Mental Health Technician Jobs in California
Mental Health Technician jobs in California are concentrated in inpatient psychiatric units, residential treatment facilities, and county behavioral health departments, with demand running from entry-level psychiatric technician aides to senior behavioral health tech roles. The largest hiring activity is in Los Angeles, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area, where systems like Dignity Health, Kaiser Permanente, and Telecare Corporation maintain a consistent presence across acute and community-based settings. The most in-demand specialties are forensic behavioral health, dual-diagnosis treatment, and adolescent psychiatric care. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Under supervision of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Marriage Family Therapist or a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, provides mental health assessment and triage, diagnosis, treatment and crisis intervention services for adult and/or child members who present themselves for psychiatric evaluation with a broad range of mental health needs. Under supervision, may collaborate with treating primary care providers and with psychiatric and allied health professional team members to plan and direct each individual patients treatment program.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Confers and consults with supervisor regarding members progress and treatment and may consult with psychiatrist as well, if both are involved in members care.
- May provide appropriate support to members family, including explanation of treatment, instructions in how to support treatment and interventions to increase acceptance of and adherence to treatment, at members request.
- Utilizes resources of public and private agencies and community organizations to meet the needs of the members treatment to include referral of the member and/or members family to external resources, as appropriate. Participates in departmental program development, implementation and evaluation.
- Reports safety concerns to mandated reporting agencies.
- Develops, implements, coordinates, and evaluates clinical treatment programs for the diagnosis, treatment, and/or referral of Health Plan members with acute or chronic mental illness. Participates in staff conferences to select, plan, and evaluate treatment programs. Provides outpatient psychotherapy to individuals, couples, families and groups. Instructs and counsels patients and their families regarding compliance with prescribed therapeutic regimens and adherence to prescribed medication regimens, within the scope of practice. May administer specialized therapeutic procedures, as appropriate. Provides appropriate support to members family. May develop and conducts psychoeducational classes and groups.
- Prepares intake summaries, treatment plans, and case summaries and maintains ongoing confidential records. Charts members treatment and progress in accord with Kaiser Permanente, state and NCQA regulations and in keeping with accepted community standards.
- Collaborates with physicians in screening and evaluating patients for psychotropic medications, within the scope of practice. Utilizes resources of public and private agencies and community organizations to meet the needs of the members treatment. May develop, implements, and evaluates behavioral medicine and health psychology programs in a variety of settings, including primary care. Provides consultation to primary care providers and health educators on matters relating to mental health, health psychology and behavioral medicine.
Basic Qualifications:
- N/A
- Masters degree in Social Work, Social Welfare from a clinical track, Clinical or Counseling Psychology or related field required from an accredited college or university by start date.
- Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (California) from State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences OR Associate Professional Clinical Counselor Registration (California) from State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences OR Registered Associate Clinical Social Worker (California) from State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences
- Once hired as an Associate, an employee will be offered and must work a schedule that would accumulate at least half the required supervisory hours annually.
- Upon completion of supervised hours, employee must obtain one of the following California state licenses within 24 months of hire: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, or Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Must be familiar with DSM-V as a means of diagnosis.
- Has experience in assessing, diagnosing and treating a broad range of psychiatric conditions.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Knowledge of social service agencies, state regulations, and professional board standards as is related to member treatment, patient rghts, and member/patient confidentiality.
- Knowledge of Evidence-Based Practice and psychotherapy research methods.
- Knowledge of the bio-psycho-social functions that contribute to mental health.
- Accuracy in diagnosing patients and developing effective treatment plans.
- Competence in individual, family and/or group psychotherapy.
- Professional maturity and ethical integrity necessary for assuming professional responsibilities.
- Commitment to quality of service, teamwork, and participation in a highly interactive multidisciplinary clinic.
- Ability to complete multiple tasks/objectives in a timely manner.
- Must be able to work in a Labor/Management Partnership environment.
- Previous clinical responsibility to include crisis intervention, individual and group psychotherapy.
- Demonstrated professional maturity and ethical integrity necessary for assuming professional responsibilities, preferred
- Demonstrated commitment to quality of service, teamwork, and participation in a highly interactive multidisciplinary clinic preferred
- Demonstrated ability to complete multiple tasks/objectives in a timely manner, preferred
- Accuracy in diagnosing patients and developing effective treatment plans, preferred
- Competence in individual, family and group psychotherapy, preferred.
