Program Director

Program Director – Behavioral Health

Perimeter Behavioral of the Ozarks | Springdale, Arkansas

Are you a behavioral health leader who enjoys being where the work happens?

Perimeter Behavioral of the Ozarks is seeking an experienced and energetic Program Director to provide leadership to our residential treatment program in Springdale, Arkansas. This is a highly visible, hands‑on leadership role for someone who can develop strong teams, create structure and accountability, and help maintain a safe, therapeutic environment for the youth we serve.

As Program Director, you will oversee the day‑to‑day operations of the therapeutic milieu and provide leadership to our Mental Health Technicians, Mental Health Technician Coordinators, and Program Coordinators. You will work closely with nursing, clinical, case management, activities, and facility leadership to ensure our teams are aligned and our youth receive consistent, high‑quality care.

This position is ideal for a leader who can balance people, programming, safety, and operations while remaining actively engaged with staff and youth throughout the facility.

As Program Director, you will:

• Provide leadership and oversight for the daily operations of the residential treatment milieu.

• Lead, coach, mentor, and develop Mental Health Technicians, MHT Coordinators, Program Coordinators, and other assigned staff.

• Create a culture of accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and therapeutic engagement.

• Maintain a visible leadership presence on the units and provide real‑time coaching, guidance, and problem‑solving.

• Oversee staffing schedules, daily assignments, shift coverage, and required patient‑to‑staff ratios.

• Monitor census, patient acuity, staffing needs, and unit activity and make operational adjustments when needed.

• Partner with nursing, clinical services, case management, activities therapy, and other departments to promote coordinated patient care.

• Support the development and implementation of structured residential behavioral programming that aligns with individualized treatment goals.

• Oversee activity programming and special events in collaboration with the Program Coordinator.

• Participate in recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, training, performance management, and professional development of milieu staff.

• Review MHT and MHT Coordinator documentation for accuracy, timeliness, quality, and regulatory compliance.

• Identify performance and documentation trends and develop coaching or corrective action strategies when improvement is needed.

• Support crisis prevention and intervention by helping staff anticipate escalating behaviors and utilize effective de‑escalation strategies.

• Promote patient rights, employee safety, patient safety, and a trauma‑informed treatment environment.

• Assist with regulatory readiness and compliance with facility policies, state requirements, and accreditation standards.

• Review program data and operational trends and recommend opportunities to strengthen services and outcomes.

• Participate in the Administrator‑On‑Call rotation and serve as a leadership resource when operational, staffing, or patient‑care needs arise.

• Step into unit operations when necessary to support patient safety, staffing ratios, and continuity of services.

We are looking for a leader who is comfortable leading from the floor—not just from an office
.

The successful candidate will be able to build relationships with frontline staff while maintaining clear expectations and accountability. You should be comfortable making decisions in a fast‑paced behavioral health environment, responding to changing priorities, coaching staff in real time, and collaborating across departments.