Associate Director for Clinical Services

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has an excellent opportunity for an Associate Director of Clinical Services-a compassionate professional dedicated to making a meaningful impact in students' lives by supporting services that foster connection, inclusion, and growth. Join a team committed to excellence and to promoting the health, well-being, and success of our diverse student community.

UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) is the county's largest employer and one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation. Perched on the coast overlooking Monterey Bay, our main campus offers a stunning setting and a vibrant community where over 3,100 staff members build meaningful careers, enjoy comprehensive benefits, and contribute to a mission that makes a difference.

UCSC offers staff a comprehensive benefits package designed to support health and well-being.

Here is a sample of benefit options:

* Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans
* UC Retirement Pension Plan
* Optional life, legal, and pet insurance
* Paid holidays, plus accrued vacation and sick leave
* Discounts at UCSC recreation facilities

For details, please visit: UCnet-Benefits

Thank you for your interest in joining the UC Santa Cruz community.

HOW TO APPLY

For full consideration, applicants should attach their resume and cover letter when applying for a job opening. For guidance related to the application process or if you are experiencing difficulties when applying, please review the on our website.

INITIAL REVIEW DATE (IRD)

UC Santa Cruz jobs are posted until filled. All application materials submitted by 11:59 pm on the IRD will be routed to the hiring team for consideration. NOTE: Applicants who miss the IRD are still encouraged to apply; their materials will still be forwarded for consideration if requested by the hiring team. Application materials cannot be accepted outside of the jobs portal. Applications cannot be edited on an applicant's behalf. For more information about the IRD and the applicant review process, .

The IRD for this job is: 02-02-2026

ABOUT UC SANTA CRUZ

UC Santa Cruz is a public university like no other in California, combining the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university. It's known as an unconventional place where innovation and experimentation is part of the campus's DNA. That playful, bold spirit still thrives today, all on a campus renowned as among the most beautiful in the world.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) Student Health Services (SHS) is a full-service health facility offering clinical, educational, counseling, and psychiatry services to students on the UCSC campus. SHS is deeply committed to ensuring affordable, well-integrated, multidisciplinary healthcare that effectively supports the university's diverse campus communities through equitable access and culturally competent, high-quality programs and services.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides a variety of mental health and psychological services to UCSC undergraduate and graduate students, including intake assessment, brief and long-term individual, group therapy, crisis intervention, mental health outreach and workshop programming, consultation, and liaison relationships to support student mental health and well-being.

The Primary Care Program offers primary care and same-day care services, supported by on-site radiology, a COLA-accredited clinical laboratory, and the campus pharmacy offering prescription and over-the-counter products.

Additional departments include Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP), home of the Condom Co-op, the Cove Collegiate Recovery Program (CCRP), where students receive harm-reduction and recovery services; CARE (Center for Advocacy, Resources & Empowerment) the advocacy and prevention education office that supports those who have experienced sexual assault, stalking, and dating/domestic violence; Optometry, and Student Insurance and Referral Programs.

Student Health Services employs approximately 150 staff and welcomes staff with interest and experience working with college students with a wide range of diverse and intersecting identities.

More information can be found at: and

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting directly to the Director of CAPS, the Associate Director for Clinical Services is responsible for the coordination and quality assurance of clinical services and programs in Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). The incumbent provides leadership for the development, implementation, maintenance, and evaluation of clinical programs and services that support the mission of CAPS. The Associate Director for Clinical Services performs all activities within the limits of standards and ethical principles of their professional organization, as well as the applicable legal mandates for mental health professionals in the State of California.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

Budgeted Salary: $125,000 - $150,000/annually. Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.
Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Benefits Level Eligibility: Full benefits

Schedule Information:

• Full-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week: Mon-Fri
• Shift Includes: Day

Employee Classification: Career appointment

Job End Date: None

Work Location: UC Santa Cruz Main Campus

Union Representation: Non-Represented

Job Code Classification: BEH HEALTH CNSLNG SUPV 2 (006811)

Travel: Never or Rarely

JOB DUTIES

40% - Leadership & Administration

• Oversees clinical service delivery programs and models, including monitoring clinical time, scheduling, and templates, and maintaining standards of care and timely access for both routine and crisis situations.
• Participates in the development and maintenance of clinical services policies and procedures.
• Works collaboratively with the Associate Director for Training to coordinate the provision of clinical services by doctoral interns and postdoctoral fellows.
• Actively participates in the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) leadership committee with other CAPS leadership members.
• Collaborates with campus partners, faculty, administrators, and staff to address concerns related to counseling issues and provides information on CAPS services, policies, and procedures to University staff and faculty to increase understanding and appropriate utilization of CAPS services.
• As delegated by the CAPS Director, Counseling, administratively supervises CMCT or RISE staff regularly to ensure understanding of work assignments and objectives. Helps manage caseloads. Provides consultation on complex clinical issues. Conducts performance appraisals. Provides clinical supervision for doctoral interns and postdoctoral fellows.
• Participates in the recruitment and selection of psychological services staff.
• Oversees psychological testing, including assessment of ADHD.
• Monitors staff clinical documentation for maintaining standards of care.
• Provides oversight of electronic health record updates and changes to ensure the CAPS team is effectively and efficiently working with the PNC system.
• Collaborates with CAPS leadership on oversight of CAPS quality assurance initiatives and the Clinical Quality Assurance committee, including evaluation of the effectiveness of all clinical services.
• Develops and implements training and educational programs for staff on clinical services to students with diverse and intersecting identities.

30% - Direct Service

• Provides clinical services including initial assessments, case management, brief and long-term individual therapy, group therapy, crisis assessment and intervention, and referrals to appropriate resources.
• Provides on-call backup for the After-Hours Crisis Services as needed.
• Provides clinical supervision for doctoral interns and postdoctoral fellows.
• Provides consultation to staff, faculty, administrators, and campus partners regarding the psychological well-being and mental health of students.
• Develops and implements outreach and psychoeducational programs to the UCSC campus community.

15% - Crisis Management

• Provides clinical direction and crisis back-up, including consultation or supervision of urgent crisis cases seen by the CAPS staff member on crisis duty, in conjunction with other CAPS leadership members.
• Oversees the quality of After-Hours Crisis Service responses, as part of the CAPS management team.
• Works collaboratively with SHS and campus partners regarding crisis cases and referrals.
• Provides individualized clinical risk assessment evaluations addressing campus concerns about student safety.

15% - Additional Responsibilities

• Maintains active membership, participation, and involvement in national organizations that focus on service delivery in university counseling centers.
• Participates in and facilitates CAPS committees and workgroups in a cooperative and professional manner in efforts to maintain and upgrade the quality of CAPS services.
• Maintains accurate and timely clinical documentation.
• Promotes a safe and healthy workplace and effectively responds to injuries that occur.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Valid California licensure, in good standing, in Psychology OR Valid out of state licensure*, in good standing, in Psychology *See Special Conditions of Employment for further requirements
• Recent experience as a clinician with evidence of increasing administrative responsibility in a mental health setting, typically achieved after 5 years or more of experience
• Demonstrated experience mentoring, supervising, and providing consultation to diverse mental health or clinical providers, including both doctoral interns