Behavioral Health Planner / Design Expert

As a Behavioral Health Planner / Design Expert at DLR Group, your responsibilities will include leading the planning and design processes for facilities that focus on behavioral health. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, create functional layouts that integrate therapeutic design principles, and participate in community engagement efforts. Your expertise will also extend to developing evidence-based design solutions for various treatment facilities and ensuring that they meet safety and security standards while fostering healing environments.

To be considered for the Behavioral Health Planner / Design Expert position at DLR Group, you should have a Bachelor’s degree in architecture, planning, psychology, or a related field, along with at least 5 years of experience in behavioral health facility planning or healthcare design. A strong understanding of mental health treatment modalities, trauma-informed design principles, and public sector project requirements will also be essential, along with excellent communication skills and problem-solving capabilities.

At DLR Group, the work environment for a Behavioral Health Planner / Design Expert is dynamic and collaborative, with a robust hybrid work model that supports both in-office and remote work. You will be part of a team that values creativity and teamwork, allowing you to engage in meaningful projects that elevate community well-being. The firm celebrates diversity and inclusion and is committed to enhancing the human experience through strong design leadership.

As a Behavioral Health Planner / Design Expert at DLR Group, your projects will include a variety of facilities such as adult crisis centers, substance use treatment centers, sobering facilities, and residential treatment environments. Each project aims to integrate therapeutic design principles that support mental health care, recovery, and community reintegration, making your role crucial in delivering influential design solutions.

The salary for a Behavioral Health Planner / Design Expert at DLR Group is determined based on several factors, including location, professional experience, and specific skills. The suggested pay range for this position is between $140,000 and $170,000. Additionally, DLR Group offers an excellent benefits package that emphasizes the well-being and financial health of our employees.

When answering this question, consider discussing your passion for improving community health through design. Share experiences or projects that influenced your desire to focus on behavioral health, and highlight any personal motivations that align with DLR Group's mission to elevate the human experience through design.

In your response, discuss specific therapeutic design principles you have applied in past projects. Highlight your understanding of how environmental factors impact mental health and share examples of layout designs or materials you chose to create calming, supportive spaces.

Detail a specific project you found challenging and explain the steps you took to overcome obstacles. Make sure to include your approach to stakeholder engagement, collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, and how you ensured the project met client needs and community standards.

Discuss your experience in conducting needs assessments and stakeholder engagement sessions. Talk about your communication style and how you build rapport with clients to ensure they feel heard and understood throughout the design process.

Share the methods you use to stay informed, such as attending conferences, participating in professional associations, or engaging with academic research. Highlight how you apply this knowledge to your projects and contribute to DLR Group's thought leadership.

Emphasize the importance of sustainable design practices in your work. Discuss how you integrate eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient systems, and WELL building standards into your planning to promote not just mental but also environmental well-being.

Provide examples of how you have conducted community outreach or engagement efforts in past projects. Discuss the feedback you received and explain how you incorporated community insights into your final designs to better serve the needs of the populations involved.

Talk about the tools and techniques you use to present your design concepts, such as 3D modeling, sketches, or interactive presentations. Highlight how you tailor your presentations to different audiences to effectively communicate your vision.

Identify key challenges you’ve encountered, such as integrating safety with therapeutic spaces or meeting regulatory requirements. Talk about your problem-solving strategies and how you collaborate with your team to overcome these obstacles.

Explain the importance of post-occupancy evaluations in understanding the success of the design. Discuss how you gather feedback from facility users and staff, and how this feedback informs future projects and improvements.