Curated brief · Remote · $120K+
Thirteen legit openings matched to your profile: independent clinical license, crisis-level decision authority, and director-tier healthcare leadership. Sorted the way you used to sort intakes — by disposition.
Compiled Aug 12, 2026 · Re-verify every posting on the employer's own site — these expire fast.
Director-titled, LCSW-accepted, fully remote, salary posted. These are the closest matches to your crisis + leadership background.
Spring Health
$164,900–$197,500 posted
Why you: This role owns the 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Line, Critical Incident Response, and Mandatory Referral programs. It is nearly a job description of your on-call involuntary-admission role, plus your director tenure. Lead your resume with the crisis decision authority.
Spring Health
$164,900–$214,450 + stock options
Why you: Strategic + operational leadership over embedded workplace clinical programs. Asks for 5+ years in behavioral health / clinical operations — you clear it easily.
Check current listing → Spring Health careers
Evernorth · The Cigna Group
~$111K–$186K comparator band — verify
Why you: Full clinical + operational ownership of the Workplace Care behavioral health service line. Wants 3+ years managing BH providers — your director experience covers it.
Verify + apply → jobs.thecignagroup.com
Lumata Health
$140,000–$170,000 posted
Why you: Director-level care-management leadership with direct people management. Leadership fit rather than clinical-domain fit — good if you want the title and pay while staying open.
Apply → lumatahealth.com/careers
Your involuntary-admission / level-of-care judgment is exactly what UM leadership pays for. Note: these MCOs post state-specific twins of the same role — if a posting names the wrong state, search the same title for a KY or any-state version.
Centene
$157,600–$290,800 posted
Why you: The rare true senior-director BH-UM title that doesn't require an MD. Direct target for your UM-adjacent crisis expertise plus director background.
Apply → jobs.centene.com
Centene
$87,000–$161,300 posted
Why you: People leadership over a BH care-management team — a clean lateral that banks your management experience at a top-5 MCO.
Search title → jobs.centene.com
Centene
$87,700–$157,800 posted
Why you: Program-level clinical leadership; your 11 years and director title exceed the requirements — negotiate toward the top of band.
Apply → jobs.centene.com
Centene
$68,700–$123,700 only top of band clears $120K
Why you: Explicitly asks for managed care / UM / case-management background. A fallback, not a first choice — pay likely lands under target.
Search title → jobs.centene.com
Optum · UnitedHealth Group
Verify IC tier may sit under $120K
Why you: Telephonic UM of BH admissions and continued stay, crisis de-escalation, level-of-care calls — nearly your old job in payer form. Use it to land fast, then move up to Optum UM leadership internally.
Apply → careers.unitedhealthgroup.com
Optum · UnitedHealth Group
Verify Indiana version found closed
Why you: Director-adjacent clinical leadership: clinical design, provider consultation, and diversion from restrictive levels of care — directly resonant with your admission-diversion work.
Search openings → careers.unitedhealthgroup.com
Carelon · Elevance Health
$115,584–$173,376 leadership band; case-mgr tier lower
Why you: UM and complex psychiatric/SUD case leadership at a Fortune-25 payer. Skip the case-manager tier ($65K–$113K) and target the leadership postings.
Search → careers.elevancehealth.com
Humana
Verify bands not posted for non-MD roles
Why you: Humana is headquartered in Louisville — a hybrid director-track role could pay $120K+ while your KY license and location are actual advantages instead of neutral.
Search → careers.humana.com
Closest to the work itself. Confirm the number clears your floor before investing time.
Vibrant Emotional Health
$100,900–$145,500 posted; top clears $120K
Why you: Leadership over the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline programs — a direct extension of your crisis-services command. Not all Vibrant roles require licensure, which widens your options there.
Apply → vibrant.org/careers
Spring Health
Verify Director tier confirms $120K+; check this band
Why you: Wants 10+ years in behavioral health including EAP and management consultation, with after-hours crisis readiness. Backup to the two director roles above.
Apply → Spring Health careers
Payers and telehealth companies typically require "an active, unrestricted independent clinical license" in any US state for UM, care-management leadership, clinical operations, and program-director roles. Your KY LCSW qualifies. This is where to aim.
Client-facing therapy requires licensure where the client sits. The Social Work Licensure Compact is enacted in KY but isn't issuing multistate licenses yet — its data system is estimated for Spring 2027. Until then, extra state licenses are the only expansion path.
Drop these into LinkedIn and Indeed saved searches, filtered remote:
director behavioral health remote LCSW
director clinical operations behavioral health remote
utilization management behavioral health director remote
care management director LCSW remote
Also watch career pages directly: Spring Health, Lyra Health, Evernorth/Cigna, Optum/UHG, Centene, Elevance/Carelon, CVS/Aetna, Vibrant, Charlie Health, Array Behavioral Care — plus BuiltIn for telehealth startups. Screen for the phrase "independent clinical license (any state)" to filter out state-restricted therapy roles.