EXAM NUMBER:
b9034R
WHO MAY APPLY
We welcome applications from everyone.
WHEN TO APPLY
The application filing period will begin on June 18, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. (PT) – Continuous. We will keep accepting applications until the position is filled. The application window may close unexpectedly once we have enough qualified candidates.
Why work for us?
With almost 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation! As the largest employer in Southern California with over 100,000 employees in 39 departments, we provide vital and diverse public services like law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, and cultural activities.
The County has more than 2,100 different job types, offering a lifetime of opportunities and careers! We are dedicated professionals committed to preserving the dignity and integrity of the workplace as well as protecting the rights of each employee. Join us and discover one of the strongest public-sector benefits packages in the county with 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.
For more information about our amazing benefits, please visit us here: https://hr.lacounty.gov/benefits/.
The team member we are searching for:
The team member we are searching for will perform professional social work services in connection with the treatment of clients in need of mental health services.
What will you do as a Psychiatric Social Worker I?
Interviews individuals, their families and/or significant others to obtain a family, social, employment, medical, substance abuse, and mental health treatment history.
Assesses client's functioning in his/her environmental setting.
Develops a tentative CCCP designed to resolve or cope with the mental or emotional problem, which may include individual, group, family or marital counseling, case management, and/or referral to another treatment source such as a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a vocational or rehabilitation counselor, or another agency.
Plans and conducts the client's therapy program under the guidance of supervisory staff by considering the client's treatment goal and by determining the priorities of the programs to be dealt with and the length and modality of therapy.
Provides psychotherapy to individuals, groups, families, and significant others.
Provides case management services to secure resources for clients, families, and significant others in order to achieve treatment goals.
Serves as a member of a mental health emergency intervention team and/or joint law enforcement/mental health emergency intervention team by evaluating the behavior of persons to determine if they are, as a result of a mental disorder, dangerous to themselves, others, or gravely disabled.
Requests LPS-authorized persons to complete an application for immediate 72-hour detention at a hospital facility.
Interviews persons seeking psychiatric assistance on an emergency basis and utilizes crisis intervention techniques to prevent hospitalization and to aid the person in dealing with the emotional crisis.
Assists clients, families, and significant others by discussing their reactions and attitudes concerning mental health problems and co-occurring substance abuse disorders; explains need for treatment; and encourages all concerned parties to work together cooperatively to resolve the problem and minimize the stresses that impact social functioning.
Works with families and significant others toward gaining their acceptance of and participation in treatment recommendations.
Participates in multi-disciplinary team conferences to discuss and evaluate the nature of the client's problem, to evaluate the client's progress, and to develop a CCCP.
Participate in research to increase knowledge of mental health problems and to improve therapeutic treatment methods, as needed.
For more information, please view the classification specification: PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORKER I
REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:
Must be an intern within the Department of Mental Health-And-have a master's degree from an accredited college or university in Social Work.
LICENSE:
A valid and active Associate Clinical Social Worker registration
issued by the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Board of Behavioral Sciences is required within sixty (60) days from commencement of employment with the County of Los Angeles.
Note: Active and valid Associate Clinical Social Worker registration must be maintained continuously until successful completion of the examination process for licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Registered Associate Clinical Social Workers must obtain licensure within six (6) years from the original date of registration with the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Board of Behavioral Sciences. Failure to obtain licensure within the aforementioned timeframes may result in termination.
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.
PHYSICAL CLASS:
2 - 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.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:
- Withhold Information: 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. A letter with the Registrar's signature on school letterhead with school seal indicating a planned graduation date within 6 months must be attached to their application at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days of filing.
To receive credit for your education, include a legible copy of your official diploma, official transcript, or letter/certificate from an accredited institution at time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days of filing your application to [email protected]. The document should show the date the degree was conferred and be in English. If not in English, then translation is required. International degrees must be evaluated for equivalency to U.S. standards if not listed in the International Handbook of Universities or World Higher Education Database. Documents marked as unofficial will not be accepted. For more information on our standards for educational documents, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/070812_PPG123.pdf (Download PDF reader)”
Official Transcript is defined as a transcript that bears the college seal and states "official and/or copy" issued by the school's Registrar Office. A printout of the transcript from the school's website is NOT considered official and; therefore, will NOT be accepted and may result in your application being incomplete or rejected.
We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience, during Master's degree in Social Work, in individual, group, or family psychotherapy assessment in a local government mental health agency or psychiatric hospital.
EXAMINATION CONTENT
An evaluation of education, training, experience and desirable qualifications based upon application information weighted 100%. Additional credit will be given for desirable qualifications.
To be placed on the eligible list, achieving a passing score of 70% or higher is required.
Notice of non-acceptance and final results will be sent via email.
ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION:
Candidates who passed the assessment are placed on a list in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months. We will use this list to fill vacancies as they occur within the Department of Mental Health.
No person may compete for this examination more than once in a twelve (12) month period.
AVAILABLE SHIFT
Appointees may be required to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends or holidays.
SPECIAL INFORMATION
Past and present mental health clients, parents, and family members are encouraged to apply.
APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION
We only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. This website can also be used to get application status updates.
Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employer's name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.
We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification.
We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant's responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.
New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at any time by logging in to governmentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.
Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.
For those who do not have access to a computer or the internet, we provide access to complete an application at public libraries throughout the county.
All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's login information may erase a candidate's original application record.
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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. We are 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.
DEPARTMENT CONTACT
Department Contact Name: Lola Sacks, Exam Analyst
Department Contact Phone: (323) 705-4072 or (213) 972-7034
Department Contact Email: [email protected]
ADA Coordinator Phone: (323) 705-4072
Teletype Phone: (800) 735-2922
California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Employment Information
Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.
This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.
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 (Download PDF reader)
Revised September 2025
