Criminal Justice Behavioral Health Administrator (HCPM/DBHR)

Salary : $80,496.00 - $108,228.00 Annually
Location : Thurston County - Olympia, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
Remote Employment: Remote Optional
Job Number:
Department: Health Care Authority
Division: BHR
Opening Date: 10/26/2026
Closing Date: 11/16/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Salary Information: The high end of the salary range, Step M is typically a longevity step

Description
Criminal Justice Behavioral Health Administrator

This is a full-time permanent, remote position. Employees may occasionally be asked to attend an in-person meeting or event based on business needs.

All HCA employees are required to be Washington state residents upon their first day of employment.

The Opportunity

Bring your expertise at the intersection of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and the criminal legal system to a role with statewide reach. The Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) is seeking a Criminal Justice Behavioral Health Administrator (Health Care Program Manager) to lead strategy and implementation for Washington's statewide approach to SUD treatment for people involved in the criminal legal system, across jails, prisons, courts, and law enforcement. You will oversee policy and administration of the $30 million Criminal Justice Treatment Account (CJTA), influence the state's response to applicable federal and state policy changes affecting individuals with behavioral challenges and criminal legal system involvement, and translate legislation and policy into practical plans with measurable outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide administrative leadership, technical assistance, and training to the counties, regions, and behavioral health agencies that receive CJTA funding.
• Formulate and update statewide CJTA policy and contract language, monitor the biennial budget, and lead programmatic decisions on its implementation.
• Plan and facilitate quarterly meetings of the Statewide Criminal Justice Treatment Account Panel (RCW 71.24.580),
• Lead data improvement efforts with county and regional BH-ASO contractors.
• Facilitate the Criminal Legal Opioid and Overdose Workgroup, and all relative initiatives, as part of statewide efforts to address overdose and substance use for individuals in the criminal legal system under the State Opioid and Overdose Response Plan.
• Advise on the impacts of the Medicaid 1115 reentry waiver, H.R. 1, and other state and national policy, and respond to ad hoc requests from legislators and the Governor's Office
• Facilitate sequential intercept model (SIM) mapping with the Administrative Office of the Courts to identify gaps in services at each intercept.
• Identify and apply for federal grants, submit required reports, and negotiate and manage performance-based contracts tied to each award.
• Lead the adoption of national best practice standards across therapeutic courts, including expanding access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in court and jail settings.
• Provide subject matter expertise on various statewide workgroups, including the Reentry Access Workgroup and the Washington State Tribal Opioid and Fentanyl Task Force's Public Safety and Justice System workgroup.
• Manage cross-agency efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in therapeutic courts.

Why You'll Love This Role

• You'll shape how Washington supports people with substance use disorders as they move through the criminal legal system, from first contact through reentry and recovery.
• You'll lead statewide work at a pivotal time, as the Medicaid 1115 reentry waiver and federal policy changes reshape care for justice-involved individuals.
• You'll work alongside courts, counties, Tribes, and community partners to build a more compassionate, evidence-based system.
• You'll work remotely, with occasional travel to connect with partners across the state.

What You Bring

You lead with compassion and respect, putting people first and recognizing the unique needs of those impacted by the criminal legal system, considering overlapping identities. You are a collaborative consensus-builder who can bring partners like law enforcement, courts, treatment providers, advocates, and government together around a shared goal, even when priorities compete. You are proactive in offering strategies and solutions, leveraging data, research, and experience to inform your decision-making. You think strategically, stay steady in a fast-changing policy landscape, and hold yourself accountable for results. You communicate clearly with audiences ranging from county officials to legislators, and you bring an equity lens to every decision.

Required Qualifications

Experience may have been gained through paid or unpaid activities. Please ensure any relevant experience defined below is outlined in your cover letter, resume, and application.

