Candidates who identify with one or more of the following are STRONGLY encouraged to apply:
• Lived experience with addiction and/or mental health challenges and in recovery for at least one year.
• BIPOC-identified individuals.
• LGBTQIA+ identified individuals.
• Veterans.
General Summary
The Office of Behavioral Health Advocacy (OBHA) is an independent body protecting the interests of Washingtonians engaged in behavioral health services and their loved ones by providing consulting, resources, advocacy, and mediation for complaints against behavioral health services by individual providers and facilities. As such, the OBHA directly upholds the rights of individuals who are experiencing challenges in the public and private behavioral health systems in one of the ten regions established across Washington State. The responsibility of the Behavioral Health Advocate is to represent the constituents of their assigned BHASO district and provide them with the full breadth of behavioral health advocacy services.
Primary Responsibilities
· Identify, investigate, and resolve complaints made by, or on behalf of, service recipients and/or their supports who are receiving behavioral health services by providers or facilities.
· Assist and advocate on behalf of service recipients or their supports or behavioral health providers or facilities before government agencies seeking administrative, legal or other remedies on their behalf, if appropriate
· Inform service recipients or their loved ones and their representatives about applicable patient and resident rights and information.
· Recruit, train, supervise and mentor an Advocacy Coordinator (if applicable) and volunteers.
· Identify annual goals and ensure direct reports can meet those goals.
· Support and/or advocate for service recipients or their loved ones in resolving grievances up to and including appeals and fair hearings.
· Build and maintain working relationships with area behavioral health service providers.
· Provide referrals to other government offices when issues presented do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Behavioral Health Advocate
· Build relationships with staff, members, and community stakeholders to provide services that best serve the needs of those seeking OBHA services.
· Facilitate monthly Regional Advisory Committee meetings.
· Report quarterly to the Behavioral Health Advisory Board for the region assigned on service area recommendations.
· Informing and educating individuals, family members, stakeholders, and area service providers on the services that OBHA provides and the rights of individuals receiving behavioral health services.
· Respond to all phone calls and emails within five business days.
· Must be available to address extreme issues that occur during agency hours
· Work with your direct reports and other staff in the planning and logistics for all OBHA specific events
· Maintain clear communication with staff and volunteers. This includes keeping the Director updated on weekly schedules and copied on all important communication.
Preferred Qualifications
· Conflict resolution experience
· Experience with documentation via database
Additional Compensation
· Starting Wage $ 30.70 - $ 33.30 per hour DOE
· Paid Vacation Time – 3 weeks per year, accrued at 4.615hrs per biweekly pay period, 120-hour maximum annual carryover.
· Paid Sick Time – 80 Hours per year, accrued at 3.077hrs per biweekly pay period, 480-hour maximum annual carryover.
· Two Personal Days if hired prior to May 8, 2025. Three Personal Days per quarter thereafter. Personal days do not carry over from year to year, have no monetary value, and are forfeited upon employment separation.
· Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, and Long-Term Disability; employee premiums covered by employer at 100% for employees.
· Simple IRA through Charles Schwab with an employer match of up to 3%
· Employee Assistance Program through Mutual of Omaha
· Work cell phone through AT&T
· Peer Washington covers the employee portion of Washington Unemployment and Paid Family Medical Leave at 100%.
