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General Counsel

STRIDE Community Health Center is a 501(c)(3) Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with a 30-year history of providing primary care and other health-related services in a community-based setting. Established in 1989 in response to the primary health care needs of the medically indigent population in suburban Denver, STRIDE Community Health Center has the largest population base of any FQHC in Colorado and provides primary care, dental, pharmacy, behavioral health, health education, care coordination, patient navigation, pharmacy, and outreach and enrollment services in accordance with its mission.

General Purpose: The General Counsel is an integral member of STRIDE’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and plays a fundamental role in supporting STRIDE’s healthcare delivery services system. The General Counsel must have a proven track record in managing the legal affairs as well as the risk management, regulatory, licensure, compliance, and privacy functions for STRIDE. This position is responsible for providing counsel on legal implications and considerations relative to business practices and organizational strategies and monitors and advises on legal trends and issues which must be considered with organizational decision making. The role provides interpretation and advises on adherence to applicable laws, rules, and regulations. The General Counsel will also provide internal expertise in interpretation of regulatory guidance for applications and submissions for licensure, designations and operating under Federal and Colorado Law. Additionally, this role provides oversight for organizational compliance and risk management. This position reports directly to the President and Chief Executive Officer and serves as an internal resource for executive and department leaders to ensure programmatic compliance and risk management, in our increasingly complex healthcare environment.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

Legal Affairs:

• Provides legal advice and support to executive leadership and the Board of Directors including but not limited to legal implications and consideration, relative to business operations, practices, organizational strategies and legal trends.
• Understands strategic initiatives and business needs; provides legal and organizational counsel on issues which must be taken into account when decisions are made.
• Advises the organization on litigation and other risks of business decisions and provides preventive counsel.
• Focuses on the efficient delivery of outpatient/ambulatory medical, behavioral health, oral health services, operations management, customer service, grievances, quality and excellence, compliance, and facility planning.
• Provides legal advice to ensure adherence to applicable laws, rules and regulations governing the organization.
• Responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of all patient, client, employee, protected and proprietary information.
• Provides oversight and management of general legal matters to support the organization including but not limited to review, drafting, negotiation, and finalization of contracts, licenses, consulting agreements, service agreements, strategic alliances/MOU's, compliance and employment matters.
• Consults with outside counsel on matters requiring areas of specialty (e.g. Employment law, FQHC regulations).
• In coordination with President & CEO and executive leaders, develops, implements and maintain legal policies, procedures and practices as well as related training.
• Design and implement strategies to apply a racial justice and health equity lens.
• Creates and maintains centralized resource for information on health care law and regulations that impact the organization and stays abreast of changes and trends.
• Identify, track, analyze, prioritize, influence, and strategically act on relevant policies/legislation and regulatory affairs pertaining to community health centers.
• Other duties/projects as assigned.

Risk Management

• Oversees risk management framework that supports the organization.
• Communicates and provides support and education on risk management practices and outcomes.
• In conjunction with all levels of leadership and process participants, identify areas of organizational risk and mitigation strategies.
• Provides leadership, oversight and support to the compliance team in the development and maintenance of an effective audit program, training developed from the identified regulatory and risk strategies.
• Perform an annual assessment of the organization’s entity-level controls including governance practices and present annual best practices benchmark report to the CEO.
• Oversee the coordination of the annual insurance policy review and renewal processes.
• Other duties/projects as assigned.

Compliance

• Serves as Compliance Officer and provides regular reports to the CEO and Board of Directors Compliance Committee.
• Manages organizational and regulatory compliance oversight to ensure independent assessment of organization functions and governance. Develops and maintains the organization Compliance Plan as well as compliance policies and procedures.
• In collaboration with the executive team, organize the delivery of programs that increase compliance awareness, leadership and investigation of non-compliance.
• Manages the Compliance Committee ensuring follow-up on findings and corrective actions.
• Oversees the process to identify potential areas of compliance vulnerability; responds to violations or investigations, works with appropriate leaders to develop and implement corrective action plans for resolution and provides guidance to prevent future issues.
• Provide a regulatory review of materials and written responses related to any violations.
• Ensure organizational compliance with all Designations, Certifications and Accreditation.
• Other duties/projects as assigned.

Privacy

• Develops, implements and maintains agency wide Privacy and Confidentiality policies and associated procedures, forms and HIPAA records filing system in accordance with HIPPA Laws.
• Establishes and oversees a process to monitor all standards and practices related to privacy and confidentiality including but not limited to requests for an accounting of disclosures in accordance with the organizations procedure for disclosure accounting and proved oversight and management of the response, implementing appropriate safeguards for protection from intentional or unintentional unauthorized uses and disclosures of PHI, oversight to patient requests related to PHI as well as requests related to deceased individuals, and cooperate with any privacy investigation by the Department of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights and investigates, addresses and responds to all privacy and confidentiality issues or breaches and mitigates the effects of any unauthorized use or disclosure of PHI or other privacy and security violations.
• Review Maintain current knowledge and application of regulatory changes
• Ensure that records are retained in accordance with the organization’s records retention procedure.
• Ensure workforce training and awareness programs in HIPAA Privacy and Security requirements in accordance with the organization’s workforce training procedure.
• Routinely evaluate security and audit processes. Keep triggering events chart (HIPAA Ready Reference) up to date.
• Other duties/projects as assigned.

