Associate Clinical Director

Position Summary:

The Associate Clinical Director supports the Clinical Director in overseeing the clinical integrity of any CBH programs they are assigned to. This position plays a critical leadership role by providing direct clinical care, supervising staff, ensuring documentation compliance, and maintaining program quality. The Associate Clinical Director models clinical excellence, facilitates therapeutic programming, and ensures that services are delivered in alignment with ethical, evidence-based, and trauma-informed practices.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Clinical Oversight:

• Assist in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of clinical programming for assigned CBH clients.
• Facilitate and run clinical group therapy sessions and provide individual therapy as needed, maintaining active involvement in the therapeutic milieu.
• For teen programs – facilitate weekly multimodality family groups.
• Support the Clinical Director with all required EMR co-signatures, including but not limited to group notes, individual therapy notes, suicide risk assessments, and treatment plans.
• Performs regular internal audits & spot checks on all clinical documentation to ensure accuracy, clinical quality, timeliness, and compliance with internal standards and external regulations.
• Send documentation back to staff for refinement when standards are not met, offering coaching and support to ensure ongoing improvement.
• Participate and or leading in case reviews, clinicals, treatment planning meetings, and interdisciplinary care coordination.
• Promote the use of evidence-based, trauma-informed, and culturally competent practices throughout all levels of care.
• Step in to do urgent assessments such as suicide risk assessments as needed.
• On-Call Requirement: Must be available on-call 24/7 to support direct care staff in responding to clinical emergencies as they arise.
• Carry a moderate caseload if / when needed.
• Engage and perform assessments of new patients as needed.

Staff Supervision and Development:

• Provide clinical supervision to licensed and unlicensed staff, interns, and case managers, as assigned.
• Lead regular clinical team meetings, treatment reviews, and professional development discussions.
• Conduct performance evaluations, develop individualized growth plans, and support continuing education and licensure processes.
• Assist in the onboarding, training, and mentorship of new clinical team members.
• Act as a clinical resource and escalation point for staff in crisis situations.

Compliance and Quality Assurance:

• Monitor clinical activities for adherence to state licensing, accreditation (e.g., Joint Commission, DHCS, CDSS), and ethical standards.
• Participate in audits, medical record reviews, and quality assurance initiatives.
• Help oversee incident reporting, clinical risk management, and resolution of client grievances from a clinical perspective.
• Ensure documentation timelines are met to support timely billing and compliance with payer requirements.

Client and Family Engagement:

• Participate in individual or family therapy sessions and treatment planning meetings as appropriate.
• Provide psychoeducation and supportive communication to families and caregivers to ensure continuity of care and client progress.
• Step in to assist with difficult patients/cases in the milieu and engage with family members if / when needed.
• Foster an inclusive, safe, and therapeutic environment for all clients and their support systems.

Other Function and Responsibilities:

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Clinical Director.
• Represent Program positively in all marketing opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or higher in counseling, psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, or a related behavioral health field.
• Active clinical licensure (LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, or equivalent) in good standing in the state of practice.
• Minimum of 2 years post-licensure clinical experience in behavioral health, including work with high-acuity populations in RTC/PHP/IOP or similar settings.
• At least 1–2 years of supervisory or clinical leadership experience.
• Strong working knowledge of diagnostic assessment, crisis intervention, treatment planning, and documentation standards.
• Demonstrated expertise in evidence-based modalities (e.g., CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with electronic medical record (EMR) systems.
• Bilingual proficiency (e.g., English/Spanish) is a plus.
• Additional certifications (e.g., EMDR, DBT, Certified Clinical Supervisor) are preferred.

Work Conditions:

• Standard clinical environment with regular in-person presence.
• Must have the ability to travel between multiple program sites as needed.
• Must be available for on-call duties 24/7 to respond to clinical emergencies, staff support needs, or critical incidents.
• Primarily Monday–Friday schedule with flexibility for early evenings or weekend availability when required.
• Occasional need to assist in client crisis management or staff coverage during peak hours.