Director of Mental Health Services

Converge HR Solutions; Nutley (NJ); On-site; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Converge HR Solutions in Nutley, NJ seeks a Director of Mental Health Services to lead the agency's outpatient and school-based programs, setting clinical standards and guiding a team of fourteen clinicians, advanced practice nurses, clinical supervisors, and graduate interns.

This hands-on leadership role requires an LCSW with supervisory experience; the director will oversee operations, quality of care, accreditation readiness, budgeting, and community partnerships while ensuring timely access

Qualifications

• Must hold an LCSW in good standing or be license-eligible by endorsement.
• New Jersey Clinical Supervisor Certification required.
• Minimum of 2 years post-licensure supervisory/management experience in a mental health setting.
• Minimum of 5 years clinical experience in outpatient mental health.
• Experience with NJSAMS reporting systems and ASAM placement criteria.
• Strong knowledge of NJ regulatory requirements, including DHS/DMHAS standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead clinical practice across outpatient and school-based programs: intake, assessment, treatment planning, care coordination, and quality of care.
• Provide direct clinical supervision to licensed clinicians and graduate interns, and oversee the work of two part-time clinical supervisors.
• Keep outpatient licensure in good standing and support COA accreditation.
• Serve as clinical lead for the partnership with the public school district.
• Manage the program budget with the Executive Director and work with the Business Office on billing, authorizations, and utilization review.
• Build referral relationships and help grow access to care in the communities served.
• Ensure compliance with Federal, State, County, and City regulations, including NJ DHS/DMHAS requirements, program requirements, and accreditation standards.

Skills

Clinical supervision

Outpatient mental health

Team leadership

Strategic planning

Communication skills

Education

LCSW in good standing

New Jersey Clinical Supervisor Certification

2+ years supervisory/management experience

5+ years clinical outpatient experience

Tools

NJSAMS reporting systems

ASAM placement criteria

Job description

Summary

Our health and human services agency client in Nutley, NJ, is seeking a Director of Mental Health Services. They seek an experienced clinical leader to direct their mental health outpatient program and services.

They will lead two licensed outpatient sites on their campus and their school-based program at the high school, supervising a team of fourteen clinicians, advanced practice nurses, clinical supervisors, and graduate interns. This is a hands-on role at an agency small enough that your decisions take effect quickly. You would set clinical standards, provide supervision, and have real latitude to shape how care is delivered.

This position requires an LCSW and previous supervisory experience. You will not be responsible for seeing clients directly. The target salary range for this position is around $105,000. The position is expected to be in the office Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.

About the role

What this position will focus on:

Managing their services

This person will oversee the agency's daily operations for its mental health services. This person will oversee all aspects of the practice, with a focus on their clinicians and the services they provide.

Building a practice

This position will continue to grow the organization's mental health practice and build on what is already in place. This could include recruiting additional referral sources and clients as well as expanding into other counseling services in the future.

Being the clinical supervisor

This position will manage clients' clinical treatment and ensure operational compliance with state and federal regulations. This includes working with counselors as a coach and helping them advance their mental health skills.

Critical parts of the job

• Lead clinical practice across our outpatient and school-based programs: intake, assessment, treatment planning, care coordination, and quality of care.
• Provide direct clinical supervision to licensed clinicians and graduate interns, and oversee the work of our two part-time clinical supervisors.
• Keep their outpatient licensure in good standing and support their COA accreditation.
• Serve as our clinical lead for the partnership with the public school district.
• Manage the program budget with the Executive Director and work with our Business Office on billing, authorizations, and utilization review.
• Build referral relationships and help grow access to care in the communities we serve.
• Ensure agency compliance with all Federal, State, County, and City regulations, including NJ DHS/DMHAS requirements, program requirements, and accreditation standards.
• Assists with any accreditation process and does what is required.
• Leads outpatient quality assurance measures and participates in identifying quality care indicators and outcome objectives, and in collecting and reviewing data to monitor clinical staff and program performance.
• Participates in the Org PQI Team, Risk Management Team, and Client Advisory Board.
• Write and assist with developing new policies and procedures, as well as assist with curriculum creation and implementation.
• Ensures services address priority populations and support timely access to care or appropriate referral.
• Ensures clinical staff complete necessary paperwork, adhere to established supervision requirements, and maintain proper documentation for recordkeeping.
• Directly supervises the clinical staff and interns.
• Oversees hiring processes, including credential verification, background checks, and staff qualifications. Ensures staff licensure and credentialing compliance.
• Provides clinical orientation training to new clinical staff and supports ongoing staff development, education, and training.
• Carries a small clinical caseload (if needed).
• Responsible for planning and budgeting for the provision of mental health and substance use counseling services.
• Assists the Executive Director with community outreach, partnership development, and new client acquisition.
• Additional responsibilities as needed or required by the business.

Skills, Education & Abilities

Who they are looking for

• A self-motivated thinker and doer who can work independently and with a team.
• Someone with a relentless attention to detail.
• A curious and inquisitive mental health clinical supervisor who can understand and navigate an evolving and dynamic environment.
• A thoughtful and talented communicator willing to assist management, employees, and community members in navigating the complexity of the everyday clinical operations of the organization.
• Ability to juggle a few competing priorities and be flexible to changing goals and demands on your time.

Qualifications

• An LCSW in good standing, or license-eligible by endorsement, is required.
• A New Jersey Clinical Supervisor Certification is required.
• Minimum of 2 years post-licensure supervisory/management experience in a mental health setting.
• Minimum of 5 years of clinical experience in outpatient mental health.
• Required experience with NJSAMS reporting systems and ASAM placement criteria.
• Strong knowledge of NJ regulatory requirements, including DHS/DMHAS standards.
• Program development, evaluation, solid organizational skills, and public speaking.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Commitment to maintain confidentiality.
• Awareness and sensitivity to the cultures represented by the organization.
• Good interpersonal skills, ability to relate and work well with people from a variety of socioeconomic and cultural groups.
• Excellent organizational skills to handle multiple priorities while remaining professional and calm.
• Ability to organize and prioritize both their tasks and their staff.
• Ability to work independently and be self-directed and flexible.
• Ability to operate effectively with minimal supervision.

The Nice to Haves

• SIFI certification
• Experience in an accredited agency
• School-based behavioral health experience
• Previous experience supervising a mix of salaried and fee-for-service clinicians
• Fluency in Spanish or another language spoken by our community

About our client

A comprehensive health and human service non-profit agency dedicated to strengthening the social and emotional well-being of individuals and families through accessible, affordable mental health counseling and social service programs.

They have been a steadfast force in community outreach for over 100 years and are now focused on mental health counseling, social service programs, and community outreach initiatives to individuals and families in Northern New Jersey.

Converge HR Solutions and our clients provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.