MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN I - STIPEND (NON-COMPETITIVE)

County of Los Angeles; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 17,000 - 29,000; Part time

Job summary

County of Los Angeles is seeking a Mental Health Clinician I - Stipend (Non-Competitive) to provide diagnostic assessments, intake, crisis intervention, and treatment planning in the Department of Mental Health. This non-competitive opportunity begins with online applications from April 15, 2026 and remains open until needs are met.

The role involves delivering individual, group, and family therapy, coordinating care with community and healthcare workers, and documenting progress.

Qualifications

• Approved LACDMH stipend awardee required.
• Option I: Pre-Licensed MFT with specified degrees.
• Option II: Pre-Licensed Clinical Counselor with degree qualifying for Associate Professional Clinical Counselor registration.

Responsibilities

• Interviews and conducts diagnostic assessments to develop treatment and recovery plans.
• Performs intake interviews, crisis intervention, case management, referrals, and related mental health services.
• Develops individual and group treatment plans to address mental, emotional, and family disorders and promote recovery.

Education

Master’s or Doctorate’s degree in marriage, family and child counseling, marital and family therapy, psychology, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, or counseling with emphasis in MFT or family therapy

Master’s or Doctorate’s degree in counseling or psychotherapy qualifying for Associate Professional Clinical Counselor with the State of California

Job description

MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN I - STIPEND (NON-COMPETITIVE)

We will be accepting online applications starting Monday, April 15, 2026 at 8:00 AM (PT) – Continuous. This opportunity will remain open until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

Exam Number

b9029M

Who May Apply

We welcome applications from everyone

Why work for us?

With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation! As the largest employer in Southern California, over 116,000 employees in more than 38 Departments provide vital public services as diverse as law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, cultural activities and many more.

We are dedicated professionals committed to preserving the dignity and integrity of the workplace as well as protecting the rights of each employee. The County has more than 2,300 different job descriptions, offering a lifetime of opportunities and careers! We offer one of the strongest public-sector benefits packages in the country. Join us and discover a rich selection of health care options, robust retirement plans and the flexibility to work, relax, and rejuvenate to reach your fullest personal and professional potential.

Essential Job Functions

• Interviews and conducts diagnostic assessments of clients in order to develop treatment and recovery plans for clients and/or their family members.
• Participates in the intake process by interviewing clients and/or their family members to obtain family, social, employment, medical, and mental health treatment history; provides crisis intervention, treatment, case management, referrals, and other related mental health care services to clients and their family members.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary team to review client cases, treatment approaches, clinical issues, client progress, and treatment recommendations; and to prepare and present progress reports.
• Participates in the development of individual and group treatment plans designed to address mental, emotional, and family disorders and that promote recovery and resiliency.
• Provides ongoing clinical assessment, treatment planning, and clinical treatment for clients and families. Performs targeted case management and delivers individual and group therapy to clients, and family therapy where appropriate.
• Prepares and updates clinical assessments and diagnoses to document client treatment progress as part of the diagnostic evaluation process.
• Coordinates continuity of care and other treatment related services with caseworkers, probation officers, and community and healthcare workers.
• Coordinates mental health support services to clients and families by linking them to other community resources to maximize client self-sufficiency and independence significant to client's continuum of care.
• Interviews clients seeking mental health intervention services on an emergency basis and utilizes crisis intervention and community outreach techniques supportive of client recovery in the community.
• Serves as liaison and consultant to schools, organizations, parents, children, etc. on issues concerning clients and may serve on committees, boards, etc.
• Provides mental health treatment services in schools and other community settings to emotionally- and behaviorally-disturbed children with the goal of helping them to achieve higher functioning in interpersonal relations and academic performance.
• Maintains cooperative professional relationships with local community agencies significant to the continuum of care for clients.
• Conducts outreach and community-based service provision.

Requirements

• Must be an approved LACDMH Stipend awardee -And-
• Option I: Pre-Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist: A Master's or Doctorate’s degree from an accredited college or university in marriage, family, and child counseling, marital and family therapy, couple and family therapy, psychology, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, or counseling with an emphasis in either marriage, family, and child counseling or marriage and family therapy.
• Option II: Pre-Licensed Clinical Counselor: A Master’s or Doctorate’s degree that is counseling or psychotherapy in content, as defined by the State of California Business and Profession’s Code. The degree must be from an accredited college or university and qualify the degree-holder for registration as an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor with the State of California, Department of Consumer Affairs, Board of Behavioral Science.

License

Pre-Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist: Appointees are required to obtain a valid Associate Marriage & Family Therapist registration number from the State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences within thirty (30) days of appointment.

Pre-Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor: Appointees are required to possess a valid Associate Professional Clinical Counselor registration number.

Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Interns and registered Associate Professional Clinical Counselors must obtain licensure as Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors, respectively, within six years of assuming this payroll title, though requests for additional time may be granted to achieve licensure, but only after consideration on a case-by-case basis.

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

Applicants who expect to receive their Master's degree within six (6) months of filing, an application may compete in the examination, and if successful, will be withheld from certification for employment until original documentation of successful completion of the required education is received.

Physical Class II – Light

This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

Examination Content

This is a non-competitive examination: This opportunity is considered non-competitive, meaning you will only need to meet the requirements. If you do, we will put you on a list with everyone who qualifies and use this list to fill vacancies as they occur.

Eligibility And Vacancy Information

The names of qualifying candidates will be added to the Eligible Register for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation.

Applicants will be placed on a list of eligible candidates without indication of relative standing in the examination. The appointing power may appoint any one of the names on the appropriate list, except a person without Veterans credit may not be appointed if there are three or more names on the list of persons entitled to Veteran’s credit.

Anti-Racism, Diversity, And Inclusion (ARDI)

The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Mental Health is committed to promoting Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

Teletype Phone

[phone]

Alternate Teletype Phone

[phone]

California Relay Services Phone

[phone]

Department Contact Name

Hon Sang Cheang

Department Contact Phone

[phone]

County of Los Angeles

Employment Information

Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement

The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/.

Testing Accommodations For Applicants

The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/.

Fair Chance

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).

Employment Eligibility

Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.

Career PathFinder

Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov.

Veteran’s Credit

Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions. For more information on veteran’s credit, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205102_PPG_115.pdf

Revised September 2025

For detailed information, please click here.