Stars Behavioral Health Group logo
Stars Behavioral Health Group
Los Angeles, California

Mental Health Therapist

Counselor / TherapistIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$68k-$70k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Partner with us in making a positive change!

Join a team where your work truly matters. We're proud to have been certified as a Great Place to Work for 8 years by our own employees. We invite you to partner with us in our mission to improve mental healthcare.

Job Title

Mental Health Specialist II

Division/Program

MLK Crisis Residential Treatment (VS)

Starting Compensation

$68,197.88 - $70,304 Per Year

Working Location

Los Angeles CA 90059

Working Hours/Shift

Sunday - Thursday 9am - 5:30pm

Why Join Our Team?

  • Competitive Compensation: Offering a salary that matches your skills and experience.
  • Generous Time Off: Enjoy ample vacation and holiday pay.

Comprehensive Benefits Package

  • Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Additional voluntary benefits to support your lifestyle.

Professional Growth Opportunities

  • On-the-job training with access to paid CEU opportunities.
  • Career development programs designed to help you grow.
  • Supervision for BBS hours for AMFT, ACSW, and APCC professionals (where applicable).

Employee Recognition & Rewards: A culture that celebrates and rewards your hard work and dedication

What You Bring to SBHG (Qualifications)

Education & Compliance | Required for All Levels

Education: Master’s degree in psychology, social work, or a related mental health field.

Driver's License: Valid California Driver's License with a driving record that meets company eligibility policies.

First Aid: Current First Aid certification from an approved agency (such as the American Red Cross) or the ability to obtain certification within 90 days of employment.

Licensure Requirements

Mental Health Specialist II (MHS II): Active registration with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) as an Associate (AMFT, ACSW, or APCC).

Mental Health Specialist III (MHS III): Active licensure with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) as a Licensed clinician (LMFT, LCSW, or LPCC).

How You Will Make a Difference (Job Overview)

This position assesses clients at the start of treatment (reviews as needed), develops and maintains treatment plans, and conducts family collateral and discharge planning.

The MHS II is a clinical treatment team member who is also responsible for providing direct care to meet the physical and psychosocial needs of the clients through direct and indirect physical and verbal interaction.

MHS II will also be engaged in admission and diagnostic formulation, screening incoming referrals, and work with referring parties (i. e. Social Workers, Nurses, hospital liaisons and etc.) to ensure appropriate client care and treatment planning.

Duties are performed under the direct supervision of the Clinical Supervisor, but some tasks are accomplished independently.

Division & Program Overview

Facility & Setting

  • 16-bed residential facility offering a short-term, home-like environment.
  • 24/7 intensive treatment is designed as an alternative to hospitalization or urgent care.

Clinical Services: Comprehensive physical/psychological evaluations, mental health counseling, and case management.

Skills & Transition: Life-skills and interpersonal training, paired with dedicated assistance for locating permanent housing.

Learn more about SBHG at: starsinc.com

For Additional Information

Stgarcia@starsinc.com

Key Responsibilities

The Mental Health Specialist assesses clients, develops treatment plans, and conducts family collateral and discharge planning. They also provide direct care to meet the physical and psychosocial needs of clients within a residential setting.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in psychology, social work, or a related field and possess a valid California Driver's License. Active registration with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate is required for the MHS II level.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Mental health assessmentCrisis interventionPsychosocial supportScreening referralsLife-skills training

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 64% are remote, 22% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

Mental Health Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 2.5% vs. the prior quarter (through Oct 2026).

Mental Health Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$68k–$70kMental Health Therapy median $85k (middle half $76k–$105k)35 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$63k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Mental Health Therapy listings in California576 active7,859 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 64% remote · 22% no call · 62% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedCalifornia Counselor listings: 12% state a sign-on bonus (median $3k) · 9% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Mental Health Therapy listings2,571 in the last 30 days1,547 the 30 days before (+66%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Mental Health Therapy pay trend−2.5% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Counselor Jobs

41 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

41 jobs · 35 employers
8
<$90k
13
$90k-105k
11
$105k-120k
5
$120k-135k
4
$135k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

31 jobs
401k / retirement match
97%
Sign-on bonus
45%
CME allowance
45% this job
Loan repayment
13%
PSLF eligible
6%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Employee Assistance Program - Clinical Counselor (must reside in California)

CVS Health · California

$67k-$143k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Therapist

LifeStance Health · Lake Oswego, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#3

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

$123k-$141k
#4

Licensed Clinician DV/SA Program LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

$114k-$141k
+ 39 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 1.5
Below most Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,846 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends
Stars Behavioral Health Group logo

About Stars Behavioral Health Group

Mental Health Care
Long Beach, CA
501-1,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage
Voluntary benefits
Paid CEU opportunities
Career development programs
Supervision for BBS hours
Generous vacation and holiday pay

Living in Los Angeles

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$922k≈ 13.5× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,772/mo≈ 49% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
31 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
113.6
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 · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.