Colorado Behavioral Health Administration Commissioner

Full Job Description

Love Colorado? There is no better way to define your future and build your career than to work for the State of Colorado.

Finding Your Purpose

When you work for the State of Colorado, you're working to improve your community, impact the lives of those around you, and ensure that our shared natural resources will be available for generations to come.

Finding Your Passion

Each position makes a difference by helping people, enhancing our livelihood and making Colorado a better place to live. Learn more about the mission of each of our Departments and Institutions and the unique roles they serve!

Colorado for All

The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness.

The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.

Colorado For All - Colorado Employee Reflections

Behavioral Health Administration
The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) is the state administration responsible for ensuring all people in Colorado have access to quality mental health and substance use disorder services, regardless of where they live, or ability to pay. BHA will help bring together community groups and governmental agencies to design a behavioral health system for all people in Colorado that is easy to access, and offers high-quality care that considers the whole person and their needs.

Information about the BHA’s history and plan can be found at:

https://bha.colorado.gov/about/who-we-are/our-origins-behavioral-health-taskforce

https://bha.colorado.gov/

Requirements

The Commissioner will lead collaborative engagement with sister agency executive directors and their staffs, community organizations, and advocates to refine and implement our statewide strategy to transform behavioral health access and quality to improve outcomes, reduce disparities, and respond to the voices of Coloradans in need of these vital services.

This work may include connecting and developing programs and systems vital to the work of the BHA, modernizing policies and rules, ensuring strong accountability and outcome measures, advancing provider payment policies, and more.

Major cabinet agencies, including those responsible for behavioral health, including Health Care Policy and Financing (responsible for Medicaid, among other programs), Human Services, Public Health, and the Division of Insurance, have co-created and are helping operationalize this strategy.

Under the oversight of the Governor and the leadership of the BHA Commissioner, they will shape a unified system consistently accountable for results and responsive to all who enter it— as the most direct and timely means of solving this crisis of care.

While the BHA Commissioner is a Cabinet-level role, the BHA sits within the Department of Human Services (CDHS), which provides back office and administrative support for the BHA and the other CDHS divisions. This role is a senior executive service (SES) position.

Department: Colorado Behavioral Health Administration

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Expected Annual Travel: Some travel may be required, but this position is not one of the departments that travels constantly.

The new BHA Commissioner will be responsible for overseeing the operations, programs, and functions of the BHA.

Priorities for the next BHA Commissioner will include:

• Continue to work with HCPF and CDHS to operationalize the children’s behavioral health system

• Refine the care coordination system that is intended to ensure there is no wrong door for consumers accessing care

• Strengthen the safety net for Coloradans so that nobody falls through the cracks

• Oversee the BHA Administrative Services Organizations to provide for reimbursement of care coordination, safety net, mental health, and substance abuse disorder services across a network of providers

• Support the organizational development of the BHA to continue leading the state’s vision and strategy for behavioral health

• Integrating behavioral and physical health care

• Developing and expanding the behavioral health workforce statewide to serve all diverse populations

• Coordinating with all state departments to advance behavioral health priorities

• Coordinating with Department of Public Safety, Department of Corrections, law enforcement, and the judicial system to ensure continuum of behavioral health services and quality of care for individuals in the judicial system

• Consulting with Tribal governments that have jurisdiction in Colorado on behavioral health care

Qualifications

We are seeking a Commissioner with a strong track record as a senior executive in a large organization or system, who brings to the table demonstrated expertise in evidence-based, data-driven leadership and strategy, with exceptional skills that propel strong, collaborative working relationships with peer Cabinet leaders.

Forging partnerships and coalitions across the care continuum; inspiring and supporting a committed staff; listening and learning from consumers, advocates, providers, and policy makers are critical for this role.

We require this person to have the executive leadership and managerial skills and experience necessary to oversee and direct the creation and implementation of the governmental, operational, regulatory, financial, and programmatic infrastructure which is the foundation of this initiative.

Equally important are the skills and values necessary to convene and facilitate respectful dialogue, advance evidence-based strategy, policy, and performance and be a champion for equity and measurable positive outcomes.

