Registered Nurse - Inpatient Mental Health Program Manager

The Registered Nurse - Inpatient Mental Health Program Manager is a leadership position responsible for overseeing the clinical and administrative operations of the inpatient mental health unit at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center. Key responsibilities include coordinating with the Interdisciplinary Treatment Team (ITT) to develop and implement standard operating procedures and comprehensive inpatient mental health treatment plans for Veterans, focusing on recovery-oriented care.

Duties for this position include, but are not limited to :

• Oversees the Acute Mental Health Inpatient unit, a major program at GVSM VAMC, delivering specialized, complex, and highly professional care that significantly impacts Veterans' healthcare.
• Provides direct clinical services to veterans with mental health care needs.
• Manages key clinical, training, and administrative programs with full responsibility for day-to-day activities.
• Performs strategic planning and resource allocation to ensure high-quality services for Veterans.
• Ensures well-coordinated, high-quality post-discharge care for high-risk Veterans.
• Supervises direct reports, including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, nurses, psychologists, neuropsychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional mental health counselors, addiction therapists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and / or peer support specialists.
• Conducts performance evaluations, approve time and leave, monitor fund control points, and oversee daily operations, including budgetary oversight. Implement cost-saving measures without impairing operational effectiveness.
• Ensures compliance with local and system-wide program policy manuals and directives.
• Develops and implement programs, policies, and procedures to meet program goals, VHA policy, and accreditation requirements.
• Monitors outcomes using data-driven processes and implement improvement strategies based on data analysis.
• Ensures professional management of administrative accreditation responsibilities, including for the Joint Commission.
• Monitors and report to the Office of the ACOS regarding the status of Mental Health Performance Measures, overseeing corrective actions as needed.
• Prepares special reports, Congressional responses, briefing papers, issue briefs, and decision papers for Medical Center leadership.
• Serves as a high-level liaison with local, state, and national officials, community groups, and affiliate institutions as needed. Represent the Mental Health Service at meetings and educational conferences.
• Coordinates, leads, and assigns responsibilities to program staff in clinical team meetings, huddles, and monthly meetings.
• Engages with interdisciplinary treatment teams to develop and implement comprehensive, recovery-oriented treatment plans for Veterans.
• Monitors safety observation practices to ensure a secure care environment, addressing MHEOCC requirements.
• Leads efforts to prevent, reduce, and eliminate the use of seclusion and restraint per VHA guidelines.
• Collaboratively writes and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for inpatient mental health and / or other mental health programs.
• Adheres to, educates, implements, and sustains national, local, and program directives, guidelines, SOPs, and performance improvement actions.
• Provides direct clinical care to Veterans ensuring active involvement in patient management and care delivery.
• Patient care services may be delivered on the inpatient unit or in other outpatient or residential mental health settings, as determined by needs of the service.
• Provides a full range of nursing services as appropriate to setting.
• Participates in interdisciplinary treatment team (ITT) meetings as indicated, contributing to comprehensive treatment planning and coordination.
• Oversees the clinical work of unit or other staff, reviews documentation, and performs chart reviews to ensure quality of care.
• Provides clinical consultation to various disciplines and training levels.
• Provides clinical supervision to pre-licensure students or other personnel as appropriate to scope and licensure.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package : VA Nurse Total Rewards

Pay : Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards

Paid Time Off : 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Retirement : Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance : Federal health / vision / dental / term life / long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Licensure : 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory.

Work Schedule : 8 : 00 AM - 4 : 30 PM, Monday - Friday. Subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Telework : Not Available.

Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Relocation / Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized.