The County of San Diego is currently accepting job applications for Licensed Mental Health Clinical (LMHC). The LMHC is a full-time, on-site position. This eligible list will be used to fill immediate and future vacancies in the Department of the Public Defender. The Department of the Public Defender provides quality legal assistance to individuals charged with a crime in state court who are financially unable to retain private counsel. Click HEREto learn more about the department. 

Licensed Mental Health Clinicians working in the Office of Public Defender will work collaboratively with Deputy Public Defenders to develop treatment and release plans for a diverse group of clients in custody. Incumbents will provide behavioral/mental health services for justice involved individuals, such as case consultation with attorneys/public defender staff/justice partners, screenings, assessments, court advocacy, and discharge planning. Incumbents will work within a law firm and are expected to assess clients in a variety of settings including adult and juvenile detention facilities, hospital, and community settings for the purpose of care coordination and linkage to outpatient clinics, case management, day treatment.

Specific job functions include:

1. Clinically evaluates and assesses the nature and extent of an individual's condition using psychosocial case histories, psychological test results, educational assessment tools, and additional available resources.
2. As a member of the defense team, Licensed Mental Health Clinicians will consult with attorneys regarding assessments, clinician determinations, mitigation, and treatment recommendations for the defense of the client’s criminal case.
3. May make recommendations to Superior Court judges, attorneys, probation officers, and other justice partners regarding appropriate treatment recommendations and discharge plans from carceral settings.

Incumbents may work weekends, evening hours, and possibility for overtime.

 ***Effective September 9, 2022, this hard to recruit position qualifies for the Employee Referral Reward Program. If a current County of San Diego employee referred you to apply for this position, please indicate the employee’s name on your job application in the space provided. ***

1. A master's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency in counseling, social work, or a closely related field or doctorate degree in psychology; AND,
2. At least two (2) years of full-time, post master's degree experience working in a mental health program providing counseling and crisis intervention, under clinical supervision; AND,
3. Licensure by the State of California as a LCSW, MFT, LPCC, or Clinical Psychologist.

NOTES: 

A National Provider Identification Number (NPI) is required at time of employment.

The Department of Human Resources removes personally identifiable information from all recruitments. This practice, called Blind Applicant Screening, hides a candidate’s personal information that could influence or bias a hiring decision. Personal information includes name, phone number, address, gender, age and race. This process helps contribute to a fair and equitable selection process leading to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
 
The most highly qualified candidates, based on the evaluation results, will be referred for an interview. Be sure to include your experience in meeting the minimum requirements in both the Work Experience section and the Supplemental Questionnaire section of the Application.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application Work History and/or supplemental questionnaire.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT

As part of the County of San Diego’s pre-employment process, prospective candidates will undergo a background check (including fingerprinting) and a pre-employment medical screening prior to beginning County employment. Current County employees may be excluded from additional background screening.
 EVALUATION PROCESS:

Qualified applicants will be placed on a six (6) month eligible list based on scores received during the evaluation of information contained on their employment application and supplemental questionnaire. Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you give will be scored using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in the initial screening process, your application will be reviewed individually to confirm that the information you provided is accurate and qualifying.

NOTES: 

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable a qualified individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions of a job on a case-by-case basis.

As an employer of over 19,000 employees, the County of San Diego is an organization committed to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development. We recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by our veterans and value the unique expertise and leadership qualities they bring to our workforce. We strive to provide veterans with the resources and tools necessary to maximize their employment opportunities, and to assist veterans with their transition into civilian life by applying the valuable skills, knowledge and training acquired in service to positions and career paths at all levels within our large organization. Click on the resource links below to learn more about how the County of San Diego supports its veterans.
 
Veteran’s Preference PolicyThe County of San Diego offerspreferential credits for military service to assist qualified applicants in transitioning from military to civilian careers with the County of San Diego.
 
 Military Skills Translator Do you need assistance translating your military experience into civilian experience? This tool can help!
 
 Under California Government Code Sections 3100 - 3109, public employees are designated as disaster service workers. The term "public employees" includes all persons employed by the state or any county, city, state agency, or public district. Disaster service workers are required to participate in such disaster service activities as may be assigned to them by their employer or by law.

The County of San Diego is committed to valuing diversity and practicing inclusion because our diverse workforce is our greatest asset and our customers are our number one priority.