Assistant Director of Legal Involved Services

The Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) is seeking a dynamic applicant to fill the role of Assistant Director of Legal-Involved Services. 

The Assistant Director of Legal Involved Services, under the supervision of the Director of Legal System Involved Services for Individuals, will assist in managing, planning, and supporting the implementation of all Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) activities related to the provision of services for individuals dually impacted by substance use disorder and legal system involvement. This position will have a particular emphasis on the involuntary civil commitment process for individuals with alcohol or substance use disorders under Chapter 123, Section 35. This position will also supervise program coordinators who are responsible for Re-Entry for specialty populations and the Massachusetts Impaired Driving program.

This position will represent BSAS and will collaborate with other state agencies and community health providers to increase efficiencies of best practices between systems, and for policy formulation and improvement. This position will also supervise the Section 35 Civil Commitment Coordinator who will assist in providing guidance to BSAS contracted providers and other functions related to the improvement of the civil commitment service delivery system. This position will include supervision of placement determinations in line with ASAM criteria.

The Assistant Director will inform policy development; recommending to leadership the development of evidence-based and trauma responsive services that are reflective of the Bureau’s commitment to racial equity. This position will include contract management of the Bureau’s involuntary civil commitment/Section 35 vendors and review of data collection and evaluation efforts in addition to other projects and assignments.

The Assistant Director will be expected to provide policy guidance and expertise to the Bureau on related projects such as service and workforce capacity building, support with developing Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant goals, providing input into Requests for Response (RFR’s), reviewing proposals, and responding to requests for information, and other related BSAS legal system involved matters.

 Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and are not all inclusive):

• Support the development and implementation of relevant policies and best practices.

• Oversee the policy development and implementation of best practices for working with individuals with SUDs and legal system involvement with a particular focus on providing education.
• Train and consult on best practices and continuous quality improvement strategies related to the involuntary civil commitment process for individuals with alcohol or substance use disorders under Chapter 123, Section 35.
• Facilitate integration and cross-systems improvements with organizations that intersect with the issues of substance use, legal system involvement and involuntary civil commitment.
• Review and analyze qualitative and quantitative data related to legal system involvement to determine progress and effectiveness, to make recommendations for the development and/or improvement of section 35 procedures, guidelines for system/program planning implementation, and operations.
• Provide leadership in the development of evidence-based and trauma responsive services that are reflective of the Bureau’s commitment to racial equity.
• Contract management of the Bureau’s involuntary civil commitment/Section 35 vendors'.
• Supervise the Legal system involved services staff.
• Assist with RFR writing and review process.
• Supervise the timely and effective referral, placement and discharge of committed individuals; as well as supervising stakeholders regarding Section 35 policies and processes/procedures a