Departmental OverviewUniversity Health Services serves the campus as a comprehensive campus-based health center providing fully accredited medical care, counseling and psychological services, and innovative health promotion programs for students, faculty, and staff.
Position SummaryThe Behavioral Health Counselor 3 serves as a member of the Ally Care Team (ACT), which is comprised of behavioral health clinicians and support staff. This position provides behavioral health consultations, care navigation, and episodic therapy to students, staff, and faculty on campus. The Behavioral Health Counselor 3 is responsible for providing these services within an integrated medical, mental health, and campus model. Duties include brief therapy, medical and staff consultations, care navigation support, de-escalation, intervention and assessment (including 5150 evaluation), support with non-critical welfare checks, and postvention support.
Application Review DateThe First Review Date for this job is: October 9, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.
ResponsibilitiesDIRECT PATIENT CARE - 75%
- Work collaboratively during designated shift with the other team member to provide on-site behavioral health assessment, intervention, brief therapy, and consultation: Quickly assess the needs of individuals or communities presenting with acute behavioral health needs, and collaboratively create a response plan.
- Practice self-awareness and cultural humility as a member of a diverse team; be conscientious and sensitive to interpersonal dynamics with other team members.
- Demonstrate strong ability to remain calm and attentive during high-acuity encounters, as well as to work through several separate encounters during a single shift.
- Demonstrate a high level of resilience and self-care as part of maintaining wellness in a high-acuity, campus-based response position.
- Provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed, harm reduction, and person-centered behavioral health assessment, brief intervention, de-escalation, and episodic therapy for individuals on the UC Berkeley campus footprint experiencing non-violent acute behavioral health needs.
- Provide consultation to medical providers, campus partners, and staff regarding behavioral health concerns and care navigation.
- Assess for suicidality, homicidal intent, violence risk, grave disability, and substance use using appropriate measurements, including C-SSRS, Mini Mental Status Exam, and others.
- Complete 5150 Application as appropriate.
- Coordinate transportation and care with receiving hospital.
- Provide on-site support/psychological first aid and coordination after campus traumas (e.g., campus death).
- Make appropriate referrals/linkage based on clinical needs.
COLLABORATION - 10%
- Documents client progress, treatment recommendations, interventions, and client response in the Electronic Health Records and other required systems to facilitate the sharing of information and coordination of care with other involved providers.
- Participates in and coordinates regularly scheduled and clinically indicated ad hoc multidisciplinary consultation meetings with colleagues to discuss relevant aspects of client care and help to ensure positive client outcomes.
- Uses shared decision-making techniques to work proactively with the client around the care plan and communicates the plan to the care team.
- Functions as a liaison to campus partners and community behavioral health providers.
- Participates and leads outreach and educational programming with campus partners, students, and community members.
- Participates and completes assigned trainings in a timely manner.
CARE MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT - 5%
- Identifies improvements to systems, practices, and procedures and advocates recommendations to leadership.
- Works with Ally Care Team members, the High Risk/Hospital Manager, Clinical Director, Referral Coordinator, UHS leadership, and UHS staff to develop protocols aimed at improving care delivery for at-risk clients and to support UHS clinical and medical providers using such protocols.
- Develops, maintains, and shares internal UHS, campus, and community resources as appropriate with clients and staff to promote efficient quality care.
- Promotes the development of collaborative relationships with peers and other professionals by articulating practice issues and communicating through appropriate organizational channels.
ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES - 5%
- Participates in staff meetings.
- Adheres to principles of quality, customer oriented standards.
- Demonstrates professionalism, courtesy, and sensitivity in all interactions with clients and staff.
- When assigned, actively participates on UHS committees and/or the development of new programs/ideas.
- Is knowledgeable of client rights and responsibilities, rules of confidentiality and client privacy.
- Readily accepts additional responsibility including assisting with the evaluation of unit operation/efficiency.
- Maintains client records appropriately including confidentiality and completeness of notes. This includes written and electronic records.
- Is knowledgeable of UHS and campus departments, services, locations.
- Is knowledgeable of operational, administrative, business, and personnel policies.
- Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability as health care practices and related technology change.
- Demonstrates an active investment in organizational and unit goals to improve customer service.
- Implements University and UHS policies and procedures to assure a consistently high level of client care, safety and customer service.
Other duties as assigned - 5%
Required Qualifications- Minimum one year of experience providing behavioral health services in a public health, community mental health, crisis services, or other setting serving adults exhibiting mental health crisis, psychosis, substance-related mental health needs, etc.
- Minimum one year of experience working with college/university students or young adults.
- Demonstrated experience conducting behavioral health assessments and providing crisis intervention, de-escalation, and brief behavioral health interventions.
- Demonstrated experience assessing behavioral health risk, including suicidality, homicidal intent, violence risk, grave disability, and/or substance-related concerns.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating behavioral health care, referrals, and/or linkage to appropriate clinical, hospital, or community resources.
- Experience documenting behavioral health assessments, interventions, and client responses in an electronic health record or comparable clinical documentation system.
- Demonstrated experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and/or community partners in the coordination of behavioral health care.
- Must be able/willing to work flexibly and outside of a traditional clinical space, such as being outside during most of the shift, traveling in a vehicle and/or walking with others between crises, and physically move frequently during a shift.
- Demonstrated experience providing culturally responsive services to individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Preferred Qualifications- Multilingual (English, Spanish, Mandarin, and/or Cantonese)
Education / Training- Master's or doctorate in a mental health field (psychology, counseling, social work, or a related field) and/or equivalent experience/training.
Licenses / Certifications- Licensed with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences
- A valid mental health license in the state of California (Licensed Psychologist, LCSW, LMFT, LPCC)
- 5150 Certification for Alameda County within 30 days of employment
- BLS certified per UHS requirements
Salary & BenefitsFor information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.
Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.
The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $125,475.87 - $138,535.56, Step 1.0 - 6.0.
- This is an exempt, monthly-paid position.
- This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Career position eligible for UC benefits.
How to ApplyTo apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.
Driving RequiredRequired to hold a valid driver's license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies/procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program.
Other Information- This is an on-site position at the University of California, Berkeley.
- This is not a visa opportunity. This position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.
- This position is governed by the terms and conditions in the agreement for the Health Care Professionals Unit (HX) between the University of California and the University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE). The current bargaining agreement manual can be found at: http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/hx/index.html
