Behavioral Health Director (Crisis Walk In) in Indio, California at Wellness and Equity Alliance LLC

OUR MISSION

Wellness Equity Alliance is a national multidisciplinary health organization that designs and delivers integrated, community-based care for populations most impacted by health inequities. We do this through mobile and field-based models, providing medical care, behavioral health services, substance use treatment, harm reduction, and care coordination in nontraditional settings such as encampments, schools, reentry sites, and rural communities as well as with sovereign tribal nations. Grounded in trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and data-driven practices, WEA combines clinical expertise, lived experience, and advanced population health analytics to reduce barriers to care, improve continuity, and strengthen local systems. We have partnered with more than 60 public agencies, managed care plans, and community-based organizations across the U.S. to implement scalable, sustainable programs that are advancing health equity and improving outcomes for historically marginalized populations

We are known as Renegades, Rebels, Disruptors and Dreamers. If that sounds like you, we want you on our team.

Indio Crisis Walk-in

WEA’s Crisis Walk-In (CWI) Center, located on the behavioral health campus of Riverside University Health System in Indio, CA, offers 24/7 walk-in, voluntary crisis services for adults and children ages 5 and older. Designed to provide immediate, accessible care, the center serves up to 20 patients at a time, including both youth and adults.

Position Summary

The Behavioral Health Director provides clinical leadership and oversight for WEA’s Indio Crisis Walk-In Center (CWIC), ensuring high-quality, evidence-based psychiatric care for youth and adults experiencing acute behavioral health crises while developing the next generations of clinicians and counselors.

The Medical Director partners closely with the CWIC Site Director (administrative) and Psychiatric Nurse Manager, and with WEA executive medical, behavioral, nursing, and operational leadership as part of a multidisciplinary leadership structure, to ensure alignment and high performance across clinical care, nursing operations, and site execution.

This role combines direct clinical care with programmatic and clinical operational leadership responsibilities. Operating within a fast-paced, walk-in crisis setting, the Medical Director oversees psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, medication management, and clinical decision-making while supporting rapid stabilization and safe transitions to appropriate levels of care. This role provides direct clinical oversight to behavioral health clinicians and peer support specialists, and serves as the clinical authority for complex cases, protocols, and quality standards.

This is a high-impact leadership role ideal for behavioral health clinicians who are passionate about crisis care, systems-building, and improving access to behavioral health services for underserved communities. This role is the key clinical leader overseeing the CWIC in partnership with the administrative Site Director.

Key Highlights

• Compensation: The compensation range for this role is $120,000-$140,000 annually, with final compensation determined based on experience, qualifications, and role scope.
• Work Location & Expectations: This role requires daily in-person engagement at Indio Crisis Walk-in Center location, with additional travel as needed to support organizational priorities.
• Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package including healthcare coverage, paid time off, and shareholder/equity options.
• Professional Development: Opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional leaders across Behavioral Health, Medical, Street Medicine, Public Health, Rural Health, and Tribal Health initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide psychiatric evaluations, diagnoses, and treatment planning for individuals presenting in crisis.
• Assess for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• Oversee medication management, including prescribing, monitoring, and adjusting treatment as needed.
• Support rapid stabilization and disposition planning within a walk-in crisis model.
• Provide direct clinical care as needed, particularly for high-acuity or complex cases.
• Serve as the clinical authority for behavioral health decision-making, including level-of-care determinations and transfers.
• Escalate medical, psychiatric and substance use treatment concerns as necessary to consulting psychiatrist.

• Provide clinical supervision and guidance to behavioral health providers (e.g., mental health therapists, social workers, and peer support specialists).
• Support interdisciplinary clinical decision-making across nursing, behavioral health, and peer teams, consulting with psychiatry for medical concerns outside practitioner’s scope of practice.
• Serve as a resource for complex cases, including co-occurring mental health, substance use, and medical conditions.
• Promote adherence to evidence-based practices and trauma-informed care approaches.

• Support development and refinement of clinical workflows aligned with a walk-in crisis model.
• Ensure effective triage, stabilization, and transitions of care.
• Collaborate with leadership to optimize patient flow and minimize delays in care.
• Guide protocols for escalation, emergency interventions, and transfers to higher levels of care.

• Partner closely with the CWIC Site Director (administrative), psychiatric leadership, and WEA executive leadership to ensure cohesive, successful program operations.
• Participate in multidisciplinary huddles, case reviews, and care planning discussions.
• Foster a collaborative, team-based care environment across disciplines.
• Serve as a liaison with county partners, hospitals, emergency services, and community providers.

• Lead clinical quality improvement initiatives focused on patient safety, outcomes, and care effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with state, federal, and county behavioral health regulations and standards.
• Support audit readiness and participate in regulatory reviews and site visits.
• Oversee development, implementation, and refinement of clinical protocols and treatment guidelines.
• Monitor performance metrics and use data to inform improvements.

• Support recruitment, onboarding, and development of clinical and counseling (peer) staff.
• Provide education, training, and mentorship to team members on crisis care and best practices.
• Contribute to program development efforts, including expansion of services and clinical capabilities.
• Stay current with emerging best practices in crisis care and behavioral health systems.

• Communicate effectively with patients, families, and caregivers regarding diagnoses, treatment plans, and next steps.
• Serve as a clinical liaison with external partners, including hospitals, community-based organizations, and public sector agencies.
• Participate in meetings, case conferences, and stakeholder engagement efforts.

Key Competencies

• Clinical leadership and behavioral health expertise.
• Crisis assessment, stabilization, and rapid decision-making.
• Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration and team leadership.
• Systems thinking and program development.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Commitment to equity, cultural humility, and patient-centered care.
• Experienced clinical supervisor.

• Master’s or Doctoral degree in clinical or counseling psychology from an accredited institution.
• Licensed 2+ years as LCSW, LPCC or LMFT in California and meet minimum supervisor requirements.
• Minimum 3-5 years of clinical counseling experience, including crisis, emergency, or acute care settings.
• Minimum 1-3 years as a Behavioral Health Manager/Director or similar clinical leadership experience.
• Strong clinical judgment and ability to make decisions in high-acuity environments.

• Experience in mental health crisis programs, CWIC, CSU, emergency, or community behavioral health settings.
• Experience working with youth and/or family systems.
• Experience supporting individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions.
• Training in trauma-informed care, de-escalation, or addiction medicine.
• Familiarity with California behavioral health systems and county partnerships.
• Proficiency with electronic health records (EHRs).