Clinician

Santa Cruz, CA

📍 Location: On-Site – Santa Cruz, CA

📅 Schedule: Full-Time | Exempt

💼 Department: Residential – Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU)

📈 Reports to: Lead Clinician / Clinical Director

💰 Salary Range: $80,000 – $85,000/year

✨ Make a Meaningful Impact

Aspiranet, a leading California-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting children, youth, and families, is seeking a skilled and compassionate Clinician to join our Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) in Santa Cruz. In this critical role, you’ll provide clinical assessments, crisis intervention, and therapeutic support to youth experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges. As part of a dedicated, trauma-informed team, you’ll develop individualized safety and service plans, coordinate with county and healthcare partners, and ensure that each young person receives the care and stability they deserve.

❤️ About Aspiranet

Founded in 1975, Aspiranet is a mission-driven organization dedicated to helping families thrive. We provide a continuum of care across California through six service divisions: Foster and Adoption, Transitional Aged Youth, Residential, Intensive Home-Based Services, Behavioral Health, and Family and Community. Every role at Aspiranet contributes to something greater: building a future where every child is loved, every family supported, and every individual equipped to succeed.

📝️ Position Summary

The Clinician (Crisis Stabilization Unit) provides comprehensive screening, assessment, and therapeutic services to youth admitted to the CSU. This position is responsible for developing safety and service plans, providing interventions during crisis situations, and coordinating with internal teams and external partners to ensure safe and effective stabilization. The Clinician plays an essential role in helping youth transition successfully to ongoing care and community-based supports.

🔍 Key Responsibilities

Assessment & Intervention

• Engage and build rapport with youth upon admission to the CSU.
• Conduct thorough intake screenings and ongoing risk assessments.
• Provide trauma-informed crisis intervention and therapeutic services.
• Monitor and reassess risk, safety, and stabilization progress.

Planning & Collaboration

• Develop individualized safety and service plans tailored to each youth’s needs.
• Train and guide staff on plan implementation and behavior support strategies.
• Collaborate closely with county staff, nursing staff, and community service providers.
• Coordinate discharge and aftercare planning to ensure continuity of care.

Documentation & Compliance

• Complete all assessments, plans, and documentation according to Medi-Cal, county, and agency standards.
• Follow all incident reporting procedures promptly and accurately.
• Participate in individual and group supervision, as well as team meetings.
• Provide on-call or after-hours support for screenings, assessments, and treatment needs as assigned.

✅ Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, or Counseling Psychology
• Current registration with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) (AMFT, ACSW, or APCC).
• Minimum 2 years of experience working directly with children or youth in a behavioral health, crisis, or residential setting preferred.
• Strong knowledge of crisis assessment, trauma-informed care, and safety planning.
• Meets all state-required employment conditions, including:
  • DOJ fingerprint and Child Abuse Index clearance
  • TB/Health physical
  • Valid CA Driver’s License, acceptable driving record, and proof of insurance

💻 Work Environment & Schedule

This position is based in Santa Cruz, CA, with an expectation of on-site presence, including oversight of evening and weekend coverage schedules as needed.

❤️ Why Aspiranet?

• Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits package, and a 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching.
• Access to the free Aspiranet Employee Perks Program. Enjoy exclusive discounts on entertainment, travel, wellness, pet care, gym memberships, theme parks, and more
• Flexible paid time off including 11 paid holidays, 10 vacation days, 10 sick leave days, two diversity days, and paid birthday time off.
• Access to our employee assistance program including 24/7 crisis line; up to 6 counseling sessions per issue.
• Training opportunities are available to support your ongoing development and career aspirations.
• Collaborate in a supportive, inclusive, and mission-aligned culture.
• Opportunity to lead meaningful initiatives that support employee wellbeing.

🏋️Physical Demands

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

This position typically operates in a standard office environment. The noise level is generally quiet and remains within OSHA’s established safety levels at all times.

⚖️ Equal Employment Opportunity

Aspiranet is an equal opportunity employer that recognizes the value of diversity. We believe a diverse workforce within a culture of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) increases creativity, innovation, problem-solving, and teamwork for the youth and families that we serve and the organization as a whole.  Aspiranet strives to provide our employees with a workplace that is welcoming, inclusive of differing world views, cultures, and lived experiences.

📝  How to Apply

Join us in building brighter futures.

Apply today through our career portal:

✨ Click here to apply: www.aspiranet.org/careers

✨ Pro Tip: Once you’re in the portal, be sure to create an account to get started on your application! It’s quick, easy, and the first step to making a difference.