Associate Mental Health Division Director

Santa Cruz, CA

📍 Location: Santa Cruz, CA

📅 Schedule: Full-Time | Exempt

💼 Department: Behavioral Health/Residential

📈 Reports to: Mental Health Division Director

💰 Annual Salary Range: $140,000 – $160,000 and Up to $5K Relocation OR Hiring and Retention Bonus ($2,500)

✨ Make a Meaningful Impact

Aspiranet is seeking a compassionate, strategic, and operationally skilled Associate Mental Health Division Director to help lead our youth crisis programs in Santa Cruz County. As second-in-command to the Mental Health Division Director, you will help oversee our 24/7 Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) and Children’s Crisis Psychiatric Program (CCPP)—two essential programs offering trauma-informed, culturally responsive care to youth in acute emotional and psychiatric crisis.

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

The Associate Mental Health Division Director, under the supervision of the Mental Health Division Director, will assist in providing direction and support to local programs regarding budget, operations, and clinical practice. The Associate Director is responsible for contributing to the development of program policies, procedures, initiatives, and projects. This role supports the implementation of program best practice reviews, ensures adherence to standards, and provides training and support to local offices to help them meet program outcomes. Additionally, the Associate Director will offer direct support to the Mental Health Division Director and the Senior Executive Team in the execution of key initiatives and strategic projects.

🔍 Key Responsibilities

Program Operations & Strategic Support

• Serve as the second-in-command and provide leadership support to CSU and CCPP operations.
• Collaborate on strategic planning and implementation to align with agency and division goals.
• Assist with the agency’s responses to RFPs, RFQs, and new service opportunities.
• Act as the division lead in the absence of the Mental Health Division Director.
• Partner with other Associate Division Directors to execute cross-agency initiatives.

Compliance, Quality & Risk Oversight

• Ensure compliance with DHCS, Community Care Licensing (CCL), Joint Commission, and Medi-Cal standards.
• Lead or assist in quarterly best practice reviews and drive practice improvements.
• Review incident reports and provide consultation on corrective action or quality enhancements.
• Collaborate with the Quality Management team to implement findings from audits and reviews.

Staff Training, Development & Communication

• Help identify staff core competencies and design targeted training programs.
• Facilitate and lead workgroups, performance planning, and team development.
• Communicate agency initiatives and practice expectations to managers and frontline staff.
• Provide coaching and support to local leaders on performance management.

Data Systems, Reporting & Project Oversight

• Coordinate with AltruIT and internal teams on database updates and data integrity.
• Track project timelines, deliverables, and proactively flag issues to leadership.
• Maintain divisional SharePoint, team sites, and other communication platforms.

✅ Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a discipline approved by funders or licensing bodies.
• Current California licensure as an LCSW, LMFT, or Psychologist.
• At least five (3) years of leadership experience in behavioral health, residential care, or a related setting.
• Valid 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 Hybrid Schedule. Enjoy the mix of remote and in-office work, supporting work-life balance
• 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

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