Current jobs related to behavioral health supervising client specialist - Santa Cruz, California - County of Santa Cruz

County of Santa Cruz

INVITES YOU TO APPLY FOR:

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

SUPERVISING CLIENT SPECIALIST

Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Encouraged to Apply

Supplemental Questionnaire Required

Open and Promotional

Job #26-SK8

Salary: $8,894 – 11,247 / Month

Closing Date: Friday, February 27, 2026

County Equity Statement

Equity in action in Santa Cruz County is a transformative process that embraces individuals of every status,

providing unwavering support, dignity, and compassion.

Through this commitment, the County ensures intentional opportunities and access, fostering an

environment where everyone can thrive and belong.

THE JOB: Under direction, supervise, coordinate, and participate in the work of mental health and substance

use disorder programs for children/youth or adults and assist in the development, implementation, and

administration of assigned programs/projects; and do other work as required. This is the supervisory level in

the professional Mental Health Client Specialist series. Incumbents supervise and evaluate the work of

professional employees and assist in managing and directing a program area, while also providing

advanced journey level professional services to clients. A candidate with experience in an integrated

behavioral health setting preferred. The list established from this recruitment will be used to fill current

and future positions during the life of the eligible list.

The option for hybrid remote work may be available based on the type of work and operational needs.

THE REQUIREMENTS: Any combination of education and experience, which would provide the required

knowledge and abilities, is qualifying, unless otherwise specified. A typical way to obtain these would be:

Possession of a master's degree with a major in Social Work, Psychology, Psychiatric Nursing, Marriage,

Family and Child Counseling, Registered Nursing, Certificate of Occupational Therapy, or closely related

behavioral science field which has included completion of a university approved internship, preferably a

clinical internship, in a mental health agency.

Human Resources Department, 701 Ocean Street, Suite 510, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Apply online at:

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

AND

The equivalent to one year of experience at the level of Senior Mental Health Client Specialist providing

treatment, counseling, or case management services to clients in a mental health setting, including some

supervisory or lead experience.

OR

Qualification as a Certified Occupational Therapist or a Licensed Registered Nurse and five years of

experience in mental health service delivery including some supervisory or lead experience.

Special Requirements: License Requirements: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License or the

ability to obtain suitable transportation, which is approved by the appointing authority. Possession of one of

the following licenses issued by the State of California: Clinical Social Worker; Marriage, Family and Child

Counselor; Registered Nurse; Clinical Psychologist; or Occupational Therapist. If licensed in another state, the

incumbent must obtain the appropriate license issued by the State of California within twenty-four months

from the date of employment.

Special Working Conditions: All assignments: Exposure to offensive odors such as unwashed people and

clothes, human and animal feces; the possibility of infections which may cause chronic disease, or death

may occur during physical interventions to control client behavior; hostile or violent individuals. Juvenile Hall

and Acute/Emergency Services assignments: Exposure to noise, such as people yelling. Children's Service

assignment: Exposure to disturbing material, such as photos of abused children; allergens such as poison

oak, insect stings or bites, and pollens. Note: Persons in this classification may be assigned to positions with

any of the above working conditions on an emergency, as needed basis.

Other Special Requirements: Availability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays

and on an emergency, as needed basis, which may include 24-hour "on-call" availability.

Background Investigation: Fingerprinting is required.

Knowledge: Thorough knowledge of psychological and social aspects and characteristics of emotional

disturbances and mental illness; principles and methods of counseling and the accepted techniques for

assessing psycho-social behavior; and human behavior and development. Working knowledge of

appropriate community resources; problems and needs of mentally ill and socially disturbed individuals;

pertinent laws and regulations regarding health and social service programs laws and regulations as they

pertain to clients' legal rights; and pharmacology of medications and psychotropic drug treatment. Some

knowledge of principles and techniques of supervision including staffing, employee motivation and

development, planning and organizing workload; principles and development of case management and

rehabilitative services; and principles of care system design and service delivery.

Ability to: Assess and diagnose all types of client behavioral and emotional actions/problems, and develop

and implement effective and appropriate treatment plans; conduct effective and appropriate individual and

group psychotherapy on an on-going basis; supervise, train, evaluate and motivate assigned professional

and support staff; implement agency policies and procedures as they relate to proper management and

administration of programs and client services; learn agency's policies and procedures as they relate to

employee supervision, training and evaluation; establish and maintain a variety of personnel and

administrative records, case notes, client records, and other required documentation; prepare and present a

variety of periodic and special reports of both a professional and administrative nature; communicate

effectively in both oral and written form, including expressing complex and technical terminology and

concepts in an understandable and non-threatening manner; establish and maintain effective working

relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties; monitor budgets and contracts;

perform Short-Doyle Medi-Cal and Medi-Care utilization review and quality improvement functions;

distinguish speech and non-speech sounds in noisy environments; lift objects such as boxes of belongings

and move furniture weighing up to fifty pounds; restrain combative clients who may require physical

strength and stamina; and stand and walk for extended periods of time may be required for some positions.

