Vice President of Open Access

** This is a NEW leadership position as part of our Strategic Plan.  The position will work across PCH sites in Berwyn, La Grange, and Hickory Hills. **

Summary

The Vice President of Open Access is responsible for developing and leading organizational initiatives to enhance accessibility to services across all program areas. Responsible for implementing an open access (“walk-in”) triage program.   This includes developing and implementing open access policies and overseeing the implementation of an open access model where brief triage screens are used to determine assessment and immediate service needs based on caller request and clinical recommendation.

Ensures Access Team is staffed to be able to quickly consider if primary need directs individual to access care through the Health Center, the Community Mental Health Center, or to Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault Services.  

General Responsibilities

• Serves as integral member of Pillars Community Health leadership team.
• Provide effective and inspiring leadership.
• Demonstrates and promotes leadership values of honesty, trust, accountability, and collaboration.
• Demonstrates and promotes open line of communication.
• Works collaboratively with other management team members to leverage cross- program strengths and integration of services, to take advantage of new opportunities and to address organizational challenges.
• Ensures activities within area of direct responsibility, and leadership and management in general, operates ethically and within parameters of Pillars Community Heath mission, vision, and standards of conduct.
• Promotes culture of high performance and continuous improvement by, among other things:
  • Remaining current on industry best practices related to areas of responsibility and improving internal systems with eye towards future needs and within budget parameters.
  • Instilling a coaching/mentoring culture to further develop organizational leadership and succession and promote accountability.
  • Demonstrates in self and promotes cultural humility and sensitivity, equitable and just practices, mutual respect, and inclusiveness.
  • Actively commit to the value of supporting a diverse work force reflecting the diversity of our communities, consumers, and stakeholders.

Essential Position Duties and Responsibilities     

• Coordinates implementation and development of an open access model that ensures welcoming and same-day availability for diagnostic evaluations, intakes, and follow-up appointments across all service areas, inclusive of medical, dental, behavioral health, and domestic violence and sexual assault.
• Oversees the Behavioral Health Crisis program and ensures coordination between the crisis program and all other service areas.
• Works with the Director of Crisis to ensure compliance with requirements for crisis services.
• Ensures implementation of universal screenings at every access point
• Collaborates with program leadership to develop and implement standardized care pathways stemming from a universal access protocol.
• Ensures immediate access for urgent appointments, including an appropriate response to behavioral health crisis.
• Drives key aspects of patient logistics as a part of the strategic plan to align with key growth strategies or other defined KPIs.
• Implements and successfully operationalizes use of standardized evidence-based screening tools, use of clinical pathways to support the stated and identified needs of the person or family being served.
• Leads development of “welcoming” approach to all access points and ensures processes, spaces, and interactions are welcoming to any individual seeking services.
• Ensures persons served, stakeholders, and community members are aware of the array of services at Pillars Community Health and how to access them.
• Participates in planning process and open communication with Chief Program Officer (CPO), Chief Population Health Officer (CPHO), and Chief Operations Officer (COO), and Program VPs and Directors for program development, resource deployment and utilization, community linkages. Ensuring inter-programmatic collaboration.
• Ensures compliance with program goals and objectives for the programs.
• Works with Chief Program Officer and VP of Grants & Government Relations to complete all grant reports and requirements in a timely fashion.
• Develops strategic plan and works with CPO, CPHO, and COO in a planning process for ongoing program and outcome development.
• Collaborates with Service Delivery Operations Team, and specifically VP of Centralized Services, to align open access services and central support services in creating and maintaining a welcoming environment for our clients and patients.
• Provides clinical and administrative supervision. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include but are not limited to hiring and training staff; planning, assigning, and directing work; evaluating performance, providing coaching and development (inclusive of providing clinical support, clinical and administrative supervision for direct service work) to enhance professional development and ensure quality services, addressing concerns and resolving problems, and completing administrative documentation as required by the position.
• Actively promotes ongoing collaborations with other providers, funders, and community members.
• Participates in maintenance of CQI standards to support excellence in service delivery, responsiveness to community needs, enhanced understanding of community needs and commitment to the mission of the organization.
• Establishes and implements staff protocols; ensures existing protocols are updated and trains staff accordingly.
• Ensures staff attendance at all-staff meetings and all other required meetings including consultation meetings, therapy team meetings, weekly supervision and any other organizational required meetings.
• Completes regular program evaluations and inter-agency communication to ensure that the program continues to achieve objectives effectively.
• Provides crisis support to programs as needed.
• Participates in all team, department, and organizational meetings and training requirements.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervises:

• Director of Access
• Director of Crisis

Other Duties

• Adheres to OSHA guidelines for a safe work environment.
• Follows all rules required to comply with confidentiality and HIPAA policies.
• Complies with all applicable laws, including but not limited to medical records laws, OSHA, billing and coding laws and regulations, and the corporate compliance program of Pillars Community Health

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with a disability to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

Education & Experience

Master’s degree in Public Health with a Community Health focus, Social Work, Counseling, Healthcare Administration, or related field required. At least five (5) years of demonstrated leadership experience in community health.  Prior experience in program design and implementation required.  Experience leading teams where brief triage screens are used to determine assessment and immediate service needs is required.   Prior experience in crisis response work in a behavioral health setting is also required.

Skills

• Strong strategic and operational planning skills
• Excellent leadership and project management capabilities
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of implementing evidence-based practices.
• Demonstrated knowledge of using data to analyze program effectiveness and incorporate changing community needs with continuous improvement.
• Committed to the mission and vision of the organization.
• Demonstrated knowledge of policies and regulations related to access in healthcare and safety net programs.

Other

Local travel among sites and to community events and functions, trainings, etc. Some statewide travel required. Normal accessibility and mobility through the sites navigating stairs, inclines, ramps, carpeted, smooth and rough surfaces.