Behavioral Health Clinician I

The City of Berkeley invites you to apply for a Behavioral Health Clinician I position! In this role, you will provide community behavioral health services to Berkeley residents. Bring your skills to our Mental Health Division, where our clinicians and support staff demonstrate a commitment to cultural competence and a wellness/recovery orientation.

As the entry-level class in the Behavioral Health Clinician (BHC) series, the BHC I performs a wide range of community behavioral health services under direct supervision. You'll be assigned to one of our teams, with consultation provided by experienced, knowledgeable senior and supervisory staff.

The division's teams include:

• Social Services Unit (SSU): Time-limited case management for older adults (age 55+) with multiple, complex needs in Berkeley (housed or unhoused). Clinicians primarily provide case management and resource information/referral services. Additional services can include groups, community outreach/presentations, caregiver consultations, trainings, and other resource development and organization. Clinicians may also perform case consultations, intern supervision, and quality assurance for service documentation.

• Adult and Homeless Full Service Partnership Teams (AFSP or HFSP): Two distinct teams (HFSP primarily serves the unhoused population) providing intensive services to adults with serious mental illness (SMI), complex needs, and high utilization of crisis, hospital, and other systems of care. Both teams use the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model, in which clinicians share responsibility for clients as a team rather than managing individual caseloads. Staff-to-client ratios are approximately 1:10 and services are provided primarily in the community. Services include mental health treatment, crisis support, symptom management, and hands‑on assistance with housing, medical appointments, benefits, and daily living needs.

• Comprehensive Community Treatment (CCT): Provides ongoing mental health treatment and case management to adults with moderate to serious mental illness who need regular support to maintain stability and work toward recovery goals. Clinicians manage individual caseloads of approximately 20-25 clients, providing services in the clinic and in the community. Services include symptom management, assistance with obtaining and maintaining housing, accessing benefits such as CalFresh, connecting with primary care providers, attending medical appointments, and building independence.

• Focus on Independence Teams (FIT): Provides mental health treatment and case management to adults who have stepped down or graduated from more intensive services within Berkeley Mental Health. Clinicians manage individual caseloads of approximately 30-35 clients, providing services in the clinic and in the community. Services focus on maintaining stability and increasing independence, including symptom management, accessing benefits such as CalFresh, joining housing waitlists, connecting with primary care providers, and attending medical appointments.

• Crisis Assessment and Triage/Transitional Outreach Team (CAT/TOT): Acts as a waystation to provide screening for ongoing behavioral health services, follow‑up to connect individuals to Berkeley Mental Health for those who meet criteria, linkage to social services, coordination with other agencies, and presentations to the community about behavioral health services.

• High Fidelity Wraparound (HFW): Intensive, team‑based model providing support for children, youth, and young adults in families with complex needs, often involving more than one system, such as child welfare, probation, or special education. The team is comprised of a lead facilitator, clinician/family specialist, youth partner, and parent partner.

• High School Mental Health (HSMH): Berkeley High School Health Center and Berkeley Technology Academy Health Center are integrated, multidisciplinary co-locations of our Mental Health and Public Health Divisions. Services include individual therapy, group therapy, crisis assessment/intervention, case management, educational advocacy, community outreach, and collaboration with parents, caregivers, and families.

See the full class specification for more information about this job.

A typical way of gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position is: A master's degree from an accredited school in Social Work, Counseling, Psychiatric Nursing, or other Marriage and Family Therapy eligible discipline, or a doctorate degree in Psychology, with field placement of at least one (1) year in a medical, psychiatric, or community mental health setting.

Must have registration as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), Associate Clinical Social Worker (ACSW), and/or Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) with the State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS).

Must be able to travel to various locations within and outside of Berkeley to meet program needs and to fulfill the job responsibilities. When driving on City business, incumbents must have a valid California driver’s license as well as a satisfactory driving record.

Applications are available in alternative formats (audio-format, braille, large print, electronic text, etc.) upon request to View email address on click.appcast.io. Please allow 10 days for production of the material in an alternative format.

Please be aware of unauthorized job postings and communications.

The exam process will include: Application review for minimum qualifications and required documents (qualifying experience will be calculated as of the administrative review date; administrative reviews will be conducted on the last calendar day of each month).

Tests may consist of any combination of written, oral or other exercises or assessment procedures that test content and may include, but are not necessarily limited to, typing, math, reading, writing and analytical skills; problem solving ability; computer and software proficiency, or any other job‑related knowledge, skill, ability or qualification. The examination process and dates are subject to change. The City may, without notice, change or eliminate any assessment component as needs dictate. Applicants passing all examination phases will have their names placed on an employment eligible list that hiring departments will use to conduct final selection interviews.

Reasonable Accommodations: The City is committed to making reasonable accommodations in the examination process and in the work environment. Individuals requesting reasonable accommodations in the examination process must submit a request in writing to View email address on click.appcast.io at the time of application.