Alvarado Parkway Institute (API) – La Mesa, CA

Behavioral Health Leadership | Clinical Supervision | PHP & IOP Programs

Salary: $93,000.00 - $98,000.00 annually, based on licensure, experience, and qualifications.

Alvarado Parkway Institute (API), a leading behavioral health and substance use treatment provider in San Diego County, is seeking a Licensed Assistant Program Director of Outpatient Services to join our leadership team in La Mesa, California.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, PsyD, or PhD-level clinician who is passionate about clinical excellence, staff development, and behavioral health program leadership. The Assistant Program Director plays a key role in overseeing clinical operations, providing supervision and mentorship to therapists and trainees, maintaining regulatory compliance, supporting program quality initiatives, and ensuring exceptional patient care within our Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP).

The Licensed Assistant Program Director of Outpatient Services supports the Program Director in the daily operations of API's PHP and IOP program in La Mesa, CA. This leadership role provides clinical oversight, supervises therapists and trainees, ensures compliance with regulatory and Joint Commission standards, facilitates treatment team collaboration, and helps drive quality patient outcomes. This is a full time position (Monday - Friday).

Alvarado Parkway Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, well-being, and financial security of our employees. Benefits include a 401(k) retirement plan, medical, dental, and vision insurance, Paid Days Off (PDO), paid sick time, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), life insurance, and access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for personal and professional support. Employees may also take advantage of our Employee Referral Bonus Program and Legal Assistance Plan, providing additional resources and value for both employees and their families.

You must complete an application online at our website to be considered for possible employment: https://apibhs.com/careers

Required Education, Experience, and Certifications:

• Master’s Degree or greater (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in a recognized mental health field (e.g., Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Clinical Counseling, and/or Social Work)
• Licensed by California Board of Behavioral Sciences or the Board of Psychology.
• Must possess and maintain a BLS CPR Certificate for Healthcare Providers issued by the American Heart Association.
• Must possess and maintain a crisis prevention/intervention certification.
• Experience working in a behavioral health environment (inpatient or outpatient).
• Understanding of psychiatric illness and its treatment, and knowledge of psychotropic medication.

Preferred Education, Experience, and Certifications:

• Eligible to provide clinical supervision through reporting board to license eligible staff/licensed with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences for 2 years or California Board of Psychology (must be licensed 2 years if supervising BBS registered associates)
• Supervisory experience.
• Experience working with patients with severe, persistent, and acute mental illness, substance use, and/or developmental disabilities
• Experience working with patients in an intensive outpatient program and/or partial hospitalization program
• Experience implementing evidence-based therapies
• Experience with curriculum development
• Leadership experience

Licensed Assistant Program Director of Outpatient Services Responsibilities:

• Assist in the Interviewing process for new hire candidates.
• Reviews and assists with the completion of documentation of Behavioral Health Therapists, Interns, Associates, Trainees, and/or Postdocs to ensure clinical appropriateness, completeness, and adherence to regulatory standards.
• Completes qualitative and quantitative medical record chart audits
• Assists with review of program forms and policies and procedures to ensure they are up to date and adhere to regulatory and/or Joint Commission Standards
• Oversees the provision of and/or provides individual, group, family process-oriented therapies as well as oversees the facilitation of and/or facilitates psychoeducation/didactic groups for patients using various professional treatment modalities.
• Provides consultation and guidance for Behavioral Health Therapists, Interns, Associates, Trainees, and Postdocs who provide services for Outpatient Services and other clinical departments when indicated.
• If licensed and eligible to supervise, will provide clinical supervision to Behavioral Health Therapists.
• May provide clinical supervision if eligible to do so per California Board of Behavioral Sciences/Board of Psychology regulations.
• Assist in training of Behavioral Health Therapists, creating and administering staff competencies, and regularly updating Behavioral Health Therapist treatment manual.
• Provides clinical consultation, supervision (if eligible to do so), and support regarding abuse and Tarasoff reporting and other legal, clinical, ethical issues as indicated.
• Provides crisis/milieu management for patients requiring intervention, including risk assessment, ability to initiate and coordinate involuntary assessment and treatment. Demonstrates crisis management skills as training for Supervisees.
• Attends and facilitates regular treatment team meetings to provide clinical perspective to total case management of the patient and communicates any state or local agency legal requirement for case management with the interdisciplinary team. Ensures all relevant parties participate in and sign the Master Treatment Plan and Treatment Plan Updates.
• Provides oversight of the staffing schedule, group therapy schedule, data entry, and tracking logs for various department functions.
• Facilitates end of the day wrap-up meetings to review admissions, discharges, clinical concerns, and staff announcements.
• Assists in the hiring/termination process of employees
• Assists with the employee evaluation and disciplinary processes
• Serves as back up to program director and will meet regularly with director to ensure that program is operating as necessary.
• Performs other duties as assigned

