Behavioral Health Program Director
Listed compensation
$90k-$126k
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
- Position: Program Director
- Type: Salary, Full-Time, Exempt
- Compensation: Up to $126k per year
- Base Salary: $90k-$100k per year
- Performance Bonus: Up to $26k per year ($500/week based on census, earned weekly, paid monthly)
Benefits
- Health Insurance: Medical, Vision & Dental
- Paid Time Off: Sick & Vacation
- Equity Shares
Key Responsibilities
Training & Accountability: The Program Director ensures that all program staff are carrying out their daily functions and responsibilities through continuous monitoring, training, and accountability.
Staffing & Scheduling: The Program Director is responsible for ensuring that the program operates within its Staffing Guidelines and maintains adequate coverage on every shift, at all times (incl. Timekeeping).
Compliance: The Program Director ensures strict adherence to Akua’s policies, regulatory standards, and licensing requirements,, ensuring their program remains fully licensed, credentialed, accredited, and in good standing.
Employee Management: The Program Director actively participates in hiring, interviewing candidates within staffing guidelines, and oversees disciplinary actions and terminations, ensuring compliance with HR policies.
Emergency Management: The Program Director is responsible for promptly communicating and resolving any client issues/crisis.
Performance and Cost Management: The Program Director monitors key program metrics to drive performance improvements and ensures cost control by adhering to budgetary guidelines, including staffing, scheduling, and operational expenses.
Requirements
The Program Director of a certified Residential Treatment Program shall have the following Qualifications prior to employment:
A Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Social Work or any other major which includes at least 24 semester college units in one or more of the following subject areas: (A) Psychology, (B) Social Work, (C) Sociology, (D) Behavioral sciences (E) Psychiatric Nursing; and:
Two (2) years of full-time work experience in a community program that serves clients who have a mental illness. Such experience must be in the direct provision of services to clients, of which one (1) year must be in the position of supervising direct care staff, or
As an alternative to the Bachelor Degree and experience, a total of four (4) years of experience in a community program providing direct services to persons with mental disabilities, of which one (1) year must be in the position of supervising direct care staff, and graduation from high school of possession of a GED may be substituted.
Qualifications
License/Credentials: LADC OR +, SUDCC-CS II OR +, LMFT, LPCC, LCSW, or functional equivalent / appropriate license or certification (preferred).
Education: Bachelor’s Degree (required) or master’s degree (preferred) in a relevant field (e. g. Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Psychology)
Experience: 3+ years of mental health experience and 1+ year(s) of management experience (required)
Additional: Valid CA Driver's License, Current Health Screen / Physical, TB Test Clearance, Current CPR/First Aid certificate, Able to Pass Live Scan (required)
Key Qualities
- Blend of clinical expertise and business administration skills
- Strong sense of ownership and accountability
- Compassion for clients and employees in all interactions
- Emotional stability under pressure
- Exceptional leadership skills and execution capabilities
Company Description
Akua Behavioral Health is California’s leading mental health and substance abuse treatment center.
We provide our clients with individualized, compassionate treatment from Master’s and Doctorate level clinicians across various levels of care at fully licensed and accredited facilities throughout Northern and Southern California.
To give our clients the best chance at lasting recovery, we pioneered an integrative East-meets-West approach that combines Western evidence-based treatment with holistic Eastern traditions to treat the mind, body, and spirit.
Our mission is to create an environment of healing and transformation for each client seeking change.
Qualifications
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Behavioral Health Career Context
In California, the Behavioral Health weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$93k (75 salary observations; 123 listings), vs ~$77k nationally (548 salary observations; 1,791 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-02-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$108k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $98k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $90k–$126k | Behavioral Health median $60k (middle half $50k–$67k)19 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| California vs national | $93k median in California | $77k nationally (+21%)75 state / 548 national salary observations |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$98k in purchasing power | California index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Behavioral Health listings in California | 55 active | 792 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 23% remote · 30% no call · 65% no weekends40 benchmarked listings |
| Behavioral Health pay trend | +16.4% vs prior quarter | —through Sep 2026 |
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