Behavioral Health Manager Jobs in California
Behavioral Health Manager jobs in California represent one of the most active markets in the country, concentrated in county-run behavioral health departments, large integrated health systems, and community mental health organizations, with openings from entry-level program coordinators through senior directors. Los Angeles, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area drive the highest volume of postings, where employers like Kaiser Permanente, Dignity Health, and Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health maintain consistent hiring demand. The most in-demand specialties include substance use disorder program management, crisis services oversight, and outpatient mental health administration. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 272+ Behavioral Health Manager jobs
Amazing, long standing non-profit is hiring a full-time Behavioral Health Clinician to work on-site in permanent supportive housing in San Jose, serving adults who are moving out of homelessness and into a home of their own. This is a mission-driven therapist role for a clinician who believes in meeting people exactly where they are — and staying with them as they stabilize, heal, and reconnect to community.
Many of the adults you'll serve have recently experienced homelessness and carry the weight of trauma, mental health conditions and substance use. Your job is to be consistent, trusted, and present: building rapport, reducing risk, and helping some of the area's most vulnerable residents keep their housing and move toward wellness.
What you'll do
- Carry a regular caseload and provide Medi-Cal billable mental health services — assessment, diagnosis, individualized treatment planning, counseling, rehabilitation skill-building, brokerage, and crisis intervention.
- Meet clients where they are, using a harm-reduction and trauma-informed, strengths-based approach that honors self-directed goals.
- Provide immediate therapeutic response to clients in acute crisis.
- Keep timely, accurate documentation in the Avatar electronic charting/billing system; maintain ANSA certification and current PURQC utilization review for every open Medi-Cal chart; meet all Medi-Cal and CBHS timelines.
- Participate in weekly individual supervision, case conferencing, and ongoing training.
What we're looking for
- Master's degree in social work or a related field, with California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) registration or license — LCSW, LMFT, ASW, or AMFT.
- Experience providing full-scope mental health services and billing Medi-Cal (Avatar experience preferred).
- Experience serving people experiencing homelessness and other very low-income adults.
- Position details
- Full-time · Exempt · Fully on-site (client-facing; remote/work-from-home is not available for this role)
- Salary: $85,030 – $88,856
Pay: $85,000.00 - $88,300.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
Application Question(s):
- Do you have Medi-cal billing experience?
Work Location: In person
Amazing, long standing non-profit is hiring a full-time Behavioral Health Clinician to work on-site in permanent supportive housing in San Jose, serving adults who are moving out of homelessness and into a home of their own. This is a mission-driven therapist role for a clinician who believes in meeting people exactly where they are — and staying with them as they stabilize, heal, and reconnect to community.
Many of the adults you'll serve have recently experienced homelessness and carry the weight of trauma, mental health conditions and substance use. Your job is to be consistent, trusted, and present: building rapport, reducing risk, and helping some of the area's most vulnerable residents keep their housing and move toward wellness.
What you'll do
- Carry a regular caseload and provide Medi-Cal billable mental health services — assessment, diagnosis, individualized treatment planning, counseling, rehabilitation skill-building, brokerage, and crisis intervention.
- Meet clients where they are, using a harm-reduction and trauma-informed, strengths-based approach that honors self-directed goals.
- Provide immediate therapeutic response to clients in acute crisis.
- Keep timely, accurate documentation in the Avatar electronic charting/billing system; maintain ANSA certification and current PURQC utilization review for every open Medi-Cal chart; meet all Medi-Cal and CBHS timelines.
- Participate in weekly individual supervision, case conferencing, and ongoing training.
What we're looking for
- Master's degree in social work or a related field, with California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) registration or license — LCSW, LMFT, ASW, or AMFT.
- Experience providing full-scope mental health services and billing Medi-Cal (Avatar experience preferred).
- Experience serving people experiencing homelessness and other very low-income adults.
- Position details
- Full-time · Exempt · Fully on-site (client-facing; remote/work-from-home is not available for this role)
- Salary: $85,030 – $88,856
Pay: $85,000.00 - $88,300.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
Application Question(s):
- Do you have Medi-cal billing experience?
Work Location: In person
See All 272+ Behavioral Health Manager Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsBehavioral Health Manager Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Behavioral Health Manager Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Education
- Insurance
- Government & Public Sector
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in behavioral health manager jobs across California.
- Active California licensure such as LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, or Licensed Psychologist required
- Master's degree in social work, counseling, psychology, or a related behavioral health field
- Several years of clinical or supervisory experience in a behavioral health setting
- Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary teams and clinical staff
- Familiarity with Medi-Cal, managed care contracts, and California mental health parity regulations
- Knowledge of California Department of Health Care Services and county behavioral health compliance standards
Behavioral Health Manager Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a behavioral health manager in California?
Becoming a behavioral health manager in California typically requires earning a master's degree in social work, counseling, psychology, or a related field and obtaining a California clinical license through the Board of Behavioral Sciences or the Board of Psychology. Most hiring managers expect licensure as an LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, or Licensed Psychologist, plus meaningful supervisory experience. Building experience in county behavioral health programs or large integrated health systems is the most direct path to management roles.
Which companies hire behavioral health managers in California?
Employers hiring behavioral health managers in California right now include Wonderful Center for Health Innovation, UCLA Health, and Sutter Health, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. California's large county behavioral health departments, federally qualified health centers, and integrated systems like Kaiser Permanente also maintain steady hiring pipelines throughout the year.
Which California cities have the most behavioral health manager jobs?
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland have the most behavioral health manager openings in California. Los Angeles dominates due to the scale of LA County's public behavioral health system and the density of large hospital networks, while San Diego and the Bay Area draw consistent demand from county health departments, Veterans Affairs facilities, and regional nonprofit mental health organizations.
Are there remote behavioral health manager jobs in California?
Yes, but they're relatively limited, since the role often involves direct oversight of clinical staff and on-site program operations. About 30% of behavioral health manager openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, and those tend to concentrate in quality assurance, utilization management, and care coordination leadership functions rather than direct clinical program supervision.
How can I get hired as a behavioral health manager in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a team lead or senior clinician role first, which large California employers like LA County DHCS, UCSF Health, and Riverside University Health System use as a bridge to management. Targeting associate director or program supervisor postings at federally qualified health centers and community mental health agencies gives candidates without formal management experience a realistic foot in the door. Completing a California Board of Behavioral Sciences-approved supervision experience and pursuing licensure significantly strengthens any application.
Where can I find and apply to behavioral health manager jobs in California?
You can find and apply to behavioral health manager jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Search through the available roles, find the ones that match your experience and preferred location, and apply directly to each employer through the listing.
See All 272+ Behavioral Health Manager Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Jobs