Psychiatric Social Worker/Marriage & Family Therapist I/II (Open and Promotional)

Salary : $95,139.20 - $133,785.60 Annually
Location : County of San Mateo, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: G035BN
Department: Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
Opening Date: 01/28/2025
Bargaining Unit: 08

NOTE: This recruitment was amended on April 7, 2026 to remove a hold on accepting new applications. Applications are now being accepted.

Please Note: This recruitment was amended on June 24, 2025 to update the Qualifications, and Supplemental Questions to include applicants who have submitted an application for registration with the BBS as an AMFT or ACSW and have had at least one year in an internship in a county run behavioral health setting in good standing (documentation must be attached).

Psychiatric Social Worker/Marriage & Family Therapist I/II (Open and Promotional) in a range of specialty programs!

What we can offer YOU:

• A supportive team environment with collaborative partnerships with a variety of stakeholders, and community-based agencies.
• Very diverse, and rich experiences working with underserved adults and youth, justice-involved youth, justice-involved adults, adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI), and in the community.
• Participation in health equity initiatives to address race disparities.
• Licensed supervision.
• Excellent training opportunities towards licensure, tuition reimbursement, education leave, and a wellness program.
• Career Development opportunities.
• Flexible schedules.
• Mileage reimbursement and County cars are available.
• Competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and pension plans.
• Hiring bonus (in 3 phases).
• Bilingual differential pay.

Psychiatric Social Worker/ Marriage & Family Therapist I$45.74 - $57.18 Hourly
$3,659.20 - $4,574.40 Biweekly
$7,928.27 - $9,911.20 Monthly
$95,139.20 - $118,934.40 Annually

Psychiatric Social Worker /Marriage & Family Therapist II

$51.43 - $64.32 Hourly
$4,114.40 - $5,145.60 Biweekly
$8,914.53 - $11,148.80 Monthly
$106,974.40 - $133,785.60 Annually
Exciting news! Candidates have the opportunity to receive a sign-on bonus of up to $15,000. First-time external new hires or current staff promoted internally or from other County departments into a regular Psychiatric Social Worker or Marriage and Family Therapist position in Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) may be eligible to receive a sign-on bonus of up to $15,000 (subject to discontinuation at any time). The sign-on bonus will be in 3 phases and will be prorated for part-time positions. Restrictions Apply. Please see the link for details.

BHRS offers a comprehensive range of trauma-informed mental health and substance use services for children, youth, families, adults, and older adults. For more details, please refer to the information provided below:

• BHRS Adult and Older Adult Servicesprovides behavioral health in diverse settings including community outpatient clinics, field-based settings such as homeless encampments and shelters, and through a network of community agencies, and independent providers who offer outpatient services, residential treatment, rehabilitation, and other services for adults.
• BHRS Adult and Older Adult Services serve residents of San Mateo County age 18 years and older with severe functional impairments due to a serious mental illness and/or multiple co-occurring substance use, medical, and/or developmental disorders.
• The Adult Psychiatric Social Worker/Marriage and Family Therapists are integral members of a multi-disciplinary team, providing a broad range of psychosocial interventions to improve the quality of life of the client.

Please view the online brochure for a detailed description of BHRS Adult Programs/Positions/Adult & Youth combined positions and current vacancies.

• San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS), Child and Youth Services, provides a broad spectrum of Trauma Informed mental health and substance use services for children, youth, and families focusing on prevention, early intervention, and treatment of youth diagnosed as Severely Emotionally Disturbed (SED) and/or substance use disorders. We provide services through specialty teams, outpatient clinics, schools, and field-based teams in Daly City, San Mateo, Half Moon Bay, Redwood City, and East Palo Alto.
• BHRS also provides services through a network of community agencies and independent providers who offer outpatient and wraparound services. BHRS supports the treatment of the whole person to achieve wellness and recovery and to promote the health and well-being of the people, families, and communities we serve.
• Additionally for Residential Youth Treatment at Canyon Oaks Youth Center (COYC), Community Care Licensing requires providers working in this facility to maintain 40 hours of annual training related to the field, most of which are provided by the facility. Clinicians will also be trained in the Professional Assault Crisis Training Model (Pro-Act) upon hire.

