Chief Medical Officer

Chief Medical Officer

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) functions as a key member of the BernCo Executive Team, reporting directly to the County Manager, providing input into policy decisions and medical leadership to all relevant divisions, departments, and offices, with the goal of promoting the delivery of high-quality health and behavioral health services within a sustainable budget. The CMO will interact on a regular basis with clinical and non-clinical staff and others as needed. Other key responsibilities include analysis of proposed policy and testimony before policy-making bodies, leadership on the social determinants of health, and serving as a liaison to the health and behavioral health care provider community.

Duties and responsibilities include :

• Lead, direct, and / or give implementation support to programs that improve the health or quality of care for the populations served.
• Lead, orchestrate, implement and / or sponsor programs to evaluate the quality of care. This evaluation enables the leveraging of new or existing purchasing and payment strategies.
• Support the negotiation and monitoring of health-related contracts. Negotiations can include deliberations on scopes of work, payment rates and structures, and terms and conditions.
• Lead efforts in better addressing the social determinants of health.
• Develop, lead, and / or participate in quality oversight for significant aspects of leveraging Medicaid for both county provided and contracted services.
• Provide medical leadership and consultation for employee benefit design, for correctional health and behavioral health at both the Metropolitan Detention Center and the Adolescent Services Center, for the Medical Directors of Fire / EMS, and for the 911 Emergency Contact Center (ECC).
• In accordance with Ordinance No. 2024-15, provide Medical Director services to the Behavioral Health Authority Division.
• Provide leadership on assuring greater integration of health and behavioral health care for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and those with traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
• Provide direct medical consultation for policy development, case reviews, and appeals.
• Serve as liaison with health and behavioral health care providers, the NM Medicaid Medical Director, Medicaid managed care medical directors, University of New Mexico Hospital Medical Directors, and other clinical partners to achieve program goals.
• Provide leadership to assure that BernCo maintains its various national health and behavioral health accreditations.
• Identify operational problems and formulate appropriate solutions.
• Prepare executive-level reports and correspondence.
• Act as liaison and exchange information with a variety of outside organizations.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Establish effective working relationships with management, employees, employee representatives, and the public representing diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Communicate effectively with a variety of individuals representing diverse cultures and backgrounds and function calmly in situations which require a high degree of sensitivity, tact, and diplomacy.
• Work with the NM Health Care Workforce Committee overseen by the UNM Health Sciences Center, and other allies, to seek solutions to better address health and behavioral health workforce shortages statewide.

Minimum qualifications include :

Preferred qualifications include :

Knowledge, skills, and abilities / competencies include :

Screening and compliance requirements include :

Working conditions include :

Equipment, tools, and materials include :