Associate Director - Adirondack Youth Lodge (CCR)

Summary/Objective:

The Associate Director – Adirondack Youth Lodge provides clinical and operational leadership for the Children’s Community Residence (CCR) program. This position is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the program and ensures the residential milieu operates in a structured, therapeutic, trauma-informed environment consistent with New York State CCR regulations and agency standards.
 

The Associate Director serves as the primary liaison between residential staff and the organization’s behavioral health programs to ensure youth receive coordinated, clinically informed care. This role provides clinical guidance to residential staff, promotes a safe and therapeutic environment, and ensures all documentation, service planning, and regulatory requirements are completed in accordance with applicable regulations.

The Associate Director does not serve as the primary therapist for youth in the program but ensures appropriate coordination and collaboration with behavioral health providers, psychiatric services, families, SPOA partners, and community supports.

Essential Functions (Job Duties):

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (JOB DUTIES)

Program Leadership and Operations

• Provides day-to-day operational leadership for the Adirondack Youth Lodge Children’s Community Residence program.
• Ensures the residential milieu operates in a structured, therapeutic, and trauma-informed manner that supports youth stabilization and recovery.
• Oversees implementation of program policies, procedures, and daily programming consistent with CCR program expectations.
• Supervises program staff including Senior Residence Counselors and Residence Counselors.
• Provides supervision and direction to the Program Assistant responsible for administrative functions including referral tracking, scheduling coordination, purchasing requests, documentation support, and other operational tasks necessary to maintain program efficiency.
• Promotes a professional culture focused on accountability, youth safety, and therapeutic engagement.
• Ensures staffing patterns meet regulatory and program requirements for supervision and safety.
• Participates in recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and performance evaluation of residential staff.

Clinical Environment and Crisis Response

• Provides clinical leadership to support staff in responding appropriately to youth behavioral health crises.
• Guides staff in implementing trauma-informed approaches, de-escalation strategies, and individualized safety planning.
• Provides ongoing coaching and modeling for residential staff to strengthen therapeutic engagement, boundary setting, and consistent behavioral expectations within the residential milieu.
• Reviews incidents, behavioral concerns, and crisis responses to identify patterns and strengthen preventative interventions.
• Ensures the residential environment supports behavior regulation, skill development, and emotional stabilization.
• Works collaboratively with agency clinicians, nursing staff, and psychiatric providers to support youth care.

Care Coordination and Behavioral Health Integration

• Serves as the primary liaison between the residential program and the organization’s behavioral health programs.
• Facilitates consistent communication between residential staff, therapists, prescribers, care managers, nursing, and other providers.
• Ensures youth have access to appropriate behavioral health services including individual therapy, psychiatric evaluation, and crisis support.
• Coordinates multidisciplinary team meetings to review youth progress, safety concerns, and treatment planning.
• Ensures collaboration with family members, caregivers, SPOA partners, schools, and community providers.
• CCR programs require ongoing communication between residence staff, families, and external providers to coordinate care and support successful discharge planning. 

Documentation and Regulatory Compliance

• Ensures all documentation required by New York State CCR regulations and agency policies is completed accurately and within required timeframes.
• Oversees completion of intake documentation, service planning, progress notes, incident reports, and discharge planning documentation.
• Monitors documentation quality and provides feedback and coaching to staff.
• Prepares for regulatory reviews, audits, and site visits.
• Ensures compliance with OMH and other applicable regulatory requirements.

Program Quality and Culture

• Promotes a culture of professionalism, therapeutic engagement, and accountability within the residential program.
• Ensures staff are trained in crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, and youth development principles.
• Monitors program performance indicators including incidents, AWOL events, and staff turnover trends.
• Implements quality improvement initiatives to strengthen program effectiveness and youth outcomes.
• Supports staff development through coaching, supervision, and training.

Administrative and Operational Responsibilities

• Participates in program budgeting, purchasing approvals, and resource planning.
• Collaborates with leadership to ensure appropriate staffing coverage and operational planning.
• Participates in internal leadership meetings and cross-department initiatives.
• Supports community outreach and engagement with referral partners and county stakeholders.
• Completes reports and administrative tasks necessary to support program operations. 
• Coordinates with internal billing and financial teams to ensure Medicaid eligibility and application processes are completed when necessary and in accordance with applicable residential and rehabilitation program regulations. 
• Ensures required documentation supporting eligibility, placement, and services is completed and available to support reimbursement and compliance.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Yes

Competencies:

• Leadership and supervisory skills
• Crisis management and behavioral health expertise
• Trauma-informed care knowledge
• Collaboration and communication skills
• Conflict resolution and decision making
• Organizational and documentation accuracy
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries in residential settings
• Emotional intelligence and cultural humility

Physical Demands:

Lifting Requirements:

Physical Demands:

Definitions:

Required Education and Experience:

1. Master’s degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, or related field.
2. Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), or equivalent professional license required.
3. Minimum of two to four years of experience working with youth with behavioral health needs.
4. Experience in residential, crisis, or intensive behavioral health settings preferred.
5. Supervisory experience preferred.
6. Knowledge of OMH regulations and youth behavioral health systems strongly preferred

Salary : $90,000 - $95,000