Behavioral Health Therapist Jobs in California

Behavioral health therapist jobs in California are among the most active in the country, with strong demand from community mental health centers, county behavioral health departments, large hospital systems, and integrated care organizations at levels from entry-level associate therapist through senior clinician and program supervisor. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego anchor the bulk of hiring, where established employers such as Kaiser Permanente, Telecare Corporation, and Sutter Health maintain large behavioral health workforces. The most in-demand specialties are substance use disorder treatment, trauma-informed care, and children and adolescent mental health. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles274+
Top employerWonderful Center for Health Innovation
Top cityLos Angeles, CA
Cities hiring116
Work type71% On-site
Top industryHealthcare

Showing 5 of 274+ Behavioral Health Therapist jobs

Behavioral Health Technician
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New 13h ago
Behavioral Health Technician
Experience Recovery
Santa Ana, California
Healthcare Administration
Mental & Behavioral Health
Patient Services & Wellbeing
On-Site
CPR Certification

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Adult Behavioral Health Clinician / Therapist AMFT, APCC, ACSW — Supportive Housing
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New 14h ago
Adult Behavioral Health Clinician / Therapist AMFT, APCC, ACSW — Supportive Housing
Source EQ
San Jose, California
Healthcare Administration
Mental & Behavioral Health
Social Work & Counseling
$85k - $88k/yr
On-Site
Master's degree in social work
11-50

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Behavioral Health Quality Analyst– San Francisco Bay Area
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New 15h ago
Behavioral Health Quality Analyst– San Francisco Bay Area
UCLA Health
Los Angeles, California
Business Analysis
Data Analytics
Data Science
Data Science & Analytics
$74k - $152k/yr
Bachelor's degree in counseling
5,001-10,000

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Behavioral Health Quality Analyst – Greater Sacramento
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New 15h ago
Behavioral Health Quality Analyst – Greater Sacramento
UCLA Health
Los Angeles, California
Business Analysis
Data Analytics
Data Science
Data Science & Analytics
$74k - $152k/yr
Bachelor's degree in counseling
5,001-10,000

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Behavioral Health Quality Analyst – Central Valley (North)
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New 15h ago
Behavioral Health Quality Analyst – Central Valley (North)
UCLA Health
Los Angeles, California
Business Analysis
Data Analytics
Data Science
Data Science & Analytics
$74k - $152k/yr
Bachelor's degree in counseling
5,001-10,000

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Behavioral Health Therapist Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Los Angeles
21 jobs
San Francisco
19 jobs
Oakland
9 jobs
Chula Vista
9 jobs
Sacramento
8 jobs
Modesto
7 jobs
San Diego
7 jobs
Santa Ana
6 jobs
Vallejo
5 jobs

Behavioral Health Therapist Job Market in California

A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

Wonderful Center for Health Innovation9 open roles
UCLA Health8 open roles
Sutter Health6 open roles

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 therapist jobs across California.

  • Active California licensure as an LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, or registered associate status under the BBS
  • Master's degree in social work, counseling, marriage and family therapy, or a related clinical field
  • Experience delivering individual, group, or family therapy in a community or clinical setting
  • Familiarity with Medi-Cal documentation standards, DSM-5 diagnosis, and treatment planning
  • Proficiency with electronic health records systems used across California behavioral health programs
  • Bilingual Spanish-English skills, strongly preferred across Southern California and Central Valley openings

Behavioral Health Therapist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a behavioral health therapist in California?

You must earn a master's degree in social work, counseling, or marriage and family therapy, then register as an associate with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Associates accumulate supervised hours working under a licensed clinician, then pass the California Law and Ethics exam and a clinical exam specific to their license track before the BBS issues a full license as an LCSW, LMFT, or LPCC.

Which companies hire behavioral health therapists in California?

Employers hiring behavioral health therapists 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 county behavioral health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and large integrated systems like Kaiser Permanente also maintain ongoing pipelines for both licensed clinicians and registered associates.

Which California cities have the most behavioral health therapist jobs?

Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland have the most behavioral health therapist openings in California. Los Angeles and San Diego carry the volume because of their county behavioral health systems and dense networks of community mental health centers, while San Francisco's concentration of integrated health systems and nonprofit providers sustains consistently high demand even outside the largest county programs.

Are there remote behavioral health therapist jobs in California?

Yes, and more than most clinical fields, because telehealth delivery of therapy sessions has become widely accepted in California. About 29% of behavioral health therapist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting the state's early expansion of telehealth parity rules. Individual and group therapy delivered by video is the portion of the role most commonly offered fully remote.

How can I get hired as a behavioral health therapist in California with little or no experience?

Registering as a Board of Behavioral Sciences associate while still completing graduate school is the most realistic entry path, because it lets you begin accumulating supervised hours immediately upon graduation. California county behavioral health departments and Federally Qualified Health Centers routinely hire registered associates into staff therapist roles with built-in supervision. Telecare Corporation and Momentum for Health also run structured associate programs in the public mental health sector. Coming from case management, crisis counseling, or psychiatric technician work gives candidates a meaningful edge when competing for those first associate positions.

Where can I find and apply to behavioral health therapist jobs in California?

You can find and apply to behavioral health therapist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across county programs, health systems, and community organizations. Find roles that fit your license status, specialty, and location, and apply directly to the employers posting them.

See All 274+ Behavioral Health Therapist Jobs in California

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