Alcohol & Drug Program Manager

County of Santa Barbara • Santa Barbara, CA

23h

About The Position

The County of Santa Barbara’s Behavioral Wellness Department is hiring a full-time Alcohol and Drug Program Manager, classified countywide as Health Services Manager II. The position may be based anywhere in Santa Barbara County, has countywide responsibility, and requires travel to Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Santa Maria according to operational needs. It is an at-will position exempt from Civil Service provisions and reports to the Branch Chief of Alcohol and Drug Programs. The manager is part of the department management team and leads prevention, intervention, and treatment services intended to prevent or minimize alcohol- and drug-related problems, including Behavioral Health Plan administration for Drug Medi-Cal Organized System (DMC-ODS) outpatient programs.

The manager oversees countywide programs, including clinical oversight and direct supervision of the SUD Wellness and Recovery Access Point (SUD WRAP) Outpatient services, and serves as a department liaison to contractors providing Drug Medi-Cal treatment. The role works closely with Specialty Mental Health programs, Justice programs, community-based organizations, contracted treatment providers, and other stakeholders. It also provides leadership for outpatient services, integrated behavioral health workflows, the Behavioral Health Linkages Justice-Involved Re-Entry Initiative, program compliance, performance improvement, and staff development.

The department provides treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to people with mental illness and substance use disorders through professional staff and contracted community-based providers. Its mission is to promote prevention and recovery through effective leadership and culturally competent services.

Requirements

• Equivalent of a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in public health administration, public administration, behavioral or mental health, or a related field.
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in a behavioral health field, mental health services, substance use disorder prevention or treatment, social work, or a related area.
• At least two years of experience as a supervisor or manager.
• Valid California clinical license in one of the following: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), Clinical Psychologist, or Psychiatrist. Applicants must hold valid California clinical licensure at the time of application.
• Valid California driver’s license and ability to meet County automobile insurability requirements, or ability to provide suitable transportation as a condition of continued employment.

Nice To Haves

• Extensive experience with evidence-based SUD treatment and recovery models, including Medications for Addiction Treatment services.
• Practical and theoretical knowledge of clinical and administrative applications in SUD and co-occurring disorders, including state and federal laws governing SUD prevention and treatment.
• A track record managing behavioral health programs, particularly Drug Medi-Cal treatment services, specialty mental health services, and services for justice-involved populations.
• Ability to manage and understand difficult and stressful situations.
• Experience building and maintaining collaborative relationships with community partners, treatment providers, stakeholders, consumers, and family members.
• Strong data collection and analysis skills.
• Experience providing clinical and administrative supervision to multidisciplinary teams, including clinicians, AOD counselors, peer support specialists, and administrative office professionals.
• Ability to inspire, coach, develop, and empower staff.
• Experience leading change initiatives addressing healthcare equity, population health, and community well-being.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, coordinate, and direct Behavioral Health Plan administration for the DMC-ODS outpatient system of care, including SUD Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Services.
• Support implementation of evidence-based practices among network providers, including cognitive behavioral treatment, contingency management, medications for addiction treatment, motivational interviewing, recovery principles, and trauma-informed care.
• Provide technical assistance to outpatient providers, participate in stakeholder meetings, and support performance improvement projects.
• Work with Quality Care Management and contracted providers to meet outpatient level-of-care goals and outcome measures; identify network adequacy or HEDIS gaps and communicate challenges to departmental clinical leads.
• Develop integrated screening and assessment workflows for County behavioral health outpatient programs and strategies integrating mild/moderate mental health and substance use disorder interventions consistent with CalAIM and department priorities.
• Participate in SmartCare Action Team meetings and serve as liaison to DMC-ODS contracted providers on use of the County electronic health record and billing system, including reporting, chart reviews, and CalOMS data entry.
• Oversee SUD WRAP Outpatient treatment services, including clinical oversight, staff supervision, documentation standards, minimum billable service requirements, and SmartCare reporting and data monitoring.
• Ensure County ADP direct service programs comply with Department of Health Care Services certification requirements, including Drug Medi-Cal and AOD certification, renewal, and site certification requirements.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Behavioral Health Linkages Justice-Involved Re-Entry Initiative, including clinical guidance, monitoring post-release service linkage, data management, and staff supervision.
• Evaluate SUD WRAP and DMC-ODS programs against strategic and performance goals; manage work systems and processes; maintain procedures; research trends and best practices; and recommend and implement operational or program changes.
• Supervise SUD WRAP Outpatient and Behavioral Health Linkages staff, conduct performance evaluations, support employee development, and carry out hiring, discipline, and termination procedures.
• Represent Behavioral Wellness in meetings and collaborative initiatives related to SUD intervention, treatment, and recovery, including justice-involved re-entry, school-based SUD services, and outreach.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Benefits

• Generous County benefits.
• Retirement reciprocity may be available to applicants from other public-sector employers.
• Time and service credit toward an advanced vacation accrual rate may be available to applicants from other public-sector employers.
• The department may reimburse reasonable relocation expenses and, at the CEO’s discretion, may provide flexible relocation assistance, housing and student loan offsets, cash incentives, and/or vacation and sick leave pre-accruals.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager