Behavioral Health Clinician - Citywide

Job Description

Under general supervision, the 2930 Behavioral Health Clinician performs essential duties that include, but are not limited to the following:

• Assesses prospective clients and their significant others/families for psychiatric services by interviewing clients; reviewing pertinent factors such as: reasons for referral, perception of personal problems, psychosocial history, environment, physical health, culture and motivation for treatment; advising clients about confidentiality and scope of services; developing and coordinating treatment plans to determine effective use of rehabilitative mental health services;
• Analyzes data by obtaining information through interviews, psychological/medical reports and previous psychiatric history to determine the appropriateness of referral and make recommendations for the disposition of each case;
• Compiles and maintains client records by preparing written/electronic documentation, charts, statistical data, periodic reports, forms, and billing/entitlement information to enhance treatment programs and collection of revenue, ensure proper compliance with legal provisions, including mandatory reporting, and expedite timely access to services;
• Establishes and maintains professional relationships by collaborating with other service providers (e.g. nurses, primary care providers with probation and child welfare, psychologists, teachers, lawyers, physicians) to consult on medical, psychiatric  and psychosocial issues; attends staff meetings/conferences with other agencies/teams to solve problems, coordinate care. If appropriate, serve as a member of a multi-disciplinary team;
• Develops and implements comprehensive treatment plan aimed at wellness and recovery by engaging clients in appropriate treatment modalities (e.g. individual, group, collateral crisis intervention); at successive intervals to observe and analyze changes to determine success in treatment goals to help reduce and improve targeted community functionality;
• Provides individual, group family (including other significant support systems) psychotherapy, crisis intervention, outreach services, culturally competent interventions, case management and rehabilitation to clients enrolled in behavioral health services;
• Refers clients to appropriate community resources services such as mental health consumer service providers, self-help organizations, medical care, vocational rehab and substance abuse services to integrate clinical and practical interventions; actively manages caseload by maximizing use of resources to meet client needs;
• Advocates for accessibility and improved services for individual clients/groups by identifying client needs, provides input in developing treatment/program models, interfacing with administration and intra-agency contacts;
• Participates and contributes to Quality Improvement activities at local sites and system levels; and
• May supervise support staff such as Health Workers.
• The 2930 Behavioral Health Clinician performs related duties as required.

Nature of  work requires carrying out and explaining established methods and procedures to applicants, recipients and others; achieving economies and/or preventing losses through careful and judicious interpretations of various legal provisions, methods and procedures in recommending assistance; making regular contacts with applicants, recipients, their families and others concerned, also with employees, other departments and outside organizations; gathering, compiling and reviewing important detailed psychiatric financial, personal and confidential information.

Nature of duties involves occasional exposure to accident hazards and disagreeable elements in dealing with mentally ill and emotionally disturbed persons.

Please note that incumbents in this classification may be required to perform duties as listed in the class specification, which can be found on DHR’s website: https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/

Qualifications

⚠️Required Before Applying⚠️

Minimum Qualifications
Possession of a valid license issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) for either:

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
  OR
• Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW)
  OR
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
  OR
• Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT)
  OR
• Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)
  OR
• Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC)

Verification of Education and Experience: 

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications.   

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education or experience verification is required, information on how to verify education and experience requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education/. 

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. 

Additional Information

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following. 

Training and Experience Examination: (Weight 100%)
The Training and Experience Examination (forms.gle/dnTvgHKUPyUVSMSQ8) that is linked in this job ad is a required part of the application. It measures knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in job-related areas which may include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of pertinent laws and regulations; decision-making; Knowledge of principles of psychiatric case management; Knowledge of clinical methods; Knowledge of appropriate resources; Knowledge of basic personnel policy and practices; Self-protection/assessment; Written communication skills; Oral communication skills.

Candidates must achieve a passing score on the T&E exam in order to continue in the selection process and will be placed on the confidential eligible list in rank order according to their final score. 

Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions. 

Certification
The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be the Rule of List.

Eligible List/Score Report: 

A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission. 

Candidate names will remain on the list for a maximum period of 12 months. Candidates who are not selected and expire off the list may re-apply. 

To find Departments which use this classification, please see the city’s Position Counts by Job Codes and Departments.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights: 

Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods, and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state, or local laws, rules, or regulations. [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.]  

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 110.4. Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement. Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications, and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at https://sf.gov/departments/civil-service-commission 

Additional information regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:  

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Where to Apply 

All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/ to begin your application process.  

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment. Please consider using a personal email address that you check regularly rather than a work or school account. 

Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110. 

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues. 

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from [email protected] that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.  

Your application will be active for the duration of the eligible period listed above. You do not need to reapply during this period. 

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst, Hanz Pagao-Geppert (she/her/hers), at [email protected] or (628) 271-6839.

We may use text messaging to communicate with you at the phone number provided in your application. By applying, you accept the Trust and Privacy Policy, and you may opt out of text messaging anytime. 

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.