What are the responsibilities and job description for the Homeless Outreach Mental Health Specialist position at San Bernardino County?
The Office of Homeless Services invites qualified individuals to apply for the position of Homeless Outreach Mental Health Specialist*. Mental Health Specialists assist licensed professional staff in assessing, planning, and providing mental health services in field, clinic, institutional, and community settings. Mental Health Specialists provide crisis intervention and case management services; link clients to community resources; help clients solve problems with housing, employment, and education; make placement arrangements; and advocate for client needs. Incumbents conduct outreach to promote and link individuals experiencing homelessness to mental health education programs and services; assist with recognizing and improving personal, home, family, or community environments contributing to mental health and/or substance use struggles; lead activity and task groups; and conduct individual/group counseling sessions.
Duties may include but are not limited to:
- Outreach: Conduct field-based outreach to provide mental health services to individuals experiencing homelessness, with sensitivity and respect for diverse backgrounds and life experiences.
- Case Management: Conduct interviews with the unhoused population to determine needs and initiate appropriate referrals. Maintain case files, prepare reports, document client contacts, referrals, and progress in accordance with program guidelines. Ensure timely, accurate completion of paperwork while prioritizing client engagement and service delivery.
- Coordinated Care: Support individuals in accessing housing, medical care, behavioral health treatment, and other supportive services. Facilitate warm hand-offs and referrals to behavioral health services, including mental health and substance use disorder programs. Collaborate with case management teams and local service providers to coordinate care and promote client-centered service delivery. Assist in providing temporary relief and crisis management services for individuals experiencing homelessness, ensuring access to emergency shelter, food, and other resources. Offer stabilization and follow-up support as needed.
- Treatment Planning: Under the direction of licensed professional clinical staff, provides supportive counseling and assists in assessments and treatment planning; may plan and implement specific aspects under supervision. Assist individuals and families in recognizing dysfunctional behaviors and in taking corrective action by developing service plans, treatment plans, goals and objectives; locate and arrange to utilize community resources; provide counseling to identify alternatives and encourage behavior modification.
- Community Resource Education: Aids community organizers or groups in recognizing and evaluating community conditions which contribute to mental health problems and stimulate community interest in correcting these conditions. Assist in developing mental health education programs and activities; make presentations pertaining to social issues, rules and regulations of housing or social service programs; explain the process of obtaining services.
- Crisis Response: Provide short term crisis intervention to address immediate needs; Respond promptly to time-sensitive incidents by driving either a personal or county vehicle to remote or distant locations as required, ensuring timely resolution and support based on the nature and urgency of the situation.
*Official Job Title: Mental Health Specialist
For additional details, please refer to the Mental Health Specialist job description.
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EXCELLENT BENEFITS
To review job-specific benefits, refer to:
Benefits by Occupational Unit (BbOU) Summary
Benefits by Occupational Unit (BbOU) Summary
Employee Benefits
County Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Field-Based Outreach: Incumbents must be able to travel/work outside of the office frequently to visit clients in the field and other settings to perform complete needs assessments and be able to visually observe injuries and the client's environment as mandated by the State.
Travel: Travel throughout the County is required. A valid California Class C Driver License is required to carry out the essential job-related functions of this position (mileage reimbursement is available at current IRS rates). A clean driving record and proof of automobile liability insurance must be maintained.
Travel: Travel throughout the County is required. A valid California Class C Driver License is required to carry out the essential job-related functions of this position (mileage reimbursement is available at current IRS rates). A clean driving record and proof of automobile liability insurance must be maintained.
Pre-Employment Process: Prior to appointment, applicants must pass a background investigation, which includes fingerprinting, credit check, and/or medical exam, which may include drug and/or TB testing.
Sponsorship: San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require visa sponsorship at the time of application or in the future. Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or a permanent U.S. resident.
