A Mental or Behavioral Health Counselor works with patients to treat mental health problems. Assesses patients and assists with diagnosis, counseling and crisis intervention. Consults with nurses, doctors and psychiatrists. May work with specific populations, such as youth, senior citizens or substance abusers, in group settings, facilities or hospitals.
Qualified candidates will be notified of the testing date five days prior to the oral examination.
EXAMINATION
Oral Exam (Weight 100%): Will be conducted for the purpose of appraising the applicant's training, education, experience, interest and personal fitness for the position. The Human Resources Division may solely conduct an appraisal of application materials should there be an insufficient number of candidates to warrant an oral examination. Applicants must attain at least a 70% score on each phase of the examination process.
Minimum Qualifications/ Employment Standards:
Level I:
Licensure in the State of California as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Marriage and Family Therapist or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor AND one (1) year full-time supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting. OR Master's Degree from an accredited college or university, with a major in Psychology, Sociology, Counseling, Social Work or a related field AND registered with the State of California as an Associate Clinical Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Intern or Pre-Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor AND . two (2) years full-time supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting providing direct counseling or direct psychotherapy. Failure to maintain a current and valid registration may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. A California license as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) must be obtained within six (6) years of initial registration. OR Completion of all Psychology doctoral coursework and completion of a Psychology Internship from an Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) program AND one (1) year postdoctoral supervised professional experience. Pre-doctoral psychology candidates cannot be employed to provide mental health services unless they obtain a Mental Health Professional Licensing Waiver from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). A waiver granted may not exceed five years from the date of initial issuance of waiver. A California license as a Licensed Psychologist must be obtained within five (5) years from the initial date of issuance of Mental Health Professional Licensing Waiver to continue to qualify to perform mental health services under this job description.
Level II:
Licensure in the State of California as a Clinical Psychologist and one (1) year full-time experience in supervisory, administrative or consultative capacity. OR Licensure in the State of California as a Physician, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT), or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) AND two (2) years full-time supervised clinical experience in a psychiatric setting or a mental health program, one (1) year of which must have been in a supervisory, administrative or consultative capacity. OR Licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) AND four (4) years full-time nursing experience in a psychiatric setting or a mental health program, two (2) years of which must have been in a supervisory, administrative or consultative capacity. OR Licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) AND two (2) years full-time nursing experience in a psychiatric setting or a mental health program, one (1) year of which must have been in a supervisory, administrative or consultative capacity AND possess and maintain a valid American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification in Psychiatric or Mental Health Nursing. Failure to maintain a current and valid certification may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Level I and Level II:
Dependent upon assignment, applicants maybe required to pass an extensive background investigation and be fingerprinted. Disqualification for felony, misdemeanor, and traffic offenses will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. A valid California Class "C" Driver's License is required at the time of appointment. Please ensure applicable materials are attached to your application. If you are unable to attach application materials to your application, you may deliver a copy to the Human Resources Division at 1115 Truxtun Ave. First Floor, Bakersfield, CA 93301 or email HR@kerncounty.com.
Full Job Description:
Behavioral Health Unit Supervisor I Full Job Description:
Behavioral Health Unit Supervisor II This position works within the Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Department. For more information about the department, please view their website h ere . Kern County employees provide opportunities that are purposeful to our community. Every employee and every action contributes to the improvement and strengthening of our county. To learn more about Kern County, click here or follow us: Growth Mindset We always encourage our employees to grow and develop. Kern County has a culture of innovation that allows employees to explore creative and more efficient ways to accomplish their work. We provide access to training and continued professional development in an effort to ensure that our employees have opportunities for career growth. Admittance to the examination will require a valid government issued photograph identification. Applicants who are unable to present proper identification must make arrangements with the Human Resources Division prior to the test date. Bilingual (English/Spanish) applicants are encouraged to apply. Applicants must submit a bilingual (English/Spanish) certificate before the final filing deadline. Applicants who wish to be considered for bilingual employment must submit a bilingual certificate issued by the Kern County Human Resources Division or its authorized agent, Bakersfield College. Access the following website for information about where to obtain a qualifying certificate: https://www.bakersfieldcollege.edu/cte/bilingual-testing . Employees who occupy positions designated as bilingual are paid dependent upon the required level of proficiency. A background check may be conducted for this classification. Following an offer of employment, you may be required to submit to post offer medical and drug screening tests at County expense. This examination will establish an eligible list from which immediate appointment(s) will be made. Other permanent and temporary appointments will be made as needed. Successful candidates will remain on the eligible list for a period of twelve-months, unless specified otherwise by the Civil Service Commission. Candidates are encouraged to indicate acceptable geographical locations in which they would accept employment on their application form. Candidates MUST be willing to travel to these locations (areas/district offices). For more information regarding Kern County's recruitment process, please see our FAQ page . Kern County is an ADA compliant and an equal opportunity employer and encourages all qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply.
