Behavioral Health Specialist Jobs in California
Behavioral Health Specialist jobs in California are among the most active in the country, with strong demand across county behavioral health departments, managed care organizations, community mental health centers, and school-based programs, and openings at every level from entry-level case aide through senior clinician. The heaviest hiring concentrates in Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Sacramento region, where large employers such as Dignity Health, Kaiser Permanente, and Alameda County Behavioral Health Services maintain substantial behavioral health workforces. The most in-demand specialties are substance use disorder counseling, co-occurring disorders treatment, and crisis intervention. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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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
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Find JobsBehavioral Health Specialist Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Behavioral Health Specialist 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 specialist jobs across California.
- Active registration with the California BBS or a BBS-recognized licensure pathway required
- Bachelor's or master's degree in psychology, social work, or a related behavioral science field
- Experience conducting behavioral health assessments and developing individualized treatment plans
- Knowledge of California Medi-Cal documentation standards and managed care billing requirements
- Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team in community mental health or clinical settings
- Proficiency in electronic health record systems such as Avatar, Epic, or Clinician's Gateway
Behavioral Health Specialist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a behavioral health specialist in California?
Most behavioral health specialist roles in California require at minimum a bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, or counseling, with many employers preferring a master's degree. Positions involving clinical services typically require registration with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Clinical Social Worker, Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, or Associate Marriage and Family Therapist while working toward full licensure. County behavioral health departments often require passage of civil service exams alongside meeting these educational and registration standards.
Which companies hire behavioral health specialists in California?
Employers hiring behavioral health specialists 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-operated behavioral health systems, Medi-Cal managed care plans, and integrated health networks are consistently among the most active sources of full-time openings across the state.
Which California cities have the most behavioral health specialist jobs?
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland have the most behavioral health specialist openings in California. Los Angeles dominates because of its scale, the density of county-funded mental health programs, and major health system headquarters, while San Diego and Sacramento generate strong volume through a combination of military-connected behavioral health contracts, county programs, and academic medical centers tied to UC campuses.
Are there remote behavioral health specialist jobs in California?
Yes, but they are less common than in purely desk-based fields, since many behavioral health specialist roles involve direct client contact in clinic, school, or community settings. About 30% of behavioral health specialist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, and the positions most likely to allow remote work are those focused on care coordination, utilization review, or telehealth-delivered counseling rather than hands-on case management or crisis response.
How can I get hired as a behavioral health specialist in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying for a behavioral health worker, mental health rehabilitation specialist, or community health worker role, which California county behavioral health departments and federally qualified health centers regularly fill without requiring prior clinical licensure. Large California county systems such as Los Angeles Department of Mental Health and San Bernardino County Behavioral Health post entry-level positions designed for recent graduates, and completing a field practicum or internship through a California State University MSW or counseling program is the credential that most consistently converts to a hire.
Where can I find and apply to behavioral health specialist jobs in California?
You can find and apply to behavioral health specialist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the state. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience level, preferred location, and specialty area, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 272+ Behavioral Health Specialist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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