H-1B Visa Marriage And Family Therapist Jobs
Marriage and family therapist roles qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations because they require at least a master's degree in counseling, psychology, or a related field. Most positions are in hospitals, community mental health centers, and group practices, all of which can file H-1B petitions. State licensure requirements add a credential layer you'll need to plan around before your start date.
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Job ID JR209841
Date posted 09/08/2026
Location: San Diego, California
McDonald Center
Day
* Regular
Responsibilities
Hours:
Shift Start Time:
Variable
Shift End Time:
Variable
AWS Hours Requirement:
8/40 - 8 Hour Shift
Additional Shift Information:
Mon/Tues/Thurs 1-930pm and Wednesday Flexible Day shift
Weekend Requirements:
As Needed
On-Call Required:
No
Hourly Pay Range (Minimum - Midpoint - Maximum):
$50.720 - $65.450 - $73.310
The stated pay scale reflects the range that Sharp reasonably expects to pay for this position. The actual pay rate and pay grade for this position will be dependent on a variety of factors, including an applicant’s years of experience, unique skills and abilities, education, alignment with similar internal candidates, marketplace factors, other requirements for the position, and employer business practices.
What You Will Do
To assist patients and families with behavioral health and environmental resources to reach the maximum level of functioning during the current episode of care. This position is responsible for conducting behavioral health psychosocial assessments and clinical interventions, inclusive of individual, group, and family therapy in the partial hospitalization and structured outpatient programs. In collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team, coordinates patient care and provides case management for assigned patients.
Required Qualifications
- Master's Degree In Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work or Psychology from an accredited graduate program.
- 1 Year Experience in a behavioral health setting.
- AHA Basic Life Support for Healthcare Professional (AHA BLS Healthcare) - American Heart Association -REQUIRED
- California BBS Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) - CA Board of Behavioral Sciences -REQUIRED
Preferred Qualifications
- 3 Years Experience.
- Acute/psychiatric hospital experience, discharge planning/case management experience.
Essential Functions
- Communication and teamwork
Communicates with the members of the healthcare team and court officers, conservator's office and/or patient advocates as appropriate to expedite patient progress, while upholding patient rights and facility safety.
Maintains ongoing communication with multi-disciplinary team members regarding patient status and follow-up. Consults with team members in development of treatment plans.
Attends treatment team and staff meetings inservices and case presentations as designated by unit/department/program.
Arranges and facilitates patient care conferences for difficult/high-risk psychosocial cases to enhance resolution of identified issues.
Identifies Bioethical dilemmas and initiates appropriate response.
Consults, coordinates, and intervenes in crisis situations while assisting staff in de-escalating volatile situations and facilitating Code Green and critical incident debriefings.
Develops interdisciplinary education to increase staff knowledge.
- Discharge and patient follow up
Utilizes appropriate community resources on behalf of patients and families.
Develops an appropriate and timely discharge plan.
Educates patient and family of options for discharge based on patient's mental health/legal/insurance status.
Provides continuity of care referrals to patients and families for ongoing community services/support upon discharge.
Schedules follow up appointment with psychiatric provider within 7 days of discharge. Provides discharge information to next level of care.
Completes thorough safety planning with patient and family including gun removal as an appropriate measure.
- Leadership
Provides professional role modeling and collaboration with interdisciplinary team, assisting unlicensed MFTs, Social Workers and students to develop competency and acquire technical skills.
Designs, implements, and/or supports evidence-based processes and therapeutic programs for patients and families that improve clinical practice.
Provides the acquisition of clinical knowledge and skills to new staff/student interns and interdisciplinary team.
Provides leadership as role model and/or consultant to develop/retain professional clinical staff.
Foster the integration of the professional role as a clinical decision maker by providing consultation and educational presentations to members of the healthcare team.
Attends and participates in meetings and assists management in decision making in absence of Manager/Lead.
- Patient assessment
Assesses, evaluates, and documents the psychosocial needs of the patient and family:
Performs appropriate patient assessments (psychosocial, SI/HI, safety, DC planning) as related to the clinical services provided.
Formulates plan of care based on clinical assessment.
Develops and implements treatment goals which address identified patient needs.
Completes all documentation elements as appropriate, including, but not limited to, assessments, treatment plan, consultations, recommendations and interventions.
