Salary : $80,679.78 - $124,412.59 Annually
Location : Riverside
Job Type: Regular
Job Number: 26-79747-01JH
Department: Behavioral Health
Division: MH Det - Southwest
Opening Date: 11/09/2026
Closing Date: 11/16/2026 5:00 PM Pacific
For questions regarding this position, please contact the Recruiter listed in the Supplemental Information section.
ABOUT THE POSITION
Senior Clinical Therapist - Behavioral Health Detention
Robert Presley Detention CenterRiverside, CA
The Riverside University Health System - Behavioral Health Department has an opening for a Senior Clinical Therapist position with the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta. Behavioral Health Detention provides mental health services to those who are incarcerated in an effort to reduce recidivism. This role will primarily provide clinical supervision to unlicensed staff and act as a lead therapist. The incumbent's duties and responsibilities will include but are not limited to providing supervision and oversight over clinical assessments, treatment plans and screenings. The position will provide oversight for crisis intervention, risk assessments and 5150 assessments.
Under direction, performs the full range of therapeutic assignments related to the field of mental or behavioral health services and psychiatric social work in a detention facility, which includes the design and implementation of personalized treatment plans, individual and group psychotherapy, evaluations and investigations, and professional counseling, as applicable by professional licensing law, in order to meet the needs of inmates in a detention facility with behavioral or emotional disorders; and performs other related duties as required.
The Senior Clinical Therapist - Detention is the lead/advanced journey level of the Clinical Therapist series. Incumbents in this classification will be assigned, and expected to work in one of the five adult detention facilities (this specifically excludes those incumbents assigned to the Mental Health Court Program) throughout the County of Riverside, Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, Indio Jail, or the Blythe Jail.
Senior Clinical Therapists include the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). The Senior Clinical Therapist - Detention class has responsibility for providing clinical supervision, according to licensure and training, over unlicensed clinical staff. This classification is also responsible for performing, within the scope of licensure, the full range of psychotherapy and counseling services for inmates exhibiting a variety of behavioral health and related disorders in a detention facility. Assignments range from moderately difficult to the most complex and include serving in a lead capacity over, and providing consultative support to, other behavioral health treatment staff.
The Senior Clinical Therapist - Detention classification is distinguished from the class of Behavioral Health Services Supervisor - Detention in that the latter class is the first line supervisor responsible for the planning or implementation of specialized behavioral health services in a detention facility. The Senior Clinical Therapist - Detention is further distinguished from the Clinical Therapist II - Detention in that the former is the lead level and may provide extensive clinical supervision, according to licensure and training, over unlicensed clinical staff.
In addition to the base pay, Clinical Therapists assigned to DETENTION positions receive an hourly differential of 20%. This differential applies to all hours worked, which is any regular or overtime hours worked up to 80 hours per pay period (it does not apply to the use of leave balances). Please note this differential is temporary and can be removed at any time.
This position will work a 9/80 schedule from 7am to 4:30pm, possible one 1 weekend day every other week.
Incumbent are also required to complete a level one Sheriff background clearance.
Incumbents in this classification are eligible to receive a forensic mental health differential of 8.3% per hour worked.
Bilingual Spanish is preferred and may be eligible for an added differential.
The certification list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill other future Behavioral Health Service Supervisor vacancies within Behavioral Health that may occur in the coming weeks.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Provide extensive clinical supervision to unlicensed clinicians, within the scope of licensure.
• Monitor fidelity and provide clinical supervision and coaching for evidence based treatment models.
• Develop behavioral health related training curriculum and conduct training for clinical therapists and other departmental staff.
• Conduct clinical and quality improvement chart audits.
• Coordinate clinical decisions in response to operational demands.
• Conduct clinical discussions regarding complex or difficult cases.
• Act as a casework consultant to other clinical therapists and departmental staff.
• Provide guidance to volunteers and staff.
• Serve as liaison with other sections, units, services, and agencies.
• Participate in behavioral health conferences and local area committees.
