Licensed Behavioral Health Clinic Program Director

Do you share our vision to create a world where all youth have equal opportunities to achieve their goals and make their dreams a reality? Do you have a passion for helping homeless, runaway and vulnerable youth in San Diego in a trauma informed care environment? Are you a licensed mental health professional (Psychologist, LMFT, LCSW or LPCC) looking for a unique opportunity to both manage and develop a program that provides mental health and support services to at-risk children, adolescents and their families? Then we have the position for you

The SDYS Mission: Empowering youth to thrive by meeting their basic needs and providing lifelong skills for self-sufficiency and achieving their life ambitions.  

The Position: Behavioral Healthcare Program Director in the I CARE Program to be based at Mid-City Youth Center. The ICARE program at SDYS supports youth, up to age 21, who are at risk for or have experienced sex trafficking or other commercial sexual exploitation. ICARE provided services to 129 youth and community training to more than 2,160 individuals during the past year and provides both a mental health clinic and a drop-in center.

Our Agency: San Diego Youth Services has helped improve the lives of more than 780,000 homeless, runaway and vulnerable youth since its beginning in 1970. We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing to more than 28,000 youth every year at 100+ community and school locations. Through prevention, early intervention and treatment, we also help youth before they need higher levels of care or become homeless.

We emphasize our strong culture of program excellence where we integrate community-oriented grass roots approaches with excellent clinical services and training.  SDYS has a staff of approximately 230 employees and 80 volunteers working across San Diego County with an annual budget of approximately $24 million. You can learn more about us at

Our Finances: We have a solid financial foundation that includes excellent financial management, strong cash reserves and significant real estate assets. We are able to sustain operations by having a diverse stream of funding primarily comprised of local, State and Federal government funding augmented by private foundation grants, corporate sponsors and individual donors plus some earned income. 

The Benefits & Perks: SDYS offers a comprehensive benefits package to full time employees that includes generous PTO, personal holidays, health, vision, dental, life insurance, parental leave and a 403(b)-retirement plan with matching contribution. Hybrid remote and flexible work schedules are available based on program and position functions. SDYS is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer. Read more about the PSLF program here. We offer, a comprehensive on-going training program, staff & volunteer events, meet up groups, mentorships and a culture of trauma informed care, not just for our youth, but also our staff. 

CONTEXT OF THE POSITION 

Accountable to Director of Services, this full time, exempt position will oversee the provision of comprehensive quality trauma-informed Specialty Mental Health Services and managing the "ICARE" Clinic and Drop-in Center staff. Responsible for program development and implementation, budget monitoring, overall daily functioning and quality control of services including and not limited to, monitoring county wide referral process, intake assessment and service plans, provide trainings to community partners on Human Trafficking (HT)/ Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), development and adherence to the Assertive Outreach approach and use of evidence-based practices such as TF-CBT, MI, DBT and Seeking Safety. Ensure overall program is adherent to the San Diego County Children, Youth and Families Behavioral Health Services' Medi-Cal requirements.

Essential functions include:

1. Provide personnel management to include the hiring, training, supervision, agency goals, and evaluation of core staff, interns and volunteers.
2. Coordinate and maintain statistical systems for funding source, contract compliance and agency goals accountability to support providing necessary timely reports and statistics/information to funding sources as required as well as agency fiscal department.
3. Monitor program progress in achieving Statement of Work goals and objectives including and not limited to trauma informed service delivery, productivity and outcome measurements.
4. In conjunction with the Quality Management Team (QM) ensure that all records meet the current San Diego County documentation standards, billing timelines, Utilization Management process and files are maintained.
5. Participate in weekly Treatment Team, Clinical Supervision, and all mandated county training, meetings and ensure that staff do the same.
6. Must maintain good working knowledge of SDYS Policy and Procedure Manual and San Diego County's Outpatient Services Policy and Procedures Manuals and ensure that staff do the same.
7. Assist in management of contract budget line items related to components that includes monitoring of expenses and processing of appropriate expenditure forms.
8. Establish and maintain linkage relationships with agencies, organizations, civic and community groups by participating in community collaboratives such as CSEC Steering Committee, HT advisory or other meetings, to collaborate and/or provide trainings on CSEC and Human Trafficking.
9. Respond to service partners during a crisis or urgent matter, including those that occur outside of normal business operating hours, by implementing and following the on-call procedures whenever the rotation of on-call falls into the scope of      responsibilities for the assigned period.
10. Perform other Duties as assigned or required.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

