FEP Program Director

JOB SUMMARY:

The First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Program Director provides administrative and clinical leadership and strategic oversight for the Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) program, operating in alignment with the EPI-NC model established by the NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services (NCDHHS). This role ensures evidence-based, patient-centered care, aligning program operations with MAHEC’s mission and quality goals. This role is responsible for ensuring the program delivers recovery-oriented care to young people and their families experiencing a first episode of psychosis, with fidelity to the NAVIGATE model and compliance with applicable NC Medicaid, CCBHC, and FQHC standards.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the ongoing operations of the CSC/FEP program in accordance with EPI-NC requirements and NAVIGATE model fidelity standards, including policies, workflows, scheduling, and caseload management across all service components (IRT, SEE, family education, medication management, and case management).
• Provides direct supervision, coaching, and performance management for multidisciplinary CSC staff, including therapists, peer support specialists, supported employment and education staff, care coordinators, and other team members.
• Oversees onboarding, competency development, and ongoing training of team members to ensure adherence to EPI-NC standards and evidence-based practices.
• Serve as primary organizational liaison to the NC EPI-NC network, including participation in state-level learning collaboratives, fidelity reviews, and data reporting; ensure program infrastructure supports integration with primary care and CCBHC services.
• Maintain up to date clinical process guidelines relevant to the clinical Program.

• Coordinate with the Psychiatry Department on the development of onboarding and ongoing training using EPI-NC and NAVIGATE resources.
• Primarily complete intake assessments for referrals.
• Maintain caseload of therapy patients within the program.
• Provide direct clinical oversight for clinical care, management workflows, transitions of care, and high-risk patient interventions.

• Monitor program fidelity to EPI-NC and NAVIGATE standards; lead quality improvement activities using outcomes measures (e.g., BPRS, BASIS-24, employment/education status, hospitalization rates) and develop corrective action plans as needed.
• Oversee clinical documentation and billing standards for Medicaid, CCBHC per-diem, and Tailored Plan compliance; ensure credentialing and scope-of-practice requirements are met for all team members.

• Monitor clinical outcomes, utilization, and equity indicators; lead PDSA cycles for continuous improvement.
• Build and sustain referral pathways with emergency departments, inpatient units, primary care, schools, and community organizations; develop family psychoeducation programming and represent the organization in regional coalitions and LME-MCO/Tailored Plan forums.
• Partner with peer support networks and lived-experience advocates to shape program design, public education, and evaluation efforts.
• Build relationships with hospitals, community agencies, and regional partners to enhance care coordination and access.

• Manage program budget and contribute to grant applications, program development proposals, and strategic planning related to early psychosis services.
• Participate in CCBHC and FQHC quality reporting, UDS measures, and accreditation preparation; identify and pursue opportunities for program expansion and sustainability.
• Align program goals with MAHEC’s strategic priorities, payer requirements, and quality metrics.

This role description is a general description of the essential job functions.  It is not intended to describe all the duties the Behavioral Health Manager may perform.

KEY COMPETENCIES:

Communication Skills

Effectively and respectably communicate with other individuals, whether it be a colleague, patient, or patient’s family member and appropriately enumerate information in a manner easily understood by all parties. We do this to foster a culture of understanding between all parties, especially in complex and difficult situations, to ultimately provide the best care possible to our patients and their families.

Decision Making

Ability to make the most appropriate decision in a given situation and then taking the next steps to ensure appropriate and timely completion. This requires conflict resolution skills, critical thinking skills, confidence in your ability to make the right decision in most situations. This also includes ability to prioritize your workday appropriately to ensure the most important tasks are completed on time.

HealthCare Knowledge

Having the drive to keep yourself abreast and up to date on the new breakthroughs in your area of expertise and communicating them to the rest of the team, as appropriate.  This also includes keeping up with your licensure and yearly training requirements within your area expertise along with MAHEC’s organizational training. Finally, the ability to apply the depth of knowledge maintained and gained through this process in real life scenarios as appropriate.

