Openings

• The Director of Admissions holds the responsibility for the formulation, management, and oversight of agency referrals and admissions processes to meet community needs with timely access, quality care and exceptional customer service.
• This role requires cultivating and maintaining relationships with referral sources, families and community organization representatives to support our mission.
• The Director ensures the admissions team is well informed about the organization’s continuum of care and actively participates in community outreach and targeted marketing to sustain and expand referral sources.
• They oversee all admissions inquiries and manage the student referral and admission process, which includes conducting facility tours for family members, pre-admission interviews, screenings, assessments, and staffing to determine the most appropriate level of care. They facilitate timely referrals to other resources and ensure the completion of necessary documentation.
•  The Director understands and supports the agency’s ongoing mission to expand programming across its spectrum of services, enhancing its capacity to meet the needs of Alaska’s youth and families through quality trauma-informed care.
• Additionally, the Director supervises the Intake Clinical Therapists and collaborates closely with other facility personnel to guarantee a smooth admission process and transition into services. They are accountable for the admission of students in accordance with established policies, procedures, and regulatory and accreditation standards.
• Furthermore, the Director of Admissions guarantees that the rights and responsibilities of students and consumers is communicated effectively to all students and their families, triaging any related information to the appropriate individual or department for timely follow-up. As a member of the Leadership Team, the Director participates in relevant interdepartmental committees, aligns admissions practices with organizational strategic goals, and leads their team in doing the same. The Director is also responsible for achieving facility census targets, adhering to budget forecasts and monitoring admissions department performance.

*All positions at AK Child & Family may have responsibilities altered during the course of employment due to agency imperatives. 

As the only Sanctuary Certified agency in Alaska, we champion the Sanctuary Model, fostering safety and resilience during recovery from adversity.  The Sanctuary model is a blueprint for change, which at its core, promotes safety and recovery from adversity through the active creation of a trauma-informed community.  A recognition that trauma is pervasive in the experience of human beings forms the basis for the Sanctuary Model’s focus not only on the people who seek services, but equally on the people and systems who provide those services.

 It is made up of a shared language, tools and 7 Commitments:

1. Growth and Change: Embracing continuous learning, resilience, and innovation to build a supportive community that helps students, and their families overcome trauma and create a brighter future.
2. Emotional Intelligence: Awareness of our own and other’s feelings to foster healthy interactions.
3. Social Learning: Sharing and valuing ideas while learning from one another.
4. Social Responsibility: Committing to care for each other, our community and ourselves.
5. Open Communication: Clear, respectful and honest communication.
6. Democracy: Aligning with shared goals and values, respecting and valuing diverse opinions, and encouraging constructive discussion to reach positive solutions.
7. Nonviolence: Physical, emotional, moral, cultural and social safety for others and ourselves.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Quality Care and Leadership: Develops and implements effective admissions strategies for Residential, Therapeutic Foster Care, and Community Programs under the supervision of the Chief Clinical Officer. Collaborates with the leadership team to maintain and update admission and placement protocols while supervising the Intake Clinical Therapists, ensuring alignment with trauma-informed care practices. Ensure admissions processes meet high standards of quality, accessibility and customer service in line with organizational goals and community needs. Demonstrates the capacity to work alongside other leaders with varied areas of expertise. Possesses a comprehensive understanding of quality assurance best practices and maintains a mission-driven and service-oriented approach.

• Team Building and Leadership: Leads, supervises, and trains admissions clinicians, equipping them with knowledge of mental health trends, policies, and innovative programs. Works closely with departments, such as Finance, Revenue Cycle, Utilization Review, Residential Services, Community Programs, and Therapeutic Foster Care, as well as the leadership team, to ensure seamless transitions for newly admitted students. Reviews and assesses applications, making admission decisions according to agency standards and strategic goals, and oversees both residential and outpatient admissions processes. Demonstrates strong leadership and mentorships abilities, with skills in strategic management, crisis management, problem solving, and planning.

   

• Community Outreach and Marketing: Proactively leads community outreach initiatives to sustain relationships with established referral sources and cultivate new referral sources. In particular the Director of Admissions must maintain close working relationships with Alaska Office of Children’s Services, Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice and local psychiatric hospitals. Actively engages in community outreach events, recruitment drives and marketing strategies to support admissions goals, fulfilling the agency’s mission to meet community needs for timely access to care. Local travel to partnership agencies in the Anchorage bowl and potential occasional travel to partnering agencies outside of Anchorage.