• Demonstrated experience translating organizational priorities, legislative direction, health care policy, and/or emerging program needs into short- and long-term strategies, program objectives, implementation plans, and measurable outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience establishing performance expectations and assessing program quality, effectiveness, outcomes, risks, and operational performance.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and manage significant programmatic risks, including regulatory, fiscal, contractual, operational, and/or reputational, and establish controls, mitigation strategies, and corrective actions that protect program integrity and support organizational objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and build consensus with cross-system partners, such as criminal legal system staff, advocates, providers, and state and local government officials, toward a shared goal while establishing accountability and resolving competing priorities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of national and local best practices in behavioral health care in criminal legal system settings, including evidence-based and research-based practices.
• Demonstrated proficiency in mental illness and substance use disorders.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity for individuals with behavioral health disorders involved in the criminal legal system.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Washington State drug policy landscape.

Required Competencies

• Equity lens - All HCA employees are required to consider equity in their decisions, processes, and day-to-day work, including how their work may affect the people and communities we serve.
• The ability to take action to learn and grow - You take action to learn and grow by seeking new perspectives, learning from experiences, and using what you've learned to continuously improve how you work and serve others.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others - You take action to meet the needs of others by listening, understanding different perspectives, and responding with care, respect, and solutions that support the people of the communities we serve.

Preferred Qualifications

While these are not required, having them may help you stand out as an applicant.

• A bachelor's or master's degree in public health, behavioral health, public administration, business administration, social work, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated consultative or supervisory experience in health services, social services, Medicaid, behavioral health, or other health care programs.
• Experience as a Health Care Program Specialist in State government.
• Demonstrated experience developing, writing, administering, and managing grants, including monitoring requirements, deliverables, and outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience managing contracts, including monitoring performance, deliverables, compliance, and contract requirements.
• Demonstrated experience applying knowledge of the Washington State Medicaid landscape, behavioral health systems, and the needs of individuals experiencing mental health and/or substance use disorders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage program budgets, expenditures, contracts, staffing or other resources; establish priorities; evaluate competing demands; and allocate resources to achieve program objectives while maintaining fiscal and operational accountability.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex information clearly and effectively through verbal and written communication with diverse internal and external audiences.

About the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR)

The Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) provides leadership to improve the health status of vulnerable populations, improve economic stability and self-sufficiency, and improve individual and public safety. DBHR promotes strategies that support healthy lifestyles by preventing the misuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs and supporting recovery. This position is located in the Criminal Legal Systems & Blake Projects Unit within DBHR's Adult Substance Use Disorder Treatment Section.

Supplemental Information

Work Location and Schedule: This is a full-time 40-hour-per-week remote position. Our standard business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with alternative work schedules considered based on business needs and supervisor approval. In this role you will regularly collaborate with colleagues, agency leaders, state and federal partners, and other external partners or customers. Occasional travel may be required for meetings, training, or other business needs. All employees are required to report to our Olympia office on their first and final day of employment.

Application Directions

To be considered, you must complete the online application in full and submit all required materials. Incomplete applications or applications missing required materials will not be considered. When completing your application, please include the following required materials:

• Cover letter: describing your qualifications for this specific position
• Resume: that details your applicable experience and education.
• Three (3) professional references: References must be entered directly into the designated references section of your application. We require 3 professional references including at least one current or recent supervisor.

We encourage you to apply! If you meet the required qualifications for this position, we want to hear from you. Desired qualifications describe additional experience, knowledge or skills that may be helpful in the role, but they are not required to be considered for the position. We welcome applicants with different backgrounds, experiences, identities, and perspectives.

Veterans: We value the experience and skill veterans bring to the workforce and encourage veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses to apply. Eligible veterans may qualify for veterans' preference in accordance with Washington State Law. If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must attach your applicable DD-214 documentation to your application. Please redact your social security number, date of birth, and any other sensitive information before uploading and attaching the document.

Union Representation: This position is covered by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). Once the position(s) is(are) filled, this recruitment announcement may also be used to fill additional position(s) for up to sixty (60) days.

Need accommodations or have questions? If you have questions, need assistance with the application process, require an accommodation, or would like to request this posting in an alternative format, please contact Lisa Fleming, Human Resource Consultant (Recruiter) at and reference the recruitment title and job number in the subject li