improve access to high quality health care for children and adolescents, support medical research, build a strong pediatric workforce and make our community a better place to live and grow. The staff is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children and families, and has a special interest in, and commitment to, our community health programs which work hard to develop and sustain systemic solutions to child health concerns and address health equity.

Boston Children’s Hospital is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or disability.