Program Director

Garrett’s Space

Program Director

Organization Overview

Garrett's Space is a suicide prevention program where young adults ages 18 to 28 with depression and anxiety can find community, tools, and a place to belong. Garrett's Space was founded in 2018 by Julie and Scott Halpert after losing their 23-year-old son Garrett to suicide. We currently offer weekly wellness groups and monthly in-person gatherings where young adults can connect with supportive peers. Guided by professional facilitators, our participants engage in discussion, mindfulness practices, creative expression, and movement activities that help build coping skills and community. We recently broke ground on our new residential campus in southeast Michigan, which will help fill gaps in our mental health system and offer young adults a safe place to find hope and healing.  

Position Summary

The Program Director is responsible for the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of Garrett’s Space programming across both virtual services and the Garrett’s Space residential campus, all focused on reducing anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation in young adults ages 18–28. This new position ensures that all program activities are safe, trauma-informed, holistic, and aligned with Garrett’s Space’s mission of providing connection, coping skills, and hope for young adults struggling with Depression, Anxiety, and/or Suicidality.

Location: Ann Arbor / hybrid (virtual and residential campus)

Direct Supervisor: Executive Director

Collaborates closely with: Clinical Director

Duties and Responsibilities

Program management & facilitation – virtual and residential (70%)

Summary: Oversees the delivery, safety, and quality of all Garrett’s Space programs, including virtual wellness programming and the residential/day program on the new campus.​

• Ensures fidelity to the Garrett’s Space model across both virtual and in person programs, including support groups, wellness activities, and campus-based programming that promote connection, coping skills, and reduced suicidality.​
• Monitors the appropriateness and trauma-informed nature of all programming content (e.g., movement, mindfulness, creative arts, peer support, psychoeducation) in both environments.​
• Assists in the provision of participant intakes and orientation for young adults and, when appropriate, their families/supports, including risk assessment, safety planning, and appropriate follow-up.
• Oversees group and activity assignments across virtual and residential settings to match participants’ needs, acuity, schedules, and goals.
• Identifies and coordinates referrals for participants who require a higher level of clinical care (e.g., outpatient therapy, crisis services, inpatient/partial programs, psychiatry) and maintains strong relationships with community providers.​
• Ensures that suicide risk, safety, emergency, and building/campus procedures are understood and followed by all staff, contractors, and volunteers in virtual and residential settings.
• Works with clinical advisors and leadership to incorporate best practices in suicide prevention and holistic, nonclinical support for young adults.​
• Ensures accurate, timely documentation of participant information, attendance, risk/safety notes, and outcomes in organizational databases.
• Serves as staff liaison to relevant advisory committees (Program, Clinical, Residential) and prepares program data and updates for their review.​
• Oversees program evaluation for virtual and residential services, including development and use of tools that track changes in depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, connection, and coping skills, and uses data to drive improvements, create a replicable model of programming and drive fundraising support and reimbursement. ​ 
• Conducts/oversees educational trainings and presentations for families, partners and community groups on topics such as supporting young adults with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation and how Garrett’s Space can help.​
• Represents Garrett’s Space in community outreach related to mental health and suicide prevention and assigns other staff as appropriate.​

Supervision (20%)

Summary: Provides strategic and supportive supervision to staff, contractors, and volunteers, delivering virtual and residential programming.

• Supervises program team members (e.g., coordinators, facilitators, wellness specialists, peer/volunteer roles) across virtual and campus programs, including scheduling and assignment of duties.
• Collaborates with leadership to recruit diverse, mission aligned team members with strong skills in young adult mental health, group work, and holistic wellness.​
• Oversees onboarding and ongoing training for program staff and volunteers, including suicide risk protocols, campus safety, virtual facilitation skills, and Garrett’s Space’s values and model.​
• Conducts performance evaluations and supports professional development for direct reports.
• Promotes strong collaboration among program, development, and communications staff to ensure aligned messaging and participant centered storytelling and outreach.​
• Helps identify and resolve operational and programmatic issues impacting either virtual or campus programming, in collaboration with leadership and partners.
• Contributes to strategic and operational planning for both the wellness program and the residential center.​

Partnership with organizational and site leadership (5%)

Summary: Works closely with the Executive Director, Clinical Director, and campus leadership to co-lead safe, effective virtual and residential operations.

• Collaborates on program related components of organizational and campus operational plans, including phased launch and scaling of residential programming while sustaining virtual services.​
• Helps plan and lead regular cross team meetings (e.g., “all program staff”) to coordinate virtual and campus operations, safety and communication.
• Coordinates with leadership and development/communications to ensure all external messaging reflects mission, values, and the distinct roles of virtual and residential programs.​

Other duties as assigned (5%)

• Supports special initiatives or events that highlight or benefit programming (e.g., capital campaign activities with a program lens, program tours, storytelling).​
• Serves on internal/external committees and workgroups related to suicide prevention and young adult mental health as requested.​

Decision-making

Independent:

• Programmatic decisions within approved model, policies, and budget across virtual and residential programs.
• Day-to-day staffing and scheduling decisions for program staff and volunteers.

Requires approval:

• Changes that materially alter the core program model or risk profile.
• Expenditures outside approved budget or above set limits.
• Major campus facility or safety changes, or significant shifts in target population, scope or geography.

Physical and environmental expectations

• Work occurs in office, virtual/remote and residential campus settings, including indoor and outdoor spaces designed to promote healing and connection.​
• Frequent computer, phone/video, and documentation work.
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs (supplies, materials).
• Occasional local travel, plus occasional regional travel for training or conferences.

Essential functions

• Lead and integrate virtual and residential Garrett’s Space programming to reduce anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation in young adults through connection, coping skills and holistic support.​
• Maintain rigorous safety and suicide risk practices in both environments while preserving a nonclinical, supportive atmosphere.​

Minimum qualifications

• Required: Master’s degree in mental health–related field (social work, counseling, psychology, marriage and family therapy or related).
• Minimum three years post licensure experience with youth/young adults experiencing depression, anxiety, and/or suicidal ideation, preferably including group and/or intensive programming.
• Experience in Program development
• Experience supervising staff and/or volunteers in mental health or social services settings.
• Knowledge of suicide risk and protective factors, community mental health resources, and trauma-informed practice.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic/documentation systems.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Deep commitment to Garrett’s Space’s values and mission to reduce suicides and fill gaps in supportive care for young adults.​
• Strong communication skills, including comfort discussing suicide and severe mental health challenges in clear, compassionate, non-stigmatizing ways.​
• Ability to build trust with diverse young adults, including LGBTQ and other marginalized communities, and to foster belonging in both virtual and in person settings.​
• Demonstrated leadership and teambuilding skills; organized, detail oriented, and able to manage multiple program streams simultaneously.

Licensure and preferred training

• Required: Current LMSW, LP, LPC, LMFT or equivalent master's level clinical license in good standing.
• Training/certification in suicide risk assessment and suicide prevention is strongly preferred.

Employee Benefits and Requirements

• Salary commensurate with experience, range: $80,000 to $100,000
• Full-time, salaried, exempt position with paid time off and holidays, health insurance, and opportunities for professional development.

How to apply? Interested candidates are invited to submit a resume and cover letter to garrettsspaceapply@gmail.com by Sunday, January 25th, 2026.

Garrett’s Space Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Garrett’s Space is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment, maintaining a diverse workforce, and prohibiting all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions, policies, and practices, in terms of the recruitment process and other conditions and privileges of employment, will comply with applicable federal, state, and local anti discrimination laws. To view the full policy and job description, visit bit.ly/gsprogram26.