Health Services Assistant Deputy Director

HEALTH SERVICES ASSISTANT DEPUTY DIRECTOR (BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES)

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate’s qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

This recruitment is open to the public for a minimum of five (5) business days and will remain open on a continuous basis until 11:59 p.m. (PST) on the day the County's needs are met. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

First Round of Consideration will be Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

The County of Orange Health Care Agency (HCA) is a dynamic organization dedicated to creating and supporting an environment that promotes the achievement of optimal individual, family and community health. Under the leadership of the Agency Director, a dynamic executive team with an organizational structure comprised of five (5) service areas – Administrative Services, Behavioral Health Services, Correctional Health Services, Public Health Services and Specialized Medical Services – is committed to meeting the health needs of the diverse Orange County community.

The Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Division consists of the following areas:
Adult and Older Adult, Children and Youth Services, Quality Management Services, Mental Health Services Act Office, Data Analytics and Evaluation, Crisis and Acute Care Services, Substance Use Services, and Forensics and Justice Involved. These divisions provide a culturally competent and client-centered system of behavioral health services for all eligible county residents in need of treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse and mental health care.

Crisis and Acute Care Services (CAC) provides responsive services to adults and youth in a behavioral health crisis. Services include mobile mental health Crisis Assessment Team (CAT), Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT), OC Links (24/7 Resources line), Crisis Stabilization Units (CSU), Crisis Residential Programs, In-home Crisis Stabilization services, inpatient psychiatric hospital services, coordination of 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline, Suicide and Self-Harm Reduction services as well as the Wellness and Suicide Prevention Education services for transitional aged youth.

BHS is looking for experienced, dynamic leaders who bring a strategic mindset and a strong commitment to collaborating with County and community partners and ensuring BHS programs deliver consistent, high-quality appropriate levels of care and access to services. The immediate vacancy is within the Crisis and Acute Care function area. However, future vacancies may be in other divisions; thus, qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

• Directing all crisis services delivered by BHS to individuals of all ages experiencing behavioral health crises on a 24/7 basis, including oversight of the Crisis Intervention Team Steering Committee, implementation of SB 43 in Orange County, and coordination of suicide prevention and wellness activities
• Providing direction for short- and long-term strategies, demonstrating systems thinking and adaptive program leadership and development, while ensuring compliance with behavioral health standards, quality measures, and policy requirements, within fiscal constraints

• Managing a combination of County and contracted programs and responding appropriately to Human Resources issues

• Developing and implementing qualitative and quantitative measures to monitor and evaluate business outcomes and drive continuous improvement
• Overseeing and managing large budgets and the allocation of program resources to ensure that mandated services are provided in a cost effective, fiscally accountable and client focused manner
• Maintaining awareness of changes in the political climate and demonstrating political acumen and collaborative leadership when engaging with government officials, business partners and public stakeholders while responding to new challenges

The ideal candidate will possess at least five (5) years of progressive experience managing behavioral health programs and/or…