Vice President of Referral & Access

We’re seeking a strategic, relationship-driven Vice President of Referral & Access Services to lead how children, families, and community partners connect with services at Home of the Innocents. This highly collaborative role brings together relationship development, operational leadership, and data-driven decision making to strengthen access across our organization. The ideal leader is a natural connector who can build trusted partnerships externally while developing the systems, processes, and internal collaboration needed to create an exceptional referral and access experience. A Day in the Life As the Vice President of Referral & Access Services, you will lead our centralized approach to referrals, access, and navigation across all Home of the Innocents programs. You will build relationships with referral partners, collaborate closely with leaders throughout the organization, and develop systems that make it easier for children and families to access the right services at the right time. This role combines relationship development, operational leadership, customer service, data, and continuous improvement to strengthen both the referral experience and how we utilize our programs and services. How This Position Contributes to our Mission

• Lead our centralized Referral, Access & Navigation function, creating a consistent and responsive experience for children, families, referral sources, and community partners.
• Build and strengthen relationships with hospitals, healthcare providers, schools, state agencies, child welfare organizations, behavioral health providers, and other community partners.
• Develop and improve systems and workflows across all Home of the Innocents programs to streamline referrals, admissions, eligibility review, waitlist management, and access to services.
• Partner with program, clinical, and operational leaders to understand capacity, remove barriers, improve utilization, and connect individuals with the right services at the right time.
• Use referral trends, conversion rates, response times, capacity, waitlists, and other performance data to identify opportunities and drive operational decisions and continuous improvement.
• Lead and develop the Referral, Access & Navigation team while fostering a culture of exceptional customer service, collaboration, accountability, and strong internal and external partnerships.

• Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Social Work, Business Administration, Public Health, or a related field required.
• Five or more years of leadership experience in healthcare, behavioral health, social services, or a related field, including experience with centralized intake, patient access, referral management, admissions, or care coordination.
• Strong relationship-builder and communicator who is comfortable representing Home of the Innocents publicly and developing meaningful partnerships across the community.
• Demonstrated ability to build systems, improve processes, lead through change, and use data and operational metrics to inform decisions and improve performance.
• Collaborative, customer-focused leader who can work effectively across diverse programs, disciplines, and internal and external partners.
• Some regional and periodic state/national travel may be required.

What You’ll Receive as a Valued Member of Home of the Innocents

• A trauma-informed environment
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Generous leave time
• 401(k) with employer match

• Training and certification opportunities, We are a trauma-informed organization, prioritizing safety, recovery, and strong relationships in everything we do. Our leadership is committed to building a workforce grounded in compassion, excellence, empowerment, and wellness. We are an organization growing to meet the needs of children and young adults in our community-expanding our programs and investing in our campus, including the addition of a new wing at the Kosair for Kids Complex Care Center that will double our capacity to serve medically complex individuals. Our Impact

• 3,976 children and families served in 2025
• 22-acre campus located near downtown Louisville
• Second largest Residential Treatment Program in Kentucky
• Only dedicated emergency shelter for children in the city

• 10 programs supporting children and families across a range of needs, including:

• Therapeutic and residential treatment for youth with complex behavioral and emotional needs
• Emergency shelter for children in crisis
• Foster care and adoption support
• Community-based behavioral health services
• Kosair for Kids Complex Care Center (KCC): Kentucky’s only pediatric skilled nursing facility providing residential and respite care for children and young adults with complex medical needs.

Home of the Innocents is one of Louisville’s longest-serving non-profit organizations, approaching 150 years of service to children and families. Our mission is simple and clear: to enrich lives with hope, health, and happiness.