Documentation is performed in a timely, complete, legible, concise and accurate manner, in accordance with Sharp HealthCare and professional license guidelines, meeting third-party payor and regulatory requirements.
- Safe and therapeutic environment
Provides therapeutic interventions within the scope of care with patient and family that are appropriate to the patient's diagnosis, developmental milestones, age, culture, and ethnic diversity:
Demonstrates knowledge and safe use of therapeutic procedures, appropriate clinical boundaries, and treatment modalities.
Demonstrates effective crisis intervention, problem solving techniques in individual/family therapy, and therapeutic process groups and is a resource to others in these areas.
Reports all mandatory protective concerns such as Elder Abuse, Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Tarasoff as required by law and Sharp HealthCare policies and procedures.
Serves as a patient advocate through encouraging patient and family participation in decision making and acts to uphold individual rights; Informs, educates, supports, and evaluates patient/family response to therapeutic interventions via collateral calls, conjoint therapy sessions, utilization review process, and/or referrals and revises care plan as necessary.
Sharp HealthCare is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability or any other protected class.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Marriage And Family Therapist
Verify your degree meets specialty occupation standards
USCIS requires your master's in marriage and family therapy or a closely related field to directly correspond to the job duties. A degree in an unrelated discipline, even at the graduate level, can trigger an RFE before your petition advances.
Secure state licensure before your H-1B start date
Most states require a licensed marriage and family therapist credential before you can bill insurance or work independently. Confirm your target state's supervised hours requirement early, since some states count only post-degree hours earned under a specific license type.
Target employers with CMHC and hospital billing infrastructure
Community mental health centers and hospital-employed outpatient programs already maintain HR and legal teams familiar with H-1B filings. Group private practices often lack that infrastructure, so ask directly whether they've sponsored before and who handles their immigration filings.
Search LCA filing history on Migrate Mate by occupation code
Use Migrate Mate to filter employers who have filed Labor Condition Applications under SOC code 21-1013 for marriage and family therapists. This surfaces real sponsorship activity, not just job postings where employers haven't committed to visa support.
Confirm the prevailing wage tier matches your supervision status
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the prevailing wage for your specific metro area under SOC 21-1013. Licensed therapists working independently map to a different wage level than those still completing supervised hours, and misclassification delays DOL certification.
Plan your petition timeline around licensure exam windows
USCIS allows H-1B petitions to be filed up to six months before your start date. If you're sitting for the MFT national exam after graduation, time your job offer and petition filing so your license is in hand or pending before your employment begins.
H-1B Visa Marriage And Family Therapist: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a marriage and family therapist role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes. Marriage and family therapist positions qualify because they typically require at least a master's degree in marriage and family therapy, counseling, or a closely related field. USCIS looks at whether the degree requirement is standard for the position across the industry, so roles in licensed clinical settings at hospitals, nonprofits, and accredited behavioral health organizations are the strongest candidates.
Which types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for marriage and family therapists?
Community mental health centers, hospital-employed outpatient programs, federally qualified health centers, and university counseling services are the most consistent H-1B sponsors for this role. These organizations have existing HR and legal infrastructure for visa filings. You can search verified employer filing history on Migrate Mate to identify which organizations have active LCA records under the marriage and family therapist occupation code.
Does H-1B status require me to have a state license before I start working?
State licensing requirements interact directly with your H-1B start date. Most states require a valid MFT license or associate license before you can practice, and your employer must certify that you meet all legal requirements for the position in the LCA. If your license is still pending when your H-1B starts, your employer may need to restrict your duties until licensure is complete.
How does the DOL prevailing wage apply to marriage and family therapist H-1B positions?
Your employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for SOC code 21-1013 in your specific metropolitan area, as determined by the OFLC Wage Search. The wage level assigned, Level I through Level IV, reflects your supervision status, clinical autonomy, and years of experience. Employers that underpay relative to your actual duties risk DOL audit, so verify the wage level matches your job description before signing an offer.
Can I switch employers while on H-1B status as a marriage and family therapist?
Yes, H-1B portability under AC21 lets you change employers after your petition has been pending for 180 days, as long as the new role is in the same or a related specialty occupation. Your new employer must file a new H-1B petition before or when you start. Continuity of licensure in the new state also matters, since practicing without a valid license in your new state could affect both your employment and your visa status.