DSHS WSH Chief Medical Officer

Posting number: 2026-05182

Department: Dept. of Social and Health Services

Division: BHHA

Job classification: EXEMPT MEDICAL BAND

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Mental Health, Executive Management

Summary

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) – Gage Center for Forensic Services (GCFS), Western State Hospital

The Behavioral Health & Habilitation Administration (BHHA) provides high-quality inpatient forensic psychiatric care for individuals adjudicated Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI), those requiring Competency Restoration, and individuals referred for inpatient forensic evaluation among other court orders. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) serves as the highest-level clinical executive for the Gage Center for Forensic Services (GCFS) at Western State Hospital (WSH). Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the CMO is a key member of the Executive Cabinet and Governing Body, responsible for strategic, clinical, and administrative leadership of all medical services across a 458-bed forensic psychiatric hospital.

In this role, you will lead multidisciplinary clinical teams, oversee hospital-wide medical operations, and ensure compliance with federal and state regulations including CMS Conditions of Participation, RCW, WAC, HIPAA, and professional standards of practice. You will shape the hospital’s clinical strategy, strengthen workforce stability, and guide GCFS through major organizational transitions, including preparation for the new forensic hospital.

This is an opportunity to lead transformational change in one of Washington’s most complex healthcare environments. The successful candidate will improve service delivery, build high-performing clinical teams, and leave a lasting impact on forensic psychiatric care statewide.

Pierce County employees are eligible to receive an Orca Card for transportation needs.

Some of what you’ll do:

• Plan, organize, direct, and evaluate all psychiatric and medical services across GCFS, ensuring safe, high-quality, patient-centered care.
• Lead strategic planning and operational execution for medical services, ensuring alignment with GCFS mission, values, and certification requirements.
• Build, mentor, and supervise senior medical leaders including psychiatrists, physicians, ARNPs, psychologists, and clinical administrators.
• Oversee recruitment, retention, credentialing, and privileging of licensed medical staff to ensure 24/7 coverage and compliance with CMS standards.
• Monitor hospital performance across Medical Services, Clinical Laboratory, Radiology, Physical Therapy, and the Medical Clinic.
• Lead development of key performance indicators to improve operational efficiency, staff satisfaction, and patient outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with CMS Conditions of Participation, accrediting bodies, RCW, WAC, HIPAA, and DSHS/BHHA/GCFS policies.
• Oversee treatment planning processes, review complex clinical cases, and guide quality improvement initiatives. Coordinate admissions to ensure timelines established by law are met.
• Partner with nursing, rehabilitation, social work, and other disciplines to ensure integrated, person-centered care.
• Prepare GCFS for transition into the new forensic hospital, including operational readiness and clinical process redesign.
• Manage a large operating budget and influence additional financial drivers including staffing, and external medical contracts.
• Provide timely responses to assignments from DSHS, BHHA, and the CEO.

What we’re looking for:

Required Qualifications

• Valid license to practice Medicine and Surgery in Washington State.
• Board Certification in General Psychiatry. Forensic training and board certification is not required but is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated medical executive leadership experience.
• Experience integrating private-sector management practices into public healthcare systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five years of medical executive leadership experience.
• Experience in forensic or carceral psychiatric settings.
• Ability to inspire teams and communicate effectively.
• Model humility, flexibility, and collaborative leadership.
• Strong data analytic skills and experience with budgets, policy development, and personnel management.
• Training or experience in systems management.
• Demonstrated ability to build, support and lead highly effective teams.
• Navigate complex interpersonal and operational challenges.
• Commitment to equity, social justice, and reducing bias in healthcare delivery.

Why a person would want this job:

This role is challenging, fast-paced, and deeply meaningful. The CMO works with highly professional, high-functioning teams and sees the direct impact of their leadership through improved safety, stronger clinical outcomes, and enhanced patient care. Success in this role brings a profound sense of accomplishment, especially when data shows measurable improvements in treatment quality and hospital operations. This role also offers the authority to move certain projects forward that often get stuck in red tape. The complexity of GCFS ensures continuous learning, growth, and the opportunity to develop advanced leadership skills that shape statewide forensic mental health care.

What a person learns, does, and becomes:

The CMO develops sophisticated leadership capabilities, gains experience solving complex clinical and interpersonal problems, and builds frameworks for addressing similar challenges more efficiently over time. This role strengthens strategic thinking, systems leadership, and the ability to guide large-scale organizational change.

Telework:

Telework is available part-time, as coordinated with the CEO and Executive Cabinet.

Questions?

Email Jourdan Kovacs at jourdan.kovacs@dshs.wa.gov, reference 05182. Learn more about DSHS at www.dshs.wa.gov.

The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision that you bring a fairness, access, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to support all Washingtonians, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.

Supplemental information

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.
 
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protect­ed veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at (360) 725-5810. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
 

 
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