Join our dynamic and diverse team of professionals making an impact!
LifeBridge Community Services is a trauma-informed, community-centered nonprofit committed to addressing the complex mental health and wellness challenges faced by youth, adults, and families in the Greater Bridgeport community. We provide trauma-informed services and promote collaboration and shared learning to maximize our impact. Our continuum of mental and behavioral health services includes talk therapy, clinical art therapy, school-based supports, youth development programs, and community education on the biology of trauma and the skills that foster regulation and resilience.
LifeBridge is committed to building a diverse, inclusive workplace where every team member feels a sense of belonging and is valued for their unique contributions. In all interactions-with clients, colleagues, partners, and community members-we strive to embody our core values: to be trauma-informed, respectful, transparent, collaborative, deliberate, and impactful.
Job Purpose/Function:
The Director of Community and Integrated Care provides strategic and operational leadership for LifeBridge's community-embedded and integrated behavioral health programs. As a Director-level leader in a community-based nonprofit, this position is responsible for influencing program strategy, driving high-quality service delivery, cultivating strong external partnerships, and ensuring that all programs reflect LifeBridge's trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and resilience-building approach.
This role oversees a portfolio of school-based, clinical, and community wellness initiatives-including LifeBridge's TI-MTSS and SEL supports in local schools, integrated mental health services in pediatric practices, Community Resiliency Model (CRM) workshops, the Trauma-Informed Community of Practice (TI-CoP), the Art Prescription Program, and additional emerging community programs aligned with LifeBridge's mission. The Director ensures seamless coordination across partners, maintains referral pathways into LifeBridge's behavioral health services, and ensures programs operate with fidelity to trauma-informed models. Through strategic leadership coupled with hands-on implementation, the Director strengthens LifeBridge's impact and advances community-wide resilience and well-being.
Responsibilities:
As a Director-level leader in a community-based nonprofit, this role carries responsibility for program strategy, outcomes, staff leadership, external partnerships, and operational excellence across all community and integrated care programs.
LeadershipStrategy
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Foster and sustain strong, collaborative relationships with community partners-including school districts, pediatric practices, hospitals, and local organizations-demonstrating professionalism, responsiveness, and a customer-service–oriented approach.
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Serve as a visible and trusted representative of LifeBridge, cultivating partnerships grounded in mutual respect, shared learning, and trauma-informed collaboration.
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Collaborate with the Senior Director of Behavioral Health on departmental priorities, strategic planning, and agency-wide initiatives.
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Provide strategic direction for integrated and community-based care models, ensuring alignment with trauma-informed principles and emerging community needs.
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Represent LifeBridge at community forums, coalitions, school district leadership meetings, and partner convenings to strengthen visibility and cross-sector coordination.
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Drive innovation in service delivery to expand access, improve coordination, and increase engagement across all community and integrated care programs.
Program OversightService Delivery
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Develop, strengthen, and sustain positive working relationships with schools, pediatric practices, community agencies, and cross-sector partners to ensure coordinated, trauma-informed service delivery.
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Maintain a customer-service–oriented approach in all external interactions, ensuring consistent communication, reliability, and follow-through with partners.
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Oversee and manage all community-embedded programs including:
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LifeBridge's Trauma-Informed Multi-Tiered System of Support (TI-MTSS) model in local schools, including SEL curriculum oversight, coaching, climate support, and trauma-informed systems work.
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Integrated mental health services in partner pediatric practices and other medical or community settings, ensuring seamless collaboration.
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Community Resiliency Model (CRM) workshops, including scheduling, oversight of trainers, and quality fidelity.
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Trauma-Informed Community of Practice (TI-CoP), including session planning, coordination, and partner engagement.
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Art Prescription Program in partnership with local artists and partner agencies.
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Additional emerging community programs aligned with LifeBridge's mission.
- Ensure high-quality service delivery that is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate.
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Maintain seamless referral pathways between schools, pediatricians, community partners, and LifeBridge behavioral health services.
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Monitor program performance using data, dashboards, and continuous quality improvement processes.
Workforce DevelopmentSupervision
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Supervise community program staff.
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Provide coaching, reflective supervision, professional development, and training in trauma-informed practices.
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Ensure proper staffing, scheduling, and workload distribution across school-based and community-based programs.
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Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and wellness.
Compliance, ReportingGrants
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Ensure compliance with state, federal, and accreditation standards including DPH, CARF, SAMHSA, DOJ, CVIPI, and district requirements.
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Oversee data collection for community-based programs, including integrated care performance.
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Prepare reports for funders, program partners, and internal leadership.
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Support grant development, reporting, and sustainability planning in collaboration with Development and Finance teams.
Fiscal Management
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Assist the Senior Director of Behavioral Health with program budgets, forecasting, and resource allocation for all community and integrated programs.
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Ensure efficient, cost-effective operations while maintaining high-quality, evidence-based services.
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Participate in planning for program growth, scaling, and long-term sustainability.
Education and Experience Required:
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Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Social Work, Public Health, Education, Psychology, or related field strongly preferred.
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Minimum three years of leadership experience overseeing community-based, school-based, or behavioral health programs.
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Demonstrated ability to develop, sustain, and grow strong relationships with community partners and cross-sector collaborators, with a proven customer-service orientation and commitment to collaborative problem-solving.
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Strong organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills.
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Ability to represent LifeBridge professionally, positively, and in alignment with trauma-informed principles.
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Experience implementing trauma-informed frameworks models.
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Experience working in or with public school districts, pediatric practices, or community-based behavioral health settings.
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Demonstrated success in staff supervision, partnership development, and leading cross-sector initiatives.
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Experience supporting quality improvement processes and accreditation or certification readiness.
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Proficiency with electronic health records, data systems, and basic analytics.
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Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively at all levels.
Confidentiality: The employee will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement and must adhere to all applicable federal and state confidentiality laws, including HIPAA for protected health information and FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) for student records. Violation of confidentiality requirements may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate dismissal.
Physical Requirements: Frequent sitting and ability to talk and hear. Frequently required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; stoop, crouch, and kneel. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25+ pounds. The role requires local travel by vehicle, work in an office setting behind a computer, and direct interaction with clients.
Work Environment: The noise level in the work environment is typical of any residential setting or outpatient treatment facility and ranges from low to high. The role involves frequent interaction with individuals in the program and broader community and may require working in schools, medical settings, community spaces, and office environments.
Disclaimer: The PresidentCEO may modify this job description based upon agency needs; may require the employee to perform functions beyond those mentioned; and may treat the employee as an at-will employee.
