Behavioral Health Medical Director – Psychiatrist – California Medicaid (Part-Time)

Anticipated End Date:

2026-08-21

Position Title:

Behavioral Health Medical Director – Psychiatrist – California Medicaid (Part-Time)

Job Description:

Behavioral Health Medical Director – Psychiatrist – California Medicaid (Part-Time)

Location: This role enables associates to work virtually full-time, with the exception of required in-person meetings, providing maximum flexibility and autonomy. This approach promotes productivity, supports work-life integration, and ensures essential face-to-face collaboration. Please note that per our policy on hybrid/virtual work, candidates not within a reasonable commuting distance from the posting location(s) will not be considered for employment, unless an accommodation is granted as required by law. Candidates must live in California.  

Schedule: This is a part-time position working 25 hours a week. The hours are flexible, but you will be expected to work over 5 days a week. No weekend or holiday expectations.

The Behavioral Health Medical Director is responsible for overseeing California Medicaid behavioral health services, with a primary focus on conducting utilization management (UM) reviews across all levels of care. Key responsibilities include monitoring and analyzing behavioral health trends within the health plan, serving as a clinical advisor and thought leader through ongoing collaboration with health plan partners, and providing support to behavioral health UM and case management teams beyond individual case reviews. The position also offers cross-coverage support for other medical directors as needed, while maintaining a primary focus on California Medicaid behavioral health populations.

How you will make an impact:

• Supports clinicians to ensure timely and consistent responses to members and providers.

• Provides guidance for clinical operational aspects of a program.

• Conducts peer-to-peer clinical reviews with attending physicians or other providers to discuss review determinations, and patients’ office visits with providers and external physicians.

• May conduct peer-to-peer clinical appeal case reviews with attending physicians or other ordering providers to discuss review determinations.

• Serves as a resource and consultant for other areas of the company.

• May be required to represent the company to external entities and/or serve on internal and/or external committees.

• May chair company committees.

• Interprets medical policies and clinical guidelines.

• May develop and propose new medical policies based on changes in healthcare.

• Leads, develops, directs, and implements clinical and non-clinical activities that impact health care quality cost and outcomes.

• Identifies and develops opportunities for innovation to increase effectiveness and quality.

Minimum Requirements:

• Requires MD or DO and Board certification approved by one of the following certifying boards is required, where applicable to duties being performed, American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

• Must possess an active unrestricted medical license to practice medicine or a health profession in the state of California.

• Unless expressly allowed by state or federal law, or regulation, must be located in a state or territory of the United States when conducting utilization review or an appeals consideration and cannot be located on a US military base, vessel or any embassy located in or outside of the US. 

• Minimum of 10 years of clinical experience; or any combination of education and experience, which would provide an equivalent background.

• For Health Solutions and Carelon organizations (including behavioral health) only, minimum of 5 years of experience providing health care is required.

• Additional experience may be required by State contracts or regulations if the Medical Director is filing a role required by a State agency.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Child and Adolescent, Addiction Psychiatry/Medicine board certification preferred.  

Job Level:

Director Equivalent

Workshift:

1st Shift (United States of America)

Job Family:

MED > Licensed Physician/Doctor/Dentist

Please be advised that Elevance Health only accepts resumes for compensation from agencies that have a signed agreement with Elevance Health. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Elevance Health.

Who We Are

Elevance Health is a health company dedicated to improving lives and communities – and making healthcare simpler. We are a Fortune 25 company with a longstanding history in the healthcare industry, looking for leaders at all levels of the organization who are passionate about making an impact on our members and the communities we serve.

How We Work

At Elevance Health, we are creating a culture that is designed to advance our strategy but will also lead to personal and professional growth for our associates. Our values and behaviors are the root of our culture. They are how we achieve our strategy, power our business outcomes and drive our shared success - for our consumers, our associates, our communities and our business.

We offer a range of market-competitive total rewards that include merit increases, paid holidays, Paid Time Off, and incentive bonus programs (unless covered by a collective bargaining agreement), medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability benefits, 401(k) +match, stock purchase plan, life insurance, wellness programs and financial education resources, to name a few.

Elevance Health operates in a Hybrid Workforce Strategy. Unless specified as primarily virtual by the hiring manager, associates are required to work at an Elevance Health location at least once per week, and potentially several times per week. Specific requirements and expectations for time onsite will be discussed as part of the hiring process.

The health of our associates and communities is a top priority for Elevance Health. We require all new candidates in certain patient/member-facing roles to become vaccinated against COVID-19 and Influenza. If you are not vaccinated, your offer will be rescinded unless you provide an acceptable explanation. Elevance Health will also follow all relevant federal, state and local laws.

Elevance Health is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, genetic information, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Applicants who require accommodation to participate in the job application process should submit the following form: Accessibility Accommodation Request Form and a member of the team will be in contact. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws, including, but not limited to, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act.

Prospective employees required to be screened under Florida law should review the education and awareness resources at HB531 | Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.

NOTE: Workday keeps job postings active through 11:59:59 PM on the day before the listed end date. Example: If the end date is 3/13, the posting will automatically come down on 3/12 at 11:59:59 PM. In other words — the job is posted until 3/13, not through 3/13.