J-1 Visa Mental Health Professional Jobs
Mental Health Professional roles in the United States are accessible to international exchange visitors through J-1 visa sponsorship under the Research Scholar, Specialist, or Trainee program categories, depending on your career stage and the structure of your placement. Designated sponsors issue the DS-2019 form and oversee compliance with exchange visitor program requirements.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Whether you are a seasoned professional looking for part time work, or just starting your career in counseling or social work, we have an On-Call Counselor job for you! Encompass will train you to provide a host of services at our residential mental health treatment programs. We currently have openings for counselors in our mental health facilities located throughout Santa Cruz County.
About us
At Encompass Community Services we provide our community with a wide range of services related to family & social well-being, early childhood education, behavioral health, housing and more. Telos, El Dorado Center and Casa Pacific are three short-term residential treatment programs for individuals struggling with mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders. The primary goal of these programs is to assist individuals with increasing wellness and transitioning from residential care to more independent settings within the community. Our Counselors play an important role in assisting the residents we serve on their journey towards wellness and stability through treatment that is trauma-informed and person-centered.
Job Summary
The On-Call Counselor is available to work as needed to cover shifts that include ensuring the safety and well-being of the residents at the facility and supporting program operations. We are looking for individuals who have some experience or education working with individuals who struggle with mental illness and substance use disorders, and people with a passion to serve this unique population. We are looking for on call counselors with the skill and ability to work with clients who have multiple complex mental health, and physical health needs, and who are able to manage multiple tasks.
We are hiring on-call counselors who are available to work swing, night, and weekend shifts. Position requires availability to cover weekend shifts.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Respond to emails, texts, or phone calls in a timely manner. Be available and responsive to requests for on-call coverage as needed.
- Ensure adequate safety for program residents and property during specific shift hours.
- Responsible for responding to client behavioral and/or medical issues, facility issues, or natural emergencies while on duty.
- May provide therapeutic crisis management, with available support of Manager or On-Call Manager.
- May provide therapeutic intervention services based on best practices & selected evidence based practices for clients with mental health or substance use disorders and/or co-occurring disorders.
- Services may include administrative functions in support of clients, including evaluation, assessments, counseling, and/or assisting in the implementation of appropriate treatment plan interventions and/or the facilitation of individual, group, and crisis counseling sessions.
- Dispensing medication, incident reporting, shift change reporting, and household duties as required.
- General safety checks, headcounts.
- Ability to comply with regulatory requirements.
- Must communicate effectively and be able to use current technology in the following areas: case notes, incident reports, correspondence with community service providers.
Qualifications
- Bilingual English/Spanish desired but not necessary
- High school diploma or GED, some college preferred
- Ability to work independently, manage time well
- Valid driver’s license and clean DMV required
- Computer literacy, including e-mail, Microsoft Word, and ability to navigate electronic health record documentation requirements.
- Good oral and written communication skills, as well as interpersonal skills with co-workers and community partners
- Position requires flu vaccination upon hire.
Wages & Benefits
Our total compensation package includes a comprehensive medical and dental insurance plan for full time employees, 403(b) retirement plan, paid holiday, sick time, and 17 days of paid vacation, pro-rated for positions less than 40 hours a week. Position receives overtime rate on all holidays as well as double times for Christmas and Thanksgiving day. On-call positions will receive one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked.
Encompass Community Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. We are committed to excellence through diversity and strive to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all clients and employees. Our programs recognize the value of racial, ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity and strive toward a culture of trauma-informed practice, with the overarching goal of ensuring that all services promote healing, and integrate the values and standards of providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
If you require assistance applying on-line, we have computer terminals available at our 380 Encinal Street Suite 200 office in Santa Cruz, Tel: 831-469-1700, and at our 225 Westridge Drive location in Watsonville, Tel: 831-724-3885. Please call ahead to schedule an appointment.
INTRODUCTION
Whether you are a seasoned professional looking for part time work, or just starting your career in counseling or social work, we have an On-Call Counselor job for you! Encompass will train you to provide a host of services at our residential mental health treatment programs. We currently have openings for counselors in our mental health facilities located throughout Santa Cruz County.
About us
At Encompass Community Services we provide our community with a wide range of services related to family & social well-being, early childhood education, behavioral health, housing and more. Telos, El Dorado Center and Casa Pacific are three short-term residential treatment programs for individuals struggling with mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders. The primary goal of these programs is to assist individuals with increasing wellness and transitioning from residential care to more independent settings within the community. Our Counselors play an important role in assisting the residents we serve on their journey towards wellness and stability through treatment that is trauma-informed and person-centered.
Job Summary
The On-Call Counselor is available to work as needed to cover shifts that include ensuring the safety and well-being of the residents at the facility and supporting program operations. We are looking for individuals who have some experience or education working with individuals who struggle with mental illness and substance use disorders, and people with a passion to serve this unique population. We are looking for on call counselors with the skill and ability to work with clients who have multiple complex mental health, and physical health needs, and who are able to manage multiple tasks.
We are hiring on-call counselors who are available to work swing, night, and weekend shifts. Position requires availability to cover weekend shifts.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Respond to emails, texts, or phone calls in a timely manner. Be available and responsive to requests for on-call coverage as needed.
- Ensure adequate safety for program residents and property during specific shift hours.
- Responsible for responding to client behavioral and/or medical issues, facility issues, or natural emergencies while on duty.
- May provide therapeutic crisis management, with available support of Manager or On-Call Manager.