Required Skills and Experience:

Knowledge of:

• A strong working knowledge of the most current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), including the ability to engage in differential diagnosis.
• Ability to facilitate and supervise group, individual, family therapies, including curriculum development and treatment planning.
• Knowledge of and ability to teach and/or implement best practices treatment interventions common to those experiencing mental illness, specifically those with severe and persistent mental illness, substance use disorders, and acute mental illness.
• Basic knowledge of abnormal psychology as typically found in the adult psychiatric population and application of this knowledge to intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization treatment.
• Basic familiarity of psychopharmacology and the use of psychotropic medication with the adult psychiatric population.
• Basic understanding of developmental psychology.
• Understanding of and the implementation and training of trauma informed care.
• Experience with adult psychiatric or geriatric patients; in addition to skills in teaching or assisting with activities of daily living.
• Knowledge of and commitment to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion as applied to clinical populations and employees.
• Basic computer knowledge/ability to develop and provide staff training.
• Good understanding of the English language.
• Basic knowledge using audio-visual equipment.
• California laws regarding abuse and abuse reporting.

Skills in:

• Demonstrates sound leadership skills and utilizes these skills in organizing the activities and schedules for the adult patient population and the staff who work with that population.
• Sound teaching and training skills; and problem-solving, organizational, time management and crisis intervention skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Skills in supervising all levels of clinical staff.
• High quality clinical and interpersonal skills, including acting as an exemplary role model to others.
• Organizes, directs, supervises, and evaluates professional and ancillary personnel.
• Excellent observations skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Trauma informed care
• Curriculum development
• Documentation auditing
• Providing staff feedback and evaluation of performance

Ability to:

• Must be able to multi-task and have great communication/observation skills.
• Maintain highly confidential information.
• Skilled in prioritizing and managing time; and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to exercise self-control in potentially volatile situations, such as verbally or being physically confronted in a threatening or aggressive manner.
• Must be able to work and concentrate amidst distractions such as noise, conversations, and foot traffic.
• Ability to handle frequent interruptions.
• Must be flexible and not easily frustrated in dealing with different opinions and challenging patient and employee situations.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, this position is frequently required to do the following:

• Use standard office equipment and access, input, and retrieve information from a computer.
• Use computer keyboard with manual and finger dexterity and wrist-finger speed sufficient to perform repetitive actions efficiently for extended periods of time.
• Communicate effectively in person or via telephone in a manner which can be understood by those with whom the person is speaking, including a diverse population.
• Give and follow verbal and written instructions with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Perform complex mental functions and basic arithmetic functions; interpret complex laws, regulations, and policies; collect, interpret, and/or analyze complex data and information.
• Vision sees details of objects at close range.
• Coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Reach forward, up, down, and to the side.
• Sit or stand for minimum periods of one hour at a time and come and go from the work area repeatedly throughout the day.
• Walk and/or stand for long periods of time (3/4 of the workday).

Conditions of Employment

In compliance with API’s policies and guidelines, all API employees are required to adhere to the following:

Background/Reference Check & Licensure/Certification

• Completion of a satisfactory background and reference checks.
• Employee signed employment non-compete/confidentiality agreement
• Individuals whose position may require licensure, registration or certification must maintain such as current and valid. It is the employee's responsibility to send updated copies to Human Resources before the expiration date. It is the employee's responsibility to notify Human Resources of any changes or proposed changes in status to licensure, registration, or certification. Failure to do so could result in employee suspension.

Flu Vaccinations; Medical

• Annual Flu vaccination is required as a condition of hire and ongoing employment. Only those who are allergic to the vaccine or meet contraindications as indicated on the current CDC Vaccine Information Statement shall be exempt from this condition of hire and ongoing employment but are required to wear a mask while inside an API owned or operated building or vehicle during influenza season, Employees must provide physician documentation to support any reported allergy or contraindication. Flu season typically runs between November and March.
• Pass drug and alcohol test performed by Concentra.
• Clear TB skin test or Chest X-Ray at Concentra.
• Complete a satisfactory physical examination at Concentra designed solely to determine your ability to perform the duties of the position being offered.

EEO Statement

API provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.