Mental Health Social Worker - Hillcrest
Compensation
Pay not listed
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.
Job Description
This is a full-time position at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest with rotating weekends.
Join the Scripps Health team and work with dedicated caregivers to deliver patient-focused care. Build a rewarding career with one of the nation's most respected healthcare organizations.
Why Join Scripps Health?
Award-Winning Workplace
- At Scripps Health, your ambition is empowered and your abilities are appreciated:
- Nearly a quarter of our employees have been with Scripps Health for over 10 years.
- Scripps is a Great Place to Work Certified company for 2025.
Scripps Health has been consistently ranked as a top employer for women, millennials, diversity, and as an overall workplace by various national publications.
Beckers Healthcare ranked Scripps Health on its 2024 list of 150 top places to work in health care.
We have transitional and professional development programs to create a learning environment that enables you to thrive in your specific field as well as in your overall career.
Our specialties have been nationally recognized for quality in areas such as cardiovascular care, oncology, orthopedics, geriatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and gastroenterology.
We are looking for a compassionate, motivated Clinical Social Worker with a Mental Health focus to join our acute care team at Scripps Mercy Hospital. In this role, you’ll support high-risk patients and their families, addressing personal and environmental challenges that contribute to illness or hinder their ability to benefit fully from medical care. You will also
- Work with the RN Care Managers to provide the best patient care for a safe and timely discharge
- assist with program planning and organization of services.
- address housing needs as well as mental health and drug abuse issues
Required Experience/Specialized Skills
- An ability to speak another language is desirable.
- Must be able to display good working relationships with patients, families, medical and nursing personnel, and all others employed at the hospital.
- Working knowledge of the laws, regulations, policies and appeal procedures as relative to the Federal, State and other reimbursement programs.
- American Heart Association Healthcare Provider Basic Life Support (BLS) card
- Master’s degree in Social Work from an accredited university or college (MSW) or Master’s degree in Family Therapy (MFT)
Preferred Experience/Certification/Registration
- Acute Care Hospital experience preferred.
- Licensed by the State of California Behavioral Science Examiners Board as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy (LMFT)
- 1-3 years recent experience in an inpatient psychiatric hospital setting with a focus on discharge planning while addressing housing needs as well as mental health and substance abuse needs
Key Responsibilities
The social worker will support high-risk patients and their families by addressing personal and environmental challenges that impact medical care. They will also collaborate with RN care managers to facilitate safe discharges and assist with program planning and service organization.
Requirements
Candidates must hold a Master's degree in Social Work or Family Therapy and possess a BLS certification. Preferred qualifications include acute care hospital experience and licensure as an LCSW or LMFT in California.
Qualifications
- Education
- Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Social Worker Career Context
In California, the Social Work weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$97k (797 salary observations; 1,985 listings), vs ~$81k nationally (5,390 salary observations; 22,583 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2025-12-01 through 2026-11-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 42% are remote, 34% have no call, 50% require no weekends.
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | not listed | Social Work median $87k (middle half $76k–$112k)39 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| California vs national | $97k median in California | $81k nationally (+20%)797 state / 5,390 national salary observations |
| Cost of living | California index 110.7 | US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Social Work listings in California | 729 active | 6,556 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 42% remote · 34% no call · 50% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | not stated | California Social Worker listings: 6% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 5% offer loan repayment776 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Social Work listings | 2,568 in the last 30 days | 1,507 the 30 days before (+70%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
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