| EDUCATION: | Fifteen (15) semester (23 quarter) units of completed coursework from an accredited institution in English, education, business/public administration, communication, liberal arts, social/behavioral science or a closely related field. A copy of legible transcripts MUST be provided if the applicant does not possess a completed associate's degree or higher in one of the qualifying fields listed. |
| --AND-- | |
| EXPERIENCE: | Applicants must meet one (1) of the following experience options: |
| Option 1: | Six (6) months of full-time equivalent experience providing social/human services with primary responsibility for: interviewing and gathering personal information; case management; providing resources and referral coordination; and/or performing non-clinical counseling or crisis intervention. Experience must include routine or reoccurring field-based homeless outreach. |
| Option 2: | Eighteen (18) months of full-time equivalent clerical experience in a homeless services, housing, substance abuse, or behavioral health program or department which included field-based homeless outreach and/or frequent, regular contact with individuals experiencing homelessness (e.g., receiving/checking in clients, advocating for clients, scheduling appointments for clients, etc.). |
| Education Substitution: | An additional six (6) months of qualifying experience may substitute for the education requirement. |
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Coursework: Psychiatric Technician or Alcohol and Drug (AOD) Certificate courses completed as part of a vocational program are acceptable and will be evaluated for equivalent units. Transcripts and/or proof of certificate must be attached to the application for consideration.
MLA: Completion of the San Bernardino County Management Leadership Academy (MLA) program will be accepted toward the required coursework on the basis of four (4) quarter units of credit per MLA track completed.
Transcripts: Transcripts must be attached to the application if applicants do not have a completed associate's degree or above in a qualifying field of study. If the field of study is not listed, transcripts must be attached for review of qualifying coursework. Qualifying degrees or coursework must be completed at a college or university accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education.
International Coursework: Degrees or coursework completed outside of the U.S. must be accompanied by an evaluation report from a reputable credential evaluation service indicating equivalency to degrees or coursework completed at a college or university accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education. Proof of the required completed coursework and/or degree(s) will be required at the time of the interview.
Mental Health Specialists must have strong interpersonal skills enabling them to work positively and compassionately with clients of various backgrounds who may be experiencing difficult life circumstances and stressors such as homelessness, illness, behavioral health issues, or family crises. Crisis intervention experience is highly desirable. Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and ability to learn/use departmental computer systems is a plus.
The ideal candidate will have experience in the following areas in a homeless services program environment:
- Collaboration Across Departments & Organizations: Experience coordinating efforts across various county departments and entities to support homeless individuals and families.
- Conflict Resolution and Client Management: Proven ability to manage challenging interactions with homeless clients, using de-escalation techniques with a compassionate, professional approach to resolve conflicts and reach positive outcomes.
- Client Engagement & Responsibility: Experience employing strategies that help re-engage clients who may struggle with following through with housing commitments and responsibilities; providing support and motivation in reaching housing stability and self-sufficiency.
- Building & Maintaining Relationships with Service Providers: Ability to build positive and collaborative working relationships with local organizations and stakeholders to enhance service delivery and improve client outcomes.
- Empathy, Trust, & Direct Service: Ability to build rapport and maintain a client-centered approach in every interaction; understanding the importance of empathy and trust when working with individuals experiencing homelessness.
Evaluation Procedure: There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on a review of the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire; therefore, it is to your advantage to provide as much relevant and detailed work experience in the work experience section of your application. Resumes will not be reviewed.
Veterans’ Preference: Eligible veterans and their spouse or widow(er) who are not current County employees may be awarded additional Veterans’ Preference points. Please review the Veteran's Preference Policy for information and instructions to request Veteran's Preference points.
For Important Applicant Information, Review the County Employment Process.
Application Procedure:
Complete and submit the online employment application and supplemental questionnaire by 5:00 PM, Friday, June 5, 2026.To ensure timely and successful submission of your online application, please allow ample time to complete and submit your application before the posted filing deadline. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted the application and all required materials prior to the posted deadline. Once your application has been successfully submitted you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email. We recommend that you save and/or print these for your records. Please note, if you do not receive an onscreen confirmation and an email acknowledging our receipt of your application, we have not received your application.
If you require technical assistance, please click on the following link to review the Government Jobs online application guide or contact their Toll-Free Applicant Support line at (855) 524-5627. Please note that Human Resources is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by the internet connection, computer or browser used to submit the application.
EEO/ADA: San Bernardino County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant employer, committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants.
ADA Accommodation: If you have a disability and require accommodations in the testing process, submit the Special Testing Accommodations Request Form within one week of a recruitment filing deadline.
ADA Accommodation: If you have a disability and require accommodations in the testing process, submit the Special Testing Accommodations Request Form within one week of a recruitment filing deadline.
Veterans’ Preference: Eligible veterans and their spouse or widow(er) who are not current County employees may be awarded additional Veterans’ Preference points. Please review the Veteran's Preference Policy for information and instructions to request Veteran's Preference points.
For Important Applicant Information, Review the County Employment Process.
Salary : $50,690 - $69,680