Director of Behavioral Health

Job Type


Full-time

Description

About Wellness Equity Alliance

Wellness Equity Alliance is a national multidisciplinary health organization that designs and delivers integrated, community-based care for populations most impacted by health inequities. We do this through mobile and field-based models, providing medical care, behavioral health services, substance use treatment, harm reduction, and care coordination in nontraditional settings such as encampments, schools, reentry sites, and rural communities, as well as with sovereign tribal nations. Grounded in trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and data-driven practices, WEA combines clinical expertise, lived experience, and advanced population health analytics to reduce barriers to care, improve continuity, and strengthen local systems. We have partnered with more than 60 public agencies, managed care plans, and community-based organizations across the U.S. to implement scalable, sustainable programs that are advancing health equity and improving outcomes for historically marginalized populations.

We are known as Renegades, Rebels, Disruptors, and Dreamers. If that sounds like you, we want you on our team.

Position Overview

The Director of Behavioral Health leads WEA's integrated behavioral health programs and initiatives, ensuring services are clinically sound, compliant, financially sustainable, and responsive to the communities we serve. Reporting to the Chief Behavioral Health Officer, the Director spends about 75% of their time on program leadership, operations, quality, and staff development.

The remaining 25% is direct clinical practice at the Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-In Center (CWIC), located on the behavioral health campus of Riverside University Health System in Indio, CA, and on Street Medicine rounds. This keeps the Director grounded in front-line realities and lets them model trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, harm-reduction care for the team.

Role at a Glance

• Level: Senior management; reports to the Chief Behavioral Health Officer
• Focus: Running programs day to day and putting organizational initiatives into practice
• Scope: Assigned integrated behavioral health programs, including CWIC and Street Medicine behavioral health
• Budget: Manages program budgets within the overall behavioral health budget set by the Chief; supports grant writing and contract reporting
• External Role: Works with partners at the operational level on referral pathways, MOUs, case conferences, and day-to-day coordination
• Clinical Work: About 25% direct practice at CWIC and on Street Medicine rounds
• Accountability: Answers to the Chief for program performance, compliance, staffing, and quality
• Supervises: Program managers, clinical supervisors, and front-line teams

Administrative Responsibilities (75%)

Program Leadership and Strategy

• Direct the day-to-day operations of integrated behavioral health programs, including crisis, street medicine, and primary care-behavioral health integration services.
• Partner with the Chief Behavioral Health Officer to set program goals, develop annual work plans, meet key performance indicators, and support new initiatives from design through implementation.
• Build and maintain care pathways that connect crisis, street medicine, substance use treatment, mental health treatment, and supportive services.
• Serve as the operational point of contact for county behavioral health, managed care plans, hospitals, law enforcement, mobile crisis teams, and community partners, managing referral pathways, MOUs, and case conferences; escalate strategic or contract-level matters to the Chief Behavioral Health Officer.

Quality, Compliance, and Risk

• Ensure programs meet federal, state, and county requirements, including DHCS, Medi-Cal/CalAIM, county contract terms, HIPAA, and 42 CFR Part 2.
• Ensure adherence to policies and procedures for crisis assessment, risk management, involuntary hold (5150) initiation and transfer, de-escalation, and incident response.
• Lead quality improvement: define outcome measures, monitor dashboards, conduct chart audits, and act on findings.
• Oversee incident review, critical event debriefs, and grievance follow-up.
• Prepare for and lead the program's response to audits, site reviews, and accreditation surveys.

Operations and Finance

• Manage program budgets and monitor spending against grants and contracts, within the overall behavioral health budget set by the Chief Behavioral Health Officer.
• Oversee documentation standards, billing accuracy, and productivity targets.
• Contribute to grant applications, funder reports, and contract deliverables.
• Plan 24/7 staffing coverage and manage schedules, on-call rotations, and surge plans.

Workforce Development

• Recruit, hire, onboard, and retain clinical and non-clinical behavioral health staff.
• Design and deliver training on crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, cultural humility, and safety.
• Foster a culture of staff wellness, including structured debriefs after critical incidents.

