Lead Licensed Clinician - Clinical Assessor (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

Job Description

Job Description:\n\nLead Licensed Clinician – Clinical Assessor (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC) PROJECTED START DATE: 2027 Position Overview Guillaume Marriage and Family Counseling of California, P.C. is seeking an experienced, independently licensed mental health clinician to join our Sacramento team as a Lead Licensed Clinician – Clinical Assessor. This position focuses primarily on completing comprehensive mental health assessments, establishing accurate diagnoses, determining medical necessity, and developing initial treatment plans for clients entering outpatient behavioral health services. The Clinical Assessor plays an important role in ensuring clients receive thorough, timely, culturally responsive evaluations and are appropriately matched with treating clinicians. This is an assessment-focused position, not a traditional ongoing psychotherapy or clinical supervision position. Following the initial assessment and treatment planning process, clients are generally transferred to an assigned treating clinician for ongoing services. We are seeking a clinician with excellent assessment skills, sound clinical judgment, strong diagnostic abilities, and demonstrated experience serving culturally diverse populations. The ideal candidate is organized, flexible, detail-oriented, clinically knowledgeable, and comfortable working with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. This is a hybrid, hourly W-2 position requiring regular in-person work at our Sacramento office. Employment begins part-time, with an anticipated transition to full-time as organizational needs and assessment referrals increase. Schedule and Work Arrangement:Projected start date: 2027.Initial schedule: Part-time, approximately 20–29 hours per week during the first 90 days.Full-time schedule: 30–40 hours per week following the initial onboarding period, depending on organizational needs.Work arrangement: Hybrid, with primarily in-person clinical assessments and approved remote administrative responsibilities.Office location: Sacramento, California.Residency requirement: Applicants must reside within approximately 30–45 minutes' driving distance of the office.Primary responsibilities: Clinical assessments, diagnostic evaluations, initial treatment planning, documentation, and clinical coordination. Candidates must have flexibility to attend scheduled meetings, training, consultation, and other assigned activities during weekday business hours. All required work time is compensated. Compensation and Earning Potential: Lead Licensed Clinician – Clinical Assessor: $52–$64/hour Compensation reflects the organization's licensed clinician compensation structure, including a $2/hour lead responsibility differential.Regular: $52–$60/hour.Culturally Specific: $54–$62/hour.Bilingual: $56–$64/hour. Hourly compensation is determined by years of independent licensure and applicable qualifications. Bilingual abilities, particularly Spanish, Haitian Creole, Hindi, or Punjabi, are preferred but not required. Applicable differentials are based on verified qualifications. Estimated Monthly and Annual Earnings:20 hours/week: $4,507–$5,547/month | $54,080–$66,560/year.29 hours/week: $6,535–$8,043/month | $78,416–$96,512/year.30 hours/week: $6,760–$8,320/month | $81,120–$99,840/year.40 hours/week: $9,013–$11,093/month | $108,160–$133,120/year. All hours worked are paid, including client assessments, clinical documentation, treatment planning, meetings, training, consultation, and assigned administrative responsibilities. Monthly and annual equivalents are estimates based on 52 weeks at the stated hourly rates. Actual earnings depend on hours worked, referral volume, and organizational needs. Full-time hours and projected earnings are not guaranteed. Benefits and Professional Support:Hourly W-2 employment with competitive compensation.Medical, dental, and vision insurance for eligible full-time employees.Paid sick leave in accordance with California requirements.Retirement savings through applicable organizational retirement programs, subject to eligibility.Professional liability insurance coverage.Structured onboarding and paid training.Ongoing clinical consultation and professional support.Administrative assistance with client scheduling, intake coordination, billing, and credentialing.Access to electronic health records and AI-assisted clinical documentation tools.Opportunities for professional growth and advancement. Minimum Qualifications:Master's degree or higher in Marriage and Family Therapy, Clinical Social Work, Professional Clinical Counseling, or a related behavioral health discipline.Active, unrestricted California license as an LMFT, LCSW, or LPCC.Strong clinical experience providing comprehensive mental health assessments and diagnostic evaluations.Clinical experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.Demonstrated ability to assess mental health symptoms, functional impairment, risk factors, and treatment needs.Knowledge of DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria and evidence-based assessment practices.Ability to establish accurate diagnoses and determine medical necessity for outpatient behavioral health services.Experience developing individualized, measurable, clinically appropriate treatment plans.Strong clinical interviewing, diagnostic reasoning, and written documentation skills.Demonstrated experience working effectively with individuals from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, and nonreligious backgrounds, including major religious traditions.Ability to establish respectful and effective clinical relationships with clients whose backgrounds, beliefs, and values may differ from their own.Strong understanding of trauma-informed and culturally responsive clinical practices.Ability to recognize clinical presentations requiring specialized assessment, psychiatric evaluation, crisis intervention, or a higher level of care.Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage assessment deadlines.Commitment to ethical practice, accountability, flexibility, and continuous professional development.Ability to work in person as required and reside within approximately 30–45 minutes' driving distance of the Sacramento office. Preferred Qualifications:Approximately 2–5 years or more of post-licensure clinical experience.Experience completing diagnostic assessments in outpatient behavioral health or community mental health settings.Experience working with Medi-Cal and commercial insurance documentation and medical necessity requirements.Experience conducting assessments across the lifespan.Familiarity with TherapyNotes or comparable electronic health record systems.Experience with clinical quality assurance, assessment review, or diagnostic consultation.Bilingual abilities, particularly Spanish, Haitian Creole, Hindi, or Punjabi.Experience providing culturally specific behavioral health services to African American individuals and families. Key Responsibilities: Comprehensive Clinical Assessments:Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial and diagnostic assessments for new clients.Evaluate presenting concerns, psychiatric history, psychosocial functioning, family dynamics, trauma history, and relevant medical and behavioral health factors.Assess mental health symptoms, severity, duration, functional impairment, and clinical risk.Evaluate clients across the lifespan, including children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.Identify relevant cultural, developmental, family, environmental, and social factors influencing mental health.Complete appropriate suicide risk assessments, safety assessments, and other clinically indicated screening procedures.Identify cases requiring additional evaluation, specialized services, or a higher level of care. Diagnosis and Medical Necessity:Establish accurate clinical diagnoses consistent with DSM-5-TR criteria.Document clinical findings supporting diagnostic impressions.Determine medical necessity and appropriateness for outpatient behavioral health services.Ensure assessment documentation supports applicable Medi-Cal and commercial insurance requirements.Identify diagnostic uncertainty and determine when further assessment or consultation is needed.Maintain clinical accuracy, objectivity, and professional judgment in diagnostic decision-making. Initial Treatment Planning:Develop individualized initial treatment plans based on assessment findings, client needs, and clinical priorities.Establish measurable treatment goals and appropriate clinical interventions.Incorporate client strengths, preferences, cultural considerations, and identified barriers to care.Determine recommended services, frequency, and appropriate treatment approaches.Identify when psychiatric consultation, family involvement, case management, or other supportive services may be appropriate.Ensure treatment plans are completed accurately and within organizational documentation deadlines. Client Transition and Clinical Coordination:Collaborate with intake coordinators and clinical leadership to facilitate appropriate clinician assignments.Communicate relevant clinical findings and treatment recommendations to the assigned treating clinician through approved organizational systems.Support continuity of care during the transition from assessment to ongoing treatment.Identify urgent clinical concerns requiring timely intervention or leadership consultation.Assist with determining whether clients are appropriate for the organization's outpatient services.Maintain clear professional boundaries between assessment responsibilities and ongoing treatment responsibilities. Clinical Documentation and Compliance:Complete comprehensive assessments, diagnoses, and initial treatment plans within established organizational timelines.Maintain accurate, complete, and clinically appropriate electronic health records.Follow California laws, Medi-Cal and applicable payer requirements, HIPAA, professional ethical standards, and organizational policies.Participate in clinical consultation, documentation reviews, and quality improvement activities.Address documentation deficiencies and implement appropriate corrections when necessary.Maintain confidentiality and appropriate handling of protected health information. Clinical Collaboration and Professional Responsibilities:Participate in scheduled clinical meetings, consultation, training, and organizational activities.Collaborate with treating clinicians, supervisors, intake personnel, and administrative leadership.Provide assessment-related clinical input when requested.Maintain professional communication and timely follow-through on assigned responsibilities.Support organizational efforts to improve assessment quality, diagnostic accuracy, client access, and continuity of care.Demonstrate flexibility, accountability, cultural responsiveness, and a commitment to high-quality clinical services. Assessment Scheduling and Documentation: Clinical assessments are generally scheduled in two-hour blocks, consisting of approximately:One hour: Direct client assessment.One hour: Clinical documentation, diagnostic formulation, and initial treatment planning. The actual time required may vary based on clinical complexity, client needs, documentation requirements, and applicable payer standards. The Clinical Assessor is expected to maintain timely documentation while ensuring assessments are comprehensive, clinically appropriate, and accurately reflect the client's presentation. Professional Growth and Advancement:Guillaume Counseling supports professional development and opportunities for clinical leadership.The Lead Licensed Clinician – Clinical Assessor may have opportunities to contribute to assessment quality improvement, diagnostic consultation, clinical workflow development, and other leadership initiatives as the organization grows.Additional responsibilities and advancement opportunities will depend on qualifications, demonstrated performance, organizational needs, and position availability. Apply Today Projected Start Date: 2027 We welcome applications from independently licensed California mental health professionals who are passionate about clinical assessment, diagnostic accuracy, culturally responsive care, and helping clients begin treatment with a strong clinical foundation. We are particularly interested in candidates who demonstrate strong clinical judgment, diagnostic expertise, excellent documentation skills, flexibility, attention to detail, and a commitment to professional excellence. To apply, please submit both a resume and a cover letter outlining your clinical assessment experience, California licensure, diagnostic expertise, experience working with diverse populations across the lifespan, and interest in this assessment-focused position. This is an anticipated 2027 opening. The final start date will be confirmed as organizational staffing and service expansion plans progress. To learn more about our organization and services, visit Guillaume Marriage and Family Counseling of California, P.C. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration in accordance with applicable employment laws.