ASCEND Clinician: Pre-licensed Associate AMFT, APCC, or Master's level trainee enrolled in a BBS-recognized practicum

Salary: $70,720 (annually) Grant based

Are you looking for ways to grow as a therapist, to strengthen your skills and expand your network?  

Join our team of passionate change-makers and advance health equity across Santa Cruz County! Gain hours towards licensure, receive quality supervision and training, and create a lasting difference in our community. Encompass offers endless opportunities for professional growth with multiple paths toward your future career. 

About Us: 

Encompass Community Services provides our Santa Cruz community – from San Lorenzo Valley to Watsonville - with nearly 40 health and human services programs that support youth and families, early childhood education, behavioral health, housing, and more. We work every day to make health, education, and housing equitable for all people in Santa Cruz County. For nearly 50 years, our work has touched generations by helping people access education, rebuild relationships, restore their health and wellness, and regain dignity. 

We take pride in offering comprehensive training and professional development opportunities each year for all clinical team members including (but not limited to): 

• Motivation Interviewing 

• Trauma-Informed Care Practices 

• Community Resiliency Model 

• Mindfulness-Based Therapy Practices 

• Crisis Intervention and De-escalation 

• Cultural/Racial Awareness and Equity 

We provide excellent clinical supervision and support for clinicians earning their hours towards licensure including weekly individual and group supervisions. Our clinical supervisors are highly experienced and qualified licensed CA BBS therapists who are passionate about their role in supporting clinicians new to the mental health field. 

Our guiding philosophy in Encompass ASCEND emphasizes compassion, respect, and collaboration with the intention of creating conditions that allow youth and families to feel valued and engaged throughout their service experience. We promote health and well-being by offering guided opportunities to acquire the skills and resources necessary to build self-esteem, establish healthy relationships, and make positive life choices. 

We are committed to the following core values:  

• Client-Centered – Collaborative and respectful of individual needs, and values of each client 

• Culturally Responsive – Respectful and responsive to the values and cultural framework of diverse populations 

• Strength-Based – Recognizing and building upon client strengths, resources, and resilience 

• Trauma-Informed – Understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of trauma and the need for safety and choice in the client’s treatment

JOB SUMMARY: 

The ASCEND Program is a youth diversion program funded through Proposition 47 and designed to support youth ages 12-17 who have been cited or arrested for nonviolent offenses. The program provides an alternative to deeper involvement in the juvenile justice system by focusing on accountability, skill development, and positive behavioral change.

Services are delivered by a multidisciplinary team consisting of youth specialists, a school liaison, and a clinician. Together, the team works collaboratively with youth and their families to address the factors contributing to the youth involvement with law enforcement, strengthen connections to school and community supports, and promote long-term success.

Our Encompass ASCEND Program is currently hiring for a clinician with experience working with adolescents and families. This clinical position provides a combination of remote telehealth services and in-person services at our clinic or in the community. Services include comprehensive MH and SUD assessments, client-centered treatment planning, individual and family short-term therapy, and case management.  

This position is full-time, Monday through Friday, during typical business hours with some evening hours required to accommodate ASCEND events and family scheduling needs. This position is salaried to promote flexibility to manage weekly work schedules and options for working remotely with provided electronic mobile devices. We promote connectivity and support as a team through team meetings.  

Essential to this position are excellent organizational skills, time management skills, and ability to work collaboratively with other service providers.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Provide short-term mental health and/or substance use services to youth and families through telehealth, office-based or community-based settings, ensuring accessible and individualized support tailored to their needs

• Maintain appropriate and timely documentation including progress notes and assessments
• Work closely with ASCEND team to provide coordinated care

• Represent the agency in a professional and collaborative manner that fosters positive working relationships with other agencies and agency representatives.    

Required Qualifications: 

• Master's Degree in Counseling or Psychology and registration with the BBS as AMFT, APCC or Masters level Trainee participating in a BBS-qualifying practicum placement

• Clinical experience with diverse populations including established competency and experience in specialized areas of adolescent and family counseling.   

• Effective verbal and written communication skills  

• Computer literacy including proficiency in Microsoft Office

• Proof of citizenship or right to work in the United States  

• Criminal Record Clearance before hire.  

• Valid Driver’s License and vehicle insurance  

Wages & Benefits: 

We prioritize the well-being of our team as much as the community we serve. Our comprehensive health benefits reflect this commitment. We offer full-time employees medical and dental insurance plan that ensures peace of mind for themselves and their families. We go beyond traditional care by also offering our employees acupuncture and chiropractic, embracing a holistic approach to health that aligns with our values of care and compassion.     

Our team’s future matters just as much as the present. That’s why we offer a 403(b) retirement plan, providing a foundation for a secure retirement. We also recognize the need for work-life balance, so Encompass offers a competitive package of 17 vacation days, 12 sick days, and 14 additional paid holidays. These benefits are thoughtfully pro-rated for part-time positions, affirming our commitment to fairness and flexibility. 

Salary : $70,720