Compass Behavioral Health, California
California's First DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Program™ Duke University Research Performance Site Columbia School of Social Work: Selected Practicum Training Site UCI School of Medicine Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship: Required DBT Didactic Block; DBT & Nutritional Psychiatry Fellowship Rotation
The Role
Imagine starting your days with a sense of purpose and the knowledge that you can forever change the direction of a young person's life. Now imagine being empowered to do this important work at a premier training site thriving at the intersection of leading-edge research. Imagine being supported by a tight-knit team working to deliver the gold standard in treatment for teen depression and anxiety. Imagine making your mark at a beautiful new residential treatment facility where you're empowered to do what you do best, focusing on high-quality patient care. Our program provides 24-hour care to a maximum of 6 patients with an average 30–90-day length of stay.
Compass Behavioral Health is looking for you: a Nurse Manager for our adolescent DBT residential treatment facility, The Farmhouse.
Reports To: Clinical Director
The Mission
We are Compass Behavioral Health; we do one thing, and we do it with excellence. We treat depression and anxiety in teens. Guided by science. Driven by heart. And born of a simple belief: Every human being deserves to live a life with purpose, belonging, and a sense of mastery. Like the symbolic compass that is our namesake, we exist to help you "Find Your Why. Find Your How. Find Your Way." As our Nurse Manager, you play an integral part in that mission.
The Details
Salary & Bonus Structure
Compensation is tiered by licensure to align with market rates and recognize the differentiated value of RN and LVN credentials.
- LVN Track: $72,000 – $82,000 base + up to $20,000 annual bonus (Total Cash Compensation: $92,000 – $102,000)
- RN Track: $85,000 – $98,000 base + up to $25,000 annual bonus (Total Cash Compensation: $110,000 – $123,000)
Base salary placement within the range is determined by years of experience, prior management tenure, and specialty credentials.
The annual bonus is performance-based and tied to:
- Regulatory audit compliance performance (Joint Commission, CARF, CCLD)
- Quality assurance benchmarks (incident and medication error metrics)
- Staffing, retention, and training milestones
- Tenure-based eligibility (full bonus eligibility begins after 12 months of continuous employment; pro-rated structure available in Year 1)
Detailed bonus criteria are reviewed and confirmed in writing at time of offer.
Performance Expectations (Key KPIs)
- Maintain ≥95% audit compliance across Joint Commission, CARF, and CCLD standards
- Achieve and sustain a medication error rate below program threshold
- Complete 100% of monthly incident report and medication error analyses on schedule
- Maintain full nursing staff coverage with ≤10% annual turnover target
- 100% completion of annual SOP review cycle
Qualifications
- A passion for providing compassionate, evidence-based care for teens struggling with depression and anxiety in a team-based approach
- Minimum 3 years of behavioral healthcare experience
- Minimum 2 years of experience hiring, mentoring, and managing staff
- Minimum 2 years of experience in a residential treatment setting (preferred)
- California Group Home Administrator Certification (preferred)
- Current valid California RN or Vocational Nurse License; current CPR
- Proficient in PC and Microsoft Office Suite
- Valid California Driver's License and satisfactory driving record (per Compass Behavioral Health's Automobile Insurance Carrier requirements); able to pass DMV screening
- Department of Justice criminal clearance prior to employment or initial presence in the facility
- COVID vaccinated
Responsibilities
Operations & Regulatory Compliance
- Manage daily operations of the facility in accordance with federal and state regulations and program policies
- Maintain Joint Commission, CARF, and CCLD regulatory standards through daily and weekly audits
Quality Assurance
- Oversee the Quality Assurance Program with the support of a full-time Program Administrative Assistant
- Audit admissions and discharges, and prepare administrative reports including incident report and medication error analysis
Clinical Coordination
- Partner with the Clinical Director on admission, discharge, and treatment planning
Staffing, Training & Development
- Oversee hiring, staffing, and training of nursing and residential staff, supported by a full-time Clinical Milieu Supervisor
- Train nurses in medication administration, vitals, blood draws, on-site labs, and EKG administration
Medical Standard Operating Procedures
- Develop, oversee, and conduct annual reviews of the program's medical standard operating procedures
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Training
You are a nurse and Emotion Regulation Coach, all rolled into one ideal training opportunity. You are the hands, feet, heart, and soul of the program.
From leading residents in morning mindfulness and daily goal setting, to co-facilitating Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy groups alongside a team of highly trained and accomplished clinicians, to ending the day teaching and practicing sleep hygiene and anti-anxiety skills, you will be teaching and coaching whole-body wellness.
