Medical Director-Jail Health Services - Seattle King County Public Health (Job)
Description:
Jail Health Services (JHS), a division of Public Health | Seattle & King County, is searching for a visionary and mission driven Health Officer/Medical Director to foster a culture of collaboration, teamwork, clinical excellence, and superior operational performance.
The Health Officer/Medical Director is designated as the responsible physician by our accrediting body and has the final medical authority regarding health services and clinical decisions. They oversee clinical care provided to patients in our correctional facilities and ensure we meet high quality standards and patient trust, understanding trauma informed care and factoring equity into key decisions. They are also responsible for setting clear clinical direction; managing people and practice changes; implementing quality improvement initiatives; and ensuring the development and maintenance of clinical protocols, policies, and guidelines.
As a member of the JHS leadership team, the Health Officer/Medical Director will collaborate with clinic leaders to execute strategies to further the division’s overarching goals. They report to the JHS Division Director and supervise various teams including the Medical Provider Team, Pharmacy Supervisors, Dentist, and Deputy Medical Director. This role requires the ability to navigate complex care cases and be a trusted advocate for patients and staff. They will also need to stay abreast of national trends and changes within the correctional health field to anticipate future needs and requirements.
The ideal candidate will be a licensed physician with extensive experience in critical care and public health environments and have a background to address emergent issues; oversee major program change; incorporate the patient voice in practice improvements; and remain calm and confident to work effectively in times of crisis and through change management initiatives. We are looking for candidates who are passionate about serving others and making a positive impact in our community in providing high quality care and services to patients.
Reasonable and necessary moving expenses up to a maximum of $15,000 may be available if the successful candidate is relocating from outside of Washington.
About Jail Health Services:
JHS provides needed health and social services to the incarcerated population located in the King County jails – King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle, WA and Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent, WA. The primary services we provide include medical, dental, mental health, social and release planning services, treatment of substance use disorders, and pharmaceutical services. We care about the patients we serve and their health outcomes. Our division includes over 250 employees and an annual budget of over $60 million.
- Our Purpose: To assure that high-quality health and human services are available to the incarcerated population in the King County adult correctional facilities.
- Our Vision: Opening doors to healthier, happier lives.
- Our Mission: To assess and stabilize serious health problems for the detained population of the King County Correctional Facility and the Maleng Regional Justice Center with a focus on transition from jail.
Staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, JHS provides a broad range of health care to all individuals booked into the jails. For patients with serious mental health or medical conditions, special housing units (psychiatric and infirmary) along with a higher level of services and medical monitoring are provided. Since the patient population varies both in numbers as well as in acuity of health conditions, staffing is adapted and flexed to meet the constantly changing needs of the population.
JHS staff manage the complex health needs of underserved populations, many of whom come to the facility without access to care in the community and with decompensated acute and chronic health conditions.
Commitment to Equity and Social Justice:
Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation’s history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.
We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.
To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx
Work Schedule
The normal work week is Monday through Friday, with some evening, night, and weekend work as necessary.
This non-represented position is designated exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not overtime eligible.
Job Duties:
The Health Officer/Medical Director will partner closely with the Division Director to further division goals that are equity focused, strategic, innovative, and people centered. Responsibilities include:
Medical Director Duties:
- Lead and oversee the ongoing evolution of clinical services: design and implement systems and co-create plans to be responsive to patient and program needs; provide direction and determine priorities which includes the assessment and assignment of various bodies of work, distribution of the work, and to determine the appropriate clinical classification to perform the work.
- Oversee and participate in the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinical protocols, policies, and guidelines to include manuals, job aids, treatment guidelines, and service delivery models.
- Collaborate with clinic leadership and staff to ensure smooth clinical workflow and operational performance.
- Serve as a key point of contact for case reviews and testimony as needed for various legal and risk management processes.
- Drive improvement and change initiatives to ensure that JHS practice is aligned with current best practices and legally mandated care and services.
- Participate in quality improvement initiatives with internal and external committees to maintain high quality care and identify areas for improvement; regularly review clinical performance of medical providers; work with clinic leaders to ensure compliance with accreditation
Skills/Eligibility:
Supplemental Information:
Forbes named King County as one of Washington State’s best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, we’re changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation’s best places to live, work and play.
Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.
King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Who May Apply:
The vacancy is open to all qualified applicants. Highly competitive candidates will be invited to participate in a series of interviews, which are tentatively planned on the following schedule: *Information Sessions* if requested to learn more about the position.
- The week of June 29th, 2025 (virtual) - tentatively
- The week of July 14th, 2025 (virtual) - tentatively
Those who successful pass the interviews will be invited to an in-person meet and greet with staff that is tentatively scheduled for the week of July 28th, 2025with the successful candidate identified and scheduled to start with JHS in late September/October or early November.
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted. Please do not copy and paste your entire job history as your answers to the supplemental questions, as these will be considered incomplete.
Necessary Special Requirements:
- The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplement
How to Apply:
To apply: