SUD Care Authorizer Clinical Specialist (PPMIII)

Full Job Description

The Department of Community and Human Services values diverse perspectives and life experiences.

The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with lived experiences.

King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community.

At King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), we believe in working as one team that solves problems—striving to be customer-focused and drive for the best results.

We envision a welcoming community that is racially just. We believe the field of human services exists to undo and mitigate unfair structures.

We seek to lead the way by working as respectful and responsible stewards for our community.

The Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD) of DCHS is looking for a SUD Clinical Specialist to work within the Utilization Management and Clinical Coordination Section.

This position will hold direct responsibility in program management, utilization management, supervising, and providing clinical support to the SUD Care Authorizers.

WHO MAY APPLY: This position is open to all qualified candidates who meet the minimum qualifications. Interviews for this selection process will take place on or around 5/20/2026.

APPLICATION PROCESSIf you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

• NeoGov Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete, and will be used in the screening process)
• Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete, and will be used in the screening process)

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

This selection process may also be used to create a pool of candidates for current and future career service, term-limited temporary, and special duty opportunities. The pool will be active for 6 months.

WORK SCHEDULE/CONDITIONS: This position is exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime. Typical hours are Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm.

MISSION CRITICAL POSITION STATUS: This position has been designated Mission Critical.

Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather.

For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency.

TELEWORKING REQUIREMENT: DCHS works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is the Chinook Building at 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely.

The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.

Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

RECRUITER: Greg Mallory, grmallory@kingcounty.gov

Requirements

• Manage SUD residential and acute withdrawal management programs, including quality improvement and contract compliance related activities.
• Provide clinical consultation, supervision, and technical assistance to the SUD Care Authorizer team.
• Monitor performance to foster employee development and engagement activities, including activities pertinent to Equity, Race, and Social Justice.
• Perform utilization management, clinical care coordination, and service authorization of SUD residential and acute withdrawal management requests, and client services via the Client Services Line.
• Coordinate and/or facilitate various meetings. This includes the section staff meeting, SUD team, SUD Care Coordination, SUD Residential Provider, MCO rounds, and care coordination request meetings.
• Liaison with the Managed Care Organizations to ensure delegated responsibilities are within scope and operated in a manner that benefits clients in King County.
• Support clinical coordination between inpatient and outpatient services.
• Provide technical assistance to providers in areas identified through utilization management and the Clinical Provider’s workgroup.
• Facilitate cross-section collaboration.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Qualified Substance Use Disorder Professional (SUDP) as defined by Washington Administrative Code 246-811-010 and Revised Code of Washington 18.205. License must be current and in good standing.
• Expert-level ability to work independently to manage complex programs/projects.
• Experience providing direct SUD treatment or behavioral health services, including care coordination, at a community behavioral health agency serving low-income, publicly funded individuals.
• Experience providing supervision at a community behavioral health agency serving low-income, publicly funded individuals.
• Experience working with and advanced knowledge of the behavioral health system.
• Knowledge and experience in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rules and regulations related to behavioral health and the Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act application to Medicaid programs.
• Knowledge of behavioral health recovery principles and practices.
• Knowledge of and experience working with culturally diverse populations.
• Embody principles of equity, race, and social justice.
• Strong interpersonal and listening skills to support a collaborative team environment.
• Strong organizational skills to support the development and maintenance of internal policies and procedures, job aids, and inter-rater reliability exercises related to clinical staff functions.
• Ability to analyze successes and failures for clues to improvement. Openness to change.
• The most competitive candidates will also have the following

Desired Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Additional Information

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.