Division Chief of Behavioral Health and Trauma Services

The Agency You’ll Join: The New York City Mayor’s Office is responsible for overseeing city services throughout the five boroughs, coordinating public agencies and departments, and managing public property. The administration is leading the fight in making the city more affordable, reducing inequality, improving public safety, ensuring delivery of efficient and effective services, and working to make New York City’s economy stronger. We value leadership, transparency, fairness, and efficiency as we actively seek diverse talents from various sectors to join our team. For current job opportunities, visit our careers page.

The Team You’ll Work With: The NYC Office of Community Safety (OCS) advances a whole-of-government approach to violence prevention and public safety that addresses gun violence prevention, hate crime prevention, survivor services, domestic and gender-based violence prevention, and innovations in crisis response services. The Office oversees the Office of Crime Victim Services,¿Office to Prevent Gun Violence, Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, Office for the Prevention of Hate¿Crimes¿, and the Office of Community Mental Health.

The Problems You’ll Solve: The Division Chief of Behavioral Health and Trauma Services serves as a member of the Office of Community Safety's Senior Leadership Team and provides strategic leadership for the City's crisis response, trauma recovery, and behavioral health portfolio. Reporting directly to the Commissioner, the Division Chief oversees the Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH) and leads the Office's efforts to strengthen crisis response, expand trauma recovery and health and behavioral health supports for people impacted by violence, build the civilian workforce needed to deliver these services, and advance cross-system strategies for individuals whose behavioral health needs intersect with community safety and the criminal legal system.

This includes oversight of B-HEARD and other crisis response initiatives and helps shape the Office's broader approach to supporting individuals, families, and communities affected by violence and trauma. The Division Chief will work across health, behavioral health, forensic, criminal legal, and community-based systems to identify gaps, strengthen existing services, and assess where OCS should develop or expand direct services to improve safety and outcomes.

Behavioral Health and Trauma Strategy:

• Set the strategic direction for OCS’s crisis innovation, trauma recovery, and behavioral health portfolio.
• Lead the continued development and expansion of B-HEARD and other innovative crisis response initiatives.
• Develop strategies that strengthen trauma recovery, expand behavioral health supports, and improve safety for individuals, families, and communities impacted by violence.
• Develop strategies for individuals whose behavioral health needs intersect with community safety and the criminal legal system, including people with serious mental illness and substance use disorders.
• Assess gaps across existing health, behavioral health, forensic, and community-based systems and identify where new services, programs, or direct-service capacity may be needed.
• Lead efforts to build and strengthen the civilian workforce needed to deliver crisis response, trauma recovery, behavioral health, and violence prevention services.
• Advise the Commissioner and Deputy Mayor on crisis response, behavioral health, and trauma recovery policy, strategy, and emerging issues.

Program Oversight, Fiscal Management, and Implementation:

• Oversee the strategic direction, implementation, and performance of OCMH's programs and initiatives.
• Manage the division's budget, staffing, contracts, and other resources to ensure effective implementation and responsible stewardship of public funds.
• Partner with the Division of Operations, OMB, City Hall, and other agency partners on budget, procurement, contracting, and operational matters affecting the division.
• Oversee contracted providers and funded partners, ensuring accountability, program quality, and alignment with Office priorities.
• Monitor program performance and outcomes and drive continuous improvement through data, research, and evidence-informed practices.

Interagency Coordination and External Partnerships:

• Build and maintain strong partnerships across City agencies, healthcare and behavioral health systems, forensic providers, criminal legal system partners, community-based organizations, and other key stakeholders to advance the division's priorities.
• Coordinate across City agencies and with internal operational teams—including budget, contracts, human resources, legal, and research—to support effective implementation of division initiatives.
• Represent the Office in interagency initiatives, public forums, advisory bodies, and external meetings related to the division's portfolio.
• Convene and engage advisory boards, working groups, and other stakeholders to strengthen collaboration, inform policy, and identify emerging needs.

Team Leadership and Management:

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team responsible for crisis response, trauma recovery, behavioral health innovation, workforce development, and strategic initiatives.
• Establish goals, priorities, and performance expectations and ensure accountability for results.
• Foster a collaborative and mission-driven team culture while supporting staff development and leadership growth.
• Build and sustain a high-performing team by supporting effective recruitment, retention, and professional development.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Work closely with other members of the Senior Leadership Team to advance agency priorities and strategic initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

About You:

• You can demonstrate experience leading behavioral health, crisis response, public health, healthcare, or related initiatives.
• You can demonstrate deep knowledge of New York City's behavioral health, healthcare, and forensic mental health systems, including how they intersect with the criminal legal system.
• You can experience managing complex programs, partnerships, and initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
• You can assess service gaps and translate policy, clinical, and system knowledge into practical programs and service models.
• You have proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.
• You can demonstrate strong relationship-building skills and experience working across government, healthcare, and community-based organizations.
• You have Excellent strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• You have Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• You have Commitment to advancing equitable, trauma-informed, person-centered approaches to crisis response, recovery, and community safety. Minimum Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in behavioral health, forensic mental health, healthcare, crisis response, public health, public safety, social services, or a related field, including at least three (3) years of supervisory or management experience.

Additional Information

• In addition to the resume, a cover letter is required to apply.

Minimum Qualifications

• Do you have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university?
• Do you have an associate degree from an accredited college or university along with two (2) years of experience with administrative, analytic, coordinative, supervisory or liaison responsibilities?
• Do you have a four-year high school diploma, or its educational equivalent approved by a state's Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization along with four (4) years of experience as described in question "2" above?
• Do you have a satisfactory combination of education and/or experience equivalent to that described in questions "1," "2," and/or "3" above?

Preferred Skills

• Master's degree in public health, public administration, public policy, social work, psychology, counseling, nursing, medicine, business administration, or a related field.
• You have Current New York State licensure as a behavioral health clinician (e.g., LCSW, LMSW, LMHC, LMFT, Psychologist, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, or Psychiatrist).
• You have Experience designing or overseeing crisis response, behavioral health, trauma recovery, or violence prevention initiatives.
• You have Experience managing large public investments, grants, contracts, or behavioral health service portfolios.
• You have Experience working at the intersection of behavioral health and the criminal legal system, including forensic mental health, diversion, reentry, or related initiatives.
• You have Experience designing, launching, or overseeing direct behavioral health or crisis services.
• You have Experience working in or partnering with New York City's behavioral health, healthcare, or hospital systems.
• You have Knowledge of New York City's behavioral health, crisis response, and community safety landscape.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of the interview.