Mental Health Worker

Mental Health Worker

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Mental Health Worker

Salary

$59,862.96 - $72,745.92 Annually

Location

Sacramento, CA

Job Type

Permanent Full-Time

Job Number

28152-F

Department

Health Services

Opening Date

09/09/2022

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description

• Benefits

• Questions

The Position

This is a continuous filing exam. The filing cut-offs are at 5:00 pm on:

6/18/26, 7/20/26, 8/19/26, 9/18/26, 10/19/26, 11/19/26, 12/18/26

• Currently seeking to fill both on-call/intermittent positions as well as full time positions.*

Under general supervision, the Mental Health Worker performs a wide variety of duties to assist professional mental health services staff in coordinating and providing mental health services for individuals with an acute or persistent mental disorder or co-occurring disorders.

Examples of Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of

• Basic social and psychological needs, problems, attitudes and behavior patterns of individuals with acute or persistent mental disorders or co-occurring disorders

• Community resources such as public assistance programs, drug rehabilitation programs, and housing shelters

• Basic interviewing techniques and psychiatric terminology

Ability to

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients and their families, and with professional, paraprofessional and support staff in the department, in outside agencies, and with the general public

• Recognize changes in patient's condition or behavior and take action, as appropriate

• Work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary mental health or alcohol and drug treatment team

• Communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing

• Understand and follow written and verbal instructions

• React effectively in crisis situations

• Work effectively in stressful, emotional and/or confrontational situations requiring good judgment, self-control, and persuading and motivating people

• Document medical records and other relevant documents accurately and thoroughly

• Use community resources to assist clients

• Protect patient privacy, confidentiality, and adhere to security guidelines

• Read, write and speak English at a level necessary for satisfactory job performance

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Either: 1. Two years of full time paid experience in a private or governmental agency providing direct mental health related services to patients, which included identifying patients' mental health needs, using community resources, and client advocacy.

Or: 2. Possession of an Associate's Degree, or higher, from an accredited college or university in a mental health related field such as Social Work, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology, or Counseling; or 60 semester units (90 quarter units), from an accredited college or university, of which 24 semester units (36 quarter units) must have been in Social Work, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology, or Counseling.

Or: 3. Two years of full time paid experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant working with patients with physical disabilities, mental confusion, and/or behavioral disturbances.

Note: If the minimum qualifications include an educational or certificate/license requirement, applicants must submit proof of requirements with the application. Failure to submit proof of requirements may result in disqualification from the examination. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. For guidelines on submitting acceptable proof of educational requirements, please click here ( or speak to someone in our office before the final filing or cut-off date listed in this notice.

General Qualifications

Criminal History and Background Checks: The County may access criminal history information on candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of appointment for this class consistent with the provisions of Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 82-602, Personnel Policies and Procedures, and applicable federal and state laws. The County shall not consider for employment any candidate who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that relates to or impacts the candidate's ability to perform the job duties of this class unless it is determined that mitigating circumstances exist. For purposes of accessing criminal history information, the candidate will be fingerprinted. A subsequent arrest notification may be obtained.

The County may also conduct a background check on the candidate prior to appointment to a position within this class. The background check may include personal and professional reference checks, credit history checks where authorized by Labor Code section 1024.5, Social Security Number verification, professional license/registration verification, military service information and driving history. Information obtained in the course of this background check will be considered by the appointing authority in the selection process. In obtaining such information, the County will comply with applicable consent and disclosure practices in the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act.

License Requirement: A valid California Driver License, Class C or higher, is required at the time of appointment. Failure to obtain or maintain the appropriate California Driver License may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement.

Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Certificate Requirement: All incumbents in this class will be required to obtain and maintain a valid CPR certificate within three months of appointment to the class. Failure to obtain or maintain the required certificate may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement.

Child and Elder Abuse Reporting: Persons selected for employment must, as a condition of employment, sign a statement agreeing to comply with Section 11166 and 11160 of the California Penal Code relating to child and elder abuse reporting.

Physical Requirements: Positions in this class require the incumbent to be able to:

• Restrain and assist in restraining patients.

• Lift a patient with assistance from other staff.

Individuals who do not meet these requirements due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Working Conditions: Positions in this class require the incumbent to:

• Work irregular hours, holidays, and weekends.

• Work with persons infected with communicable diseases.

• Work in a locked psychiatric facility around patients with a persistent mental illness that may also exhibit aggressive behaviors.

Special Skills: Special skills classes require sufficient knowledge to speak, read and write fluently a language other than Standard English; and/or knowledge of a multi-cultural group encompassing but not limited to: family member roles and living environments; the various characteristics or problems unique to the group in employment, education, health, economics and social customs; and current social movements involving the group. Incumbents use the specific language and multi-cultural knowledge in the performance of typical duties, incorporating this knowledge to appropriately serve clients and families in a manner that is culturally competent and affirming. In addition, incumbents translate and interpret using Standard English and a language other than Standard English, and act as a consultant to others regarding the specific multi-cultural group.

