Director of Clinical Services

Director of Clinical Services

Chileda is seeking a Director of Clinical Services to join our growing team. The Director of Clinical Services is responsible for providing and overseeing comprehensive clinical services for residential and educational students, including overseeing strategic initiatives. This includes coordinating case management, counseling, and health services. This position is responsible for ensuring high-quality, client-centered care by coordinating across multidisciplinary teams. This position ensures the client's rights are upheld and that compliance with licensing and accreditation standards is maintained. This position oversees the Aftercare program and ensures student and family involvement in treatment planning.

You should apply to this position if you are a highly engaged leader with strong analytical, organizational, and decision‑making skills who thrives in a demanding, mission‑driven environment. You understand this is a significant, high‑impact role that requires presence, accountability, and heart. You take pride in meaningful, hands‑on work that makes a lasting difference and are drawn to the La Crosse community for its strong sense of connection, shared purpose, and exceptional quality of life-whether you already call it home or are excited to build your future here.

Qualifications

• Masters degree in Social Work, Counseling, or Nursing

• Additional credentials that are preferred but not required: LCSW, LPC, BCBA, School Psychologist, or RN with behavioral health experience

• Leadership experience in healthcare, behavioral health, or human services

• Skills in systems-level thinking, collaboration, and regulatory compliance

• Experience in trauma-informed, integrated care and family engagement

• Leadership, analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills are required

Hours: Generally, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday. Additional or flexible hours or days of work may be required. This is an exempt, benefited position averaging at least 40 hours per week. This role must have availability and willingness to accept phone calls outside of work hours.

Reports to: Vice President of Residential Services

Job Responsibilities:

Clinical Program Leadership

• Oversee clinical departments including Counseling, Health & Wellness, Family Services, and Treatment Planning.
• Lead, develop, and enhance clinical initiatives, including trauma-informed care and evidence-based treatment models.
• Provide long-term strategic direction for clinical services aligned with student needs and organizational priorities.
• Ensure services address diverse backgrounds, experiences, and developmental needs.

Direct Clinical Services

• Conduct clinical assessments, intakes, evaluations, and therapy as needed.
• Provide crisis consultation and exercise sound clinical judgement in emergency situations.
• Facilitate critical incident reviews and staff debriefings.

Multidisciplinary Collaboration

• Collaborate with other Department Directors to develop and implement effective treatment practices.
• Promote appropriate utilization of clinical resources and maintain high standards of care.
• Participate actively in the Administrative and Systems Team to support a positive, trauma-informed organizational culture.

Treatment Planning & Evaluation

• Oversee and ensure high-quality treatment planning processes.
• Ensure treatment plans and assessments meet state, county, licensing, and agency requirements.
• Review annual treatment goals to ensure they promote functionality, independence, and appropriate progress.
• Attend and participate in Treatment Plan Meetings, guiding permanency and discharge-related discussions.
• Track and analyze student outcomes and permanency data and collaborate with other directors to address service needs.

Psychiatric & Health Coordination

• Oversee psychiatric services in collaboration with the Health & Wellness Manager, Director of Behavior Services, and treatment teams.

Enrollment & Admissions Oversight

• Ensure a thorough enrollment process, including documentation review, ensuring required paperwork is obtained, and securing funding prior to and throughout the enrollment period.

Family Engagement & Aftercare Leadership

• Promote strong family participation from pre-admission through post-discharge.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for Transition Support Services, Aftercare Services, and post-discharge planning.
• Assist in identifying and recommending appropriate post-discharge placements, including less-restrictive environments.

Supervision & Staff Development

• Supervise, train, coach, and mentor program managers, counselor, and case managers.
• Promote professional growth and maintain high performance standards among clinical team members.

Client Rights & Advocacy

• Serve as Lead Client's Rights Specialist, responding to client rights inquiries outside of standard work hours, and complete internal investigations as needed.
• Lead the External Human Rights Committee in collaboration with the Director of Behavior Services.
• Advocate for students to ensure emotional, social, and developmental needs are addressed.

Community Engagement & Outreach

• Oversee distribution and aggregation of annual satisfaction surveys for students, guardians, and referring agencies.
• Promote agency services through outreach to referral partners, including social service agencies, advocacy groups, parent organizations, and schools.

Regulatory Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Review service contracts, maintain compliance, and prepare required outcome reports.
• Collect, monitor, and report clinical data (enrollment, discharge, permanency, treatment plans) at least quarterly.
• Ensure quarterly file reviews are completed in collaboration with administrative support staff.
• Lead initiatives to improve performance outcomes based on data analysis.

Other Responsibilities

• Oversee Psychiatric visits, working collaboratively with the H&W Manager, Director of Behavior Services, and treatment team members.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the Job Duties of this position. The person in this position needs to occasionally walk about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, and conference rooms. There is constant use of hand/fingers to operate a computer, and frequent use to operate phones, and other office equipment. Must be able to talk and hear to communicate with and exchange information with co-workers. This position may require physical interactions with students in fulfilling behavior interventions implementing current crisis management programs.

Work Environment: Work will be conducted primarily in an office setting. Work with students and families will be done throughout the Chileda campus.

DISCLAIMER: The statements of this Job Description are intended to describe the general nature of the work being performed and are not assumed to be a complete list of tasks. This Job Description does not establish a contract and are subject to change at Chileda's discretion at any time. Employment at Chileda is at-will. Employment at-will means that Chileda may terminate or change the status or your employment at any time, with or without reason, and with or without notice.