PER DIEM - School-Based Therapist

Effective School Solutions; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 76,000 - 85,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

School-day schedule

Light summers

Small caseloads

Free CEUs

Competitive pay

Clinical leadership

Job summary

Effective School Solutions is seeking a per diem School-Based Therapist for the San Mateo, CA area. This role provides school-based mental health services to K-12 students with flexible shifts and an hourly rate of $55–$62.

This per diem position is not eligible for benefits and supports coverage for leave assignments. You will conduct individual, group, and family therapy, perform assessments, and coordinate with families and school partners to ensure student safety and progress.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, or a related field.
• Active associate number or clinical license in CA (e.g., AMFT, APCC, ACSW, LMFT, LPCC, LCSW).
• 2+ years of experience working with children/adolescents with behavioral and emotional needs.
• Experience training and coaching educational professionals and parents/caregivers on student mental health issues.
• School-based experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive school-based mental health services (individual, group, family therapy; intake; assessments).
• Coordinate with families and facilitate parent support programming.
• Conduct risk assessments and crisis intervention to ensure student safety and referrals as needed.
• Develop and implement individualized, evidence-based treatment plans for students’ emotional/behavioral/academic needs.
• Oversee day-to-day clinical operations of the school-based program.
• Serve as primary clinical contact for school partners and foster collaboration.
• Facilitate weekly consultation to align on goals and documentation standards.
• Collaborate with families, school staff, and interdisciplinary teams to deliver coordinated care.

Skills

School-based therapy

Crisis intervention

Family collaboration

Clinical documentation

EMR proficiency

Education

Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, or a related field

Tools

EMR systems

Job description

PER DIEM School-Based Therapist - San Mateo, CA Area

About Effective School Solutions

Effective School Solutions (ESS) is a leading provider of school-based mental health services, serving 6,000+ K-12 students across 12 states.

We deliver the level of clinical care typically found in private practice, out-of-district placements, or higher levels of care directly within public schools- providing a full continuum of clinical programming, professional development, and district consultation.

Hourly Rate: $55.00-$62.00/hour

This is a per diem position and is not eligible for benefits. Per diem therapist support ESS on an as-needed basis, including coverage for leave assignments (e.g., medical or maternity leave).

Therapist in this role have flexibility in their level of commitment. They may choose to pick up occasional shifts, work a few days per week on an ongoing basis, or take on a temporary full-time schedule when covering a longer-term leave assignment. Per diem clinicians can accept or decline assignments based on their availability.

This role does not follow a consistent full-time schedule; however, full-time hours may be required on a temporary basis when covering extended leave assignments.

Why This Role Matters

You’ll provide critical mental health support to students who may not otherwise have access to care - helping them succeed academically, build resilience, and thrive.

At ESS, clinicians are trusted partners in shaping supportive school environments.

Responsibilities

Direct Clinical Care & Family Support

• Provide comprehensive, school-based mental health services, including individual, group, and family therapy, as well as intake, diagnostic, and clinical assessments
• Partner with families and facilitate parent support programming
• Conduct risk assessments and crisis intervention, ensuring student safety and coordinating referrals to appropriate levels of care when needed
• Develop and implement individualized, evidence-based treatment plans that support students’ emotional, behavioral, and academic success
• Oversee the day-to-day clinical operations of the assigned school-based program
• Serve as the primary clinical point of contact for school partners, providing expert guidance, ensuring alignment on student support strategies, and fostering strong, collaborative relationships.
• Facilitate weekly consultation sessions to ensure alignment on student goals and documentation standards
• Collaborate with families, school staff, and interdisciplinary teams to deliver coordinated care, and provide consultation, coaching, and training on mental health and trauma-informed practices
• Participate in team meetings, supervision, and ongoing professional development

Documentation, Compliance & Professional Expectations

• Maintain timely, accurate clinical documentation in accordance with regulatory, ethical, and organizational standards
• Uphold professional standards by maintaining active licensure, ethical practice, reliability, and a strong professional presence
• Monitor program performance and ensure alignment with ESS clinical and operational standards
• Support clinician performance through feedback, coaching, and evaluations

  Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, or a related field
  • Active associate number or clinical license (e.g., AMFT, APCC, ACSW or LMFT, LPCC, LCSW) in the state of California
  • 2+ years of experience working with children and/or adolescents with behavioral and emotional needs
  • Experience providing training and coaching to educational professionals and parents/caregivers on student mental health issues.
  • Experience working with schools, families, and community-based services (school-based experience preferred)
  • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain trusting relationships with students, families, and school staff
  • Commitment to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care and advocating for best practices
  • Proven ability to positively influence, motivate, and elevate team members and stakeholders
  • Ability to make confident, sound decisions in ambiguous or evolving situations
  • Proficient in clinical documentation and use of electronic systems (e.g., EMR, Microsoft Office), with the ability to maintain accurate and timely records

  Why Clinicians Choose ESS

  • School-day schedule - No weekends; occasional evening hours as needed to support family engagement
  • Light summers
  • Small caseloads
  • Ongoing clinical support, and free CEUs
  • Competitive Pay
  • Clinical leadership at the heart of our company

  Make a meaningful impact on student mental health. Join Effective School Solutions

  Equal Opportunity Employer
  ESS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, veteran status, disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

  Voluntary Self-Identification

  For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

  As set forth in Effective School Solutions’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

  If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

  A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

  A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

  An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

  An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.