Probationary Period:

The probationary period for this classification is six (6) months.

Application and Testing Information

APPLICATION

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Click here ( to apply.

County of Sacramento

Department of Personnel Services

Employment Services Division

700 H Street, Room 4667

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone View phone number on click.appcast.io; 7-1-1 California Relay Service

Email View email address on click.appcast.io

Inter-Office Mail Code: 09-4667

• Employment applications and all documentation requested in this announcement must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.

• Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.

• Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the cut-off date.

• Application information must be current, concise and related to the requirements in this job announcement. You may only apply for this recruitment once. Duplicate and incomplete applications will be disqualified.

• A resume may be included with your application, however it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

Applicants are required to provide a full and complete response to each supplemental question. The Supplemental Questionnaire is located in the tab marked "Supplemental Questions". Please be descriptive in your response.

Note: Responses of "See Resume" or "See Application", or copy and paste of work experience are not qualifying responses and will not be considered.

• Supplemental Questionnaires must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.

• The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate's experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification.

• Please provide place of employment, pertinent dates, and concise, descriptive and detailed information for each question.

• If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely.

• Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question.

• If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.

• For many individuals, it is more efficient to develop responses to the supplemental questions in a word processing document and then paste them into the final document to be submitted. Changes or corrections to your Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be made once your application packet has been submitted.

• If the Supplemental Questionnaire is used in the Formula Rate exam, failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score. While scoring the Supplemental Questionnaire, the candidate's application and/or attachments will not be reviewed, therefore, a candidate's responses to the questions should be accurate, thorough, detailed, and complete.

FORMULA RATE EXAMINATION (Weighted 100%)

All candidates meeting the minimum qualifications by the cut-off date will have their Supplemental Questionnaire scored in the Formula Rate Examination.

This examination will evaluate the relevance, level, recency, progression and quality of candidate's education, training and experience. The candidate's application or other materials will not be included in this examination. Therefore, the candidate's responses to the supplemental questionnaire should be thorough, detailed and complete. The score from the Formula Rate Examination will determine the ranking on the eligible/employment list for this job.

All candidates competing in the testing process will receive written notice of their examination results by email. Notices can also be accessed in their governmentjobs.com inbox. Applicants achieving a passing score will be placed on the eligible list in rank order. The rank is determined by the test score attained from the examination.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click here ( for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

For information regarding County jobs:

Sacramento County is about enriching communities to thrive. We strive to create inclusive workplaces that reflect the communities we serve. We value and celebrate the unique perspectives, backgrounds, abilities, and diverse dimensions of our employees and residents. Through transparency, courage, innovation, and trust we are committed to advance equity and transformational change.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability for any phase of the hiring process, please contact our Disability Compliance Office at View email address on click.appcast.io or View phone number on click.appcast.io, CA Relay 711. For more information, visit: Reasonable Accommodation Requests - Job Applicant Instructions (

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

At Sacramento County, we strive to provide benefit programs designed to meet our employees’ current and future needs and help them as they balance their careers and personal life. County of Sacramento employees have a variety of benefits available. These benefits include:

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

• Health Insurance

• Health Savings Account (HSA)

• Life Insurance

• Critical Illness

• Retiree Health Savings Plan (RHSP)

• Deferred Compensation

More information can be found on the Benefits website (

TEMPORARY POSITIONS:

Most benefits do not apply to temporary positions.

VACATION:

Generally, vacation with pay begins at 10 days annually. With increase over a period of years, the maximum annual vacation with pay is 25 days.

HOLIDAYS:

14.5 holidays per year as recognized by the Board of Supervisors.

SICK LEAVE:

Equivalent to 15 days annually, unlimited accumulation.

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT:

Regular County employees may be eligible to receive Tuition Reimbursement. The costs for course tuition/registration fees and required books/supplies may be eligible for reimbursement. Tuition reimbursement amounts may vary depending upon union agreement.

RETIREMENT:

The County’s defined-benefit pension plan is provided by the County Employees’ Retirement Law of 1937 and is managed by the Sacramento County Employees' Retirement System (SCERS) Board of Retirement. For more information, visit the SCERS website,

DENTAL INSURANCE:

For more information, visit the Benefits website (

LIFE INSURANCE:

The County of Sacramento provides a basic life insurance benefit to all eligible employees at no cost. Additional coverage may be purchased through payroll deduction.

