BHA-Criminal Justice Substance Use Treatment Licensing Manager

Salary : $72,264.00 - $115,632.00 Annually
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: ILA 02498 11-02-02-2026
Department: Colorado Department of Human Services
Division: BHA -
Opening Date: 11/02/2026
Closing Date: 11/16/2026 10:00 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Type of Announcement: This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Primary Physical Work Address: 3824 West Princeton CircleDenver, CO 80236
Hiring Pay Rate:
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information: Gerald.Barajas@state.co.us
Salary Note: Although the full salary range for this position is provided, appointments are typically made at or near the range minimum.
How To Apply: Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.

Department Information
Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.
This position is open to current Colorado residents only.

This position is designated at Remote, On Site as needed - Subject to change
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CDHSCareers

Description of Job

About this Position:
This position, located in the Licensing and Designation work unit within the Quality and Standards Division, is responsible for regulatory oversight specific but not limited to criminal justice and/or the Colorado Department of Corrections; this work unit is responsible for monitoring compliance of providers to rule and statute in licensing and designation. This unit is responsible for overseeing the survey monitoring function, regulatory and statutory compliance, adverse licensing actions, enforcement of regulations, and technical assistance to internal and external stakeholders. This position ensures that a high standard of care is honored and implemented, to meet the Behavioral Health Administration's vision of having a comprehensive, equitable, effective continuum of behavioral health services that meets the needs of all Coloradans.
The team has behavioral health experts from a variety of specialty areas who represent the BHA on various state level task groups and commissions. This position's specific subject matter expertise is related to the provisioning of substance use disorder treatment services for individuals involved in the criminal justice system and/or incarcerated in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Personnel use their expertise to provide technical assistance to provider agencies to promote system and service improvements

Summary of Duties:

This position is the Staff Authority and statewide expert on Substance Abuse and Mental Health treatment agencies specific to Criminal Justice, Colorado Department of Corrections, and substance use disorder treatmentI; its knowledge of the statute and rule. This Staff Authority represents Colorado on inter-agency task forces and committees and nationally in a variety of forums. Other state agencies, such as Colorado Division of Criminal Justice Services (CDJS), Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE), Health Care & Policy Financing (HCPF), Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) and the state Judicial system rely on guidance from this authority in order to provide treatment services in accordance with state statute.
This position conducts licensing activity for the full array of ASAM IV substance use disorder treatment services and/or levels of care. The BHA has been designated as the lead authority state agency on drug and alcohol abuse prevention,intervention and treatment issues. This position is responsible for ensuring provision of effective and appropriate intervention services and is responsible for coordinating those services with prevention and treatment services. This position has authority to grant, deny or revoke licenses to substance use treatment specific treatment agencies throughout Colorado. This position also acts on complaints against licensed treatment agencies, examining critical incidents for further investigation and enforcing corrective actions. This position may also be required to oversee compliance for both private/state agencies and youth substance use treatment facilities, substance use disorder treatment licenses and mental health designated facilities.
This position is responsible for the ongoing implementation of regulation and periodic update and re-drafting of regulation when necessary. This position coordinates stakeholder engagement and dissemination of information critical to the implementation of ASAM IV levels of care, and the BHA's regulatory standards for the treatment of substance use disorders statewide in accordance with 2 CCR 502-1 Chapter 10, Services for Criminal Justice-Involved Individuals,inclusive of but not limited to assessment, evaluation, and substance abuse disorder treatment.

Licensing Designation, Inspection and Investigations of SUD and MH Providers:

This position provides the licensing and/or designation for behavioral health agencies wishing to obtain BHA's

endorsement of their service quality and/or capacity within the criminal justice system, Colorado Department of Corrections, and private sector agencies. It compares behavioral health rules, statutes governing behavioral health services, and BHA's policies and procedures in order to make determinations as to whether or not an agency (private and/or state governed) is licensed for substance use disorder services or designated for mental health treatment. This position also conducts provider site visits for the purpose of determining contract or license/designation compliance using a standardized risk-based protocol to look for indicators of quality assurance activities, compliance with BHA rules, and compliance with terms of behavioral health contracts between BHA and service providers. These site visits may be conducted together with other work units within BHA and may happen concurrently with the provision of population-based technical assistance. Fieldwork travel is required