• Interview inmates, relatives, and other involved persons to gather personal and social data relevant to assessing behavioral or emotional disorders.
• Develop service plans with inmates; evaluate psychological, economic, vocational, educational, physical, health, socialization, and housing needs.
• Coordinate with other staff members (psychiatrists, psychologists, and other program staff) and community agencies in carrying out and designing treatment or rehabilitation plans.
• Assist inmates and other concerned individuals in understanding the nature of major psychological illnesses and their psychosocial effects.
• Assist inmates and their families in understanding and choosing options of behavioral health treatment.
• Initiate and conduct individual, collateral, group, and family therapy sessions.
• Perform specialized tasks including involuntary hospitalization procedures (5150) and Tarasoff assessments.
• Establish and maintain effective contact with local area behavioral health resources, including community members, parents, schools, residential facilities, and other agencies/organizations.
• Prepare reports and write correspondence.
• Respond to emergencies, within licensure, which may occur within the detention facility.
• Coordinate the flow of information and clinical data to ensure continuity in treatment or shift.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Experience: Two years of post-license professional experience in a psychiatric or behavioral health setting providing direct client services which must have included: client assessment and evaluation, development and implementation of appropriate treatment plans, providing psychotherapy or behavioral health counseling, and providing indirect services involving information, consultation, and educational services to staff and community.
AND
License: Possession of a valid license to practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Professional Clinical Counselor, or Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California. Candidates recruited from out-of-state must possess an out-of-state license to practice in one of the options above and shall obtain their license to practice as issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences within three years of date of hire. During the interim three years, the incumbent shall be eligible for a Mental Health Professional Licensing Waiver Request approved by the State of California Health and Human Services Agency.
Candidates qualifying with the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor option must have completed additional education and training as defined below:
1) Six semester units or nine quarter units specifically focused on the theory and application of marriage and family therapy, OR a named specialization or emphasis area on the qualifying degree in marriage and family therapy, marital and family therapy, marriage, family, and child counseling, or couple and family therapy;
2) No less than 500 hours of documented supervised experience working directly with couples, families, or children; and
3) A minimum of six hours of continuing education specific to marriage and family therapy, completed in each license renewal cycle.
Knowledge of: Psychological aspects of physical and emotional disturbances and mental deficiencies; characteristics of emotional and behavioral disorders including their effect on the individual in the community; behavioral health local community resources and community support systems; principles of clinical interviewing and methods of recording inmate information; individual licensing law and the scope of professional practice governed by the same; laws, rules, and regulations of publicly operated health and welfare programs; principles and techniques for making psychosocial assessments.
Ability to: Effectively apply the principles and techniques of clinical therapy, including a variety of treatment modalities; analyze inmate behavior and apply treatment or counseling techniques in a coordinated care social rehabilitation environment; speak and write effectively; provide crisis intervention; prepare clear and concise reports and interpret data; work effectively with a multicultural inmate and family population with diverse backgrounds and needs; establish and maintain effective working relationships with inmates, their families, other staff members, and behavioral health organizations/ agencies; provide work direction and training to staff; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other professionals and work as part of a multidisciplinary team; communicate the goals and objectives of the County's mental and behavioral health services to members of the community and other interested individuals; consult with and assist in the professional development and supervision of unlicensed clinical therapists, within the scope of appropriate licensure, and other behavioral health support staff.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Veteran's Preference
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouse's death certificate, a letter of spouse's disability and/or letter of service-related death (if available) from the U.S. Veteran's Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 here:
Schedule, Overtime, Standby/On-Call, and Travel Obligations
The County of Riverside offers a variety of alternative work schedules, dependent upon department operations and needs. Certain assignments may involve overtime, standby/on-call shifts, and/or travel; however, scheduling, shift assignments, overtime work, standby/on-call duty, and travel obligations are subject to management approval, operational needs, and/or may be modified or discontinued at any time. Applicants should contact the assigned recruiter for additional information regarding the schedule, overtime and standby/on-call expectations, and travel obligations.
Proof of Education
If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.
If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services () or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ().
Work Authorization Requirement