For more information, visit the Benefits website (

DEFERRED COMPENSATION:

A deferred compensation program is available through the County 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. For more information, visit the Benefits website (

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:

The County of Sacramento provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees and their eligible dependents. The EAP offers confidential, professional counseling services in areas such as:

• Legal Advice/Difficult Decisions

• Marriage or Family Relationships

• Financial or Credit Worries/Elder Care

• Alcohol and Drug Abuse

More information can be found on the Benefits website (

WELLNESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM:

The County will recognize and award time off to eligible employees who maintain an excellent attendance record.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT:

The County offers regular employees two separate Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA's). These accounts allow employees to set money aside, on a pre-tax basis via payroll deduction, to pay for medical, dental or dependent care expenses.

DEPENDENT CARE REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT:

Employees may set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified childcare or dependent care expenses that are necessary for the employee and/or spouse to continue working.

MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT:

The Medical Reimbursement Account allows pre-tax dollars to be set aside to pay for out-of-pocket expenses that are not paid by insurance or reimbursed by any other benefit plan.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION:

In case of injury while on the job, each employee is protected under the Workers' Compensation laws of California.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: FAQs (

VETERAN'S PREFERENCE:

Military veterans who have served during wartime shall be given preference in initial appointment to County service. Such preference shall apply, provided the veteran has first achieved a minimum passing score in the examination. The passing score of a veteran shall be annotated to indicate the veteran's score shall be regarded as 5 points or higher, OR 10 points higher for disabled veterans, only for the purpose of determining the three ranks along with which the veteran's name shall be certified. No score shall actually be changed and no new rank shall be created as a result of application of veteran's preference for certification purposes.

"Disabled Veteran" means any veteran who has served during wartime and, who, as of the final filing date for an examination is declared by the United States Veterans Administration or military service department to be 10% or more disabled as a result of his/her military service. Persons claiming eligibility for disabled veteran's preference must submit to the employment office, on or before the application deadline date, a certification from the United States Veterans Administration or a military service department, dated within 1 year, which certifies the present existence of a service related disability of 10% or more, or other acceptable proof of such disability as a result of his/her military service.

Persons claiming eligibility for veterans preference must submit a copy of Form DD 214 or other acceptable proof of veteran's status on or before the final filing date for the examination. For purpose of this rule "reserve" status does not constitute active duty.

SPECIAL SKILL QUALIFICATIONS (WHEN SPECIFIED ON THE JOB ANNOUNCEMENT):

Persons who have special skills required by some (but not all) positions in a class may be certified ahead of others provided that:

Such special skills are based on the duties and requirements of the positions and are in conformance with merit system and equal opportunity principles, and

The certification of eligibles who possess special skills have been approved by the Civil Service Commission.

01

The following Supplemental Questionnaire is the Civil Service Exam for this position and will be used to determine your exam score.

All experience, education, and/or training used to answer the supplemental questions must be included on your application.

In order to receive every consideration in the selection process, you must complete all questions with concise but detailed answers and provide all requested information. Each answer will be scored separately. References such as 'See Resume' as a response will not be scored.

By continuing in the exam process, you are certifying that all information provided in the Supplemental Questionnaire is true to the best of your knowledge.

• Yes

• No

02

Physical Requirements: Incumbents in this class must be physically able to:

• Restrain and assist in restraining patients.

• Lift a patient with assistance from other staff.

Working Conditions: Incumbents in this class must be willing to work:

• Irregular hours, holidays, and weekends.

• With persons infected with communicable diseases.

• In a locked psychiatric facility around patients with a persistent mental illness. Patients may also exhibit aggressive behaviors.

I have read and understood the physical requirements and working conditions listed above.

• Yes

• No

03

Select the statement below that best describes how you meet the minimum qualifications for this job class.

• Possession of an Associate's Degree or higher, from an accredited college or university in a mental health related field such as Social Work, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology, or Counseling; or 60 semester units (90 quarter units), from an accredited college or university, of which 24 semester units (36 quarter units) must have been in Social Work, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology, or Counseling.

• Two years of full time paid experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant working with patients with physical disabilities, mental confusion, and/or behavioral disturbances.

• Two years of full time paid experience in a private or governmental agency providing direct mental health-related services to patients, which included identifying patients' mental health needs, using community resources, and client advocacy.

• None of the above experience or education patterns apply to me.

04

If qualifying with your education, list school, field of study, and dates attended; additionally, you must attach a copy of your transcripts or diploma.

If qualifying with experience only, or if none of the patterns apply, write N/A..

05

Select the one statement which best describes your experience assisting patients with basic life activities such as bathing, toileting, dressing, eating, and other essential needs while providing mental health services.

• I have no experience in this area.

• I have less than 2 years of academic, training, or paid experience.

• I have 2 years but less than 3 years of academic, training, or paid experience.

• I have 3 or more years of academic and/or training experience only.

• I have 3 or more years of paid experience.

06

Select all the boxes that best describe the types of patient behavior with which you have intervention experience.

