Exciting news! Candidates have the opportunity to receive a sign-on bonus of up to $15,000
First-time external new hires or current staff promoted internally or from other County departments into a regular Psychologist I/II position in Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) may be eligible to receive a sign-on bonus of up to $15,000 (subject to discontinuation at any time). The sign-on bonus will be in 3 phases and will be prorated for part-time positions. Restrictions Apply. Please see the link for details. https://jobs.smcgov.org/hiring-incentives/
San Mateo County Health is seeking a well-qualified individual for the position of Psychologist II-Youth Case Management-Behavioral Health & Recovery Services to provide professional diagnostic, therapeutic and consultative psychological services in a County program.
The current vacancy is on the Youth Case Management Team within Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Division (BHRS) located in San Mateo, but some travel throughout the County will be required to perform duties of the position.
As part of the Youth Case Management (YCM) team, the Psychologist reviews clinical information data for clients placed in higher levels of care to ensure it aligns with medical necessity criteria and authorization guidelines for youth with mental health, eating disorder, and/or co-occurring substance use diagnoses; works with provider staff, community agencies, clients, and families to coordinate effective clinical care: facilitates referrals for youth transitioning from Psychiatric Inpatient or Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) settings to higher levels of care, including Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP), Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP), and Residential Treatment Programs.
Key responsibilities include tracking and monitoring referrals and outcomes, providing consultation to PES staff for youth presenting with acute mental health symptoms, conducting psychological evaluations as needed, consulting with providers to ensure client compliance with treatment recommendations, support and enhance co-occurring efforts of the division, and engaging in regular outreach to develop and maintain relationships with external psychiatric facilities and community partners.
The ideal candidate will have:
- California License in Clinical Psychology.
- Two years clinical experience with children.
- Experience providing assessment and treatment of children with serious emotional disorders and working with their families.
- Experience providing psychological testing, diagnosis, written evaluations and recommendations for children with serious emotional disorders.
- Experience conducting risk assessments and/or assessing for 5150.
- Experience working in a multi-disciplinary team to develop behavioral management plans for children with serious emotional disorders.
- Experience with Utilization Management (UM) and/or using evidence-based protocols to determine appropriate level of care.
- Experience working with youth with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.
- Experience working in a community mental health clinic as well as in medical or psychiatric inpatient settings.
- Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships.
- Ability to integrate culturally relevant aspects of clinical work into the treatment of patients.
- Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing.
Psychologist II is the fully experienced journey level class in the Psychologist series providing a full range of professional psychodiagnostic, psychotherapeutic, consultant and training and research work in a comprehensive community mental health program with a high degree of skill and independence.
NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.
Qualifications
Licensure/Certification:
- Psychologist II: California license in Clinical Psychology.
Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:
- Psychologist II: Two years clinical experience with children.
Knowledge of:
- Principles, methods, techniques, material, devices used and current developments in the field of specialization.
- Standard methods, techniques, materials and devices used in either clinical psychology, community, developmental psychology and psychological research.
- Psychotherapeutic factors relevant to emotional, behavioral, learning, social interaction or social systems problems.
- Techniques of mental health consultation, psychological research and training.
- Various psychological tests available.
- Standard methods of test evaluation and test results interpretations.
- Approved techniques of therapeutic counseling.
Skill/Ability to:
- Identify the relevant factors related to emotional, behavioral, learning, social interaction or social systems problems and to select and apply appropriate remedial or consultation techniques and procedures.
- Analyze, interpret and apply the principles, methods, techniques, material and devices used in clinical, child, adult, forensic or developmental psychology depending upon the option.
- Identify the relevant factors related to emotional, behavioral, learning, social interaction or social systems problems.
- Select and apply appropriate remedial or clinical techniques and procedures.
- Diagnosis and treatment of emotional, learning and social interaction problems.
- Consider applicability of innovative treatment or consultation procedures to work problems and experiment with and evaluate the applicability of innovative treatment or consultation procedures to work problems.
- Analyze situations accurately and adopt effective courses of action.
- Maintain records and prepare reports.
- Supervise the work of trainees and junior staff members.
- Establish and maintain objectives and cooperative relationships with clients, other professionals and the public.
- Speak and write effectively.
TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date: Friday, January 30, 2026 11:59 PM
Application Screening: February 6, 2026
Panel Interviews: February 20, 2026
HR Contact: Carolyn Burns (010926) (Psychologist I/II - F116/F050)
Work Location: In person
