Program Director/Administrator

Description Agency Position Title: PROGRAM DIRECTOR / ADMINISTRATOR Status/Classification: Exempt; Regular; Full-Time Location: El Monte, California. This is an on-site position Annual Salary Range: $77,000 to $81,000 per year Regular Working Hours: Exempt/General Schedule Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Position Summary Under the direction of the Managing Director, the Program Director/Administrator provides leadership, oversight, and administration of a licensed and certified Social Rehabilitation Facility serving adults living with serious mental illness and co-occurring conditions. The Program Director is responsible for ensuring a safe, recovery-oriented, trauma-informed residential environment that supports rehabilitation, community integration, independent living skills development, and successful transitions to less restrictive levels of care. The Program Director serves as the facility Administrator and provides operational, regulatory, personnel, quality assurance, and programmatic leadership. The position works collaboratively with clinical, psychiatric, nursing, quality improvement, housing, and community partners to ensure high-quality services and positive outcomes for residents. Essential Functions and Responsibilities BRIDGES considers requests for reasonable accommodation through an individualized, interactive process in accordance with applicable law. Leadership and Program Management

• Provide leadership and oversight of daily residential operations, ensuring services are delivered in accordance with BRIDGES mission, values, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Foster a culture of recovery, hope, dignity, cultural humility, diversity, equity, inclusion, and person-centered service delivery.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve a structured residential program that provides programming to clients seven (7) days per week and promotes rehabilitation, independent living skills, community integration, wellness, and recovery.
• Monitor program outcomes and identify opportunities for continuous quality improvement and service enhancement.
• Participate in organizational planning, strategic initiatives, licensing and certification activities, and system improvement efforts.
• Promote equitable access to services and demonstrate cultural humility when working with individuals of diverse backgrounds, identities, cultures, and lived experiences.
• Provide coverage for other BRIDGES residential programs and/or mentor new Program Directors as needed.

Staff Leadership and Supervision

• Recruit, train, supervise, coach, and evaluate residential staff.
• Provide regular supervision and performance feedback to direct reports.
• Promote staff accountability while supporting professional growth and development opportunities.
• Ensure adequate staffing coverage and compliance with staffing ratios and licensing requirements.
• Develop schedules and on-call coverage plans.
• Oversee employee timekeeping and ensure accurate and timely records of employee time worked.
• Address sensitive employee matters in consultation with Human Resources and in accordance with BRIDGES policies and procedures.
• Promote a positive workplace culture focused on teamwork, communication, safety, and client-centered care.
• Promote a respectful, professional, and psychologically safe work environment that supports effective communication, accountability, teamwork, employee engagement, and retention.

Client Care and Service Delivery

• Ensure clients receive services consistent with individualized rehabilitation goals and treatment plans.
• Monitor service quality and client satisfaction.
• Support staff in addressing behavioral health crises, psychiatric emergencies, and complex client situations.
• Provide direct client services and interventions as needed, consistent with the position’s responsibilities, training, and applicable scope-of-practice requirements.
• Collaborate with treatment team regarding service planning, discharge planning, and continuity of care.
• Coordinate admissions, transitions, and discharges to support program utilization goals, continuity of care, and successful movement to less restrictive levels of care or higher levels of care when appropriate.
• Ensure new clients receive orientation to program rules and expectations, either directly or through designated staff.
• Provide occasional client transportation using agency vehicles when needed to support program operations, in accordance with BRIDGES policies and safe driving practices.
• Ensure client rights are protected and always promoted.
• Support meaningful client participation in program activities and community.

Regulatory Compliance and Quality Assurance

• Maintain program compliance with applicable requirements, including:
• California Community Care Licensing (CCL)- Title 22 Regulations
• California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)- Title 9 Regulations
• Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health requirements
• Medi-Cal and CalAIM requirements, as applicable
• BRIDGES policies and procedures
• Ensure timely completion, review, and oversight of program documentation.
• Ensure clinical and rehabilitation documentation is completed accurately, timely, and in compliance with DHCS, DMH, licensing, Medi-Cal, and BRIDGES documentation standards.
• Monitor documentation trends and collaborate with Quality Assurance staff to address deficiencies, implement corrective actions, and improve documentation compliance.
• Participate in audits, site reviews, and certification activities.
• Implement corrective action plans when necessary.
• Monitor incident reporting and ensure timely submission of Special Incident Reports and other required notifications.
• Review, investigate, and implement appropriate follow-up actions related to incidents, complaints, grievances, client safety concerns, and regulatory findings.
• Protect confidential client, employee, and agency records in accordance with applicable privacy laws, including HIPAA where applicable, and BRIDGES policies and procedures.

