Peds Psych Program Manager

Santa Cruz, CA

📍 Location: Santa Cruz, CA

📅 Schedule: Full-Time | Exempt

💼 Department: Behavioral Health/Residential

📈 Reports to: Mental Health Division Director

💰 Annual Salary Range: $100,000 – $115,000

Up to $5K Relocation OR Hiring and Retention Bonus ($2,500)

✨ Make a Meaningful Impact

Aspiranet is seeking a compassionate, strategic, and operationally Peds Psych Program Manager to help lead our youth crisis programs in Santa Cruz County. As a Mental Health Program Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of our programs in Santa Cruz, CA.

This position supports a brand-new location as we continue expanding our impact across Santa Cruz County, bringing much-needed crisis services closer to the youth and families who need them most. If you’re passionate about helping youth navigate moments of crisis with dignity, empathy, and expert support, we invite you to join our mission of healing, resilience, and hope.

❤️ About Aspiranet

Aspiranet is a mission-driven social services agency with a proud legacy of supporting California communities since 1975. We are committed to ensuring that every child is loved, every family is supported, and every individual has the tools to succeed. Our services span the state and are delivered through six dedicated divisions: Foster Care and Adoption, providing support for children and families throughout the foster and adoption journey; Transitional Aged Youth (TAY), offering programs that guide young adults as they transition from foster care to independent living; Residential, delivering therapeutic care in structured, supportive environments to help youth thrive; Intensive Home-Based Services, focused on meeting individualized needs within the home, school, and community; Behavioral Health, delivering short-term, intensive mental health services for youth at risk; and Family and Community, emphasizing early intervention and family-strengthening supports. At Aspiranet, every role contributes to something greater—helping to create a future where opportunity, hope, and healing are within everyone’s reach.

📝️ Position Summary

Peds Psych Program Manager supervises a team of Youth Care Professionals and collaborates closely with behavioral and mental health teams to create a trauma-informed, strength-based environment for youth. The Program Manager ensures regulatory compliance, oversees crisis interventions, and supports the emotional and developmental needs of youth in care.

🔍 Key Responsibilities

Staff Supervision & Team Development

• Hire, train, coach, and evaluate Youth Care Professionals.
• Facilitate team meetings and ensure effective communication and collaboration.
• Promote a positive team culture aligned with Aspiranet’s values.

Mental/Behavioral Health Environment & Youth Engagement

• Develop and maintain daily program rituals and routines that support therapeutic goals.
• Ensure youth safety, supervision, and individualized emotional and developmental support.
• Serve as liaison for youth educational coordination and goal tracking.

Program Compliance & Operations

• Ensure adherence to Community Care Licensing (CCL), Joint Commission (TJC), and agency protocols.
• Manage documentation, reporting, and scheduling to meet program and regulatory expectations.
• Monitor program expenses and operate within budget guidelines.

Crisis Management & Trauma-Informed Care

• Lead crisis response and provide direct support to staff and youth during emergencies.
• Implement and teach models including ARC, Youth Thrive, CRM, LSCI, and ProAct.
• Support individualized case planning in collaboration with clinical and social work teams.

✅ Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree OR One year of experience as a Youth Care Professional.
• Two years of full-time experience with the youth population served.
• Two years in a group home or STRTP in a social work or mental health capacity.
• Two years of supervisory or management experience in a similar program.
• Must meet Community Care Licensing employment requirements.
• Must complete STRTP Administrator Certification trainingValid California Driver’s License and clean driving record.
• Ability to obtain DOJ/Fingerprint clearance, Child Abuse Index clearance, and TB/health clearance.
• Experience managing or launching 24/7 youth crisis or residential treatment programs.
• Familiarity with Medi-Cal billing, DHCS regulations, and CCL standards.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and managing publicly funded programs or contracts.

💻 Work Environment & Schedule

This position is based in Santa Cruz, CA, with an expectation of on-site presence, including oversight of evening and weekend coverage schedules as needed.

❤️ Why Aspiranet?

• Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits package, and a 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching.
• Access to the free Aspiranet Employee Perks Program. Enjoy exclusive discounts on entertainment, travel, wellness, pet care, gym memberships, theme parks, and more
• Flexible paid time off including 11 paid holidays, 10 vacation days, 10 sick leave days, two diversity days, and paid birthday time off.
• Access to our employee assistance program including 24/7 crisis line; up to 6 counseling sessions per issue.
• Training opportunities are available to support your ongoing development and career aspirations.
• Collaborate in a supportive, inclusive, and mission-aligned culture.
• Opportunity to lead meaningful initiatives that support employee wellbeing.

🏋️Physical Demands: The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

This position typically operates in a standard office environment. The noise level is generally quiet and remains within OSHA’s established safety levels at all times.

⚖️ Equal Employment Opportunity

Aspiranet is an equal opportunity employer that recognizes the value of diversity. We believe a diverse workforce within a culture of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) increases creativity, innovation, problem-solving, and teamwork for the youth and families that we serve and the organization as a whole.  Aspiranet strives to provide our employees with a workplace that is welcoming, inclusive of differing world views, cultures, and lived experiences.

📝  How to Apply

Join us in building brighter futures.

👉 Ready to Apply?

Join us in building brighter futures.

Apply today through our career portal:

✨ Click here to apply: www.aspiranet.org/careers

✨ Pro Tip: Once you’re in the portal, be sure to create an account to get started on your application! It’s quick, easy, and the first step to making a difference.