Clinical Director

Clinical Director

Employer: Advocates for Children

Department: Behavioral Health

Reports To: Chief Program Officer (CPO)

Effective Date: 10/16/2026

Summary: The Clinical Director provides leadership and oversight of Advocates for Children's behavioral health services, ensuring accessible, effective, trauma-informed care for children, youth, adults, and families. The director supervises all therapists and departmental staff; oversees clinical operations, quality, and compliance; coordinates care with psychiatrists, nurses, and community partners; and leads sustainable service growth, including CORE provider readiness and payer participation. The position maintains a limited direct clinical workload consistent with leadership responsibilities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership and Service Operations

• Lead daily clinical operations and establish standards for evidence-based, person-centered, culturally responsive care across approved services and locations.
• Oversee referrals, intake, assessment, treatment planning, service delivery, discharge, and continuity of care; address access barriers, waitlists, missed appointments, and care transitions.
• Coordinate with psychiatrists and nurses regarding psychiatric evaluations, medication management, treatment recommendations, monitoring, and follow-up, respecting each professional's licensure and scope of practice.
• Establish referral and consultation processes with AFC programs and external providers to support coordinated care and appropriate information sharing.
• Advise the CPO on clinical priorities, service capacity, staffing needs, risks, and resource allocation.

Direct Clinical Services

• Maintain a limited caseload and provide assessments, treatment planning, individual or group therapy, crisis intervention, and clinical coverage as needed and within professional competence.
• Adjust direct service expectations with the CPO as departmental needs change, preserving sufficient time for supervision, quality oversight, and program leadership.
• Maintain timely, accurate clinical records and provide consultation on complex cases.

Clinical Quality, Safety, and Compliance

• Develop, implement, and maintain clinical policies and procedures aligned with applicable DBHDD, Medicaid, payer, professional, and COA accreditation requirements for services provided.
• Oversee clinical risk management, including suicide risk assessment and response, safety planning, crisis escalation, mandated reporting procedures, incident review, and continuity of care following hospitalization.
• Ensure departmental practices address informed consent, client rights, HIPAA and other applicable confidentiality requirements, secure information sharing, and professional boundaries.
• Conduct clinical record reviews, monitor treatment quality and outcomes, identify deficiencies, and implement and track corrective actions.
• Lead departmental Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) activities and report on access, engagement, outcomes, documentation timeliness, service utilization, and safety; support accreditation reviews and audits.

Documentation, EHR, and Reimbursement Support

• Oversee consistent use of the electronic health record (EHR), including workflows, clinical templates, required reviews, staff training, and timely completion and authentication of clinical records.
• Ensure assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, and discharge documentation accurately support clinical need, services delivered, client progress, and applicable payer requirements.
• Collaborate with Finance and billing personnel on service authorization, utilization review, accurate coding and documentation, and resolution of documentation related denials; address discrepancies without compromising record integrity.
• Monitor documentation and service delivery practices to prevent unsupported or duplicate billing and promptly escalate suspected compliance concerns through agency procedures.

Program Integration and Strategic Growth

• Lead clinical readiness and implementation for CORE provider participation, insurance credentialing, and other approved service arrangements in collaboration with leadership, consultants, and administrative staff.
• Recommend evidence-based services, staffing models, and partnerships responsive to client needs; implement approved expansion plans as staffing, funding, and required approvals permit.
• Collaborate with Finance and leadership on departmental budgets, appropriate productivity expectations, service capacity, and financial sustainability while protecting clinical quality.
• Provide accurate clinical performance information for funder reports, strategic planning, and program evaluation in coordination with appropriate AFC staff.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervise all therapists and departmental staff, including assigned employees and interns; coordinate contracted clinical services within established agreements.
• Recruit, select, onboard, evaluate, and develop departmental staff in collaboration with Human Resources and leadership; address performance concerns and maintain clear accountability.
• Provide scheduled clinical supervision and case consultation; review treatment decisions, caseloads, documentation, and progress toward client goals.
• Provide supervision toward professional licensure only when appropriately qualified and authorized for the employee's discipline; coordinate other qualified supervision when needed.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, or a related clinical field; education appropriate to the professional license held.
• Current, unrestricted Georgia license permitting independent clinical practice as an LCSW, LPC, LMFT, or psychologist.
• Minimum five years of clinical experience, including work with children, youth, and families and trauma-informed, evidence-based treatment.
• Demonstrated experience supervising clinicians and managing clinical operations, documentation quality, and performance improvement.
• Experience in Medicaid funded or insurance reimbursed behavioral health services strongly preferred; knowledge of clinical documentation, authorization, utilization review, and reimbursement processes.
• Working knowledge of applicable DBHDD and CORE provider requirements, accreditation standards, confidentiality practices, and clinical risk management; proficiency with EHR systems and outcome data.
• Strong leadership, communication, collaboration, and organizational skills; ability to implement systems and guide a growing multidisciplinary department.

Competencies

Diversity and Inclusion: Demonstrates respect for cultural differences, equitable access, and the dignity of every client and colleague; promotes an inclusive, harassment-free environment.

Ethics: Maintains confidentiality, professional boundaries, integrity, and accountability; uses sound clinical judgment and follows professional standards.

Professionalism and Leadership: Communicates clearly, develops staff, collaborates across disciplines, responds effectively under pressure, and follows through on commitments.

Quality: Uses evidence, feedback, and outcome data to improve care, documentation, and departmental performance.

Written Communication: Produces clear, accurate clinical records, policies, reports, and professional correspondence.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Work is performed in office, clinical, and community settings and requires regular computer use, communication, and travel to agency locations and partner sites. Occasional evening availability or response to urgent clinical concerns may be required under established coverage arrangements. Essential functions may be performed with reasonable accommodations.