Crisis Program Manager – Youth Residential Stabilization

BrightPath is opening a new short-term crisis stabilization home in the Twin Cities metro in September 2026. This is a build role where you will help stand up the program, train the founding team, take the first referral, and set the standard for how this site operates. BrightPath was selected to operate short-term residential crisis stabilization services for the seven-county metro region through the Metro Crisis Coordination Program (MCCP).

About The Program

A two-bed, 245D-licensed residential crisis stabilization home serving youth on DD or CADI waivers. The program is short-term by design, with a county length-of-stay target of 90 days. Transition planning begins at intake, not at discharge. Referrals originate from MCCP, and BrightPath makes the final admission decision. The program features acuity-based staffing from 1:1 to 3:1, adjusted as needs change, with 24/7 awake coverage. The purpose-built environment includes a fenced yard, separate common living areas, and environmental modifications matched to individual support plans. The site will be located in Anoka or Ramsey County.

Who You'll Serve

The young people referred to this program are in genuine crisis—losing a placement, boarding in a hospital, or at risk of commitment. Presentations commonly include physical and verbal aggression, self-harm and suicide risk, elopement, property destruction, and significant difficulty in school and relationships. Many carry trauma histories and co-occurring diagnoses. The goal is to make them feel safe again—physically, emotionally, and relationally—and transition them to a long-term setting.

Responsibilities

• Intake and admission decisions: Review referrals within 24–48 hours, assess clinical risk and program fit, and make accept/deny recommendations in partnership with Operations. Coordinate intake logistics and readiness.
• Behavior support and clinical programming: Develop initial behavior support plans at intake and update them at least every two weeks based on data. Track and analyze interfering behaviors. Train staff to implement plans with fidelity.
• Crisis response leadership: Direct staff response during escalation. Maintain consistent, least-restrictive de-escalation. Review incidents within 24 hours and adjust programming accordingly.
• Data and outcomes: Build and maintain behavior tracking systems. Read trends and adjust interventions in real time. Report outcomes to internal leadership and county partners.
• Transition planning: Start at intake. Coordinate with case managers, families, guardians, and receiving providers. Participate in recurring interdisciplinary team meetings. Drive timely, durable discharges—including shadowing, training, and warm handoffs to the next provider.
• Team leadership: Train, coach, and develop the Behavior Technicians and Program Coordinators assigned to the site. Maintain consistency in service delivery even when staffing shifts.
• Compliance and documentation: Ensure documentation meets 245D, Positive Support Rule, and organizational standards. Maintain 24-hour communication expectations. Keep the site audit-ready.

Support Structure

This is a high-acuity program with a robust support system:

• Residential Operations Director: Your operational supervisor, weekly 1:1s, and primary escalation path.
• Director of Training and Compliance: Audit prep, corrective action, and workforce development.
• In-house CPI-certified instructors: Staff receive an 11-hour CPI course plus DBT-informed skills, trauma-informed practice, and motivational interviewing.
• Internal nursing: Individualized health and medication training plans, plus ongoing consultation.
• Centralized recruiting and scheduling: Intentional over-hiring to prevent staffing emergencies during acuity spikes.
• Compliance and quality assurance team: Incident review, data audits, and site evaluations.

What Success Looks Like

• Referral decisions within 48 hours.
• Intake scheduled within 4 days of acceptance.
• Behavior support plans updated biweekly and driven by data.
• Documentation compliance at or above 95%.
• Measurable reduction in interfering behaviors over the course of a stay.
• Emergency services and psychiatric hospitalization used only as a genuine last resort.
• Timely, well-prepared transitions to long-term placement.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Behavioral Science, or a related field.
• 3–5 years in behavioral health, crisis services, or high-acuity residential settings.
• Experience supporting minors with complex behavioral needs.
• Demonstrated experience managing interfering behaviors such as aggression, self-injury, and elopement.
• Minimum 3 years of leadership or supervisory experience in 245D-licensed services or comparable behavioral health residential programs.
• Ability to translate clinical assessment into clear, actionable direction for direct care staff.
• Sound decision-making in fast-moving, high-risk situations.
• Valid driver's license and reliable, insured transportation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Licensure or certification—LICSW, LPCC, LMFT, or BCBA.
• Experience conducting Functional Behavior Assessments and authoring behavior support plans.
• Familiarity with MCCP, county crisis systems, DD/CADI case management, and positive support services.
• Experience opening or standing up a new residential program.
• Working knowledge of the Positive Support Rule and Minnesota Rule 9544 (EUMR).

Working Conditions

• On-site leadership presence at a high-acuity youth crisis stabilization home.
• Full-time, exempt; occasional off-hours availability for escalations and participation in a shared on-call rotation.
• Fast-paced environment requiring flexibility and rapid response.
• Driving for team meetings, appointments, school transportation coverage, and visits to the BrightPath corporate office in New Hope.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods, with occasional lifting up to 50 pounds, and to physically support individuals during behavioral interventions where required.

Pay

Salary: $85,000–$95,000

Benefits

• Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) for healthcare; some ICHRA-compatible plans allow HSA and/or FSA contributions.
• Dental and vision insurance through Mutual of Omaha.
• 401(k) with 3.5% company match.
• Paid time off and paid holidays.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Ongoing professional development, including CPI certification pathways.
• Employee recognition programs and team-building events.

About BrightPath

BrightPath was established to enable the freedom to pursue joy by providing quality residential services for individuals with disabilities. We emphasize self-determination so that each person has maximum opportunities to exercise choices that guide them toward maximum independence—embracing, supporting, and honoring each person's individuality in a community-integrated setting. We operate licensed adult CRS programs, children's foster care residential sites for rate-exception youth, and crisis respite services. Few providers in Minnesota work across all three, which allows us to stabilize someone quickly and move them into the right long-term placement instead of holding them indefinitely.