Associate Director-Specialty BH - Camino Media

Associate Director-Specialty BH

Clinica Sierra Vista is excited to be one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Centers in the Nation! We're honored to serve the men and women of the fields. We also offer care and support to the inner city, the rural and isolated, those of low, moderate, and fixed incomes, and families from an array of cultural backgrounds who speak several languages. We don't inquire about immigration status because we simply don't need to know. If you come to us, we will treat you like any other patient.

As we grow our team, we are looking for individuals who believe the patient is always #1.

Why work for us?

• Competitive pay which matches your abilities and experience
• Health coverage for you and your family
• Generous number of vacation days per year
• A robust wellness plan and health club discounts
• Continuing education assistance to grow and further your talents
• 403(B) plan with company matching

Intrigued? We'd love to hear from you! Please review the job details below.

We're looking for someone to join our team as a Associate Director-Specialty BH who:

Under the direction of the Senior Director of Behavioral Health (BH), the Associate Director- Specialty Behavioral Health plans, directs, coordinates, and evaluates Specialty Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) programs and operations throughout Kern County. This position assists the Senior Director‑BH in coordinating, negotiating, and managing all Specialty Mental Health and Drug Medi‑Cal services and contracts within KernBHRS.

The Associate Director‑Specialty BH applies advanced administrative, operational, and clinical leadership skills to support access to care, quality service delivery, regulatory compliance, and continuity of services across multiple programs. The role serves as a key liaison between internal leadership, community stakeholders, providers, contractors, and KernBHRS to ensure alignment with Clinica Sierra Vista's mission, contractual obligations, and patient‑centered care standards.

Essential Functions:

1. In collaboration with the Senior Director‑BH, organize, oversee, and continuously improve patient flow systems across the full continuum of behavioral health and SUD services to achieve high levels of access, efficiency, quality, and patient satisfaction.
2. In partnership with the Quality Improvement (QI) Manager, ensure organizational compliance with all applicable county, state, federal, contract, Drug Medi‑Cal, Specialty Mental Health, Joint Commission, and Clinica Sierra Vista policies, procedures, and clinical standards across all specialty BH and SUD treatment sites.
3. Under the direction of the Senior Director‑BH, plan, lead, and supervise multi‑site behavioral health and SUD programs; regularly evaluate program outcomes, service utilization, and performance metrics; and implement improvement strategies responsive to identified patient population needs.
4. Assist in the recruitment, selection, onboarding, supervision, training, coaching, and performance evaluation of professional and supervisory direct reports, including clinic managers and program supervisors, fostering leadership development and staff retention.
5. Ensure the integrity, quality, and timeliness of clinical and financial documentation, productivity, and reporting activities in collaboration with the QI Manager, clinic managers, site supervisors, and finance staff.
6. Participate in preparation for, presentation at, and follow‑up from contract meetings, audits, site reviews, and stakeholder engagements with county agencies, funders, and regulatory bodies to support contract compliance, retention, and growth.
7. Conduct regularly scheduled individual and group meetings with clinic managers and program supervisors to review program performance, service delivery, productivity, staffing, recruitment, training needs, budget monitoring, and compliance with contractual and regulatory requirements.
8. Monitor program budgets, staffing patterns, and service capacity, and collaborate with senior leadership to address operational challenges, resource needs, and strategic planning initiatives.
9. Serve as a liaison to internal departments and external partners to support coordinated care, continuity of services, and effective communication across systems of care.
10. Promptly inform the Senior Director‑BH of significant operational, clinical, contractual, staffing, or compliance concerns, along with recommended corrective actions when appropriate.
11. Crisis response coordination, corrective action planning, and service continuity efforts.
12. Maintain confidentiality, data security, and ethical standards at all times in accordance with HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, organizational policy, and applicable laws.
13. Perform other duties as assigned to support the Behavioral Health Department and organizational objectives.

You'll be successful with the following qualifications:

1. Requires a Master's degree or Ph.D; and at least 3 years of management or supervisory experience in behavioral health or a related field.
2. Licensure by the Board of Behavioral Sciences or the California Board of Psychology; and expertise in the delivery of community-based safety net behavioral health services.
3. Excellent verbal, written and communication skills.
4. Excellent problem solving and organizational skills.
5. Demonstrated proficiency in spreadsheet, database, word processing and other computer software applications.

Clinica Sierra Vista values human rights, goodwill, respect, inclusivity, equality, and recognizes that the organization derives its strength from a rich diversity of thoughts, ideas, and contributions. As leaders in healthcare industry, we aspire to be an employer of choice by promoting an organizational culture that reflects these core values. We seek to attract, develop, and retain a talented and dedicated workforce where people of diverse races, genders, religions, cultures, political affiliations and lifestyles thrive. Our goal is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that empowers our employees to provide the highest level of service to our community of residents and businesses; they're counting on us.

Clinica Sierra Vista is an equal opportunity employer and strives to attract qualified applicants from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and/or local law. We aim to create an environment that celebrates and embraces the diversity of our workforce. We welcome you to join our team!