Behavior Health - Full-Time Psychiatrist to serve as an Associate Medical Director for Managed Care

Advancing the Public Behavioral Health System

The Behavioral Health Services Department (BHSD) with the County of Santa Clara is seeking a full-time BC Psychiatrist to serve as an Associate Medical Director for Managed Care to join our dynamic practice.

About Our Organization

BHSD is part of an integrated public health system that serves the residents of Santa Clara County. Together with Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH), which is the second-largest County-owned health and hospital system in California with four public hospitals and a thriving network of primary care, urgent care and dental clinics, as well as Custody health, the County of Santa Clara is committed to improving the health of the 1.9 million people of Santa Clara County.

As one of the largest public behavioral health systems in California, BHSD provides the full-behavioral health spectrum of services that include inpatient, outpatient and crisis continuum levels of care, in addition to a robust substance use services system of care. BHSD is unique in its organizational structure as it relates to the physical healthcare system, allowing for significant coordination between the two systems. Providers use the behavioral health electronic platform Netsmart myAvatar but also have the opportunity to use the hospital system’s Epic Systems to bring together systemwide patient information. BHSD contracts with a network of over 30+ agencies that deliver rich range of services, which include Full Service Partnerships (FSP), Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT), Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), Care Court, outpatient clinics, crisis residential as well as a full continuum of substance use services such as Withdrawal Management, Substance Use Residential, Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient. Additionally, SCVH operates an inpatient adult acute psychiatric hospital along with an Emergency Psychiatric Services (EPS), and by late 2026, these services are planned to move into a new, state of the art Behavioral Health Pavillion on Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s campus. This new facility will provide emergency, urgent and inpatient psychiatric services to adults, adolescents and children. This building will be the first county-operated, public inpatient psychiatric facility specifically for children and adolescents in California.

About the Community

BHSD is located in Santa Clara County, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, with San Jose as its largest city, offering a diverse choice of cultural, recreational, and lifestyle opportunities. Our physicians live in a range of communities, including urban (e.g., San Francisco), university (e.g., Palo Alto), high tech (e.g., many cities of Silicon Valley), mountain (e.g., Los Gatos), beach (e.g. Santa Cruz), and rural/agricultural (e.g., Morgan Hill and Gilroy). Situated in one of the most desirable regions of the country – only 45 minutes from the Monterey Bay and three hours from the Sierra Nevada – our physicians have the opportunity to enjoy a very high quality of life.

About the Behavioral Health Services Department (BHSD)

The public behavioral health system is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to comprehensive, high-quality, culturally responsive mental health services and substance use disorder treatment for the most vulnerable residents. We support individuals affected by mental illness and substance use disorders through coordinated, person-centered care delivered in the least restrictive environment.

We serve diverse populations, including Medi-Cal beneficiaries requiring specialty mental health and substance use treatment services, individuals in need of involuntary psychiatric evaluation and treatment, youth eligible under AB3632, justice-involved individuals, and residents experiencing acute behavioral health needs without adequate resources.

Guided by values of dignity, recovery, and inclusion, our strategic priorities include improving timely access to services, expanding treatment and housing capacity, addressing the needs of high-risk populations, strengthening the behavioral health workforce, and adapting to evolving state policies to better serve our community.

About the Position

The Associate Medical Director for Behavioral Health Managed Care at BHSD is primarily an administrative role that will provide clinical leadership on managed care functions for the County of Santa Clara’s mental health and substance use disorder services. This individual will provide clinical leadership, oversight of utilization management, and quality operations for mental health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) services, specifically Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery Systems (DMC-ODS). They will ensure compliance with state/federal regulations, support work of network providers, and perform peer reviews to optimize care as needed. In collaboration with BHSDs Medical Director, and Director of Managed Care Operations, the incumbent will ensure BHSD is meeting its contractual and clinical obligations as the Behavioral Health Plan for the County of Santa Clara.

• Deep knowledge of Medi-Cal regulations, Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery Systems (DMC-ODS), and clinical coding.
• Strong communication skills to represent the department to stakeholders and community partners.
• Ability to evaluate complex clinical cases and utilize data to drive decisions.
• In-depth knowledge of current behavioral health best practices, the Recovery Model, strength-based treatment, and the integration of primary care and behavioral health systems.
• Expertise in diagnosis, treatment, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance.

The applicant must have an active, unrestricted license to practice medicine (MD or DO) in California, typically specializing in Psychiatry. The ideal candidate would have demonstrated experience in managing medical teams, peer review processes, and quality improvement initiatives relating to behavioral health services.

About Compensation and Benefits

We offer competitive compensation; a generous comprehensive benefit package (including 36 days of leave per year; 13 holidays; 5 CME days); comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage; long-term disability insurance; AD&D insurance; life insurance; retirement plans; paid malpractice with tail coverage; and possible relocation reimbursement (pre-approval required).

Employees may be eligible for federal loan repayment assistance. For information regarding the National Health Service Corp (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program and other related programs, please visit and.

The San Francisco Bay Area is well known for its rich diversity of cultures. SCVH seeks candidates whose experiences have prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. The County of Santa Clara is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious belief, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or preference, pregnancy, marital status, disability, medical condition, political belief, veterans’ status, organizational affiliation or association with any individual in any of these groups. SCVH is committed to inclusion for all of its patients, employees, and community.