Program Specialist VII

Job / Position DescriptionProgram Specialist VIIThe Behavioral Health Policy Specialist reports to the Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for the Office of Mental Health Coordination (OMHC) in the Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Department.

The Behavioral Health Policy Specialist has knowledge about the Texas behavioral health landscape including systems of care, policies, and services.

The Behavioral Health Policy Specialist uses this knowledge and the expertise of stakeholders to develop behavioral health policies, inform behavioral health services design, re-design, and implementation, and strengthen provider performance in the implementation of services.

The Behavioral Health Policy Specialistand#146;s expertise is used to inform behavioral health policies and services administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and other institutions (i.

e., state agencies and institutions of higher education) who also receive state funds for behavioral health trainings and services, which often requires cross-agency collaboration for effective implementation.

Essential Job FunctionsAttends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.

40% : This position will consult with BHS Department leadership to re-envision and operate the BHS Departmentand#146;s Behavioral Health Policy Committee.

The position is expected to design, facilitate, and implement all activities towards successful implementation of the Committee.

Committee operations may include communication and involvement of other HHSC program or service areas, as well as other state agencies or institutions of higher education if Committee focal points have impact to their books of business.

30% : This position will lead time-limited non-service projects as assigned by the Deputy Executive Commissioner for the BHS Department, the Associate Commissioner for OMHC, and the Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives.

These special projects may include stakeholder engagement, policy development, report writing and presentations, and training and technical assistance.

15% : This position may attend and present at behavioral health conferences or like events, serve on boards and other state or national groups as requested, ethically permissible, and approved, and engage in other opportunities that may arise to strategize a statewide, strategic approach to advancing the stateand#146;

s behavioral health services system.15% : This position advances the behavioral health services system of care through partnering with program areas to develop exceptional items and statutory initiatives, meeting with legislative offices to provide behavioral health services information, responding to legislative inquiries, and testifying at legislative hearings.

The position must analyze and interpret federal and state legislation for impact to HHSC, particularly, the BHS Department book of business.

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or CertificationsNo license, certification, or registration is required to perform the duties of this job.

Knowledge Skills Abilitiesand#149;Knowledge and experience of the legislative process.and#149;Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws related to behavioral health.

• and#149;Knowledge of the public behavioral health system in Texas including publicly funded Managed Care operations. and#149;
• Knowledge of behavioral health programs and the associated policies and principles of behavioral health services.and#149;

Knowledge of evidence-based practices related to behaviora Copy the URL in the preceding sentence to an Internet Explorer browser to apply to the job directly through the Texas Health and Human Services Career Portal.