Licensed Assistant Program Director Outpatient Services

About the role

Alvarado Parkway Institute (API) is a free-standing psychiatric hospital in La Mesa, California with three Intensive Outpatient/Partial Hospitalization Programs. API provides comprehensive adult inpatient behavioral health and addictive disorders services in a 66-bed hospital setting.

Responsibilities

• Aid in the interviewing process for new hire candidates.
• Assist in reviewing and completing documentation for Behavioral Health Therapists, Interns, Associates, Trainees, and/or Postdocs to ensure clinical appropriateness and adherence to regulatory standards.
• Oversee the provision of and/or provide individual, group, family process-oriented therapies, as well as oversee the facilitation of and/or facilitate psychoeducation/didactic groups for patients using various professional treatment modalities.
• Provide 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, provide clinical supervision to Behavioral Health Therapists.
• Assist in training of Behavioral Health Therapists, creating and administering staff competencies, and regularly updating Behavioral Health Therapists' treatment manuals.
• Provide clinical consultation, supervision (if eligible to do so), and support regarding abuse and Tarasoff reporting and other legal, clinical, ethical issues as indicated.
• Provide crisis/milieu management for patients requiring intervention, including risk assessment, ability to initiate and coordinate involuntary assessment and treatment. Demonstrate crisis management skills as training for supervisees.
• Attend and facilitate regular treatment team meetings to provide clinical perspective to total case management of the patient and communicate any state or local agency legal requirements for case management with the interdisciplinary team. Ensure all relevant parties participate in and sign the Master Treatment Plan and Treatment Plan Updates.
• Oversee the staffing schedule, group therapy schedule, data entry, and tracking logs for various department functions.
• Facilitate end-of-day wrap-up meetings to review admissions, discharges, clinical concerns, and staff announcements.
• Assist in the hiring/termination process of employees.
• Assist with the employee evaluation and disciplinary processes.
• Serve as backup to the program director and meet regularly with the director to ensure that the program is operating as necessary.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• 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.
• Maintain a BLS CPR Certificate for Healthcare Providers issued by the American Heart Association.
• 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.

Qualifications

• Strong working knowledge of the most current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM).
• Ability to facilitate and supervise group, individual, family therapies, including curriculum development and treatment planning.
• 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

• 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 observation skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Trauma-informed care
• Curriculum development
• Documentation auditing
• Providing staff feedback and evaluation of performance

Benefits

• 401(k)
• Dental & Vision
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee Referral Bonus Plan
• Flexible spending accounts (FSA)
• Legal Assistance Plan
• Life insurance
• Medical (Employee and dependent contributions)
• PDO (Paid Days Off)
• Sick time

Conditions of Employment

• Completion of a satisfactory background and reference checks.
• Employee signed employment non-compete/confidentiality agreement.