Clinical Therapist- Enhanced Outpatient - 141917

UC San Diego Health; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 123,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego Health seeks a skilled mental health professional to provide trauma-informed psychotherapy to a diverse student population as part of the SHW cluster. The TL therapist conducts crisis prevention and de-escalation, builds individualized treatment plans, and coordinates with CAPS and other services.

Requires licensed Behavioral Health Counseling, 5+ years experience, and BLS certification; duties include crisis intervention, group therapy, and collaboration within a multidisciplinary

Qualifications

• Valid, unrestricted license in a Behavioral Health Counseling discipline.
• Five (5) or more years of licensed experience.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification by the start date.
• Advanced knowledge of clinical counseling principles and trauma-informed care.
• Experience delivering trauma work in individual and group settings.

Responsibilities

• Provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed individual and group psychotherapy.
• Develop and implement treatment plans and collateral supports.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary team and campus services to coordinate care.

Skills

Licensed counselor experience

BLS Certification

Trauma-informed care

Group and individual psychotherapy

Cultural responsiveness

Education

Behavioral Health Counseling license

Tools

EMR/EHR systems

Job description

Payroll Title

BEH HEALTH COUNSELOR 4 HX

Department

COUNSELING & PSYCH SERV

Hiring Pay Scale

$123,038.37-$179,235.27 / Year

Worksite

La Jolla

Appointment Type

Career

Appointment Percent

100%

Union

HX Contract

Total Openings

1

Work Schedule

Days, 8-Hour Shifts, Monday-Friday, occasional eves/weekends/holidays

#141917 Clinical Therapist- Enhanced Outpatient

Filing Deadline

Tue 11/3/2026

UC San Diego values and welcomes people from all backgrounds. If you are interested in being part of our team, possess the needed licensure and certifications, and feel that you have most of the qualifications and/or transferable skills for a job opening, we strongly encourage you to apply.

UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment: Apply by 10/23/2026 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor.

Reassignment Applicants: Eligible Reassignment clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.

Description

The mission of the Student Health & Well-Being (SHW) cluster is to promote a culture of health and well-being for the student community, deliver equitable high quality innovative services, incorporate inclusive approaches, and celebrate diversity, with the goal of adoption and maintenance of healthy behaviors contributing to the academic success and personal development of all students.

The UC San Diego SHW cluster, which reports through UC San Diego Health System, plays a leadership role in creating a strong and active wellness culture that enables all students to flourish in body, mind and spirit. This includes promotion and the transformation of existing departments, under the oversight of the Executive Director, into a cohesive, trans-disciplinary source of integrated wellness services. The SHW cluster includes the departments of Student Health Services (SHS); Health Promotion Services (HPS); Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS); Assessment and Analytics (SHAA), Strategic Planning, Innovation and Research (SPIR); and SHW Administration (ADM).

CAPS delivers campus-based mental health services to registered UC San Diego undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students. CAPS' multicultural, multidisciplinary, and student-centered staff strives to deliver trauma informed, culturally proficient counseling and psychiatric services, psycho-educational preventive outreach and early intervention programming, consultation, research, and training opportunities. CAPS is accredited by the International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS) and the Post-doctoral Resident Training Program is affiliated with the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Center (APPIC). CAPS is fully committed to self-examination, peer review, and quality improvement through the utilization of metrics, data, clinical outcomes, client experience measurements and feedback.

UC San Diego CAPS is seeking a skilled mental health professional, experienced in reducing barriers to student mental health care in a multicultural university environment, to provide mental health services for a diverse student population. Triton Lighthouse (TL) is an ongoing 6-week student centered program that focuses on crisis prevention and de-escalation. TL incorporates trauma-informed mental health care for students who may be vulnerable to a mental health crisis, experiencing trauma symptoms, or academic decline with feelings of not belonging, burdensome or hopeless. The TL therapist works under the supervision of the program's Assistant Clinical Director, and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team. The incumbent delivers specialized mental health services for undergraduate and graduate/professional students enrolled in the TL Program. Primary responsibilities consist of conducting culturally responsive, trauma-informed, group and individual psychotherapy, which include skill-building and life experience practices, and refers students to on and off campus services. The TL clinical therapist will provide crisis stabilization and de-escalation treatment in individual and group therapy settings, and ensure students participate in program expectations. The goal is to provide students with comprehensive mental health care and collaborate with other professionals to de-escalate the acute symptoms and the student's personal distress. The incumbent will provide bridge care for students requiring a higher level of services in the continuum of care.

