ABOUT THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE
In the County of Riverside, the future is bright. With a variety of job opportunities with the County, there are as many places to take your career as there are stars in our sky. But there’s more than a great vocation to draw you here: with affordable housing, a thriving, diverse, and progressive community, excellent higher education, and the hidden gem of the Joshua Tree National Park, the opportunities for your life here are equally exciting. Come work in the heart of inland California, and see how great the view is when opportunity is on the horizon.
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Mental Health’s goal is to provide culturally sensitive community-based services for people experiencing a mental illness or addiction to substance(s); for children with serious emotional problems; and for people needing the protection of public guardianship. The Department exists to help consumers achieve and maintain an optimal level of personal and social functioning.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The County of Riverside Department of Mental Health is seeking a self-motivated Clinical Therapist. The incumbent will be responsible for providing clinical leadership and supervising care plans and case notes that are prepared by the Peer Support Specialists for the clinic’s consumers. The incumbent will also provide assessment, case management and work with a multi-disciplinary team to provide a standard of care to consumers of mental health services. A California Driver License is required for occasional home visits.
Classifications in this series perform a range of therapeutic assignments related to the field of mental or behavioral health services and psychiatric social work, including the design and implementation of personalized treatment plans, individual and group psychotherapy, evaluations and investigations, and professional counseling, as applicable by professional licensing law, in order to meet the needs of consumers and/or families with mental or emotional disorders; and are assigned other related duties as required.
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CLINICAL THERAPIST I
This is the unlicensed entry level of the Clinical Therapist series. This series includes the Marriage and Family Therapist Registered Intern (MFTI), the Registered Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW), and the Professional Clinical Counselor Registered Intern (PCCI). Through education and supervised clinical experience on the job, incumbents in this classification develop advanced diagnostic and treatment skills while gaining qualifying experience for which state licensure is required.
Incumbents are required to obtain a license issued by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences to practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Licensure within six years from the date of hire. Clinical Therapist I is a natural progression underfill for the class of Clinical Therapist II. Incumbents will promote to Clinical Therapist II after obtaining a satisfactory performance evaluation and upon providing proof of licensure.
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CLINCIAL THERAPSIT II
This is the journey and licensed level of the Clinical Therapist series. Positions in this class include the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Incumbents are experienced, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed professional clinical counselors or licensed clinical social workers. The Clinical Therapist II class has responsibility for performing, within the scope of licensure, the full scope of psychotherapy and counseling for individual consumers, couples, families, and groups exhibiting a variety of mental health and related disorders in a clinic or institutional setting. Assignments range from average difficulty to very complex and may include serving in a lead capacity over other mental health treatment staff.
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EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
CLINICAL THERAPIST I
Interview consumers, relatives, and other involved persons to gather personal and social data relevant to assessing mental or emotional disorders.
Develop service plans with consumers; evaluate psychological, economic, vocational, educational, physical, health, socialization, and housing needs.
Coordinate with other staff members (psychiatrists, psychologists, and other program staff) and community agencies in carrying out and designing treatment and/or rehabilitation plans.
Assist consumers and other concerned individuals in understanding the nature of major psychological illnesses and their psychosocial effects.
Assist consumers and their families in understanding and choosing options of mental health treatment.
Initiate and conduct individual, collateral, group, and family therapy sessions.
Establish and maintain effective contact with local area mental health resources, including community members, parents, schools, residential facilities, and other agencies/organizations.
Perform specialized tasks including involuntary hospitalization procedures (5150) and Tarasoff assessments.
Participate in mental health conferences and local area committees.
Prepare reports and write correspondence.
May provide guidance to volunteers and staff.
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CLINICAL THERAPIST II
Interview consumers, relatives, and other involved persons to gather personal and social data relevant to assessing mental or emotional disorders.
Develop service plans with consumers; evaluate psychological, economic, vocational, educational, physical, health, socialization, and housing needs.
Coordinate with other staff members (psychiatrists, psychologists, and other program staff) and community agencies in carrying out and designing treatment and/or rehabilitation plans.
Assist consumers and other concerned individuals in understanding the nature of major psychological illnesses and their psychosocial effects.
Assist consumers and their families in understanding and choosing options of mental health treatment.
Initiate and conduct individual, collateral, group, and family therapy sessions.
Establish and maintain effective contact with local area mental health resources, including community members, parents, schools, residential facilities, and other agencies/organizations.
Perform specialized tasks including involuntary hospitalization procedures (5150) and Tarasoff assessments.
Participate in mental health conferences and local area committees.
Prepare reports and write correspondence.
May provide guidance to volunteers and staff.
Act as a casework consultant to other clinical therapists and other departmental staff.
Licensed level, within the scope of licensure, may provide clinical supervision to unlicensed clinicians.
Coordinate clinical decisions in response to operational demands.
Conduct clinical discussions regarding complex and/or difficult cases.
Respond to emergencies, within licensure, which may occur on the unit.
Coordinate the flow of information and clinical data to ensure continuity in treatment and/or shift.
Serve as liaison with other sections, units, services, and agencies
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RECRUITING GUIDELINES
CLINICAL THERAPIST I
(Clinical Therapist I salary range: $22.63 – $35.69)
Education: Possession of a Master’s degree in clinical or counseling psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, or a closely related behavioral science field from an accredited college or university, and accepted by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences for registration as an Associate Clinical Social Worker, registration as a Professional Clinical Counselor Intern or registration as a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern within a six-month time period from date of hire.