Please view the online brochure for a detailed description of BHRS Youth Programs/Positions/combined Youth & Adult positions and current vacancies.

NOTE: We are in particular need of Bilingual Clinicians. There is a Bilingual pay differential for Bilingual Required positions of $90 bi-weekly in addition to the salary.
The ideal candidates will possess:

• A current license as either a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Marriage and Family Therapist;
• Solid clinical treatment, assessment, diagnostic, and evaluation skills;
• Knowledge of principles, techniques, and trends in counseling, psychotherapy, clinical case management, crisis management, and various treatment modalities;
• Experience providing treatment for adults and youth with serious mental illness;
• Experience delivering services to adult and/or youth consumers who have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders;
• Experience delivering services in specialty areas for adults and older adults and/or infants, children, youth, adolescents, and/or transitional-age youth;
• Excellent documentation skills: progress notes, assessments, client care plans, etc.;
• Demonstrated expertise, skill, and interest in working with a broad range of clients of diverse cultures and backgrounds, such as Latino, Pacific Islander, African American, and LGBTQ, and an ability to provide culturally appropriate and proficient services;
• Skill in establishing and maintaining productive working relationships with families, co-workers, other professionals, collaborative partners, and the public;
• Extensive knowledge of available community resources within the County of San Mateo and its neighboring counties;
• Experience using electronic health/medical record systems (e.g. AVATAR, SOARIAN);
• Fluency in any of the threshold languages: Spanish, Tagalog, Chinese (Cantonese/Mandarin), or Russian; and experience providing clinical services using bilingual skills;
• Ability to participate in an on-call rotation and respond to after-hours calls (Youth Services Center);
• Ability to participate in an on-call rotation and respond to after-hours calls from Psychiatric Emergency Services (Youth Case Management).
• If not yet registered with the BBS as an AMFT or ACSW, will have submitted their application (documentation must be attached) and have at least one year in an internship in a county run behavioral health setting in good standing.

Additionally, for Residential Youth Treatment:

• Knowledge of the principles of Trauma Informed Care;
• Experience working in a multi-disciplinary setting.

NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.
Qualifications
Licensure/Certification:

• Psychiatric Social Worker I: Registration with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Clinical Social Worker. If an individual is not registered with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Clinical Social Worker at the time of hire, they must have submitted the application, and must obtain and provide the registration number within 90 days of hire. An individual hired in this classification must become licensed within six years from the date of employment as a Clinical Social Worker issued by the State of California within three years of appointment.
• Psychiatric Social Worker II: Current California license as a Clinical Social Worker.

• Marriage and Family Therapist I: Registration with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. If an individual is not registered with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at the time of hire, they must have submitted the application, and must obtain and provide the registration number within 90 days of hire. An individual hired in this classification must become licensed within six years from the date of employment as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California.
• Marriage and Family Therapist II: Current California license as a Marriage and Family Therapist.

Special Requirements:

• Individuals in this classification assigned to an on-site school program are required to meet any specialized requirements (i.e., Pupil Personnel Services credential) as stipulated by federal and state laws and regulations.
• Individuals assigned to Canyon Oaks Youth Center, must have the ability to complete 40 hours of mandated training annually.

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is a Master's degree in Social Work, Social Welfare or a closely related field.

Knowledge of:

• Current philosophy, principles, Trauma Informed Care and other Evidence Based Practices for services to clients with serious mental illness.
• Individual, group and family psychodynamics as they relate to adults or youth.
• Psychological diagnostic methods and terminology.
• Personality development from infancy through adulthood.
• Human and health services systems in the County including private agencies and other community resources.

Skill/Ability to:

• Provide treatment to adults, children or adolescents with various mental health issues ranging from serious mental illness to individuals with histories of trauma.
• Set realistic treatment goals and facilitate their attainment.
• Evaluate the degree of mental health issues of clients.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Provide consultation and technical assistance to agencies, schools and other organizations.
• Work collectively within a multi-disciplinary team.

Application/Examination

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra-help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score.

Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.

EXAMINATION/SELECTION PROCESSThe examination process will consist of an application screening based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

This is a continuous recruitment which may close at any time. The final filing date will be posted 5 days in advance in the San Mateo County Human Resources Department.

Apply immediately. This recruitment is open on a continuous basis and selections may be made at any time within the process.