The therapist works with a licensed multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals to create individualized treatment plans, consults and collaborates, utilizing all the resources available and specifically allocated to the program, working with stakeholders in the campus community and CAPS mental health referral system within the San Diego community. Incumbent delivers individual and group counseling, that is culturally responsive, and trauma informed, participates in case management consultation meetings, and works closely with the CAPS mental health professionals. Uses skills as a seasoned, experienced professional with a full understanding of industry practices and campus policies and procedures; resolves a wide range of issues. Demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions. Services may be delivered in vivo or via telehealth, utilizing digital tools and technologies. CT: Uses advanced professional concepts and campus objectives to resolve highly complex issues. Regularly works on highly complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. Exercises judgment in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.

Applicants must provide a cover letter in order for your application to be considered complete.

Minimum Qualifications

• Valid, unrestricted license in a Behavioral Health Counseling discipline. Candidates licensed out of state must have CA license application in process at the time of offer.
• Five (5) or more years of licensed experience.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification by the start date.
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of clinical counseling principles, methods, procedures, and standards. Advanced knowledge of a specific counseling domain. Expertise or advanced training in high acuity programs, such as Intensive Outpatient programs or Partial Hospitalization programs. Advanced training and expertise in trauma-informed care, managing mental health crises, completing risk assessments and disposition planning. Demonstrated experience conducting trauma work individually and in group setting. Training and expertise in short term PTSD and trauma treatment.
• Skills associated with program development and implementation. Demonstrated skills and experience developing group curriculums and conducting group psychotherapy based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance Commitment Psychotherapy (ACT), using strengths-based approach
• Advanced ability to develop and present educational programs and / or workshops. Proven ability to develop and implement culturally proficient, responsive, and effective outreach programs and provide consultation, mental health promotion, and preventative psycho-educational outreach services
• Advanced ability to evaluate the progress of therapeutic approach and modify as necessary. Experience collaborating with off-campus clinicians and programs, as well as non-clinical professionals for wrap-around services.
• Advanced problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Proven ability to conduct culturally responsive and focused clinical interventions for the wide range of presenting issues with varying degrees of acuity, severity, and complexity.
• Ability to work in a highly collaborative manner with diverse client group. Demonstrated commitment to inclusion, to foster the best possible working and learning environment. Demonstrated ability to actively foster a positive, welcoming climate, and value, include and support all in the UC San Diego community.
• Advanced knowledge of legal and ethical issues related to patients' rights. Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of state and federal health care privacy laws, Title IX, VAWA, ADA, Title II, HIPAA and FERPA, as well as professional ethics or regulations that govern the work. Demonstrated advanced knowledge of and responsibility for upholding laws governing the practice of mental health and behavioral health care in the State of California
• Advanced verbal and written communication with the ability to influence and persuade. Ability to relate warmly, humanely, compassionately, and empathetically to others. Proven ability to work effectively in teams and interact easily, collaboratively, and productively with colleagues, supervisors, and members of the campus community, maintaining a positive and cooperative work environment and relationships.
• Knowledge of business software and specialized applications / systems used in behavioral health settings. Experienced with medical/mental health records systems (EMR or EHR)
• Ability to at all times adhere to UCSD Health Medical Center (C.A.R.I.N.G.) Standards of Performance, and demonstrate the characteristics of professionalism in attire, attitude, conversation, behavior and attentiveness to others. All staff members are required to uphold the UCSD Principles of Community and to promote a positive and collaborative team environment.
• As appropriate, submit incident reports into the UCSD SHW Incident Report System, RL Datix or current system in use, to report near-misses, process problems or patient or employee injury events. Attend required trainings and refreshers for use and proper steps to follow.
• Must complete all required training assigned by UCOP, UCSD, CAPS and SHW on a timely basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Specific training and/or experience working with problems particularly prevalent in college-age population, and in interdisciplinary setting focusing on student wellness.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• This position is funded for three years and may be extended, contingent upon additional funding received.
• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.
• Pre-employment credential verification, and reappointment every three years thereafter.
• Must work some evenings, weekends, holidays for emergency coverage rotation. Various work locations, if needed and deemed necessary by the department.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: $123,038 - $179,235 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $58.93 - $85.84

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).

If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands-on practice and in-person skills assessment; online-only certification is not acceptable.

UC San Diego Health is the only academic health system in the San Diego region, providing leading-edge care in patient care, biomedical research, education, and community service. Our facilities include two university hospitals, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, the only Burn Center in the county, and dozens of outpatient clinics. We invite you to join our team!

To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination

UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information.

UC San Diego Health maintains a marijuana and drug free environment. Employees may be subject to drug screening.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace