Description

Associate Vice President, Crisis Line

This is a hybrid position with two days a week on-site required in Century City, CA.

The pay range for this role is $165,808 - $190,679 annually.

Ask us about loan repayment programs you may qualify for by working at Didi Hirsch. 

About Didi Hirsch

Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services has been a national leader in whole-person mental health, crisis care, and substance use services since 1942 and is home to the nation’s first Suicide Prevention Center. We are a nonprofit organization providing care to about 270,000 people annually across our programs. Didi Hirsch has deep roots in community-based mental health and a commitment to providing culturally responsive services that are just and equitable. More than 1,000 dedicated employees and volunteers make Didi Hirsch’s work possible.  

Summary

As the Associate Vice President of Crisis Lines, you will be responsible for overseeing the operation, training, quality and effectiveness of a large, fast paced Crisis Line Contact Center (incoming and follow-up calls, chats and texts) within the Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988 Spanish, and Teen Line. You will also ensure that Crisis Line programs comply with the agency’s philosophies, standards, contracts, policies, procedures, and guidelines. It involves managing both administrative processes, clinical policies and procedures and contact center operations to maintain optimal performance and maximize service delivery to clients.

Primary Duties

Program Leadership

• Provides strategic direction and leadership for all crisis hotline services within the Suicide Prevention Center, ensuring excellence in client care and staff performance.
• Identifies program challenges, identifies strategic solutions and drives implementation. 
• Leads strategic growth of crisis line services, ensuring alignment with community needs and organizational sustainability goals. Develops strong partnerships with agencies and key stakeholders to grow the crisis line programs.
• Provides leadership to program staff, ensuring that all services meet or exceed contractual performance goals; ensures delivery of services in accordance with contracted guidelines and Didi Hirsch philosophies.
• Champion clinical excellence, innovation and continuous quality improvement.
• Identifies opportunities to increase the visibility, reputation and growth of crisis hotline services. Represents the Agency locally, statewide and nationally at meetings with other private and public agencies and serves on relevant committees, boards, etc. Acts as a spokesperson for the program at public speaking engagements, events, conferences, media interviews, and policy/advocacy engagements, etc. 
• Evaluates new service lines, clinical models, and innovations to meet community and organizational needs.
• Oversee change management activities by guiding leaders and teams through complex transitions, developing communication and readiness strategies, and ensuring employees are supported, informed, and equipped to successfully adopt change.

Management

• Forms a highly effective team to accomplish short- and long-term goals for the department.
• Oversees the hiring, orientation, training, supervision and evaluation of the Crisis Contact Center Directors and Senior
• Directors including the Crisis Line Clinical Team, Crisis Line Operations and Workforce Management Team, Crisis Line Training and Community Engagement Team and Teen Line.
• Oversees the development of program clinical and operational policies and procedures designed to improve quality, meet accreditation requirements and/or meet client needs more effectively.
• Mentors and trains directors to develop individual plans that focus on program effectiveness and management skills.
• Ensures resources and systems are in place to support the training and continuous learning of staff.
• Performs managerial duties to include interviewing applicants for employment; assigning and reviewing progress of assignments; managing cross-team projects to completion, managing performance and recommending salary increases; and developing higher levels of expertise in staff members by encouraging further education, participation in seminars and providing learning opportunities within the Agency.
• Delegates decision-making and responsibility to the appropriate level, provides the necessary information and direction for success.
• Leads/participates in relevant committees; coordinates and acts as liaison with other agencies.
• Financial/Resource Management
  Collaborates with the Finance and Development Departments in the development of major grant/contract proposals; participates in negotiations with funding agencies.
• Partners with Finance Department to prepare annual budgets and contract agreements; regularly reviews and approves adherence to budget including major expenditures to ensure budget compliance.
• Monitors contract performance; reviews monthly and annual financial statements, making plans for correction as needed; interprets and reports results to executive leadership as appropriate.
• Ensures that program staff efficiently utilize financial resources while maintaining commitment to quality service when requesting and purchasing program equipment and supplies.

Program Quality, Compliance, and Reporting

• Establishes and maintains an on-going evaluation of crisis line clinical and operational effectiveness in accordance with program/contractual requirements, accreditations, best practices and agency strategic planning, balancing clinical quality with costeffectiveness and operational performance.
• Reviews documentation, KPI dashboards, and status reports prepared by program staff to ensure all legal, contractual, and revenue-generating reports meet or exceed required Agency and applicable regulatory agencies’ standards.
• Oversees crisis line clinical services, including but not limited to:
  • Fidelity to model(s)/evidenced based practice(s) (EBPs).
  • Compliance with federal, state, and accrediting body requirements.
  • Ensuring an iterative process of clinical training and quality assurance.
• Oversees crisis line operations, including but not limited to:
  • Ensuring a strategy for growth that meets the demands of programs using best practices for contact center workforce management.
  • Overseeing a strategy for regularly forecasting volume and adjusting staffing models based on data and practices within the center.  
• Manages the development and implementation of reporting methods consistent with the Agency’s procedures and contract requirements to ensure that data and other information gathered are accurate and reported in a timely manner.
• Implements and enforces appropriate disciplinary mechanisms when violations are detected; establishes reasonable steps to respond appropriately to the violation and to prevent similar violations in the future.
• Attends, participates, leads and/or facilitates routinely scheduled meetings as requested or required.

Requirements

Position Requirements

• Have active licensure with the Board of Behavioral Sciences as a Psychologist, LCSW, LPCC or LMFT and clinical experience in suicide prevention/crisis intervention.
• Have 5+ years of progressive senior management experience in a community mental health setting and/or 10+ years of experience overseeing a crisis line contact center and/or a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline contact center with demonstrated knowledge of industry standards and best practices in crisis intervention and suicide prevention clinical interventions, contact center operations and work force management.
• Exhibit a full working knowledge and experience in contact center operations including successful achievement of contact center key performance indicators (KPIs), clinical supervision and program development.
• Have a working knowledge of current community mental health/crisis care standards with an emphasis on client empowerment, family involvement, cultural competence, diversity and psychosocial rehabilitation.
• Support the values and mission of Didi Hirsch as related to employment.
• Know and comply with Agency policies and procedures, HIPAA, DMH, OCHCA, and DHS policies and documentation guidelines, and other state, federal regulations relating to crisis care service programs.
• Possess budget preparation and fiscal management skills.
• Demonstrate exceptional oral and written communications skills.
• Efficiently use the personal computer to include: word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software, database, paperless charting system, and project management.
• Exhibit skill in organizing, tracking and prioritizing multiple complex tasks and projects.
• Have project management skills and experience, including working with teams to identify needs and develop processes to address those needs.
• Understand risk and liability issues relating to clinical care, personnel management and other organizational matters.
• Demonstrate strong leadership skills including the ability to inspire, direct and elicit cooperation.
• Utilize analysis, experience, and judgment to make solid management decisions.
• Demonstrate commitment to team objectives and Didi Hirsch philosophies.
• Adapt to changing needs by acquiring new skills and knowledge.
• Current California driver’s license and a driving record acceptable to the Agency’s insurance carrier.