Director of Behavioral Health

WEA CA PC•Indio, CA

4h•$140,000 - $145,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Behavioral Health leads Wellness Equity Alliance’s integrated behavioral health programs and initiatives, ensuring services are clinically sound, compliant, financially sustainable, and responsive to the communities served. Reporting to the Chief Behavioral Health Officer, the role devotes approximately 75% of its time to program leadership, operations, quality, and staff development, and approximately 25% to direct clinical practice at the Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-In Center (CWIC) in Indio, California, and on Street Medicine rounds. The Director oversees assigned programs, including crisis services, Street Medicine behavioral health, and primary care–behavioral health integration. The position manages program budgets within the overall behavioral health budget established by the Chief Behavioral Health Officer, supports grant writing and contract reporting, and coordinates operational relationships with external partners. The Director supervises program managers and clinical supervisors, indirectly oversees front-line teams, and is accountable for program performance, compliance, staffing, and quality. Clinical duties include crisis and safety assessment, de-escalation, brief intervention, stabilization planning, evaluation for and initiation of 5150/5585 holds when criteria are met, and coordination of safe transfers. On Street Medicine rounds, the Director engages unsheltered people, provides field-based screening and crisis intervention, and coordinates warm handoffs to treatment and supportive services. The position also provides or arranges clinical supervision for associates accruing licensure hours.

Requirements

Master’s or doctoral degree in social work.
Current, unrestricted California LCSW license.
At least 5 years of post-license clinical experience, including crisis intervention with adults experiencing serious mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
At least 3 years of supervisory or management experience in a behavioral health setting.
Eligibility for county 5150 designation, or ability to obtain it within 90 days of hire.
Experience with Medi-Cal documentation, billing, and compliance.
Valid California driver’s license and ability to travel between program sites and field locations.
Expertise in crisis assessment, suicide and violence risk assessment, and de-escalation.
Working knowledge of California’s Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, CARE Act, Medi-Cal/CalAIM, and county behavioral health systems.
Ability to translate frontline observations into policy, workflow, and training changes; use data to track outcomes and drive quality improvement; and communicate effectively with staff, members, partners, and funders.
Sound judgment and composure in high-acuity, unpredictable situations, and commitment to trauma-informed, person-centered, culturally responsive, and anti-oppressive practice.
Proficiency with electronic health records and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.
Ability to walk moderate distances, stand for extended periods, carry supplies up to 25 lbs, and work in outdoor field settings and uncontrolled environments.
Ability to work primarily weekday hours with occasional evenings or weekends and participate in an administrative on-call rotation.

Nice To Haves

Experience in Street Medicine, homeless services, or field-based outreach.
Experience running a crisis stabilization, crisis walk-in, or urgent care behavioral health program.
Background in integrated care models, including primary care–behavioral health integration.
Training in harm reduction, motivational interviewing, and evidence-based crisis models such as CAMS or Crisis Now.
Experience with grant management and county or managed care plan contracts.
Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Lived experience with mental health, substance use, or homelessness, and ability to draw on it in leadership.

Responsibilities

Direct day-to-day operations of integrated behavioral health programs, including crisis services, Street Medicine, and primary care–behavioral health integration.
Partner with the Chief Behavioral Health Officer to set program goals, develop annual work plans, meet performance indicators, and implement new initiatives.
Build and maintain pathways connecting crisis services, Street Medicine, substance use and mental health treatment, and supportive services.
Coordinate operational relationships with county behavioral health, managed care plans, hospitals, law enforcement, mobile crisis teams, and community partners; manage referral pathways, MOUs, and case conferences, and escalate strategic or contract-level issues to the Chief Behavioral Health Officer.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and county requirements, including DHCS, Medi-Cal/CalAIM, county contract terms, HIPAA, and 42 CFR Part 2.
Ensure adherence to policies for crisis assessment, risk management, involuntary hold initiation and transfer, de-escalation, and incident response.
Lead quality improvement by defining outcome measures, monitoring dashboards, conducting chart audits, and acting on findings.
Oversee incident reviews, critical event debriefs, and grievance follow-up.
Prepare for and lead program responses to audits, site reviews, and accreditation surveys.
Manage program budgets and monitor spending against grants and contracts within the overall behavioral health budget.
Oversee documentation standards, billing accuracy, and productivity targets; contribute to grant applications, funder reports, and contract deliverables.
Plan 24/7 staffing coverage and manage schedules, on-call rotations, and surge plans.
Recruit, hire, onboard, and retain clinical and non-clinical behavioral health staff; design and deliver staff training on crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, cultural humility, and safety.
Foster staff wellness, including structured debriefs after critical incidents.
At CWIC, provide crisis, risk, and safety assessments, de-escalation, and brief intervention; develop safety and stabilization plans; evaluate for and initiate 5150/5585 holds when criteria are met; coordinate safe transfers; and provide real-time clinical consultation and backup to on-shift staff.
On Street Medicine rounds, engage unsheltered individuals using outreach and harm-reduction approaches; conduct behavioral health and substance use screening, brief assessment, and crisis intervention; and coordinate warm handoffs to psychiatry, medication for addiction treatment, primary care, shelter, and housing navigation.
Complete timely and accurate clinical documentation meeting medical-necessity and billing standards, and use clinical observations to identify and address workflow, training, and resource gaps.
Directly supervise program managers and clinical supervisors and indirectly oversee licensed clinicians, associate clinicians, peer support specialists, and case managers.
Provide or arrange clinical supervision for associates accruing licensure hours in accordance with California Board of Behavioral Sciences or Board of Psychology requirements.
Conduct performance evaluations, coaching, and corrective action in partnership with People & Culture.