Mental Health Clinical Director

The Stepping Stones Group, LLC; North Carolina; Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Stepping Stones Group seeks a Clinical Director to lead statewide school-based mental health services in North Carolina. You will supervise a team of Clinical Managers, shape trainings and SOPs, and partner with districts to expand the program across the state.

You’ll oversee staffing, performance, and compliance, while traveling across schools and districts. This role blends on-site and remote work, with year-round leadership responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Master's degree and an active independent clinical license.
• Minimum 5+ years of clinical experience with children/adolescents, including 3+ years supervisory.
• Experience leading supervisors and driving program-level outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide statewide clinical leadership for school-based mental health services in North Carolina.
• Hire, coach, and evaluate Clinical Managers and Lead Clinical Managers.
• Oversee statewide staffing plans, caseloads, and clinician productivity.
• Develop statewide trainings, onboarding curricula, and SOPs.
• Present program outcomes to district partners and manage external relationships.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Supervisory experience

Strategic partnerships

Communication with stakeholders

Education

Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or related behavioral health field

Tools

Electronic Health Records

Job description

Clinical Director - School-Based Mental Health Services

North Carolina | Full-Time, $85,000-$95,000; Commensurate with Experience | Year-Round | Hybrid with Statewide Travel

About The Stepping Stones Group

The Stepping Stones Group partners with school districts across the country to deliver therapeutic and behavioral health services that transform the lives of children, families, and communities. In North Carolina, our school-based mental health program brings licensed clinicians directly into schools, where students can get support where they already are. We're looking for an experienced clinical leader to guide that program statewide.

Why You'll Love This Role

• Lead leaders, not just caseloads.You'll build and develop a team of Clinical Managers and Lead Clinical Managers who in turn supervise the clinicians in our schools, multiplying your impact across an entire state.
• Shape how the program runs.You'll own the statewide trainings, SOPs, and onboarding that define how our clinicians practice and document.
• Grow beyond clinical leadership.You'll present our clinical program to prospective and current district partners and work alongside our Growth, Quality Assurance, Recruiting, and HR teams, building business development and operations experience that's hard to get in a traditional clinical role.
• Be the clinical voice for North Carolina.You'll serve as the primary clinical point of contact with school districts, state agencies, and accrediting bodies.
• Year-round leadership career.This is a full-time, salaried, year-round position, not tied to the school calendar.
• Hybrid flexibility.Your week blends on-site school and district visits with virtual and phone-based work.

What You'll Do

As Clinical Director, you'll provide statewide clinical and operational leadership for all of our school-based mental health services in North Carolina, reporting to the Director of Client Services.

Clinical Leadership and Compliance

• Provide clinical supervision, consultation, and case guidance to Clinical Managers and Lead Clinical Managers, including final decision-making on high-risk cases such as suicide or self-harm risk, abuse or neglect reports, and safety planning
• Serve as the final point of escalation for complex cases and lead statewide crisis management, including required notifications and post-incident reviews
• Ensure all contracted school sites meet Medicaid, LEA, state health and human services, and accreditation requirements
• Partner with the Quality Assurance Director on audit strategy, Corrective Action Plans, and accreditation readiness (e.g., The Joint Commission)
• Assess clinical skill gaps across the team and target supervision and training to close them

Team Leadership and Development

• Hire, onboard, coach, and evaluate the Clinical Manager and Lead Clinical Manager team in partnership with HR
• Ensure new clinicians are fully supported through onboarding, documentation and EHR training, and their first 90 days
• Monitor turnover trends and partner with HR and Recruiting on retention strategies
• Oversee statewide staffing plans, caseload assignments, supervision coverage, and clinician productivity
• Review compensation, incentive plan performance, and bonus recommendations for your direct reports

District Partnerships and Growth

• Present our clinical program, outcomes, and service model to prospective and current school district partners
• Serve as the primary clinical relationship-holder for existing district contracts, working alongside the state Account Manager
• Provide outcomes data and program details for proposals, renewals, and district presentations

Training, Systems, and Reporting

• Develop and maintain statewide trainings, onboarding curricula, and clinical SOPs
• Lead the rollout of new systems and process changes, including EHR workflows
• Deliver statewide reporting on staffing, compliance, caseloads, and incentive tracking to leadership
• Translate leadership decisions into clear, actionable guidance for clinical teams

What You Bring

Required

• Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or a related behavioral health field
• Active independent clinical license in (e.g., LCSW, LPC, or licensed psychologist), including eligibility to bill Medicaid
• 5+ years of clinical experience with children and adolescents, including 3+ years in a clinical supervisory role in a behavioral health setting
• Experience leading and developing supervisors and driving program-level outcomes
• Working knowledge of Medicaid and school-based (LEA) billing and compliance requirements
• Comfort presenting to external partners and representing the organization professionally
• Reliable transportation and ability to travel regularly across schools and districts statewide

Preferred

• Prior experience as a Clinical Manager, Clinical Director, or similar multi-site clinical leader
• School-based mental health experience
• Experience with electronic health records
• Experience supporting accreditation or audit readiness

Work Environment

This role combines regular travel to school sites and district offices with virtual and telephonic work. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

The Stepping Stones Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.