Program Director of Children's Services
About The Position
AMHC is seeking a dynamic and mission-driven Exempt Program Director of Children’s Services to provide operational, clinical, and strategic leadership across all children’s behavioral health programs. This executive-level role ensures the delivery of high-quality, trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate services for children, adolescents, and families across the continuum of care, including outpatient, school-based, community-based, crisis, and specialized programs. The Director plays a key leadership role in advancing services under the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model and aligning program operations with the agency’s strategic vision. The Program Director reports directly to the Chief Operations Officer and serves as a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).
Requirements
- Advanced degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or related behavioral health field (required).
- Minimum 5 years of progressive leadership experience in children’s behavioral health services.
- Experience with Medicaid-funded programs and regulatory compliance required.
- Demonstrated expertise in trauma-informed care, child development, and family-centered practices.
- Strong fiscal management, data analysis, and strategic planning skills.
- This position requires a bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or counseling, and 7 years of experience in behavioral health services, crisis intervention, and/or residential care.
- Demonstrated supervisory, leadership, administrative, program, and community development experience is also required.
Nice To Haves
- Independent clinical licensure preferred (LCSW, LCPC, LMFT, or equivalent).
- CCBHC experience preferred.
- Prior leadership or management experience in a similar setting is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Lead the design, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of children’s behavioral health services.
- Translate agency strategic goals into measurable program objectives and outcomes.
- Identify emerging needs and recommend new services or program enhancements based on data and best practices.
- Supervise and mentor Program Managers, Clinical Supervisors, and program staff.
- Promote a culture of accountability, clinical excellence, and family-centered care.
- Oversee recruitment, onboarding, professional development, and succession planning.
- Establish and monitor child-specific performance metrics and outcome measures.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, Medicaid, HIPAA, licensing, and contractual requirements.
- Utilize data analytics to improve access, quality, and service effectiveness.
- Prepare reports for leadership, funders, regulatory agencies, and the Board of Directors.
- Develop and manage program budgets in collaboration with the CFO.
- Monitor productivity, utilization, and expenditures to ensure fiscal stewardship.
- Ensure alignment with AMHC’s annual service and development plan.
- Build and maintain partnerships with schools, child welfare, juvenile justice, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders.
- Lead children-specific community needs assessments.
- Support contract development, grant initiatives, and RFP responses.
- Represent AMHC in regional and statewide coalitions and workgroups.
- Collaborate with Finance, HR, Billing, IT/EHR, Quality, and Marketing to ensure coordinated operations.
- Participate in the agency’s 24-hour administrative on-call rotation.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