Rule Drafting specific to the BHA Licensing and Designation of SUD and MH Services:

This position is viewed as an Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the purpose of contributing to the writing and promulgation of rules that authorize and implement Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Mental Health (MH) treatment in BHA Licensed and/or Designated facilities that provision ASAM IV services to the criminal justice population across the state of Colorado.
Works with the Policy, Strategy and Communications group to maintain congruence in communication with CDHS/BHA and consults with that group regarding information that could benefit the public through on-line or web-based communication and media messaging.

Provide Technical Assistance in Accordance with BHA Regulatory Standards:

This position provides technical assistance to programs, agencies and stakeholders in order to:

• Assist Licensed and Designated agencies to come into compliance with BHA licensing or designation requirements.
• Identify evidence-based or best practices that are used to treat individuals with a specific disorder or issue.
• Support implementation of continuous quality improvement projects to improve quality of care and outcomes related to the population.
• Promote understanding of behavioral health disorders and state of the art knowledge regarding prevention, treatment and recovery models.
• Participation in staff development, discipline specific meetings and conferences, and collaborative learning experiences as these are available to further one's own knowledge base evaluating whether treatment modalities, clinical interventions, medication management practices, and recovery support services are appropriate for criminal justice populations and consistent with recognized evidence-based practices and risk-reduction strategies. .

This position exercises significant Staff Authority in the oversight, evaluation, and regulation of mental health and substance use disorder treatment services for criminal justice populations subject to court-ordered evaluation and treatment requirements. The position serves as a recognized subject matter expert in behavioral health treatment programming within correctional and criminal justice settings and is relied upon by management, providers, and stakeholders to interpret and apply complex behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment and licensing regulations. The position independently provides authoritative guidance and technical direction to state-operated and private sector agencies regarding regulatory compliance, evidence-based treatment practices, clinical safety standards, and corrective actions necessary to maintain licensure and program integrity. This position regularly develops and delivers onsite training and technical assistance to providers, correctional agencies, and community stakeholders regarding evolving federal and state requirements, including guidance issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration. A comprehensive working knowledge of behavioral health regulations, criminal justice treatment models, federal guidelines, and BHA policy is essential, as the recommendations and determinations made by this position directly influence licensing outcomes, corrective action decisions, program operations, and the safe delivery of treatment services across the criminal justice system.

Other Duties as Assigned:

This position may be called upon to perform tasks or undertake special assignments or projects deemed necessary by BHA, but not specifically referenced in the above duties

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST IV (HIG4XX)Experience Only:
Seven (7) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position- Substance use disorder treatment, Government Oversight & Compliance, Healthcare/Health facility.

OR
Education and Experience:
A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to seven (7) years.

Degree Areas: Behavioral Health, Social Work, Psychology, Public Administration, Public Health, Healthcare Administration, or related fields.

Substitutions:

Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

• Government Oversight & Compliance: Background navigating regulatory compliance, government oversight processes, quality assurance, or policy enforcement.
• Experience working in licensed Health/Healthcare facility: Practical experience working within behavioral health, mental health, or broader healthcare settings.

Inclusivity Note: In alignment with a broad approach, related social science or administrative degrees are fully acceptable, and equivalent practical experience in regulatory compliance or behavioral health can substitute for specific degree paths.
Conditions of Employment:

• (Standard/full)background check and reference check required
• This position requires State of Colorado residency at the time of application (unless otherwise identified in the posting), and residency within the state throughout the duration of employment in this position.
• Motor Vehicle Check , if the employee will drive a state-owned vehicle, either in an on-going capacity while performing their normal day-to-day job duties OR on occasion for training/meetings/client visits/etc.
• Must possess a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver's License or an non-restricted U.S. Driver's License for positions within 30 miles of the CO state border
• Out-of-State Driver's License holders must obtain a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver's License within 30 days of employment start date.
• Other Conditions of Employment specific to Program
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must:

1. Disclose that information on the application.
2. Explain why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify you from the current positio