Leadership

• Superior management skills; ability to influence and engage direct and indirect reports and peers and in building, mentoring, and coaching a team of staff specialists.
• Provide direct leadership for direct and indirect reports including, but not limited to, assigning tasks, establishing work standards, monitoring progress and workflow, performance management and employee development.
• Sustain a high performing team focused on the organization’s evolving legal and compliance needs, standardization of programs and processes and create a clear vision for departments marked by collaboration, transparency, opportunities to learn.
• Manage and effectively balance conflicting priorities between the departments’ immediate needs and the priorities of longer-term organizational objectives.
• Model and promote leadership expectations and behaviors consistent with the organizational values of Humanity, Equity, Excellence, and Integrity.

We Offer $140,000-$170,000 annually including:

• Medical, Dental, and Optional Vision Insurance.
• Paid-Time-Off (PTO) and paid holiday!
• Company Paid Life Insurance, short term, and long-term disability.
• A 401K retirement savings plan & match!
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Dependent Care options.
• Tuition reimbursement
• And more!

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Excellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills, including negotiation and conflict-resolution skills
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; excellent interpersonal relations and ability to influence negotiations and resolutions
• Stature, gravitas, and confidence to gain the credibility and respect of high-performing Board of Directors.
• Ability to make decisions in a changing environment and anticipate future needs.
• Thorough understanding of the major Federal and State laws and regulations that govern non-profit health care providers.
• Proven track record of strong negotiation, communication, organizational and people management skills and the ability to influence, collaborate and build relationships.
• The successful candidate must be familiar with state and federal laws and regulations and be skilled in organizational management with the ability to analyze financial and statistical information. Knowledge of: clinical service level benchmark standards, financial management, marketing, development and community outreach. Being well versed in performance improvement principles a plus.
• Experience with compliance related issues and the management or oversight of litigation.
• Experience providing strategic, business, and legal counsel to executive management.
• Proficiency in MS Office.
• Requires the ability and commitment to respect and support inclusiveness and diversity including but not limited to individuals of different backgrounds, cultures, races, ages, sexual orientations, gender, and gender preference.

Education Or Formal Training

• Juris Doctor Degree is required.
• Requires a current/active law license to practice in State of Colorado.
• An additional advanced degree in Health Care Administration, Business Administration or related field is preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 2 years relevant experience in a FQHC required; 5-7 years preferred.
• Healthcare experience in a law firm or in-house is required, clinical experience is a plus.
• Seven to ten years of progressively responsible managerial experience, including prior experience in a senior- level administration (FQHC) community-based organization.
• Substantial experience representing Health Systems or Community based Health Center.
• Experience negotiation and documenting complex transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and affiliations.

Essential Functional Job Requirements

The work environment characteristics and physical/mental demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

Physical Demands

Sedentary: Exert <10lbs of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects including the human body. Involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time.

Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Talking is important for those activities in which workers must impart oral information to clients or to the public, and in those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.

Mental Functions

Computing: Performing arithmetic operations and reporting on and/or carrying out a prescribed action in relation to them.

Coordinating: Determining time, place, and sequence of operations or action to be taken on the basis of analysis of data. May include prioritizing multiple responsibilities and/or accomplishing them simultaneously.

Interpersonal Skills/Behaviors: Dealing with individuals with a range of moods and behaviors in a tactful, congenial, personal manner so as not to alienate or antagonize them.

Analyzing: Examining and evaluating data. Presenting alternative actions in relation ot the evaluation is frequently involved.

Synthesizing: To combine or integrate data to discover facts and/or develop knowledge or creative concepts and/or interpretations.

Negotiating: Exchanging ideas, information, and opinions with others to formulate policies and programs and/or jointly arrive at decisions, conclusions, solutions or solve disputes.

Join Us. Together We Improve lives.

STRIDE verifies employment authorization including, eligibly for employment, education, license, and certification, etc.

A Successful Candidate Will Live STRIDE ICARE Values

I ntegrity doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

C ompassion meeting the patient where they’re at with empathy.

A ccountability doing what we say were going to do.

R espect showing attention to human dignity.

E xcellence having a growth mindset; striving to learn more and practice continuous improvement.

STRIDE recognizes and appreciates the rich array of talents and perspectives that equal employment and diversity can offer our organization. STRIDE is committed to making all employment decisions based on valid requirements. No applicant shall be discriminated against in any terms, conditions or privileges of employment or otherwise be discriminated against because of the individual's race, creed, color, religion, gender, national origin or ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or veteran status. STRIDE does not discriminate against any "qualified applicant with a disability" as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and will make reasonable accommodations when they do not impose an undue hardship on the organization.

In an aim to help keep our patients, staff, and communities safe, STRIDE requires that all hired employees be fully COVID-19 vaccinated and to obtain an annual flu shot. STRIDE CHC employees are also required to be screened for tuberculosis and to complete a PPD test.