Children’s Services Program Leader

The Sparc Network•Bangor, ME

23h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Children's Services and Family Centered Treatment Program Leader is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic and operational oversight, and growth of the organization's MaineCare Section 28 Children's Services program and Family Centered Treatment (FCT) services. This role combines agency-wide operations leadership — supervision of program leadership, regulatory and documentation compliance, staffing, budget, and stakeholder engagement — with direct oversight of program-level leaders (Children's Services Coordinators and FCT Supervisors) to ensure the delivery of high-quality, compliant, and family-centered services. This role manages program operations from intake through discharge, ensures compliance with applicable payer and regulatory requirements, and maintains on-going communication with families, referral sources, payers, state/licensing agencies, and internal stakeholders to support operational excellence and quality outcomes across the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Human Services, or a related field required (Master's degree with licensure preferred).
Minimum of 7 years of experience in behavioral health, with children's services preferred; includes 3+ years of leadership/supervisory experience and 2+ years in business operations and budget development.
Knowledge of MaineCare Section 28 and Family Centered Treatment (FCT) service models, DHHS Behavioral Health Organization licensing requirements, and authorization processes.
Experience with care coordination, case management, and family-centered care models.
Familiarity with EMR systems (e.g., KanTime/eNotes) and documentation compliance.
Knowledge of community resources, child & adult development, and the system/continuum of care; 5+ years in Child & Family Community Mental Health preferred, with general knowledge of all service lines.
Strong oral/written communication and organizational skills; ability to work independently and meet training and paperwork deadlines.
Ability to engage a culturally diverse population, make sound judgment calls in crisis situations, and build strong community relationships.
Intermediate/advanced computer skills; ability to conceptualize, organize, and follow through on assigned projects.
Ability to work flexible hours, carry a company cell phone daily, and travel as necessary.
Must maintain current CPR/First Aid certification, a valid driver's license and auto insurance, and an understanding of confidentiality rules.
Must pass required criminal background checks; ability to climb stairs.
Strong leadership, team development, and organizational/time management skills.
Ability to manage high-volume, fast-paced operations with high attention to detail and compliance orientation.
Excellent communication with internal stakeholders and management.
Strong problem-solving and decision-making under pressure; ability to work well in a team environment.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree with licensure preferred

Responsibilities

Provide overall leadership, accountability, and in-person/on-call supervision for assigned program areas and program leadership.
Provide regular feedback, evaluation, and on-going consultation to program leadership and teams; consult on client progress.
Ensure compliance with applicable state regulations, licensing rules, and organizational documentation standards, in collaboration with Compliance.
Monitor and oversee service delivery from intake through discharge, ensuring continuity of care and timely, appropriate access to services, referrals, and discharges.
Monitor program performance (utilization, billable hours, staffing ratios, client outcomes) and lead growth initiatives (intake volume, staffing, geographic coverage).
Coordinate a 24/7 on-call system and serve as escalation point for complex client, staffing, or compliance issues.
Work closely with leadership to build trust and support strategic visioning and implementation; assist with other program responsibilities as assigned.
Provide direct and/or oversight supervision to program leadership, including regular supervision meetings, case reviews, and staffing strategy discussions.
Ensure appropriate supervision structures for direct-service staff and complete staff evaluations at a minimum of once per year.
Coordinate in-service training and regular/emergency staff meetings; monitor training to assure quality and regulatory compliance.
Act as a resource and escalation point for program leadership and field staff.
Oversee authorization management, ensuring timely and accurate submissions and monitoring utilization to prevent service gaps.
Ensure documentation is compliant, complete, and uploaded into required systems; respond to audit findings with corrective actions.
Ensure regulatory and documentation compliance — reports, service notes, etc. — is appropriate and timely across all programs.
Coordinate with Finance on billing, payroll, and budgetary responsibilities, including program and field staff payroll support.
Monitor documentation completion for timely billing and track productivity metrics.
Ensure budgetary goals are met, compile required program reports, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and margin.
Adhere to and enforce agency policy and procedure; act as liaison between program leadership and other personnel as needed.
Serve as primary point of contact for families/guardians, state entities, case managers, referral sources, and healthcare providers; manage high-volume communication.
Network and build positive relationships with payers, human service agencies, advocacy committees, mental health professionals, and other referring or collateral partners.
Partner with collaterals toward positive program growth and provide resource training to referring and networking agencies as time allows.
Attend conferences and other stakeholder events to market and promote company.
Oversee Children's Services Coordinators (CSCs) responsible for managing client caseloads.
Ensure completion and quality of intake assessments, 180-day Child Service Reviews (CSR), and annual CSR meetings, including single assessments.
Oversee development and execution of individualized treatment plans and service delivery for Children's Services clients.
Provide guidance on program services and operational challenges involving families, providers, and case managers.
Review and sign incident reports and ensure timely submission through state systems and requirements (e.g., EIS).
Ensure timely and accurate submission of Acentra authorizations (initial and 180-day recertifications).
Oversee Family Choice list management and required 30-day status updates.
Oversee the State Centralized waitlist for the intake pipeline, including referrals and assignment of clients to CSCs.
Ensure creation of client records in the EMR (KanTime) and timely communication with referral sources and families.
Partner with the scheduling team to ensure optimal matches of Behavioral Health Professionals – Rehabilitative Community (BHP-RC) with client needs; monitor staffing levels, open cases, and service gaps.
Provide direct supervision to the CSC team, including monthly individual supervision meetings, case reviews, and staffing strategy discussions.
Oversee the BHP-RC supervision structure, ensuring monthly individual supervision and monthly group supervision (minimum of two sessions).
Complete and/or oversee completion of Vineland assessments; ensure assessments inform service planning and authorization requests.
Oversee FCT Supervisors, who are accountable to this role, across the administrative, clinical, quality, personnel, and business/financial operations of their FCT programs.
Ensure FCT Supervisors develop and monitor implementation of FCT services and work closely with FCT Specialists to confirm fidelity measures are being met.
Ensure FCT Supervisors provide operational and clinical supervision to Practitioners, including documented supervision in accordance with the supervision plan and 24/7 crisis response coverage.
Review and approve FCT Supervisor staff evaluations, completed using the Values Rating Scale at a minimum of once per year.
Support FCT Supervisors in growing and developing FCT teams (up to two seven-Practitioner teams per Supervisor) through the stages of Teamwork Development and Situational Leadership.
Oversee FCT authorization management, ensuring timely and accurate authorization submissions to LME/MCO and other payers.
Lead interviewing, onboarding, and training of program leadership; serve as a resource for training across programs.
Ensure FCT Supervisors oversee the quality of FCT services provided, including approval of progress notes in the EMR.
Be available for consultation with FCT Supervisors and other leadership as needed; hold Leadership meetings and calls.
Respond to escalated concerns from FCT families and collaterals that FCT Supervisors are unable to resolve.
Review FCT data/outcome reports with Supervisors and Specialists to ensure accuracy and timely submission to meet internal and external requirements.
Gather feedback from FCT Supervisors on how agency Policies and Procedures can be improved.