The Commissioner will be a servant leader with extraordinary vision who can realize that vision through a rich interaction with State partners, community members, advocates, consumers, policy makers, providers, staff, colleagues, and innovators.

The Commissioner must have a value set consistent with a culture that is based upon humility, respect, collaboration, high ethical standards, and a passion for BHA’s mission to empower the people of Colorado to thrive.

A minimum of 5 plus years’ experience in senior leadership roles, or its equivalent, is required.

Specific skills and commitments we are looking for in the next Commissioner include:

Management Skills: Possesses a proven track record managing staff, finances and a complex organization in a manner that is progressive, fair, and consistent.

Skilled and experienced in building, growing, and managing this organization.

Demonstrates an exceptional ability to excel as a builder of teams, initiatives, and ideas with a proven track record of success.

Leadership: Cultivates respect for their character and values.

Is well connected and has extensive experience working with local, regional, or national governmental, health care, policymaking and advocacy institutions and leaders.

Can inspire others and engage in collaborative leadership. Is adept at listening, learning, and modeling thoughtful dialogue and an exchange of ideas in periodic community engagements.

Collaboration: Works well with others, ultimately aligning on a common vision and achieving it, even in the face of challenge or adversity. Operates from a position of mutual trust and respect.

Vision & Creativity: Has experience solving systems-level problems and introducing new ideas that others may not have thought of. Is able to effectively harness the collective resources of the BHA, other policymakers, citizens, activists, and the media to realize this vision.

Diversity & Inclusion: Values and actively seeks out a variety of perspectives; creates a welcoming work environment which elevates the views of staff regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability status, Veteran status, and sexual orientation.

Ensures that policies and strategies developed by the BHA work for all Coloradans, including Tribal governments, and seeks the views of those from a diverse array of lived experiences in prioritizing the BHA’s work, generating ideas, and making decisions.

Communication Skills: Is an effective communicator, capable of conveying a vision to a broad audience.

Demonstrates superior verbal and written communication skills and can serve as the primary spokesperson for the organization, while directing and inspiring staff, leaders, and colleagues to effectively represent the organization in their areas of expertise.

Is able to distill complex ideas without losing nuance, can tailor messages to best meet audiences where they are, and makes all feel seen and heard.

Interpersonal Skills: Is well grounded in techniques and skills of listening, providing feedback, catalyzing learning, collaborating with Cabinet peers, and creative activity, promoting respect, and setting limits.

Knowledge/Understanding: Has a sophisticated understanding of the political, cultural, social, financial, and policy issues confronting our communities and has a strong understanding of the landscape of change and opportunity in this field.

Grounds priorities in data-driven strategy and evidence based policy making expertise.

Health Care Expertise: Has leadership experience in the field of behavioral health and health care, and demonstrates an understanding of factors that influence health care costs, quality, outcomes and access.

Organizational Skills: Is creative and imaginative. Has a proven ability to attract outstanding and diverse talent. Is resilient, decisive, and can stick to a plan and lead it through to completion. Is skilled at appropriately assigning responsibility and authority.

Conditions of Employment:

Applicants must pass a thorough background check prior to employment. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado; however, applicants must reside in Colorado at the time of employment.

Additional Information

To Apply:

A cover letter and resume must be submitted with the application for consideration.

Your cover letter and resume must provide sufficient detail about your background and experience to allow the screening panel to properly assess your experience in the required elements, including your experience and achievements.

The State of Colorado/Office of the Governor offers a generous benefits package including:

• Annual leave accrued at 13.33 hours per month (4 weeks a year)

• Sick leave accrued at 6.66 hours a month (10 days a year)

• 12 paid holidays per year

• Medical and dental plans

• State paid life insurance policy of a minimum of $50,000 or 1x annual salary

• Choice of 2 retirement plans

• 401K and 457 plans

• State paid Short Term Disability coverage

• Additional optional life and disability plans

• Credit Union Membership

• RTD pass

• Training and professional development

To learn more about State of Colorado benefits visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/benefits.

Inclusion and Belonging

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them.

Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

ADAAA Accommodations

The Office of the Governor is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals.

As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship.

If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Staffing Coordinator (the Senior Human Resources Director) at gov_hr@state.co.us.

Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado.

Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions.

Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.