THE EXAMINATION: Your application and supplemental questionnaire will be reviewed to determine if you

have met the education, experience, training, and/or licensing requirements as stated in the job

announcement. If you meet these criteria and are one of the best qualified, you may be required to

compete in any combination of written, oral and/or performance examinations or a competitive evaluation

of training and experience as described on your application and supplemental questionnaire. You must pass

all components of the examination to be placed on the eligible list. The examination may be eliminated if

there are ten or fewer qualified applicants. If the eligible list is established without the administration of the

announced examination, the life of the eligible list will be six months, and your overall score will be based

upon an evaluation of your application and supplemental questionnaire. If during those six months it is

necessary to administer another examination for this job class, you will be invited to take the examination to

remain on the eligible list.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply online at or mail/bring an application and

supplemental questionnaire to: Santa Cruz County Human Resources Department, 701 Ocean Street, Suite

510, Santa Cruz, CA For information, call Hearing Impaired TDD/TTY: 711. Applications

will meet the deadline if: 1) received in the Human Resources Department by 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date

or 2) submitted online before midnight on the final filing date.

Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. If you have a disability that

requires test accommodation, please call

To comply with the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, Santa Cruz County verifies that all new

employees are either U.S. citizens or persons authorized to work in the U.S.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:

ANNUAL LEAVE - 22 days first year, increasing to 37 days after 15 years of service. Available for vacation

and/or sick leave.

HOLIDAYS - 14 paid holidays per year.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE - 3 days paid in California, 5 days paid out-of-state.

MEDICAL PLAN - The County contracts with CalPERS for a variety of medical plans. For most plans, County

contributions pay a majority of the premiums for employees and eligible dependents.

DENTAL PLAN - County pays for employee and eligible dependent coverage.

VISION PLAN - County pays for employee coverage. Employee may purchase eligible dependent coverage.

RETIREMENT - Pension formula 2% at age 60 or 2% at age 62 as determined based on provisions of the CA

Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013(PEPRA). Pension benefit is determined by final average

compensation of three years. County participates in Social Security.

LIFE INSURANCE - County paid $20,000 term policy. Employees may purchase additional life insurance.

DISABILITY INSURANCE - Employees in the General Representation Unit participate in the State Disability

Insurance (SDI) program. This program is funded 100% by employee payroll deductions.

DEPENDENT-CARE PLAN - Employees who make contributions for child or dependent care may elect to have

their contributions made utilizing "pre-tax dollars."

H-CARE PLAN - Employees who pay a County medical premium may choose this pre-tax program.

HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ALLOWANCE (HCFSA) - Employees may elect this pre-tax program to

cover qualifying health care expenses.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION - A deferred compensation plan is available to employees.

Note: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:

ANNUAL LEAVE - 22 days first year, increasing to 37 days after 15 years of service. Available for vacation

and/or sick leave.

HOLIDAYS - 14 paid holidays per year.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE - 3 days paid in California, 5 days paid out-of-state.

MEDICAL PLAN - The County contracts with CalPERS for a variety of medical plans. For most plans, County

contributions pay a majority of the premiums for employees and eligible dependents.

DENTAL PLAN - County pays for employee and eligible dependent coverage.

VISION PLAN - County pays for employee coverage. Employee may purchase eligible dependent coverage.

RETIREMENT - Pension formula 2% at age 60 or 2% at age 62 as determined based on provisions of the CA

Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013(PEPRA). Pension benefit is determined by final average

compensation of three years. County participates in Social Security.

LIFE INSURANCE - County paid $20,000 term policy. Employees may purchase additional life insurance.

DISABILITY INSURANCE - Employees in the General Representation Unit participate in the State Disability

Insurance (SDI) program. This program is funded 100% by employee payroll deductions.

DEPENDENT-CARE PLAN - Employees who make contributions for child or dependent care may elect to have

their contributions made utilizing "pre-tax dollars."

H-CARE PLAN - Employees who pay a County medical premium may choose this pre-tax program.

HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ALLOWANCE (HCFSA) - Employees may elect this pre-tax program to

cover qualifying health care expenses.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION - A deferred compensation plan is available to employees.

Note: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPERVISING CLIENT SPECIALIST - SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

The supplemental questions are designed specifically for this recruitment. A response to these questions

must accompany the regular application to be considered for this position. Applications received without

the required supplemental information will be screened out of the selection process.

NOTE: Please answer the question(s) below as completely and thoroughly as possible, as your answer(s)

may be used to assess your qualifications for moving to the next step in the recruitment process.

1. Please describe your experience with providing services in one or more of the areas listed below. Include

the type of caseload and objectives for the client population, the organizational setting, and any

experience you have working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

a) Public Guardian/Conservator

b) People experiencing homelessness

c) Adolescents, adults, and families

d) Substance use/harm reduction

e) Behavioral health

f) Crisis intervention

g) Forensic setting/services

h) Access or intake services for clients

1. Describe your lead worker and/or supervisory experience. Include the type and number of staff you have

been a lead worker for and/or supervised.

1. Please describe a time when you worked as part of a team or led a team that was going through change.

What were some of the challenges? What worked well? Walk us through an example of how you might

approach leading a team through change.

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