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 roles280+
Top employerBlue Rose Consulting Group
Top cityVallejo, CA
Cities hiring123
Work type89% On-site
Top industryHealthcare

Showing 5 of 280+ Behavioral Health Therapist jobs

I
Mental Health and Behavioral Direct Care Worker
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I
New 9h ago
Mental Health and Behavioral Direct Care Worker
Insight For Life Corp
West Covina, California
Business Development
Growth Marketing
Marketing
$17 - $25/hr
On-Site
RBT Certification

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Center for Discovery
Behavioral Health Tech
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Center for Discovery
New 19h ago
Behavioral Health Tech
Center for Discovery
Los Angeles, California
Customer Support
IT Support
Technical Program Management
$17 - $25/hr
On-Site
High school diploma or GED
1,001-5,000

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C
Assistant Deputy Director of Behavioral Health
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C
New 19h ago
Assistant Deputy Director of Behavioral Health
County of Napa, CA
Napa Valley, California
Business Strategy
Compliance & Risk
Consulting & Professional Services
$172k - $208k.8/yr
Master's degree in social work

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Northern Valley Indian Health
School-Based Behavioral Health Therapist (LCSW / LMFT / AMFT / ASW)
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Northern Valley Indian Health
New 22h ago
School-Based Behavioral Health Therapist (LCSW / LMFT / AMFT / ASW)
Northern Valley Indian Health
Woodland, California
Community & Nonprofit Services
Mental & Behavioral Health
Social Work & Counseling
$36 - $55/hr
51-200

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Turning Point Community Programs
Behavioral Health Specialist I
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Turning Point Community Programs
Added 1d ago
Behavioral Health Specialist I
Turning Point Community Programs
Merced, California
Community & Nonprofit Services
Mental & Behavioral Health
Social Work & Counseling
$24 - $26/hr
Bachelor's degree in social work
501-1,000

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Behavioral Health Therapist Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Vallejo
13 jobs
Los Angeles
10 jobs
Sacramento
8 jobs
San Francisco
8 jobs
San Diego
7 jobs
Newport Beach
6 jobs
Fresno
5 jobs
Santa Ana
5 jobs
Heber
4 jobs

Behavioral Health Therapist Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

  • Blue Rose Consulting Group
    Blue Rose Consulting Group61
  • H
    HiredFirst10
  • Turning Point Community Programs
    Turning Point Community Programs9
  • Kaiser Permanente
    Kaiser Permanente6
  • Sutter Health
    Sutter Health5

Top Industries Hiring

  • Healthcare & Medical Services11
  • Non-Profit & Social Services2
  • Government & Public Sector1

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 Blue Rose Consulting Group, HiredFirst, and Turning Point Community Programs, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 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?

Vallejo, Los Angeles, and Sacramento 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 11% of behavioral health therapist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 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 280+ Behavioral Health Therapist Jobs in California

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