Behavioral Health Manager

Actalent; Santa Barbara (CA); Remote; USD 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) plan

PTO / time off

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a licensed Behavioral Health Manager to support members in accessing high-quality behavioral health services through clinical review, care coordination, and utilization management. This hybrid role requires evaluating referrals, treatment plans, and authorizations to ensure medically necessary care, with focus on Medi-Cal populations and compliance.

The ideal candidate has experience with developmental disabilities, ABA, and coordination with providers and interdisciplinary

Qualifications

• Active, unrestricted CA LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, RN license, or BCBA certification.
• 3+ years direct clinical practice for LCSW/LMFT/LPCC/RN.
• 2+ years direct BCBA experience for BCBA candidates.
• Experience with developmental disabilities and behavioral health programs.
• Strong clinical assessment, documentation, care coordination, and case review skills.

Responsibilities

• Review referrals, treatment plans, and authorizations for clinical appropriateness.
• Evaluate medical necessity and determine levels of care using clinical guidelines.
• Coordinate behavioral health services among members, providers, and internal teams.
• Prepare accurate clinical documentation, determinations, and communications.
• Monitor cases to ensure timely access to medical services.
• Identify and elevate quality-of-care concerns and potential fraud, waste, and abuse.
• Ensure HIPAA/Medi-Cal compliance and organizational policies.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to support effective care management.
• Participate in quality improvement and utilization management initiatives as needed.

Skills

LCSW license

LMFT license

LPCC license

RN license

BCBA certification

3+ years clinical practice

ABA knowledge

Medi-Cal experience

care coordination

EHR proficiency

Tools

EHR software

Clinical documentation systems

Job description

Location: Santa Barbara, CA (Hybrid)

Department: Behavioral Health

Pay Rate: Competitive; based on experience

Position Summary

We are seeking a licensed Behavioral Health Manager to support members in accessing high-quality behavioral health services through clinical review, care coordination, and utilization management activities. This hybrid role combines clinical expertise with healthcare operations, requiring the evaluation of behavioral health referrals, treatment plans, and authorization requests to ensure appropriate, medically necessary care. The ideal candidate has experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities, Medi-Cal populations, and behavioral health treatment services, along with a strong understanding of regulatory compliance and clinical documentation standards. This position offers the opportunity to collaborate with providers, community organizations, and interdisciplinary healthcare teams while helping improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Candidates seeking professional growth in managed care, population health, and behavioral health leadership are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Active, unrestricted California LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, RN license, OR BCBA certification.
• LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, and RN candidates must have a minimum of three (3) years of direct clinical practice experience.
• BCBA candidates must have a minimum of two (2) years of direct BCBA experience.
• Experience supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and behavioral health treatment programs.
• Knowledge of ABA, BHT, and behavioral health service delivery models.
• Experience working with Medi-Cal populations.
• Strong clinical assessment, documentation, care coordination, and case review skills.
• Ability to interpret and apply medical necessity criteria and clinical guidelines.
• Proficiency with electronic health records and clinical documentation systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in managed care, utilization management, or case management.
• Previous experience reviewing treatment authorizations and healthcare services.
• Spanish bilingual proficiency.
• Familiarity with healthcare quality improvement initiatives and regulatory compliance standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Review behavioral health referrals, treatment plans, and authorization requests for clinical appropriateness.
• Evaluate medical necessities and determine appropriate levels of care using established clinical guidelines.
• Coordinate behavioral health services among members, providers, community organizations, and internal healthcare teams.
• Prepare accurate clinical documentation, determinations, and member or provider communications.
• Monitor cases to ensure timely access to medical services.
• Identify and elevate quality-of-care concerns, member safety issues, and potential fraud, waste, and abuse.
• Ensure compliance with HIPAA, Medi-Cal requirements, organizational policies, and applicable regulatory standards.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to support effective care management and positive member outcomes.
• Participate in quality improvement and utilization management initiatives as needed

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Santa Barbara, CA.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $46.89 - $51.11/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 23, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.