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Encompass Community Services
Watsonville, California

Clinical Counselor- Si Se Puede

Counselor / TherapistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$27/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and weekend coverage.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Job Details:

Job Location: Watsonville, CA 95076, Salary Range: $27.00 - $27.00 Hourly, Summary: The Clinical Counselor at our Si Se Puede program, located in Watsonville, is the lead group facilitator for clinical and educational groups. The position requires English and Spanish bi-lingual skills for group facilitation. In addition, this position will provide individual therapy, case management, crisis intervention, and group counseling services to Drug MediCal eligible residential participants and assist with stabilizing the substance use disorder and mental health of participating clients. Clinical interventions, strategies and services are based on best practices and selected evidence-based practices for mental health and substance use disorders and/or co-occurring disorders. These evidence-based practices include, Motivational interviewing, CBT, and mindfulness based practices. This position will work collaboratively with residential counseling staff to ensure that clients receive whole person care and appropriate coordination of treatment services. Responsibilities:

  • Provides direct client individual therapy and case management or group therapy in accordance with funder requirements and agency policies and evidence based practices
  • Clinical Counselor are either responsible for a caseload of up to ten clients throughout their treatment or responsible for facilitation and training of evidence based groups to fidelity.
  • Conduct regular various assessments of client including but not limited to ASAM, biopsychosocial and risk assessments as needed
  • Provides crisis intervention and counseling
  • Maintain communication with external providers, coordinators and other entities involved in client care and or funding
  • Maintains client confidentiality by adhering to HIPAA and 42CFR reulations
  • Responsible for utilizing the approach of Motivational Interviewing to assure a client-centered approach to persons of diverse and underserved backgrounds
  • Participates in own clinical supervision provided by Encompass for interns
  • Adherence to and support of Encompass personnel, facility and expense policies
  • Can be depended upon to report consistently to work at scheduled time and seldom cancels appointments with clients
  • Employee adheres to MediCal documentation requirements and complete work in a timely, accurate, and thorough manner and is conscientious about assignments
  • Follows instructions, responds to management direction, is accountable, and keeps commitments.
  • Maintaining clear professional and personal boundaries Qualifications:
  • 5 years experience in SUD treatment
  • Knowledge of CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing, mindfulness and other evidence based practices.
  • Certified with recognized AOD certifying agency
  • Position requires ability to meet OSHA mask fitting requirements. Facial hair must be trimmed or shaved to ensure a proper seal for mask fitting.
  • Must communicate effectively and be able to use or learn current technology including electronic health records, in the following areas: case notes, assessments, treatment plans, case management.
  • Demonstrated skills and understanding of effective treatment of addiction and recovery
  • Organizational ability to keep accurate records Wages & Benefits: We prioritize the well-being of our team as much as the community we serve. Our comprehensive health benefits reflect this commitment. We offer full-time employees medical and dental insurance plan that ensures peace of mind for themselves and their families. We go beyond traditional care by also offering our employees acupuncture and chiropractic, embracing a holistic approach to health that aligns with our values of care and compassion. Our team’s future matters just as much as the present. That’s why we offer a 403(b) retirement plan, providing a foundation for a secure retirement. We also recognize the need for work-life balance, so Encompass offers a competitive package of 11 vacation days, 15 additional paid holidays, and 12 sick days. These benefits are thoughtfully pro-rated for part-time positions, affirming our commitment to fairness and flexibility. About Us: At Encompass Community Services we provide our community with a wide range of services related to family & social well-being, behavioral health, housing and more. Every day through these services we work to make health, education and housing more equitable for all people in Santa Cruz County. For more than 50 years our work has touched generations by helping people have access to education, rebuild relationships, restore their health and regain dignity. Qualifications:

Key Responsibilities

The Clinical Counselor facilitates clinical and educational groups while providing individual therapy, case management, and crisis intervention for residential participants. They collaborate with staff to ensure whole-person care and maintain accurate documentation in accordance with MediCal and agency standards.

Requirements

Candidates must have 5 years of experience in substance use disorder treatment and hold a certification from a recognized AOD certifying agency. Proficiency in evidence-based practices such as CBT and Motivational Interviewing, along with bilingual English/Spanish skills, is required.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
5+ years of experience

Key Skills

Clinical counselingASAM assessmentBiopsychosocial assessmentRisk assessmentBilingual SpanishHIPAA compliance

Behavioral Health — Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$56k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $51k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Behavioral Health listings this role was benchmarked against, 60% are remote, 32% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

What does the Behavioral Health market look like in California?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score3.0 / 10 · above average in behavioral health (counseling)ranked against 342 Behavioral Health (Counseling) listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$56kBehavioral Health median $70k (middle half $64k–$76k)41 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$51k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Behavioral Health listings in California25 active352 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 60% remote · 32% no call · 62% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedCalifornia counselor listings (all specialties): 12% state a sign-on bonus (median $3k) · 9% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Behavioral Health listings868 in the last 30 days483 the 30 days before (+80%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Behavioral Health pay trend−17.8% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (342 Behavioral Health (Counseling) listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Counselor Jobs

42 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

42 jobs · 35 employers
8
<$85k
10
$85k-100k
12
$100k-115k
8
$115k-130k
4
$130k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

34 jobs
401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
38%
CME allowance
35%
Loan repayment
15%
PSLF eligible
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Dental Therapist

InterDent Service · Salem, Oregon

From $155k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Therapist

LifeStance Health · Lake Oswego, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#3

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

$123k-$141k
#4

Mental Health Therapist

$131k
+ 40 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 2.8this job 3.0
Better work-life than 50% of Behavioral Health (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 342 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Encompass Community Services logo

About Encompass Community Services

Individual and Family Services
Santa Cruz, CA
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Acupuncture
Chiropractic
403(b) Retirement Plan
11 Vacation Days
15 Paid Holidays
12 Sick Days

Living in Watsonville

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$829k
Typical market rent
$3,332/mo
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
109.9
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.