Evidence Based Associates logo
Evidence Based Associates
San Diego, California

Community-Based Therapist

Counselor / TherapistIncludes callFull-Time

Listed compensation

$36-$37/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 10m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Community-Based Program Therapist (MST)

Job Summary

Recommend and assist with access to medical, educational, social, vocational, housing, and more to support program goals. Initiate referrals to the next level of care, and coordinate with physical health providers to ensure whole-person care, and advocate in the best interest of clients.

Responsibilities

Reasonable accommodation may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

  • Provide assessments, mental health evaluations, family-individual-group therapy, plan development, case consultation, crisis intervention, discharge placement, and assist clients in meeting basic needs and symptom management.
  • Complete accurate and timely documentation, meet minimum billable requirements for direct client services.
  • Facilitate placement including pre-placement visits, and transportation as needed.
  • Shift coverage including part of the on-call team.
  • Provide field-based services as required by program and client need.
  • Maintain confidentiality of client’s care.
  • Participate in scheduled program meetings.
  • Other relevant duties as assigned.
  • Conduct MST assessment including review of referral information, identifying, and engaging key participants, identifying systemic strengths and weaknesses, and developing an analysis of the fit of problem behaviors within the ecological context.
  • Engage primary caregiver and other key participants in active change-oriented treatment by identifying and overcoming barriers to engagement.
  • Implement a problem conceptualization, treatment planning, intervention implementation, outcomes review and strategy revision procedure using the MST Analytic Process.
  • Maintain clear and concise documentation of treatment efforts that promote peer and supervisory review and feedback, and that demonstrate compliance with the nine MST Principles and the MST Analytic Process.
  • Ability to engage and collaborate with all relevant systems and key participants within each system, to maintain alignment throughout MST treatment.
  • Provide direct clinical treatment using methods compatible with MST principles and practices.
  • Participate in all MST training, supervision, consultation, and MST Therapist development activities.

Qualifications

  • Master’s degree and CA BBS registration or license (MFT, LCSW, LPCC) required.
  • Valid CA driver’s license and current auto insurance per contract requirements required.
  • Experience providing mental health and/or substance use disorder services preferred.
  • Cultural competency understanding required.
  • Bilingual preferred.
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office and EHR software preferred.

COMPENSATION: $36.00 To $37.00 Hourly

Benefits

  • Clinical Supervisor at No COST!
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance options through Anthem
  • Health Savings Account (HSA) eligible medical plan options
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (Health Care and Dependent Care FSAs)
  • 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
  • Employer-paid Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage
  • Long-Term Disability coverage and voluntary Short-Term Disability options
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available at no cost to employees
  • Position may be eligible for HCAI loan repayment programs
  • Voluntary supplemental benefits, including Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity coverage
  • Employee Referral Bonus Program
  • Generous Paid Time Off and paid holidays
  • Ongoing training, professional development, and opportunities for career growth

Equal Employment Opportunity

Empower Community Care is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Mental health assessmentFamily therapyIndividual therapyCase managementMultisystemic therapyClinical documentationCollaborationAdvocacy

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 42% are remote, 28% have no call, 64% require no weekends.

Mental Health Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 1.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Oct 2026).

Mental Health Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$75k–$77kMental Health Therapy median $56k (middle half $48k–$83k)48 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$69k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Mental Health Therapy listings in California581 active7,847 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 42% remote · 28% no call · 64% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentloan repaymentCalifornia Counselor listings: 11% state a sign-on bonus (median $3k) · 9% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Mental Health Therapy listings2,473 in the last 30 days1,673 the 30 days before (+48%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Mental Health Therapy pay trend−1.8% 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

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

50 jobs · 39 employers
17
<$80k
12
$80k-95k
11
$95k-110k
10
$110k-125k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

38 jobs
401k / retirement match
95% this job
Sign-on bonus
32%
CME allowance
32%
Loan repayment
8% this job
PSLF eligible
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Therapist-IBH - Comprehensive Care Center

Clinica Sierra Vista · Bakersfield, California

$104k-$123k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LMHC, LCSW)

Gotham Enterprises · Davie, Florida

$115k-$120k
#3

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)

$115k-$120k
#4

Remote Clinical Therapist - CA

$80k-$120k
+ 48 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 7,870 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call
Evidence Based Associates logo

About Evidence Based Associates

Business Consulting and Services
Washington, District of Columbia
11-50 employees

Benefits & Perks

Clinical Supervisor at No COST
Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance options through Anthem
Health Savings Account (HSA) eligible medical plan options
Flexible Spending Accounts (Health Care and Dependent Care FSAs)
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
Employer-paid Life Insurance and AD&D coverage
Long-Term Disability coverage and voluntary Short-Term Disability options
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available at no cost

Living in San Diego

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.00M
Typical market rent
$3,004/mo
Residents’ average commute
24 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
111.9
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 · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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