Behavioral Health Specialist I/II - Mental Health

Behavioral Health Specialist (MH) III

This recruitment may close at any time. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

About The Department

Behavioral Health and Recovery Services is committed to behavioral health principles that are responsive to substance use disorders. Our scope of services includes, but is not limited to, inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services, substance use disorder services, behavioral education and prevention; public guardian functions and advocacy. We offer these services throughout Stanislaus County at Behavioral Health and Recovery Services managed sites and partner with community agencies, as well as other County departments.

About The Position

Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Behavioral Health Specialist I/II. The entry-level position performs under supervision while the experienced, journey-level position performs with much greater independence. Applicants who have lived experience as a consumer of Behavioral Health & Recovery Services or a family member of a loved one who is/was a consumer of Behavioral Health & Recovery Services are encouraged to apply.

This position provides a variety of para-professional counseling services to clients, recommends appropriate referrals, maintains community liaisons to ensure adequate services are made available to clients, provides facilitation for a variety of client-focused specialty groups, and as part of the treatment team, establishes and implements treatment plans. Behavioral Health Specialists work under supervision and may be assigned to regional teams, residential or inpatient facilities and various outpatient programs. Performs field visits to those under care and supervises subordinates.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill multiple vacancies for Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and establish an eligibility list to fill future Full-Time, Part-Time, Extra Help and On-Call vacancies.

Application Deadlines & Tentative Exam Dates

All exam dates are tentative and subject to change. Oral Examinations are anticipated during the listed week.

• Application deadline: April 20, 2026 | Oral Examination: Tentatively, April 27, 2026
• Application deadline: May 11, 2026 | Oral Examination: Tentatively, May 18, 2026
• Application deadline: June 1, 2026 | Oral Examination: Tentatively, June 8, 2026

To learn more about the Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Department, visit

Questions? We're Here to Help! If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, the recruitment process, or need assistance with your application, please contact the Behavioral Health & Recovery Services Recruitment Team at View phone number on click.appcast.io or View email address on click.appcast.io.

Specializations

Candidates in the Behavioral Health Specialist (BHS) classification may be appointed to specialize in the Mental Health (MH) area. Behavioral Health Specialists may be assigned to residential facilities, regional teams, various outpatient programs and community-based prevention programs. Incumbents may perform field visits to those under care and perform related duties as assigned.

State of California - Health and Human Services Agency, California Code of Regulations requires:

• Individuals providing peer support services within an approved DMC-ODS and/or the SMHS delivery system licensed and/or certified by DHCS be registered to obtain certification as a Peer Support Specialist with one of the certifying organizations currently approved by DHCS.

Behavioral Health Specialist I - Mental Health

View the job description for a full list of the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Behavioral Health Specialist II - Mental Health

View the job description for a full list of the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

We recognize your time is valuable, please only apply if you meet the following required qualifications.

Education & Experience

All applicants must possess a BLS CPR for Healthcare Providers.

Behavioral Health Specialist I

• Pattern I: Fifteen (15) units of college credit* in a related field; AND Four (4) years experience in crisis intervention, group/family/individual counseling or in a psychiatric inpatient setting or drug/alcohol treatment and recovery program.
• Pattern II: LVN or Psychiatric Technician license or 30 units of college credit* in a related field; AND Three (3) years experience in crisis intervention, group/family/individual counseling, or a psychiatric inpatient setting or drug/alcohol treatment and recovery program.
• Pattern III: Bachelors of Arts degree in a related field; AND Two (2) years responsible experience in crisis intervention, group/family/individual counseling, or a psychiatric inpatient setting or drug/alcohol treatment and recovery program.
• Pattern IV: Master's degree in a related field such as Counseling, Psychology or Social Work.

Behavioral Health Specialist II

• In addition to the above patterns: One (1) year of experience as a Behavioral Health Specialist I, or the equivalent, in order to qualify for the Behavioral Health Specialist II level; AND BLS CPR for Healthcare Providers.

Desirable Qualifications: In addition to the minimum qualifications, applicant screening will focus on the following desirable qualifications. Please list any of these qualifications you may have within the "Duties" section of the online application.

• Current or previous consumer of service(s) through Behavioral Health and Recovery Services; OR
• An immediate family member of an individual who previously or currently receives services through Behavioral Health and Recovery Services; OR
• Individuals/family members who have lived experience with a severe mental health diagnosis or substance use disorder

Application Procedures/Final Filing Date

Applications cannot be submitted later than 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date. Make your online application as complete as possible so a full and realistic appraisal may be made of your qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Attaching your resume and cover letter are an optional feature for those who wish to do so in addition to completing the required application. Information on your resume and cover letter will not substitute for the education, work experience and required fields on the County application. The online County application is the primary tool used to evaluate your job qualifications.

Examination Process

• Application Review and Screening . Applications are carefully screened based on information provided. Those who submit incomplete applications that lack relevant qualifications or do not submit all required documents will not be invited to move on.
• Written Examination . Applicants will be invited to participate in a written exam that tests knowledge for the position.
• Oral Examination . Applicants are invited to a panel interview in which they will be evaluated by County subject matter experts.
• Eligible Lists . Candidates who pass the examination will be placed on an eligible list for that classification. Eligible lists are effective for six months but may be extended up to eighteen months.

General Information

Unless otherwise provided, this position is part of the Classified Service of the County and is assigned to the Community & Health Services bargaining unit for labor relations purposes. Individuals who are in a full-time classification position are required to serve a twelve-month probationary period, which may be extended an additional six months, for a total of eighteen months.

The Job Task Analysis provides information detailing the physical and functional demands of the classification. For the complete job task analysis, visit the Risk Management website at under the "Disability" tab.

Incumbents may also be subject to overtime, standby, callback, weekend, holiday and shift assignments as identified in their MOU (Memorandum of Understanding).

Part-time extra-help is a