Program Director – Children’s Crisis Residences at Yai

If you are a current YAI employee, please click this link to apply through your Workday account.

Under the direction of the Regional Deputy Director, the Program Director - Children’s Crisis Residences is responsible for establishing and overseeing operations of YAI’s Children’s Crisis Residences, under the auspices of NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH), which will provide 24/7 person-centered, trauma-informed residential services for children with behavioral health challenges, who are in crisis. Determines and coordinates program needs, identifying and directing the design and implementation of services, policies and procedures and required staffing and resources, with an emphasis on team management, development and establishment of standards of performance and measures of program success. Ensures the operational success of programs through selection, development and oversight of the interdisciplinary team and maintains overall responsibility for the development and implementation of initiatives that support program quality and compliance with Federal, State, Local and OMH requirements and development of linkages and relationships with community and other potential partners.

Key/Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

• Leads the design and development of the Children’s Crisis Residences, creating thoughtful proposals by identifying needs, resources, staffing requirements and plans, coordinating and managing the implementation of programs and leading the establishment of all related policies, operating procedures and systems required to support these programs.
• Oversees and directs all day-to-day operations and implementation of the Children’s Crisis Residences, serving as the YAI point person for internal and external parties relating to program design, development and implementation matters.
• Networks and collaborates with external partners including hospitals, school districts, care managers and mental health service providers to learn more about services specific to and most impactful for the population and to identify under-supported needs, engaging potential partners and community resources to enhance services and improve outcomes for persons supported.
• Establishes processes for accepting and processing referrals to the Children’s Crisis Residences and for redirecting referrals and participants to additional or alternative internal and external services they may be eligible for and/or recommends and supports connections with other potential placements or appropriate resources for children that cannot be appropriately supported.
• Collaborates with YAI Knowledge to identify, develop and facilitate mandatory and specialized trainings required by OMH and/or specific to children, trauma-informed care, de-escalation and crisis intervention supports, therapies and services to maintain compliance and to expand and enhance knowledge and skills.
• Collaborates with Marketing and Communications team to establish and inform marketing and publicity strategies that promote awareness of and engagement with the Children’s Crisis Residences and YAI as a whole, including outreach presentations, media interviews and tours.
• Designs and maintains systems that support timely, accurate and complete documentation of all paperwork and written records related to individual treatment, billing and compliance with all relevant laws, rules and/or regulations including, but not limited to medical and medication management records and auditing, treatment records, progress, behavior and incident reports, data collection, billing records, charting and daily notes.
• Actively participates in YAI program, regional, leadership, agency committee and/or other meetings to develop relationships and awareness of agency initiatives and attends OMH trainings or meetings, as required or requested.
• Participates in the development and management of program budgets, ensuring that programs are operating within budgetary guidelines and provides oversight of all financial systems related to the people we support.
• Plays an active role in the recruitment, selection and retention of highly qualified program leadership and participates in the selection and approval of offers of employment for other program staff, effectively utilizing resources in order to meet program requirements, managing staff performance and continually assessing future staffing and workforce development needs.
• Facilitates admissions to Children’s Crisis Residence in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team, families and case managers, receiving referrals of potential intakes, reviewing application materials, ensuring appropriate assessments and collecting information to inform determinations of individualized needs and makes recommendations regarding whether YAI can appropriately support applicants.
• Ensures coordination of all members of the interdisciplinary team, promoting and maintaining the excellence and quality of services, overseeing the implementation of person-centered, trauma-informed treatment and therapeutic services and coordination of other services in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations and documented levels of supervision to protect the health and safety of persons supported.
• Plans, monitors and continuously evaluates 24/7 program staffing and scheduling needs to maintain appropriate coverage for programs, effectively managing time and attendance, ensuring maintenance and documentation of professional credentials and/or certifications for staff and assignment of responsibilities within applicable scopes of practice.
• Ensures that facilities are properly maintained and safe, escalating maintenance and safety concerns accordingly for resolution and that systems are in place to support maintenance of adequate inventory of supplies.
• Establishes data collection systems to ensure appropriate tracking of information required to evaluate progress and efficacy of plans, including detailed charting to track behaviors and identify trends.
• Provides direct supervision to Children’s Crisis Residence program leadership, including supervisors, case managers and mental health clinicians, overseeing and directing daily operations and therapeutic/crisis interventions in collaboration with support departments, ensuring programs are meeting the needs of the people we support and all applicable regulatory and agency standards.
• Provides clinical supervision as authorized by State of New York in area of specialization, which may include providing and appropriately documenting supervision for individual staff pursuing clinical hours required for NYS licensure.
• Ensures and/or facilitates hands-on training for Children’s Crisis Residence staff including education on policies, procedures and systems, clinical or therapeutic activities and interventions, individualized service plans and/or crisis intervention, ensuring that all staff are appropriately observed and trained with ongoing oversight.
• Regularly reviews data to assess and analyze utilization, efficacy and outcomes of persons supported and uses data to make decisions and implement changes that improve success for persons supported.
• Continuously evaluates and monitors programming, identifying unmet, emerging and changing needs of individuals and programs and/or opportunities for new programming or initiatives, recommending and implementing improvements that support the delivery of high-quality, impact-oriented services and interventions.
• Regularly communicates with and facilitates recurring staff and program leadership meetings to share and gather information or discuss programmatic needs, persons supported and responses to specific interventions or activities and/or behaviors, signs, symptoms, setting events and triggers.
• Provides ongoing consultation/problem solving support to the Interdisciplinary Team regarding clinical, behavioral and/or health related challenges with the people we support and ensures appropriate resolution or escalation of relevant program, staff and family concerns.
• Ensures appropriate coordination with case managers regarding discharges, receiving and sharing information regarding supports, communicating updates and assisting, as needed.
• Oversees documentation and reporting of errors, incidents and corrective actions and assists with the investigative process and facilitates audits, as needed.
• Serves as Administrator-on-Call (Available/On Call Supervisor) with other program leadership on an as needed basis and provides program/floor coverage, when necessary.
• Complies with and ensures that staff complies with all Federal, State, Local and other relevant regulatory agency requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and ensures cooperation with appropriate entities in any inspection, inquiry or investigation.
• Performs all other duties, as assigned.