This position provides intensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Year 1 focuses on foundational skills like crisis survival, mindfulness, and emotion regulation through readings, videos, worksheets, and supervised practice. Year 2 emphasizes advanced skills, including independently leading DBT groups, conducting Behavior Chain Analyses, and mastering skills coaching. Training includes weekly remote learning, in-person workshops, role-playing, and collaboration with supervisors and therapists. The program develops expertise in DBT strategies, transitioning nurses into confident, independent practice while integrating skills into therapeutic goals.
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Education resources: Psych Nurse FAQs | APNA
- Your comprehensive training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (leading treatment for pervasive emotion dysregulation) will be overseen by DBT-LBC Certified Clinicians™ who are calibrated DBT Adherence Coders through the University of Washington and DBT Adherence Coders for the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification™
- Your Clinical Director received his DBT Intensive training at Columbia School of Social Work and has been a study therapist on the Compass-Duke University study examining DBT applications in treating identity dysregulation among teens
- Your mindfulness training will be overseen by the Executive Director, who was a Zen student of Roshi Dr. Marsha Linehan, the treatment developer of DBT
- Your Medical Director is trained in Nutritional Psychiatry and Fitness and oversees a holistic approach to treatment
- We are excited to share that Dr. Blaise Aguirre, founding Medical Director of Harvard's adolescent DBT residential program at McLean Hospital and author of DBT For Dummies, serves as our dedicated consultant, providing in-house trainings and complex case consultation. Externs have access to these trainings and consultations.
- You will receive specialized eating disorder training from an internist and eating disorder specialist, with specialized training in monitoring related labs, vitals, and diagnostic EKGs
Location
- Compass Behavioral Health is located in Tustin, California, in the beautiful heart of Orange County.
- The Farmhouse, our new residential treatment facility, is a serene and therapeutic backdrop for teaching and practicing whole-body wellness.
- Amenities in our half-acre compound include a chef's kitchen, full outdoor kitchen with wood-burning pizza oven, outdoor living areas, organic garden, greenhouse, and over 30 fruit trees throughout the grounds. The compound consists of 3 buildings including a full fitness gym with state-of-the-art equipment, infrared sauna, bocci ball court, sport court, swimming pool, and jacuzzi.
Why You'll Never Want to Leave
As our Nurse Manager, you'll have the opportunity to make an impact in countless lives by teaching whole families how to manage their child's mood disorder together. You'll guide young adults in treatment on their journey from despair to hope.
And you'll do it all among a supportive family of Compass colleagues who elevate one another, celebrate one another, and are even known to kick back together with some fun and games after work.
What Your Future Teammates Are Saying
(https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Compass-Behavioral-Health-2/reviews)
"A Place to grow your talents" "My dream job" "A Unicorn of an Employer" "I feel like I have a family and a sense of purpose" "Compass, a loving place." "A tight-knit family committed to doing life together"
"Working at Compass has been an absolute blessing and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity. I came to the Farmhouse with no clinical experience; however I was taken in with open arms. I was given one-on-one supervision, clinical training, and an incredible mentorship by prestigious clinicians. Not only have I had intensive clinical training here at Compass, but I've also been involved in the research Institute! As a post-bac student preparing to apply to a PhD program, Compass has provided a huge amount of support and guidance through the process, giving me the necessary clinical and research experience that will set me apart from other competing applicants. I have never worked for an employer that cares so much about my work satisfaction, work-life balance, and career trajectory, and goes above and beyond to make sure my needs are met. I could go on and on about how much I love Compass!" — Savannah Neves, Executive Assistant and Ph.D. student
We are a Diversity Embracing Employer
At Compass Behavioral Health, we don't just accept difference – we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our clients, and our community. Compass is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.
It is the policy of Compass Behavioral Health to affirmatively provide equal opportunity to all qualified applicants for employment and existing employees without regard to their race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, ancestry, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender orientation, or any other basis that would be in violation of any applicable law or regulation. Compass Behavioral Health conducts pre-employment drug screening, and any offer of employment is contingent upon satisfactory results of the screening.
Job Type: Full-time, Salary
Pay:
- LVN Track: $72,000 – $82,000 base + up to $20,000 annual bonus
- RN Track: $85,000 – $98,000 base + up to $25,000 annual bonus
Benefits:
- 401(k) with matching
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off and paid sick time
- Paid training and continuing education credits
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
Medical Specialties: Home Health · Pediatrics · Psychiatry · Wound Care
Physical Setting: Rehabilitation center
Schedule:
- Sunday through Thursday
- On call Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday after hours
Ability to Commute/Relocate: Tustin, CA 92780 — Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
License/Certification:
- LVN (Required)
- RN (Preferred)
- BLS Certification (Preferred)
Experience: Residential Treatment — 2 years (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $72,000.00 - $122,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Have you ever worked in residential treatment?
- Have you ever been a manager or supervisor?
- Have you ever worked with adolescence/teens?
Education:
Experience:
- Residential Treatment: 2 years (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