Financial and Administrative Oversight

• Monitor program expenditures and operate within approved budgets.
• Oversee collection of client and program fees.
• Work with clients and staff to ensure timely and accurate completion of applications for government benefits.
• Ensure proper management of client funds, food accounts, petty cash, and other assigned financial responsibilities.
• Collaborate with Fiscal, Quality Assurance, and Executive Leadership regarding utilization, performance, and financial sustainability.
• Coordinate required intake and client episode-opening and episode-closing information and collaborate with the billing department to support accurate and timely billing.
• Review utilization trends and occupancy rates and support census management efforts.

Community and System Partnerships

• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with:
• Department of Mental Health
• Community Care Licensing
• Hospitals and psychiatric facilities
• Conservators
• Public guardians
• Housing providers
• Community-based organizations
• Family members and support systems
• Represent BRIDGES in community meetings, training, and professional forums, as applicable.

Training and Workforce Development

• Ensure new employee onboarding, orientation, and competency validation.
• Facilitate ongoing staff development and required training activities.
• Promote evidence-based and promising practices including:
• Recovery-oriented services
• Trauma-informed care
• Motivational interviewing
• Harm reduction principles
• Cultural responsiveness
• Suicide prevention and risk assessment
• De-escalation and crisis intervention

On-Call Responsibilities

• This is a direct management role within a 24-hour program with regular on-call responsibility.
• Provide administrative and operational support during emergencies and after-hours situations 24/7.
• Ensure implementation of emergency preparedness, disaster response, evacuation, infection control, and resident safety procedures in accordance with licensing, regulatory, and agency requirements.
• Respond to urgent resident, staff, licensing, or facility issues as needed.

Additional Duties

• Perform other duties reasonably related to the position, as assigned.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications The Program Director/Administrator serves in a combined leadership role and must meet the qualification requirements for both a Program Director under California Code of Regulations, Title 9, Section 532.6, and an Administrator under California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Section 81064. Education

One of the following Program Director qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in Psychology or Social Work; OR
• A bachelor’s degree in another field that includes at least twenty-four (24) semester college units in Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Behavioral Sciences, or Psychiatric Nursing.

AND

One of the following Administrator qualifications:

• At least fifteen (15) college or continuing education semester units, or equivalent quarter units, completed with passing grades, including a minimum of nine (9) semester units or their equivalent in administration or management; OR
• Three (3) years of full-time management or administrative experience, which may substitute for the educational coursework requirement.

Experience

Candidates must also possess:

• At least one (1) year of full-time management or administrative experience; AND
• At least one (1) year of full-time experience providing direct services in a community program serving people with mental illness, including a minimum of four (4) months supervising direct-care staff.
• Minimum of 6 months of supervisory experience.
• Experience with culturally diverse populations.
• Experience working with adults diagnosed with serious mental illness and co-occurring disorders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience operating a licensed residential behavioral health program.
• Experience with Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health programs.
• Experience managing residential regulatory compliance activities, programming, and program funds.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong leadership and staff development skills.
• Knowledge of social rehabilitation and recovery-oriented services.
• Knowledge of California licensing and behavioral health regulations.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed and person-centered service delivery.
• Excellent conflict resolution and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and implement improvements.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with governing and funding bodies, such as DHCS and DMH.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities within a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to serve as a role model and provide consistent, clear leadership reflecting the philosophy, goals, and policies of the agency to all members of the staff and clients.
• Demonstrated cultural humility and commitment to serving diverse populations.

Requirements

• Minimum age 21 years.
• Valid California driver's license and insurable driving record.
• Maintain current automobile insurance when using a personal vehicle for BRIDGES business.
• Obtain and maintain required criminal record clearances or approved exemptions, together with required facility associations, in accordance with Community Care Licensing requirements.
• Obtain current First Aid certification upon hire, if not already held, and maintain certification throughout employment.
• Complete required health screening and tuberculosis clearance following a conditional offer of employment and within applicable licensing timelines.
• Complete at least twenty (20) clock hours of continuing education annually in subjects relating to mental health, the care of individuals with mental illness, and/or administration.

Physical Demands The position involves office and administrative work, computer use, and movement throughout the residential facility and grounds to supervise operations and interact with clients and staff. Duties may involve sitting, standing, walking, bending, and reaching, as well as occasionally moving job-related materials or supplies weighing up to twenty-five (25) pounds. Appropriate equipment or assistance may be used when needed.