- May provide therapeutic intervention services based on best practices & selected evidence based practices for clients with mental health or substance use disorders and/or co-occurring disorders.
- Services may include administrative functions in support of clients, including evaluation, assessments, counseling, and/or assisting in the implementation of appropriate treatment plan interventions and/or the facilitation of individual, group, and crisis counseling sessions.
- Dispensing medication, incident reporting, shift change reporting, and household duties as required.
- General safety checks, headcounts.
- Ability to comply with regulatory requirements.
- Must communicate effectively and be able to use current technology in the following areas: case notes, incident reports, correspondence with community service providers.
Qualifications
- Bilingual English/Spanish desired but not necessary
- High school diploma or GED, some college preferred
- Ability to work independently, manage time well
- Valid driver’s license and clean DMV required
- Computer literacy, including e-mail, Microsoft Word, and ability to navigate electronic health record documentation requirements.
- Good oral and written communication skills, as well as interpersonal skills with co-workers and community partners
- Position requires flu vaccination upon hire.
Wages & Benefits
Our total compensation package includes a comprehensive medical and dental insurance plan for full time employees, 403(b) retirement plan, paid holiday, sick time, and 17 days of paid vacation, pro-rated for positions less than 40 hours a week. Position receives overtime rate on all holidays as well as double times for Christmas and Thanksgiving day. On-call positions will receive one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked.
Encompass Community Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. We are committed to excellence through diversity and strive to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all clients and employees. Our programs recognize the value of racial, ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity and strive toward a culture of trauma-informed practice, with the overarching goal of ensuring that all services promote healing, and integrate the values and standards of providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
If you require assistance applying on-line, we have computer terminals available at our 380 Encinal Street Suite 200 office in Santa Cruz, Tel: 831-469-1700, and at our 225 Westridge Drive location in Watsonville, Tel: 831-724-3885. Please call ahead to schedule an appointment.
See all 162+ Mental Health Professional jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Mental Health Professional roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship in Mental Health Professional
Verify your credentials meet licensing benchmarks
State licensing boards set the clinical hour and supervision requirements for counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Confirm your foreign training maps to the host state's standards before applying, since a mismatch can block supervised practice even with a valid DS-2019.
Target host organizations with established exchange programs
Community mental health centers, VA medical centers, and university counseling services routinely host J-1 exchange visitors. Search Migrate Mate to find employers in these settings who have actively listed J-1-compatible Mental Health Professional roles.
Confirm your J-1 category with your designated sponsor
Recent graduates completing clinical internships typically use the Intern category. Mid-career professionals in a structured skills-transfer placement fall under Trainee. Your designated sponsor, not your host employer, determines the correct category and issues the DS-2019 accordingly.
Check whether your role carries a home residency requirement
Mental Health Professional placements funded by a government or financed by your home country can trigger the two-year home residency requirement under INA 212(e). Ask your designated sponsor to assess your specific funding source before accepting an offer.
Document your training plan with measurable clinical objectives
Your designated sponsor requires a completed Form DS-7002 training plan for Trainee and Intern categories. Host supervisors must outline specific competencies, supervision hours, and evaluation milestones tied to behavioral health practice, not generic job duties.
Align your offer letter language with J-1 program requirements
The host employer's offer letter must describe the exchange activity as skills transfer or research, not permanent employment. USCIS and your designated sponsor will both review this framing, so confirm the letter uses program-compliant language before countersigning.
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Find Mental Health Professional JobsMental Health Professional J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a Mental Health Professional placement?
It depends on your career stage and the nature of your placement. Graduate students in accredited clinical programs use the Intern category. Post-degree professionals in structured skills-transfer roles use the Trainee category. Researchers studying behavioral health interventions or policy typically qualify under Research Scholar or Specialist. Your designated sponsor makes the final determination based on your qualifications and the host organization's program structure.
Who actually sponsors my J-1 visa if my host is a clinic or hospital?
The clinic or hospital is your host organization, not your visa sponsor. A U.S. Department of State-designated organization, such as CIEE, Cultural Vistas, or IIE, acts as the official sponsor. The designated sponsor reviews your placement, approves the training plan, and issues the DS-2019 form that authorizes your exchange visitor status. Your host employer has no authority to issue immigration documents.
Can I use Migrate Mate to find J-1-compatible mental health roles?
Yes. Migrate Mate lets you search for U.S. employers in community mental health, hospital systems, and university counseling settings that have listed J-1-compatible Mental Health Professional positions. Filtering by role and exchange program alignment helps you identify host organizations whose placement structures match the Intern, Trainee, or Specialist category requirements before you contact a designated sponsor.
Does the two-year home residency requirement affect mental health exchange visitors?
It can. The two-year home residency requirement applies when your exchange program is government-funded or your home country has identified your field as one in which it needs professionals. Mental health is a high-demand field in many countries, which increases the likelihood of a skills-list designation. Your designated sponsor can review your DS-2019 eligibility and flag this obligation before you accept a host placement.
What clinical supervision documentation does a J-1 Trainee in mental health need?
Your host employer and designated sponsor must complete Form DS-7002, which outlines your supervision structure, clinical objectives, and evaluation schedule. For mental health Trainees, this means specifying the licensed supervisor's credentials, the therapy modalities you will practice, weekly supervision hours, and how competency will be measured. Generic job descriptions will not satisfy the program requirements. Migrate Mate can help you identify host employers familiar with this documentation process.
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