Minimum Qualification Requirements including education, experience, licensure/certification, etc. and essential physical capabilities (e.g. lifting, assisting lifting, standing, etc.):

• Current license and registration as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) issued by the New York State Education Department (NYSED); and
• At least three (3) years of experience providing crisis intervention and therapeutic services to children with mental or behavioral health needs, ideally in a New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) program; and
• Two (2) years of experience providing direct supervision to staff, ideally including staff providing clinical or other professional supports; or
• Satisfactory equivalent combination of education, experience and/or training. However, all incumbents must hold a current license and registration in one of the disciplines listed above or another similar discipline, as authorized by NYS OMH.
• Knowledge of applicable Federal, State, Local and/or NYS OMH regulations relating to services for children.
• Extensive knowledge of behavioral/mental health diagnoses.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to represent YAI with external partners, oversight agencies and in publicity events.
• Ability to develop and maintain productive and professional working relationships with agency staff at all levels and with a variety of stakeholders including children supported, families, the community and external partners.
• Commitment to maintaining and ensuring staff maintain the highest levels of ethical standards and integrity.
• Exceptional interpersonal, supervisory and leadership skills and ability to effectively manage, coach and support teams through hands-on support.
• Ability to work in a stressful environment and to support team, people we support and/or families with behavioral/mental health crises as they occur.
• Strong planning, organizational and decision-making skills, including the ability to effectively manage projects and operations, anticipate roadblocks and think strategically to meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with computers and Microsoft Office Suite and ability to quickly learn electronic systems including Workday and electronic medical record/documentation systems to complete tasks.
• Ability to respond to calls and programmatic needs beyond regular work hours/be on-call as needed.
• Ability to report regularly to Children’s Crisis Residence programs in the NYC metropolitan area and/or other designated YAI location, as directed and to travel to other regions or locations across NYS, as needed or requested.
• Ability to meet essential physical demands of position including frequent walking, sitting, standing, bending, twisting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, pushing, pulling and reaching with hands and arms; use hands to handle, finger or feel objects, tools or controls; assisting with lifting/moving individuals of any weight with assistance of mechanical lifts or other equipment and/or pushing individuals in wheelchairs; lifting and/or moving up to 25 pounds on occasion; having the physical capacity to work with and implement emergency interventions as per the person’s Individual Service Plan if/as needed, including lifting/moving individuals of any weight with or without assistance of equipment and/or other staff, which may include running.

Preferred Qualification Requirements (desired requirements beyond MQRs above)

• Valid driver’s license highly preferred
• Previous experience as a manager, including at least three (3)years supervising various levels of staff
• Strong financial and business acumen including experience with budgets, staffing patterns and operating expense

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam or disabled veteran. YAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.