Behavioral Health Design Leader
Dlrgroup · Denver, Colorado, United States; Los Angeles, California, United States; Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States; New York, New York, United States; Riverside, California, United States; Sacramento, California, United States; San Diego, California, United States; San Francisco, California, United States; Seattle, Washington, United States; Sonoma, California, United States; Washington, D.C. · Posted Jul 6, 2026
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DLR Group is an integrated design firm with a promise to elevate the human experience through design. This fuels the work we do around the world and inspires our mission to improve the lives of our clients, our communities, and our planet. If this sparks your interest, you’re in the right place.
Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced Behavioral Health Design Leader to join DLR Group's Justice + Civic national practice. In this role, you will lead the planning and design of facilities that promote healing, equity, and transformation through behavioral health-focused design solutions. DLR Group operates within a hybrid work model, supporting flexibility between office time and work from home. DLR Group has a network of 30+ studios across the United States. For this role, we encourage exceptional applicants across the ecosystem.
About Justice + Civic at DLR Group
As a nationally recognized expert in Justice + Civic facility planning and design, DLR Group serves municipal, county, state, and federal public-sector clients to deliver civic, public safety, and justice design solutions that achieve excellence in operations, sustainable design, resilience planning, space planning, building assessment, cost of ownership analysis, and project management. Behavioral health facility planning and design is a growing specialty in our portfolio. As stewards of the built environment, DLR Group's Justice + Civic practice elevates behavioral, environmental, and social betterment, resulting in healing, equity, and transformation for the individual and community.
What You Will Do:
Collaboratively work with integrated teams of architects, engineers and specialty consultants
Lead preliminary planning and design for behavioral health facilities within community, justice and civic environments
Create functional layouts integrating therapeutic design principles, de-escalation strategies, and security requirements
Develop evidence-based design solutions to support mental health treatment, recovery and reintegration
Design adult crisis, sobering, substance use and residential treatment centers
Ensure designs promote client and staff safety while maintaining a therapeutic environment
Apply sustainable design practices and WELL building standards to behavioral health spaces
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate specialized security and safety features
Integrate trauma informed design strategies
Design spaces that balance clinical requirements with trauma-informed care principles
Conduct facility assessments and develop programming recommendations
Create detailed space planning documentation and design guidelines
Lead stakeholder engagement sessions and facilitate design workshops
Provide technical expertise on behavioral health design standards and best practices
Support cost estimation and phasing strategies for behavioral health implementations
Develop post-occupancy evaluation criteria for behavioral health spaces
Mentor team members on behavioral health design principles
Contribute to research initiatives and thought leadership in justice behavioral health design
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in architecture, planning, interior design, or related field
5+ years of experience in behavioral health facility planning or related healthcare design
Strong understanding of mental health treatment modalities and substance use programs
Knowledgeable of Behavioral Health funding initiatives at state and local levels
Knowledge of trauma-informed design principles and evidence-based practice
Understanding of clinical workflows and operational requirements
Understanding of telehealth and technology supported treatment systems
Knowledge of behavioral healthcare design standards and building regulations
Experience with public sector projects and stakeholder engagement
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
Excellent written, verbal, and graphic communication skills
Preferred Qualifications:
Master's degree in psychology, behavioral science, architecture, planning, or related field
Professional certification in healthcare planning or behavioral health
Experience in behavioral health facility planning,
AICP or other relevant certification
Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, MS Office Suite, and Adobe Creative Suite
Background in therapeutic environment design or clinical operations
Familiarity with Behavioral Health system operations and procedures
Experience with secure facility design and planning
Knowledge of correctional healthcare standards and guidelines
Understanding of behavioral health economics and facility operations
Research experience in behavioral health environments
Publication history in relevant professional journals
Experience with grant writing and funding applications
Crisis prevention intervention (CPI) certification
Mental Health First Aid certification
Professional affiliation with behavioral health organizations
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