California Rural Behavioral Health Leadership Opportunities

Rural Staffing Services partners with rural hospitals, clinics, public hospital districts, community health centers, tribal healthcare organizations, and behavioral health organizations throughout California to identify experienced leaders who understand the unique challenges and opportunities of serving rural and frontier communities.

We are currently connecting with professionals who may be interested in active and upcoming behavioral health leadership opportunities across California.

These opportunities may include leadership within Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, community hospitals, integrated care programs, outpatient behavioral health clinics, substance use treatment programs, crisis services, tribal healthcare programs, and community-based organizations.

Explore Rural Healthcare Opportunities at RSSJobs.org

This application may connect you with the specific opportunity you were viewing, as well as other current or upcoming rural healthcare positions throughout California that align with your experience and goals.

Visit www.RSSJobs.org to explore additional rural healthcare opportunities and communities.

This Is More Than a Behavioral Health Role

Behavioral health access can be especially limited in rural and frontier communities, making strong leadership essential.

Behavioral health leaders help organizations build programs that are accessible, sustainable, compassionate, and responsive to the needs of the community. They may lead mental health, substance use, crisis response, social services, or integrated behavioral health programs while working closely with clinical, operational, tribal, and community partners.

The strongest leaders understand that behavioral health care does not exist in isolation. It is connected to primary care, emergency services, social needs, housing, transportation, workforce shortages, geographic distance, and the overall well-being of the community.

Rural behavioral health leadership requires creativity, collaboration, cultural awareness, adaptability, and a genuine commitment to meeting people where they are.

Opportunities May Include

This application may connect you with current or upcoming roles such as:

• Behavioral Health Director
• Director of Mental Health Services
• Behavioral Health Program Manager
• Integrated Behavioral Health Director or Manager
• Substance Use Disorder Program Director
• Crisis Services Director or Manager
• Community Behavioral Health Manager
• Psychiatric Services Director
• Clinical Director of Behavioral Health
• Social Services Director
• Counseling Services Manager
• Care Integration or Population Health Leadership
• Behavioral Health Operations Leadership

What You May Lead

Responsibilities will vary by organization and position and may include:

• Providing strategic and operational leadership for behavioral health services
• Developing, expanding, or strengthening mental health and substance use programs
• Supporting integrated behavioral health within primary care or hospital settings
• Leading clinical and nonclinical behavioral health teams
• Recruiting, developing, and retaining behavioral health professionals
• Strengthening access to care in rural, frontier, tribal, and underserved communities
• Supporting crisis response, suicide prevention, and care transition programs
• Building relationships with schools, law enforcement, tribal partners, public agencies, healthcare organizations, and community groups
• Overseeing program quality, compliance, documentation, and regulatory readiness
• Managing budgets, grants, contracts, staffing, and program performance
• Developing policies, procedures, workflows, and service delivery models
• Supporting telebehavioral health, mobile services, outreach programs, and other creative access solutions
• Tracking outcomes and using data to improve care and program sustainability
• Advocating for patients, families, employees, and the communities being served

What You Will Bring

Qualifications will vary by opportunity, but organizations may seek:

• Progressive experience in behavioral health, mental health, substance use treatment, social services, or integrated care
• Previous leadership experience as a director, manager, clinical supervisor, program administrator, or comparable leader
• Experience developing, managing, or improving behavioral health programs
• Knowledge of behavioral health regulations, documentation, quality standards, and reimbursement
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills
• Experience working with rural, frontier, tribal, underserved, or high-need populations
• Familiarity with hospitals, FQHCs, Rural Health Clinics, tribal healthcare organizations, community behavioral health organizations, or public agencies
• Relevant education, licensure, or certification based on the specific position
• A compassionate, collaborative, practical, and community-focused leadership style

Some opportunities may prefer or require licensure such as LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, psychologist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, or another behavioral health credential. Requirements will depend on the specific role.

Why Rural California?

California's rural communities are remarkably diverse, stretching from mountain towns and agricultural valleys to forests, high desert communities, coastal regions, tribal lands, and remote communities far from major metropolitan areas.

Despite California's size and healthcare resources, many rural communities face significant barriers to behavioral health care, including provider shortages, geographic distance, transportation challenges, limited specialty services, housing instability, and difficulty accessing crisis and substance use treatment.

Some communities are hours from larger medical centers, specialty providers, inpatient psychiatric facilities, and other essential services.

Leading behavioral health in a rural California setting offers the opportunity to build meaningful programs, form lasting community partnerships, and help ensure people can receive compassionate care closer to home.

The impact of this work may be felt not only by patients, but also by families, schools, employers, healthcare teams, first responders, tribal communities, agricultural communities, and the broader region.

You may help expand access, strengthen crisis services, integrate behavioral health into primary care, support a local workforce, or create new partnerships across multiple communities.

Join the RSS Rural Talent Network

By applying through this page, you are joining the confidential Rural Staffing Services talent network. You may be considered for current or upcoming behavioral health leadership opportunities that align with your experience, goals, location preferences, and availability.

Please submit your resume and let us know:

• Which California communities or regions you would consider
• Whether you are open to relocation or regional travel
• Whether you are interested in permanent, interim, remote, or multiple types of opportunities
• Your experience serving rural, frontier, tribal, agricultural, or underserved communities
• Which position or community you were viewing on RSSJobs.org

Our team personally reviews each application. When we identify an opportunity that may be a strong match, we will contact you directly to share more about the organization, community, program needs, relocation considerations, and next steps.

Your information will be handled professionally and confidentially.

Discover More Rural Healthcare Opportunities

Visit www.RSSJobs.org to explore additional rural healthcare positions, leadership opportunities, and communities throughout California.

Work Where It Matters.
Built for Rural.