Lead Clinician (Foster Care)

Description

Position Summary:

The Lead Clinician oversees and directs all clinical and case management services within Crittenton's ORR Shelter Program, ensuring the delivery of trauma-informed, evidence-based mental health care for unaccompanied children in accordance with federal, state, and licensing standards. This position provides executive-level oversight of clinical operations, including supervision of clinicians and behavioral health staff, clinical training, and quality assurance. The Lead Clinician ensures all child-facing services are provided on-site, confidentially, and in accordance with ORR and HHS policy. This role supports the integration of mental and behavioral health services with case management and medical care to promote healing, safety, and stabilization for youth in care.

Pay Range: $89,294.40 - $127,566.40

Requirements

Education / Experience Required

• Master's or Doctorate degree in psychology, social work, counseling, marriage and family therapy, or a related behavioral health discipline from an accredited program or university.
• Minimum of two (2) years of post-graduate direct clinical service delivery experience in child welfare, mental health, or trauma treatment setting.
• Must have supervisory experience and be licensed to provide clinical services in the state of California (LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, or PsyD).
• Completion of a Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS)-approved clinical supervision course to supervise trainees and associates.
• Experience providing and overseeing trauma-informed therapy, crisis intervention, and case coordination.
• Experience in federally funded or child welfare programs is preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.

Clearances and Requirements

• Must successfully clear DOJ and FBI fingerprint checks.?
• Must be cleared by ORR.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.?
• Valid California driver's license and current auto insurance.?
• Must provide proof of immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases (e.g., Varicella, MMR, Tdap, TB, Influenza).
• Completion of all required ORR trainings, including Employee Misconduct Acknowledgment, Code of Conduct, and Sexual Abuse and Harassment Prevention.?

Essential Duties

• Provide clinical leadership and oversight for all therapeutic and case management services, ensuring interventions are trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and compliant with ORR, HHS, and Title 22 standards.
• Supervise the Lead Clinician and clinical staff, providing direction, coaching, and support to ensure consistent delivery of evidence-based care and documentation accuracy.
• Lead organizational and clinical change-management initiatives, guiding staff through the implementation of new ORR regulations, policies, and treatment protocols.
• Communicate and reinforce agency priorities, ensuring teams remain aligned and adaptable during system and policy updates.
• Lead the design, implementation, and monitoring of individualized service plans (ISPs) and treatment goals that address each youth's behavioral, emotional, and psychosocial needs.
• Ensure timely case staffing and progress updates in collaboration with case management and program leadership, maintaining alignment with ORR timelines and reunification objectives.
• Provide clinical consultation and guidance on complex or high-risk cases, ensuring treatment decisions are trauma-informed, ethical, and clinically sound.
• Collaborate closely with Case Management leadership to ensure proper documentation in the UC Portal and adherence to ORR reporting standards.
• Integrate clinical recommendations into case planning, family reunification, and post-release coordination to ensure continuity of care.
• Lead multidisciplinary team meetings with case management, medical, educational, and residential departments to promote cohesive, holistic care delivery.
• Oversee trauma and trafficking screenings, ensuring accurate documentation and appropriate follow-up with ORR and child-protection authorities.
• Conduct regular supervision, chart audits, and clinical meetings to ensure all services meet ORR documentation requirements, BBS standards, HIPAA, and professional ethics.
• Implement and monitor clinical policies and quality assurance systems, ensuring audit readiness for ORR monitoring visits and licensing inspections.
• Use clinical data and key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify trends, evaluate outcomes, and guide Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives.
• Serve as a liaison between the clinical team and Program Leadership, ensuring effective communication, operational alignment, and timely resolution of service barriers.
• Provide supervision and mentorship to licensed and pre-licensed clinicians; lead professional development and training to enhance staff competence and retention.
• Model trauma-informed leadership by fostering empathy, teamwork, and professional growth within the clinical and case management teams.
• Facilitate staff debriefings following critical incidents, ensuring emotional support, reflective learning, and improvement of crisis-response protocols.
• Participate in leadership meetings to support policy development, staff training, and strategic program planning.
• May perform other duties as assigned.?