PrimaryLocation : California,Santa Rosa,Santa Rosa Fountaingrove - 54
HoursPerWeek : 40
Shift : Day
Workdays : Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri,
WorkingHoursStart : 12:01 AM
WorkingHoursEnd : 11:59 PM
Job Schedule : Full-time
Job Type : Standard
Employee Status : Regular
Employee Group/Union Affiliation : A05-IBHS|NUHW|NUHW Integ Behavioral Hlth Ser
Job Level : Individual Contributor
Job Category : Behavioral Health, Social Services & Spiritual Care
Department : Santa Rosa Hospital - Mental Health/Psych-NonMD Prov - 0206
Travel : No
Kaiser Permanente is an equal opportunity employer committed to fair, respectful, and inclusive workplaces. Applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic or status.
Under supervision of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Marriage Family Therapist or a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, provides mental health assessment and triage, diagnosis, treatment and crisis intervention services for adult and/or child members who present themselves for psychiatric evaluation with a broad range of mental health needs. Under supervision, may collaborate with treating primary care providers and with psychiatric and allied health professional team members to plan and direct each individual patients treatment program.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Confers and consults with supervisor regarding members progress and treatment and may consult with psychiatrist as well, if both are involved in members care.
- May provide appropriate support to members family, including explanation of treatment, instructions in how to support treatment and interventions to increase acceptance of and adherence to treatment, at members request.
- Utilizes resources of public and private agencies and community organizations to meet the needs of the members treatment to include referral of the member and/or members family to external resources, as appropriate. Participates in departmental program development, implementation and evaluation.
- Reports safety concerns to mandated reporting agencies.
- Develops, implements, coordinates, and evaluates clinical treatment programs for the diagnosis, treatment, and/or referral of Health Plan members with acute or chronic mental illness. Participates in staff conferences to select, plan, and evaluate treatment programs. Provides outpatient psychotherapy to individuals, couples, families and groups. Instructs and counsels patients and their families regarding compliance with prescribed therapeutic regimens and adherence to prescribed medication regimens, within the scope of practice. May administer specialized therapeutic procedures, as appropriate. Provides appropriate support to members family. May develop and conducts psychoeducational classes and groups.
- Prepares intake summaries, treatment plans, and case summaries and maintains ongoing confidential records. Charts members treatment and progress in accord with Kaiser Permanente, state and NCQA regulations and in keeping with accepted community standards.
- Collaborates with physicians in screening and evaluating patients for psychotropic medications, within the scope of practice. Utilizes resources of public and private agencies and community organizations to meet the needs of the members treatment. May develop, implements, and evaluates behavioral medicine and health psychology programs in a variety of settings, including primary care. Provides consultation to primary care providers and health educators on matters relating to mental health, health psychology and behavioral medicine.
Basic Qualifications:
- N/A
- Masters degree in Social Work, Social Welfare from a clinical track, Clinical or Counseling Psychology or related field required from an accredited college or university by start date.
- Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (California) from State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences OR Associate Professional Clinical Counselor Registration (California) from State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences OR Registered Associate Clinical Social Worker (California) from State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences
- Once hired as an Associate, an employee will be offered and must work a schedule that would accumulate at least half the required supervisory hours annually.
- Upon completion of supervised hours, employee must obtain one of the following California state licenses within 24 months of hire: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, or Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Must be familiar with DSM-V as a means of diagnosis.
- Has experience in assessing, diagnosing and treating a broad range of psychiatric conditions.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Knowledge of social service agencies, state regulations, and professional board standards as is related to member treatment, patient rghts, and member/patient confidentiality.
- Knowledge of Evidence-Based Practice and psychotherapy research methods.
- Knowledge of the bio-psycho-social functions that contribute to mental health.
- Accuracy in diagnosing patients and developing effective treatment plans.
- Competence in individual, family and/or group psychotherapy.
- Professional maturity and ethical integrity necessary for assuming professional responsibilities.
- Commitment to quality of service, teamwork, and participation in a highly interactive multidisciplinary clinic.
- Ability to complete multiple tasks/objectives in a timely manner.