Clinical Responsibilities (25%)

Clinical shifts are scheduled at CWIC or on Street Medicine rounds, based on program need.

Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-In Center (CWIC)

• Provide crisis assessment, risk and safety assessment, de-escalation, and brief intervention for members who walk in voluntarily.
• Develop safety and stabilization plans in collaboration with members and their supports.
• Evaluate for and initiate 5150/5585 holds when criteria are met, and coordinate safe transfer to the appropriate level of care.
• Provide real-time clinical consultation and backup to on-shift staff during high-acuity situations.

Street Medicine Rounds

• Join the street medicine team to engage unsheltered individuals where they are, using outreach and harm-reduction approaches.
• Conduct field-based behavioral health and substance use screening, brief assessment, and crisis intervention.
• Coordinate warm handoffs to psychiatry, medication for addiction treatment, primary care, shelter, and housing navigation.

Across Both Settings

• Complete timely, accurate documentation that meets medical-necessity and billing standards.
• Use clinical time to identify gaps in workflow, training, or resources and feed them back into program improvement.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervise program managers and clinical supervisors across integrated behavioral health programs; indirectly oversee licensed clinicians, associate clinicians, peer support specialists, and case managers.
• Provide or arrange clinical supervision for associates accruing hours toward licensure, in line with California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) or Board of Psychology requirements.
• Conduct performance evaluations, coaching, and corrective action in partnership with People & Culture.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Master's or doctoral degree in social work.
• Current, unrestricted California LCSW license.
• At least 5 years of post-license clinical experience, including crisis intervention with adults experiencing serious mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
• At least 3 years of supervisory or management experience in a behavioral health setting.
• Eligibility for 5150 designation by the county, or ability to obtain it within 90 days of hire.
• Experience with Medi-Cal documentation, billing, and compliance.
• Valid California driver's license and ability to travel between program sites and field locations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in street medicine, homeless services, or field-based outreach.
• Experience running a crisis stabilization, crisis walk-in, or urgent care behavioral health program.
• Background in integrated care (primary care-behavioral health) models.
• Training in harm reduction, motivational interviewing, and evidence-based crisis models (e.g., CAMS, Crisis Now).
• Experience with grant management and county or managed care plan contracts.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.
• Lived experience with mental health, substance use, or homelessness, and the ability to draw on it in leadership.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Expert crisis assessment, suicide and violence risk assessment, and de-escalation.
• Working knowledge of California's Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act, CARE Act, Medi-Cal/CalAIM, and county behavioral health systems.
• Ability to translate front-line observations into policy, workflow, and training changes.
• Skill in using data to track outcomes and drive quality improvement.
• Strong written and verbal communication with staff, members, partners, and funders.
• Sound judgment and composure in high-acuity, unpredictable situations.
• Commitment to trauma-informed, person-centered, culturally responsive, and anti-oppressive practice.
• Proficiency with electronic health records and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Work is split between an office, a 24/7 walk-in crisis center, and outdoor field settings, including encampments, streets, and other unsheltered locations.
• Field work involves walking moderate distances, standing for extended periods, carrying supplies up to 25 lbs, and exposure to weather and uncontrolled environments.
• May involve exposure to communicable disease, biohazards, and verbally or physically escalated individuals; safety protocols and training are provided.
• Primarily weekday hours, with occasional evenings or weekends and participation in an administrative on-call rotation.
• Reasonable accommodations will be made for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Compensation

The pay range for this position is $140,000 - $145,000 annually. Final compensation is based on experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

Equal Opportunity Statement

WEA is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected by law. People with lived experience of mental health conditions, substance use, or homelessness are strongly encouraged to apply.

Third-Party Recruiting Notice:


Wellness Equity Alliance does not currently accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from third-party recruiters, staffing agencies, search firms, or other external recruiting vendors. Please do not contact hiring managers or members of our People & Culture team regarding recruitment services unless you have an existing agreement with WEA.

Any unsolicited resumes or candidate information submitted without a current, authorized agreement will be considered the property of Wellness Equity Alliance, and no placement fee or other compensation will be owed in connection with any resulting hire.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.


Salary Description


$140,000 - $145,000 per year