Program Manager | Enhanced Care Management

Akido•Ontario, CA

1d•$70,000 - $85,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Akido Care is seeking an Enhanced Care Management (ECM) Program Manager to lead an interdisciplinary team serving underserved populations with complex medical and social needs in the Inland Empire. The manager supervises case managers, including a Registered Nurse, Care Coordinator, and Community Health Worker, and serves as the team’s behavioral health resource. The role includes personal behavioral health casework, supporting patients in crisis, and ensuring connection to appropriate care. It is hybrid, with regular in-person work at Chapparal Medical clinics, particularly in Pomona and Rancho Cucamonga, community outreach, and occasional travel to Los Angeles for all-hands meetings. Local candidates are strongly preferred, and the manager must reside in the region served. The Program Manager oversees patient care and team operations, supports staff performance and development, ensures compliance with ECM and documentation standards, and works with the Director to meet program objectives, audits, and quality goals. The role also includes partner relationship management, enrollment oversight, budget and inventory management, recruitment, training, coaching, and representation of the team in internal and external meetings.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) or Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) is the stated minimum education requirement; the posting also lists these degrees as preferred.
Four or more years of experience managing frontline staff.
Deep understanding of Medi-Cal populations, including people experiencing homelessness, mental illness, or substance use disorders.
Exceptional organizational and time-management abilities.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including team coaching and conflict resolution.
Familiarity with compliance standards, documentation systems, and data-driven decision-making.
Must reside locally to the region served.
Valid driver’s license, automobile insurance, and reliable transportation.

Nice To Haves

Proven leadership experience, preferably in healthcare or social services.
Experience with Medi-Cal/Medicaid populations, CalAIM, or ECM programs.
At least two years of experience in behavioral health case management, care coordination, or direct services with Medi-Cal or similarly complex populations.
Familiarity with IEHP and the Inland Empire county behavioral health system.
Experience working with populations experiencing homelessness, justice involvement, or high emergency department utilization.
Bilingual English/Spanish.
California LCSW or LMFT licensure; licensed or license-eligible candidates are strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Maintain a personal caseload of patients with behavioral health needs and deliver high-quality care.
Conduct behavioral health screenings and assessments to inform individualized care plans developed with patients and the interdisciplinary team.
Provide behavioral health guidance, warm handoffs, and crisis response, including triage and connection to care for patients with suicidality, acute mental health concerns, or substance-use crises.
Document encounters accurately and promptly in Care Director in compliance with IEHP ECM requirements, CalAIM standards, and HIPAA.
Ensure staff meet caseload requirements and optimize care delivery and patient outcomes.
Support case managers with burnout prevention and self-care strategies.
Oversee patient care plans to ensure effective implementation and quality.
Train and onboard new case managers within designated timeframes and ensure they build full caseloads within those timeframes.
Collaborate with the Director on audit requirements and team compliance metrics.
Establish a team culture of respect, empathy, and teamwork.
Approve direct reports’ timecards, time-off requests, and expense reports.
Conduct regular one-on-one meetings to provide feedback, coaching, and support.
Assign new patients to case managers and maintain balanced, achievable panel sizes.
Lead recruitment, including resume screening, interviews, and onboarding.
Serve as a subject matter expert on team needs, including harm reduction and clinical case management.
Drive quarterly objectives with the Director, developing and implementing ideas with direct reports.
Implement quality improvement initiatives with the Director to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
Build and maintain relationships with key partner organizations.
Oversee patient enrollment and disenrollment according to organizational procedures.
Manage budgets for supplies and other inventory.
Facilitate huddles, weekly data reviews, and care-planning meetings.
Contribute success stories and team impact updates to monthly all-hands meetings.
Represent the team in meetings with the Director and external partners.
Tailor training programs to the team’s needs and local environment.
Mentor case managers in skill-building, professional growth, and patient care, including motivational interviewing, harm reduction, and coaching.