1. Licensed as a Psychologist, LMFT, LCSW, or LPCC by the state of California with a minimum of three years of job-related experience, including direct mental health service experience working with at-risk children and adolescents, and their families.
2. Experience in counseling youth and families providing assessment, crisis intervention and education required.
3. Have an understanding and value the Youth and Family Partnership models.
4. Training in or willing to be trained in MI, Seeking Safety, TF-CBT and Family Systems Theory
5. Knowledge of case coordination and collaboration with multiple agencies and public entities a must. Familiarity with the Children, Youth and Family Health System of Care and Full-Service Partnership requirements.
6. Demonstrated leadership and problem-solving abilities, creativity, and public speaking preferred. Bilingual (Spanish) preferred.
7. Familiarity with County Electronic Health Record (SmartCare), Preferred.
8. Must be willing to develop or possess working knowledge of trauma-informed care and dual diagnosis treatment; experience working in trauma-informed and dual diagnosis programs preferred. Must show a willingness to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends.
9. Must have reliable vehicle, relevant auto insurance, a clean driving record, valid CA driver's license and willing to drive vehicle for job related tasks.
10. Employment subject to clearances, which include fingerprinting, background checks, driving record and drug testing.

  PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

1. The ability to bend at the waist, kneel, or crouch to assist youth.
2. The ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand, to exchange accurate information and make presentations.
3. The ability to lift and carry 20 pounds-lifting furnishing items, materials, and equipment to execute lessons and presentations.
4. Able to observe details at a close range and interpret the information (such as reading), prepare, and review a variety of documents related to activities of the youth and to be able to monitor youth activities.
5. Sitting or standing (stationary position) for extended periods of time.
6. Traversing extended lengths to move around campuses.
7. Potential exposure to physical injury from aggressive behavior. 

SDYS EXPECTATIONS 

1. Adhere to and uphold the rigorous standards of SDYS as mandated by its mission, purpose, guiding principles and standards of quality. 
2. Maintain confidentiality and privacy standards of service partner protected health information and other applicable information and material in accordance with agency and center policies, and applicable regulations and laws including HIPAA. 
3. Welcome and support SDYS volunteers and assist them in accomplishing their services whenever applicable. 
4. Effectively communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. 
5. Recognize, nurture, and learn from strengths in co-workers. 
6. Maintain warm, welcoming and safe work environments.
7. Possess flexibility to accomplish job responsibilities in several work environments, whether it be from home, on the road, or in an office.

Salary Range: $87,000 – 89,000/year + $5000 sign on bonus for candidates who are licensed

To apply, please send resume and cover letter through job posting on SDYS website.

Candidates must be able to follow all the guidelines provided by the agency, government, and health authorities to maintain safety and health when the job requires physical presence and/or contact with others during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the submission of proof of vaccination as mandated by the California Public Health Order. The successful candidate will need to submit verification of vaccination or have a valid religious or medical reason not to be vaccinated. 

All are welcome at SDYS. 

As an organization working to meet the basic needs of youth, create positive connections, help youth develop life skills, and promote overall health and well-being, SDYS believes its practices and actions must reflect the highest level of commitment to access, equity, and social justice. 

The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent that our members invest in their work represents not only part of the SDYS' culture, but the SDYS' reputation and achievements as well. SDYS remains open to feedback from all communities it touches and knows that input from those with direct experience of issues will make the SDYS more effective in achieving its goals.

SDYS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.  In compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended, all new employees must verify their eligibility to work in the United States.