Director of Clinical Services

Acadia Healthcare•St. Augustine, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Acadia Healthcare is seeking a strategic and mission-driven Director of Clinical Services to provide clinical leadership for our newly constructed 144-bed behavioral health hospital in St. Johns, Florida—just outside Jacksonville. Coastal Pines will be a modern, purpose-built facility and a cornerstone of behavioral health care in Northeast Florida, designed to meet the growing demand for high-quality psychiatric services in the region. The hospital will offer a full continuum of services including inpatient psychiatric care, Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). The Director of Clinical Services (DCS) provides leadership and clinical oversight to ensure the highest standards of clinical excellence and patient-centered care. This role exists to design, implement, and sustain evidence-based treatment programs (e.g., CBT, DBT) that drive measurable outcomes, uphold regulatory compliance, and foster recovery across the continuum of care. By championing evidence-based practices, advancing staff competencies, and embedding fidelity to proven models of care, the DCS creates a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement. Through collaboration with interdisciplinary teams and leaders, the DCS ensures that high quality clinical services are provided consistently and in alignment with hospital’s mission and goals.

Requirements

License-bearing Master’s or Doctorate degree in Behavioral or Mental Health (e.g., MSW, MA in marriage and family, MA in professional counseling, PhD in Clinical, Counseling, or Educational Psychology), or PsyD.
Minimum of 4 years’ experience working with clinical population of the facility required.
Minimum of 2 years of supervisory experience.
Familiarity with regulatory standards (e.g., Joint Commission, CMS, CARF) and experience ensuring compliance.
Excellent leadership, collaboration, and communication skills among audiences ranging from front-line clinical staff to facility leadership.
Independently Licensed Clinician – e.g., LCSW, LPC, LMFT, Psychologist license
Acute MA in Social Work (MSW/LCSW) strongly preferred
Experience in an inpatient psychiatric or behavioral health hospital
Specialty Experience in specialty provided at facility (e.g., substance use or eating disorder experience)

Responsibilities

Provide strategic direction to clinical teams, including therapists, social workers, and other staff.
Oversee day-to-day clinical operations, including budget management, developing marketing and strategic plans and independent decision making for program requiring clinical expertise
Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and patient-centered care and ensures efficiency and collaboration between departments.
Serve as a member of the facility leadership team and make independent clinical decisions to ensure quality care and alignment with organizational goals.
Provide direction and oversight to staff members.
Provide clinical consultation, oversight of case planning and care coordination.
Direct crisis intervention efforts and intervene as required
Supervise, mentor, and support clinical staff, promoting professional growth and competency.
Provide clinical supervision to clinical staff as needed, ensuring all clinical staff are trained on and consistently implement evidenced-based practices – including assessments, implementation of measurement-based care, and evidenced-based interventions.
Engage in regular fidelity monitoring of clinical programming and groups delivered by clinical staff to ensure alignment with evidenced-based practices and provide ongoing trainings when drift occurs.
Manage hiring, development, training, and performance management of staff to ensure effective operations.
Conduct regular reviews of caseloads to optimize utilization of services.
Ensure staff are current on all certifications and regulatory requirements.
Develop and implement clinical programs based on evidence-based models (e.g., CBT, DBT) and integrate evidence-based practices into treatment plans.
Evaluate clinical performance metrics, including service-delivery models, patient-reported outcomes, satisfaction scores, length of stay, treatment completion, and discharge effectiveness.
Conduct regular clinical audits to ensure high-quality documentation, fidelity to care models, and appropriate levels of care.
Champion best practices in suicide risk assessment, safety planning, and risk mitigation, ensuring standardized application across facilities.
Facilitate the continuum of care, partnering with outpatient facilities to develop robust step-down processes.
Provide clinical oversight of other programs and levels of care as needed.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and accrediting bodies (e.g., Joint Commission, CMS, CARF, state licensing boards).
Monitor clinical performance metrics and implement corrective actions as needed.
Oversee documentation and reporting to maintain accurate patient records.
Ensure safety and infection control requirements are met
Work with hospital or facility leadership to align clinical services with hospital-wide initiatives.
Work with hospital or facility leadership to ensure alignment of clinical services with organizational initiatives and values.
Serve as a liaison between clinical staff, administration, and external partners, fostering clear communication.
Engage with community organizations and healthcare providers to enhance patient access to services.
Direct crisis intervention efforts and oversee case planning and care coordination.
Maintain a limited caseload when necessary and provide onsite coverage for other programs.
Develop operating policies and ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and standards of care.
Recognize patient safety as a top priority and work to resolve complaints if needs are unmet.
Participate in on-call rotation schedule as determined and required by facility.
Support business development, engage with local community groups, participate in education events and collaborate with referral sources to build and maintain strong relationships
Demonstrates a positive, empathetic and professional attitude towards customers always.
When patient needs are not met, acknowledge and work to resolve complaints.
Recognize that patient safety is a top priority.
Complies with organizational policies, procedures, performance improvement initiatives and maintains organizational and industry policies regarding confidentiality.
Communicates clearly and effectively to person(s) receiving services and their family members, guests, and other members of the healthcare team.
Develops constructive and cooperative working relationships with others and maintains them over time.
Encourages and builds mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members and staff.
Maintains regular and predictable attendance.
Perform other functions and tasks as assigned

Benefits

Relocation Assistance- We’ll support your move with a generous relocation package.
Professional Growth & Career Pathing - your development is our priority.
Executive Mentorship – Paired with a corporate clinical support from day one
Competitive Salary & Bonuses
Comprehensive Health Benefits - Medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with Company Match
Generous PTO - Includes vacation, holidays, extended sick leave, and mental health days.
Industry-Leading Training & Support - You’ll be paired with a corporate clinical mentor from day one.
Competitive salary
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
401(k) with company match
Paid time off and holidays
Opportunities for professional development and continuing education