Behavior Health Director
Salary
$51,693.41 - $90,847.95 Annually
Location
38 - LAUDERDALE COUNTY, MS
Job Type
Full-Time
Job Number
9063-0372-20261023laud
Department
0372 - MH-EAST MS STATE HOSPITAL
Opening Date
10/26/2026
Closing Date
11/2/2026 11:59 PM Central
Agency Minimum Salary
$51,693.41
Agency Maximum Salary
$90,847.95
About the Agency
East Mississippi State Hospital is a state-operated healthcare facility under the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, providing comprehensive inpatient psychiatric, residential, substance use disorder, and long-term care services to individuals across the region. Through a multidisciplinary approach, EMSH serves a diverse population with an emphasis on safety, quality care, recovery-focused treatment, and person-centered support. In addition to its psychiatric services, EMSH operates specialized programs and nursing home services across multiple campuses, including Meridian, Newton, and Kemper, to meet a broad range of clinical and operational needs. EMSH is committed to delivering high-quality care while maintaining compliance with applicable state, federal, and accreditation standards.
About the Position
The Behavioral Health Director provides leadership, coordination, and oversight for Behavioral Health Services at East Mississippi State Hospital under the direction of the Assistant Director of Psychiatric Services. The position is responsible for coordinating therapeutic programming, supervising assigned behavioral health staff, monitoring clinical documentation, supporting interdisciplinary treatment-team activities, tracking service-delivery and performance data, and assisting with quality improvement and approved program initiatives. The Director helps ensure that Behavioral Health Services are delivered in a timely, organized, recovery-oriented, and clinically appropriate manner consistent with hospital policies, regulatory requirements, and established clinical standards. The position also supports staff scheduling, workload distribution, survey readiness, documentation improvement, and ongoing evaluation of behavioral health services.
What youll need to be Successful
To be successful in this position, the Behavioral Health Director must demonstrate strong leadership, organization, communication, and the ability to coordinate behavioral health services within an inpatient psychiatric setting. The Director should be able to supervise staff effectively, monitor documentation and service delivery, identify performance concerns, support quality improvement, coordinate treatment-team communication, and ensure appropriate staffing and service coverage. Success also requires sound judgment, professionalism, accountability, adaptability, and the ability to work collaboratively with the Assistant Director of Psychiatric Services and other disciplines to support recovery-oriented patient care.
Preferred Qualifications
Typically requires a Bachelor's degree and 4-7 years of experience. Agency preferred qualifications: For this functional assignment, related experience should include behavioral health, psychology, counseling, therapeutic programming, clinical services, healthcare operations, program coordination, staff supervision, or another closely related area.
No available description
Health/Prescription Insurance
Eligible employees have the opportunity to participate in the state's health and prescription insurance program. Employees may select either single or family coverage with affordable co-payments. More detail can be found at Know Your Benefits.
Wellness Benefits
Employees are eligible for a wellness and health promotion program. This plan provides annual benefits for certain services with first-dollar coverage with no deductible.
Life Insurance
All eligible employees receive an actual term life insurance policy upon employment. The policy coverage is two times the employee's annual salary to a maximum of $100,000. More detail can be found at Life Insurance Choices.
Optional Insurances
Many agencies offer discounted premiums for dental, vision, and cancer insurance.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Many state agencies provide opportunity for employees to participate in pre-tax spending accounts. These accounts allow employees to withhold childcare expenses and unreimbursed medical expenses prior to application of state and federal taxes.
Paid Personal Leave and Sick Leave
Full-time employees receive paid time off for personal needs and for sick leave. Leave begins accruing after one month of employment and may be used as it is accrued. Employees earn approximately 18 days of personal leave annually and 12 days of sick leave annually.
Military Leave
In accordance with federal law, all employees serving in the armed forces or the military reserves are entitled to 15 days per year for military training.
Holidays
Employees receive up to 10 paid holidays to enjoy many of our nation's celebrations with family and friends.
Retirement Programs
The State of Mississippi provides all its employees a Defined Benefit/Defined Contribution Retirement Program. Employees become vested in the State's retirement system after 8 years of employment. Both you and your employing agency contribute toward your retirement. More detailed information regarding the State's retirement program can be found at http://www.pers.state.ms.us
Deferred Compensation
State agencies offer several opportunities for their employees to participate in a deferred compensation voluntary retirement savings plan. More information can be found at Deferred Compensation.
State Credit Union
All state employees are eligible to participate in the Mississippi Public Employees' Credit Union. This organization offers state employees special savings and borrowing plans. For more information about this program, call 601.948.8191.
Tuition Reimbursement
Many state agencies provide opportunities for their employees to achieve higher education through tuition reimbursement. Common programs include medical and nursing fields, accounting, and business/administrative fields.
Career Development and Training
The Mississippi State Personnel Board offers several management and administrative certification programs, as well as professional development courses to enhance employee value to the agency. Individual agencies also offer technical training and allow membership in professional organizations to employees in their specific fields of employment.
Promotional Opportunities
Employees who have completed 6 or more months of service are eligible for promotional opportunities within state government employment. Minimum qualifications must be met.
Career Ladders
Many job classifications provide career-ladder opportunities based upon attainment of competencies. These career ladders can increase an individual's salary, provided funds are available within the agency.
01
How many years of experience do you have?
02
What is the highest level of education (or semester hours of college) you have completed?
03
Do you possess the following Special Qualifications? A master's degree in psychology, Counseling, Social Work, Behavioral Health, Healthcare Administration, or a related field is preferred. Experience in inpatient psychiatric services, therapeutic programming, behavioral health staff supervision, clinical documentation review, interdisciplinary treatment-team coordination, quality improvement, and regulatory compliance is also preferred. Applicable professional licensure or behavioral health credentials are preferred when relevant to the employee's discipline and assigned responsibilities.
Required Question
Employer State of Mississippi
Address 210 East Capitol Street
Suite 800
Jackson, Mississippi, 39201
Phone 601-359-1406
601-359-1406
| Location | Lauderdale County, MS |
| Salary | $51,693.41–$90,847.95 Per Year |
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