Crisis Program Manager/Clinician

Santa Cruz, CA

Schedule: Full-Time | Exempt (Sunday-Thursday 2:30pm-11pm)
Department: Residential
Reports to: Associate Division Director
Annual Salary Range: $100,000 – $115,000
$2,500 sign-on bonus. The pay range for this position represents the typical range for candidates hired in the Bay Area region. Candidates hired in other California locations may have different starting salaries based on cost of living and market data variations.

About the role

Aspiranet is seeking a compassionate, strategic, and operational Crisis Program Manager to help lead our youth crisis programs in Santa Cruz County. This position supports a newer 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;
• 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.

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.
• On-call rotation to provide ongoing support.
• Provide clinical services and fill-in for ratio requirements when needed.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in a related field such as Psychology, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, or Counseling.
• A minimum of one year prior management experience.
• A minimum of two years experience working in a related field/setting (community-based, social services, behavioral health, school-based, or residential setting).
• Must meet Community Care Licensing employment requirements.
• Must be registered with BBS.
• 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. Schedule: Full-Time | Exempt (Sunday-Thursday 2:30pm-11pm).

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and a 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching.
• Access to the free Aspiranet Employee Perks Program, including 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 a 24/7 crisis line; up to 6 counseling sessions per issue.
• Training opportunities to support 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 described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.