Interpersonal Skills

Showing the ability to meet difficult situations with grace, professionalism, and understanding. Within your area of expertise, showing respect and showing empathy where appropriate with your colleagues, patients, and their family at all times, even when its most difficult to do so. This is done, in part, by effective listening, being your authentic self, showing responsibility and dependability, and being patient with others.

Organizational Values

Adherence to MAHEC’s founding principles and incorporating them every day. This includes, among others, having integrity and accountability, reverence for other cultures and equitable practices, ability to manage change, and displaying a clear understanding of organizational dynamics. Doing these things creates a culture where people want to do the best for each other and gives personal ownership towards the goal of helping people in their time of need.

Problem Solving

Having an analytical mind and ability to work autonomously to solve complex problems that may arise. The wherewithal to think logically through a difficult problem and come to an appropriate resolution for a given issue. This helps to drive continuous improvement by thinking through where we can improve in a novel way. Measures success by understanding where we are currently and where we want to go and then applying those new ideas to affect positive change.

SPECIFIED SKILLS

• COMPUTER
  • Excellent skills in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and database applications required.
• FOREIGN LANGUAGE
  • Spanish speaking skills preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Not Applicable.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Directly supervises assigned CSC Program staff, including therapists, Peer Support Specialists, Supported Employment and Education Specialists, Qualified Mental Health Professionals (QMHPs), trainees, and other designated personnel.

• Clinical supervision of LCSW-A or LCMHC-A, as appropriately licensed

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Master’s Degree or PhD in one of the Behavioral Health/Social Services sciences
  • Licensed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), or Clinical Psychologist (PhD or PsyD) in North Carolina.
  • Minimum of 3 years of post-licensure clinical experience in community behavioral health, with demonstrated experience serving individuals with serious mental illness or psychotic-spectrum disorders.
  • Minimum of 2 years in a supervisory or program leadership role; experience within an FQHC, CCBHC, or Medicaid-funded environment strongly preferred.

• PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Licensed as a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) in North Carolina.
  • Experience with or strong foundational knowledge of coordinated specialty care, first episode psychosis, or the NAVIGATE model preferred.
  • Strong supervisory and team leadership skills; commitment to recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive care.
  • Clinical competency in psychotic-spectrum disorders; knowledge of NC Medicaid managed care, Tailored Plans, CCBHC/FQHC standards, and applicable clinical coverage policies.
  • Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills; proficiency with EHR systems, including CCBHC-capable platforms preferred.

SCHEDULE:

Regular attendance on-site is an essential function of this position. Position may include some community-based work to support other staff on the team. Typical business hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (or flexed to best meet the needs of the clients and/or the Division); 40 hours per workweek; weekend, holiday, or evening coverage is occasionally required. Work hours will need to be flexible in order to respond to special work assignments, or evening activities, as requested by the team leader. This position participates in a on-call rotation for active patients.

COMPENSATION:

• $79,500 - $92,500 annually; salary amount determined at time of offer based on credentials and work experience as a licensed therapy provider billing insurance for clinical services
• 100% FTE (full time) role that qualifies for MAHEC's Total Rewards Package and annual continuing professional development allowance

At MAHEC, we strive to equip all team members with Total Rewards (pay + benefits) to honor their service, support their health, manage their financial security, build their career, and thrive.

All MAHEC employees and learners will be required to receive the Flu vaccine or have an approved exemption.

MAHEC Talent Management is located at 121 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803. Equal Opportunity Employer.

MAHEC is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Employees who meet federal requirements may be eligible to have remaining student loan balances forgiven after 10 years of qualifying payments while working full-time at MAHEC.

If you are interested in this role, and you have related experience and qualifications, we encourage you to apply or reach out to [email protected] for support in your job search process. You could be the talent we are seeking for this or other opportunities.