OR
License/Certificate: Possession of, or eligibility for, a valid certificate of registration as an Associate Clinical Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Intern, or Professional Clinical Counselor Intern issued by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences within six months from date of hire.
Candidates qualifying with the Professional Clinical Counselor Intern option must have completed additional education and training as defined below:
1. Six semester units or nine quarter units specifically focused on the theory and application of marriage and family therapy; or a named specialization or emphasis area on the qualifying degree in marriage and family therapy; marital and family therapy; marriage, family, and child counseling; or couple and family therapy;
2. No less than 500 hours of documented supervised experience working directly with couples, families, or children; and
3. A minimum of six hours of continuing education specific to marriage and family therapy, completed in each license renewal cycle.
Knowledge of: Psychological aspects of physical and emotional disturbances and mental deficiencies; characteristics of emotional and mental disorders including their effect on the individual in the community; mental health local community resources and community support systems; principles of clinical interviewing and methods of recording patient information.
Ability to: Effectively apply the principles and techniques of clinical therapy, including a variety of treatment modalities; analyze consumer behavior and apply treatment or counseling techniques in a coordinated care social rehabilitation environment; speak and write effectively; provide crisis intervention; prepare clear and concise reports and interpret data; work effectively with a multicultural consumer and family population with diverse backgrounds and needs; establish and maintain effective working relationships with consumers, their families, other staff members, and mental health organizations/ agencies.
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CLINICAL THERAPIST II
(Clinical Therapist II salary range: $25.15 – $39.68)
License/Certificate: Possession of a license to practice as a Clinical Social Worker, Professional Clinical Counselor, or Marriage and Family Therapist issued by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences.
OR
Candidates recruited from out-of-state must possess an out-of-state license to practice as a Clinical Social Worker, Professional Clinical Counselor or Marriage and Family Therapist. Individuals hired under this option shall obtain their license to practice as a Clinical Social Worker, Professional Clinical Counselor, or Marriage and Family Therapist issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences within three years of date of hire. During the interim three years, the incumbent shall be eligible for a Mental Health Professional Licensing Waiver Request approved by the State of California Health and Human Services Agency.
For Both Options:
Candidates qualifying with the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor option must have completed additional education and training as defined below:
1. Six semester units or nine quarter units specifically focused on the theory and application of marriage and family therapy; or a named specialization or emphasis area on the qualifying degree in marriage and family therapy; marital and family therapy; marriage, family, and child counseling; or couple and family therapy;
2. No less than 500 hours of documented supervised experience working directly with couples, families, or children; and
3. A minimum of six hours of continuing education specific to marriage and family therapy, completed in each license renewal cycle.
Knowledge of: Psychological aspects of physical and emotional disturbances and mental deficiencies; characteristics of emotional and mental disorders including their effect on the individual in the community; mental health local community resources and community support systems; principles of clinical interviewing and methods of recording consumer information; individual licensing law and the scope of professional practice governed by the same; laws, rules, and regulations of publicly operated health and welfare programs; principles and techniques for making psychosocial assessments.
Ability to: Effectively apply the principles and techniques of clinical therapy, including a variety of treatment modalities; analyze consumer behavior and apply treatment or counseling techniques in a coordinated care social rehabilitation environment; speak and write effectively; provide crisis intervention; prepare clear and concise reports and interpret data; work effectively with a multicultural consumer and family population with diverse backgrounds and needs; establish and maintain effective working relationships with consumers, their families, other staff members, and mental health organizations/ agencies; provide work direction and training to staff; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other professionals and to work as part of a multidisciplinary team; communicate the goals and objectives of the County’s mental and behavioral health services to members of the community and other interested individuals; consult with and assist in the professional development and supervision of unlicensed clinical therapists, within the scope of appropriate licensure, and other mental health support staff.
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OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Licenses: Possession of a valid California Driver’s License is required for this position.
PAY, BENEFITS, & WORK SCHEDULE
Visit the Job Descriptions page at http://rc-hr.com/Careers/JobDescriptions.aspx for benefits information. Detailed job descriptions and benefits information are provided for all of the County of Riverside’s job classifications.
WHO MAY APPLY
This recruitment is open to all applicants.
GENERAL INFORMATION
For specific questions regarding this position, contact the recruiter listed in this posting.
All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment physical exam, including a drug/alcohol test, and a criminal background investigation, including fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction related to the position may disqualify the applicant from County employment).
Required Probationary Period – As an Approved Local Merit System, the County of Riverside requires all new regular or seasonal employees to serve an initial probationary period, the duration of which is indicated in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.
The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide employment opportunity for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non job-related factor.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: http://dao.rc-hr.com/.
****CURRENT COUNTY EMPLOYEES MUST USE THEIR EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE ACCOUNT TO APPLY.****
APPLICATION PERIOD
The preliminary closing date for this posting is Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 11:59 PM PST, however postings may close at any time.
Applications received prior to the closing date will be considered based on the information submitted. Changes or alterations cannot be accepted. No late applications will be permitted.
BASED ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED, THIS POSTING MAY CLOSE WITHOUT NOTICE.
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Robert Allspaw at 951-358-4050 or RAllspaw@rc-hr.com.