• Program Design: Maintains expertise in professional and technical fields by participating in workshops, seminars and industry events and staying current with professional organizations and publications. Demonstrates knowledge in electronic (EHR) systems, strategic planning, and process improvement. Analyzes admissions data to identify trends and support strategic decision-making.

   

• Evidence-Based Practices: Ensures compliance with federal and state regulations related to capacity, billing, and reimbursement, with mandatory compliance to the standards and regulations established by the Agency, OCS Licensing, Division of Behavioral Health, The Joint Commission, and Medicaid. Oversees and coordinates the student admissions process to optimize admissions rates and student engagement while maintaining a trauma informed approach.

   

• Data Assessment: Oversees all admissions inquiries, assesses department capacity, and ensures effective communication of this information to clinicians, medical team and relevant staff. Establishes admissions objectives, supports community engagement and presents admissions and discharge data for leadership analysis.

   

• Partnerships: Uses in-depth knowledge of community support systems, healthcare, human services, and law enforcement to facilitate effective communication within the agency and with external organizations.Ensures that information is appropriately disseminated to relevant departments and personnel. Serves as the initial point of contact for students and their families. Collaborates with the medical and nursing team to conduct thorough assessments for youth/families seeking services, both in-person and via telephone.

• Fiduciary Responsibility: Collaborates with the Chief Clinical Officer, Chief Finance Officer and Chief Executive Officer to align fiscal accountability with the organization’s mission of providing timely and quality care. The Director is responsible for meeting census and budget projections in a manner that is fiscally responsible and supports the community’s needs. This includes identifying and applying best practices to streamline admissions and enhance capacity management, always prioritizing access to care and mission-driven service.

Benefits:

* Medical, Pharmacy, Dental, & Vision
* Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account
* Dependent Care Account
* Group Life and AD&D
* Long-Term Disability
* Employee Assistance Program
* 403(b) Retirement Plan
* Paid Time Off (PTO) - 13 hours/month in 1st year
* 2 Floating Holidays/year
* 6 Observed Holidays: double-time pay for working on the holiday
* Bonuses: Longevity & Referral

Pay:

* $82,000.00- 90,000.00+ DOE
* Bonus in the amount of 1.5% of annual salary after successful completion of 6-month Intro Period and another at the 1-year anniversary.

The Director of Admissions is supervised by the Chief Clinical Officer and directly supervises the Intake Clinical Therapists.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

•  The Director of Admissions has exhibited a strong capacity to engage effectively with youth and their families. This individual possesses a solid understanding of child development and trauma-informed care practices, enabling them to comprehend the challenges faced by students entering care.
• Furthermore, they are adept at aligning departmental initiatives with trauma-informed care principles and the Sanctuary model, which emphasizes growth and change, non-violence, emotional intelligence, social learning, open communication, social responsibility, and democratic values. The Director demonstrates a steadfast commitment to promoting diversity and fostering an inclusive environment for both work and learning.
• In addition, the Director of Admissions will be skilled in the formulation, upkeep, and modification of departmental policies related to referrals and admissions to the agency. They will exhibit proficiency in general computer skills and will be capable of producing well-crafted and thorough reports, proposals, policies, and procedures.
• The Director must possess exceptional organizational abilities, meticulous attention to detail, the capacity to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, outstanding communication skills, and the capability to handle information and interact with individuals confidently. A valid driver’s license, access to a properly insured vehicle, and a driving history that meets the agency’s insurance requirements are also essential.

Education and Experience:

•  The Director of Admissions is required to possess a Master’s degree in Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, or a related discipline.
• Applicants should have significant experience in residential or inpatient treatment settings for children and/or adolescents.
• Furthermore, candidates must exhibit a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in a service-oriented profession, along with at least two years of supervisory experience overseeing other staff members.

• Physical Demands upon the Director of Admissions includes the ability to use a computer and other equipment associated with a general office environment (such as copiers, telephone and fax) and a variety of software such as spreadsheets and email.
• The Director of Admissions must have the ability to utilize their personal vehicle to attend to responsibilities in all locations, attend meetings in person or via teleconference, and represent AK Child & Family in the community.
• The Director of Admissions must have the ability to travel to conferences and to represent the organization in state or national associations.
• They must also have exceptional ability to communicate, both in writing and orally, within the agency, throughout the community and the state.