• Suicidal

• Homicidal

• Verbally abusive

• Physically abusive

• Combative

• Self-injurious

• Elopement/absence without leave (AWOL)

• Uncooperative

• Disruptive

• Belligerent

• None of the above

07

NOTE: If you meet the minimum qualifications (via the information you provided on your application and requested documentation), your exam score (based on your supplemental questionnaire responses) places you within the reachable ranks on the resulting eligible list and you are invited to interview; you will be asked to expand on, clarify, and/or provide examples to support your responses on this exam (supplemental questionnaire).

• I have read and understood the above instructions.

08

Select all the boxes that best describe the patient conditions with which you have experience working.

• Poor hygiene

• Vulnerable

• Unable to control bladder/bowel

• Physical disabilities

• Disoriented

• Poor food/fluid intake

• Flirtatious/seductive behavior

• Selectively mute/non-communicative

• Refused medications

• Transgender

• Disrobing

• Crying episodes

• None of the above

09

Select the one statement which best describes your experience applying verbal de-escalation techniques.

• I have no experience in this area.

• I have less than 2 years of academic, training, or paid experience.

• I have 2 years but less than 3 years of academic, training, or paid experience.

• I have 3 or more years of academic and/or training experience only.

• I have 3 or more years of paid experience.

10

Select the one statement which best describes your experience monitoring and documenting patient behavior to assure the effectiveness of the treatment plan.

• I have no experience in this area.

• I have less than 2 years of academic, training, or paid experience.

• I have 2 years but less than 3 years of academic, training, or paid experience.

• I have 3 or more years of academic and/or training experience only.

• I have 3 or more years of paid experience.

11

Select the one statement which best describes your experience providing group facilitation in a mental health setting.

• I have no experience in this area.

• I have less than 2 years of academic, training, or paid experience.

• I have 2 years but less than 3 years of academic, training, or paid experience.

• I have 3 or more years of academic and/or training experience only.

• I have 3 or more years of paid experience.

12

Select the one statement which best describes your experience using restraint and seclusion techniques.

• I have no experience in this area.

• I have less than 2 years of academic, training, or paid experience.

• I have 2 years but less than 3 years of academic, training, or paid experience.

• I have 3 or more years of academic and/or training experience only.

• I have 3 or more years of paid experience.

13

Select the one response you would consider the most important value to possess in the field of mental health services.

• Patience

• Sense of duty/responsibility

• Teamwork

• Honesty

• Compassion

14

Select all boxes that describe programs or software you have experience using during the performance of your duties.

• None

• Electronic medical record programs or software such as TIER or AVATAR

• Microsoft Word

• Microsoft Excel

• Microsoft Outlook

• Other program(s) similar in scope and function but not listed above

15

Some positions in this class are on-call. On-call employees may work up to 1560 hours per calendar year and generally know their schedule at least 2 weeks in advance. Accepting an on-call position does not negatively affect one's opportunity for a permanent position when available. Are you willing to work as an on-call employee?

• Yes

• No

16

Hours of Work: Mark all boxes that show options you are available for and willing to work.

• Part-time

• Full time

• Days

• Evenings/Swings

• Nights

• Weekends

• Holidays

17

License Requirement: A valid California Driver's License, Class C or higher, is required prior to appointment to this class. Failure to maintain a valid Class C license may constitute cause for termination from this class in accordance with Civil Service Rule 11.4.

Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to physical disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Select the box that best describes the status of your California Driver's License, Class C or higher.

• My California Driver's License, Class C or higher is current and valid.

• I am in the process of securing my valid California Driver's License, Class C or higher and it will be in my possession should I be appointed to a position in this class.

• I do not possess a valid California Driver License, Class C or higher.

18

I have read the General Requirements and Other Requirements as stated on the job announcement.

• Yes

• No

19

The County of Sacramento is committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol free workplace. All persons selected for appointment must pass a drug test administered by the County and at no cost to the applicant.

I understand, if offered conditional employment, I will be subject to a drug test administered by the County as described in Sacramento County Personnel Ordinance Section 2.78.030.

• Yes

• No

20

Select the one box that best describes whether you have attended a career fair and/or job event where you have interacted with representatives from Sacramento County.

• Attended in the last one (1) – three (3) months.

• Attended in the last four (4) – six (6) months.

• Attended in the last seven (7) months – one (1) year.

• Attended an event more than one (1) year ago.

• Have attended a career fair and/or job event but did not interact with Sacramento County representatives.

• Have not attended a career fair and/or job event.

21

List the following for the career fair and/or job event you attended: • Name of event • Location of event • Month and year of event If you have not attended an event where you interacted with representatives from Sacramento County, please type "None".

Required Question

Employer

County of Sacramento

Address

700 H Street, Room 4667 Sacramento, California, 95814

Phone

View phone number on click.appcast.io

Website

Apply

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