- Must be able to work in a Labor/Management Partnership environment.
- Previous clinical responsibility to include crisis intervention, individual and group psychotherapy.
- Demonstrated professional maturity and ethical integrity necessary for assuming professional responsibilities, preferred
- Demonstrated commitment to quality of service, teamwork, and participation in a highly interactive multidisciplinary clinic preferred
- Demonstrated ability to complete multiple tasks/objectives in a timely manner, preferred
- Accuracy in diagnosing patients and developing effective treatment plans, preferred
- Competence in individual, family and group psychotherapy, preferred.
PrimaryLocation : California,Santa Rosa,Santa Rosa Fountaingrove - 54
HoursPerWeek : 40
Shift : Day
Workdays : Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri,
WorkingHoursStart : 12:01 AM
WorkingHoursEnd : 11:59 PM
Job Schedule : Full-time
Job Type : Standard
Employee Status : Regular
Employee Group/Union Affiliation : A05-IBHS|NUHW|NUHW Integ Behavioral Hlth Ser
Job Level : Individual Contributor
Job Category : Behavioral Health, Social Services & Spiritual Care
Department : Santa Rosa Hospital - Mental Health/Psych-NonMD Prov - 0206
Travel : No
Kaiser Permanente is an equal opportunity employer committed to fair, respectful, and inclusive workplaces. Applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic or status.
See All 414+ Mental Health Technician Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Mental Health Technician JobsMental Health Technician Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Mental Health Technician Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Telecare Corporation92
- LifeStance Health19
- Mental Health America of Los Angeles15
- Kaiser Permanente12
- STARS Behavioral Health11
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in mental health technician jobs across California.
- Active California Psychiatric Technician license or enrollment in a state-approved PT program
- High school diploma or GED required, associate or bachelor's degree in psychology preferred
- Current BLS or CPR certification from an accredited provider
- Experience with de-escalation techniques and crisis intervention in a clinical or residential setting
- Familiarity with electronic health record systems used in behavioral health documentation
- Ability to pass a California Department of Justice background clearance before start date
Mental Health Technician Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a mental health technician in California?
California is one of the few states that licenses psychiatric technicians through the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. To qualify, you complete a state-approved psychiatric technician program, then pass the California Psychiatric Technician licensing exam. Most programs are offered through community colleges and take about two years. Some entry-level technician roles in residential or community settings hire candidates who are actively enrolled in a program while they complete clinical hours.
Which companies hire mental health technicians in California?
California mental health technician roles are posted by Telecare Corporation, LifeStance Health, and Mental Health America of Los Angeles and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's mix of large county health systems, nonprofit residential operators, and integrated health networks means openings appear across both acute inpatient settings and community-based programs throughout the state.
Which California cities have the most mental health technician jobs?
San Diego, Los Angeles, and Riverside have the most mental health technician openings in California. Los Angeles dominates because of its county Department of Mental Health, the largest in the country, while San Diego's concentration of veterans' services and UCSD Health drives consistent demand, and Bay Area volume reflects the density of large integrated health systems and county behavioral health contracts across Alameda, Contra Costa, and Santa Clara counties.
Are there remote mental health technician jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Mental health technician work is primarily hands-on, requiring direct patient observation, physical crisis intervention, and on-site documentation in psychiatric units or residential programs. About 41% of mental health technician openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those tend to be in telehealth intake coordination or behavioral health case management rather than direct floor-level care.
How can I get hired as a mental health technician in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to county-run psychiatric facilities or large residential treatment operators that accept candidates actively enrolled in a California community college psychiatric technician program. Telecare Corporation and Telecare affiliates, along with county behavioral health departments in Los Angeles and San Diego, regularly hire psychiatric technician trainees and behavioral health associate roles. Candidates who have worked as direct support professionals, crisis line operators, or in a licensed residential facility have the strongest lateral advantage, and holding a current BLS certification before applying signals readiness.
Where can I find and apply to mental health technician jobs in California?
You can find and apply to mental health technician jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across inpatient, residential, and community behavioral health settings. Find roles that fit your experience level and location, then apply directly to the employer. No account or profile is required to see and apply to listings.
See All 414+ Mental Health Technician Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Mental Health Technician Jobs