The County of Santa Barbara's Behavioral Wellness Department is accepting applications to fill one (1) full-time position for a Crisis Services Manager in Any location in Santa Barbara County, California. Although this position can be based in any location in Santa Barbara County it will have countywide responsibility and will require travel to Santa Barbara, Lompoc and Santa Maria. The countywide classification is Health Services Manager II. This position is "At-Will" and is exempt from Civil Service provisions.
Crisis Services Manager Job Description
The Crisis Services Manager reports to the Branch Chief of Specialty Programs and serves as a member of the Behavioral Wellness Department management team. This role manages prevention, intervention, and treatment addressing alcohol and other drug-related problems, mental illness, and/or co-occurring conditions in the county's Crisis Services teams. Works in close collaboration with the Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF), the Crisis Stabilization unit, crisis residential facilities, oversees hospital discharges, monitors the utilization review for crisis services, and performs related duties as required. The Crisis Services Manager oversees programs countywide including Mobile Crisis, Co-Response teams, and the Access Line; as well as being the department’s liaison with contractors overseeing our Crisis Stabilization Unit and Crisis Residential Treatment facilities.
About the Department
Founded in 1962, it is the mission of the Department of Behavioral Wellness to promote the prevention of and recovery from mental illness and addiction among individuals, families and communities, by providing effective leadership and delivering state-of-the-art, culturally competent services. The Department provides treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to 10,000 clients with mental illness and substance use disorders annually through its professional staff of over 400, in addition to its many contracted Community-Based Organization (CBO) providers. The Department’s decisions and service delivery are guided by the following values:
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Quality services for persons of all ages with mental illness and/or substance abuse
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Integrity in individual and organizational actions
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Dignity, respect, and compassion for all persons
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Active involvement of clients and families in treatment, recovery, and policy development
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Diversity throughout our organization and cultural competency in service delivery
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A system of care and recovery that is clearly defined and promotes recovery and resiliency
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Emphasis on prevention and treatment
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Teamwork among department employees in an atmosphere that is respectful and creative
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Continuous quality improvement in service delivery and administration
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Wellness modeled for our clients at all levels; i.e., staff who regularly arrive at the workplace healthy, energetic and resilient
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Safety for everyone
Benefits: The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. Click on the Benefits Tab above or to view more information. In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:
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Retirement reciprocity
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Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate
Hiring Incentive: The Behavioral Wellness Department may offer and may provide reimbursement for reasonable relocation expenses, and, at the discretion of the CEO, can provide flexible relocation assistance, housing and student loan offsets, cash incentives, and/or vacation and sick leave pre-accruals in the interest of attracting the best talent to the organization.
The Ideal Candidate will have the following:
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Extensive experience with the LPS Act and 5150/5585 codes and the ability to train and keep current with the industry standards.
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Proven track record with the management of mental health programs, especially those involving crisis evaluation, de-escalation and stabilization.
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Ability to manage and understand very difficult and stressful situations.
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Experience and skills in building and maintaining positive and collaborative relationships with community partners and providers, stakeholders, consumers and family members.
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Strong skills in collecting and analyzing data.
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Ability to respond effectively in adversarial situations.
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Ability to inspire, coach, develop, and empower staff.
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Experience leading change initiatives
The knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below may be acquired through various types of training, education, and experience. A typical way to acquire the required knowledge and abilities would be:
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Equivalent of a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in public health administration, public administration, behavioral/mental health, or related field, AND
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Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in a behavioral health field, mental health substance use, social work, etc. including at least two (2) years as a supervisor or manager; AND
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A valid California license in one of the following:
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Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
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Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
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Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)
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Clinical Psychologist
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Psychiatrist
Note on Out-of-State Licensure: Applicants must possess valid California, clinical licensure in their profession at the time of application.
This position also requires the possession and maintenance of a valid California driver’s license and the ability to meet automobile insurability requirements of the County or the ability to provide suitable transportation needs as a condition of continued employment.
Knowledge of:
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Principles, practices, and techniques of health care management in a public agency setting including public health, mental health and recovery, correctional health, and medical health including the interpretation of laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
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Trends in public, mental, medical, and correctional health, and recovery education, treatment, prevention, and related issues.
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Principles and practices of public administration and program management, including strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation.
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Management principles, practices, and techniques.
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Principles and practices of fiscal management and budgeting.
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Principles and practices of program planning and administration.
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Personnel management principles and practices, including employee supervision, training, and evaluation.
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Principles and applications of critical thinking and analysis.
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Principles and practices of group facilitation, conflict resolution, and consensus building.
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Principles and practices of procurement and contract administration.
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Principles and techniques of effective oral presentations.
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Applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, and standards.
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Business systems, equipment, and applications relevant to the area of assignment.
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Social, economic, cultural, and other issues impacting program area.
Ability to:
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Effectively administer public health, mental health and recovery, correctional health, and/or medical health programs and activities.
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Manage assigned operations/programs; ensure ongoing compliance with strategic objectives and performance measures.
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Develop and implement policies and procedures.
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Manage and evaluate assigned staff, including training, coaching, participating in the development of goals and strategic objectives, coordinating deadlines, prioritizing work demands, and assigning/monitoring work.
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Analyze and evaluate operational programs, projects, and procedures.
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Plan, organize, coordinate, and supervise changes and improvements in public agency projects and studies.
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Manage budgets, contracts, grants, and resource allocation.
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Interpret, monitor, and report financial information and statistics.
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Oversee the implementation of, and adherence to, quality assurance activities and standards.
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Research, recommend, and implement industry trends, solutions, and best practices.
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Resolve complex problems within area of assignment.
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Prepare and oversee the preparation of reports, grant proposals, documents, and presentations.
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Make presentations to stakeholders, elected officials, County leadership, and the public.
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Creates and provides informative presentations to stakeholders, elected officials, County leadership, and the public.
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Collaborate with program stakeholders, elected and appointed boards, the public, and internal leadership.
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Interpret and apply applicable laws, codes, regulations, and standards.
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Communicate effectively, clearly, and concisely.
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Establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse range of individuals, including but not limited to coworkers, subordinate staff, supervisors, other managers, professional agencies, and the general public.
SELECTION PROCESS:
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Review applications and supplemental questionnaire to determine those applicants who meet the employment standards. Candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list.
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Candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. We require verification of accommodation needed from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.
Recruiters will correspond with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss the required deadlines.
CONDITIONAL JOB OFFER:
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Live Scan and Background Check: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, the selected candidate's appointment is contingent upon successful completion of a Live Scan and background check which includes a conviction history check, and satisfactory reference checks. A Live Scan is electronic fingerprint scanning that is certified by the State Department of Justice. Further instructions about when and how to complete the Live Scan will be included in the offer letter. Appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination.
Disaster Service Worker: Pursuant to Governmental code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement
The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.
APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: August 26, 2026 by 4:59 PM. Applications and job postings can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.
For recruitment related questions, please contact Natalie Alvarado- [email protected]
