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Sutter Health
Sacramento, California

Mental Health Therapist II

CounselorIncludes weekendsNo nightsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$46.35-$59.33/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, benefits and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

We are so glad you are interested in joining Sutter Health!

Organization

SCP-Sutter Center for Psychiatry

Position Overview

Provides psychosocial assessment, individual/group treatment, family therapy, discharge and aftercare planning to patients and their families for mental health recovery. Develops ways of mitigating obstacles affecting care plan implementation and success.

Competency in delivering services and treatments based of recovery-oriented services, family systems, and evidenced based treatments. Provides consultation and training on psychosocial aspects of care as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team. Provides emotional support and education for staff.

Serves as a liaison to community programs and develop strategic partnerships to enhance aftercare plans of patients and their families.

Job Description

Education

Master's: social Work, counseling, or related field.

Certification & Licensure

  • AMFT- Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
  • OR APCC- Associate Professional Clinical Counselor
  • OR ACSW- Associate Clinical Social Worker

Typical Experience

2 years recent relevant experience.

Skills and Knowledge

Clinical skills in psychosocial assessment, crisis intervention, counseling, interdisciplinary collaboration and linkage with resources.

Knowledgeable in child, adolescent, adult and geriatric psychopathology as well as psychiatric interventions.

Knowledgeable with psychiatric, psychosocial and legal issues and substance misuse/abuse and chemical dependency assessment and treatment, understanding of current insurance benefits and restrictions in the area of mental health, knowledgeable of DSM-IV-TR, family systems therapy and crisis intervention models.

Knowledge of child, elder and dependent adult abuse and domestic violence reporting requirements and other significant regulations affecting clinical social work practice (e. g. Tarasoff, patient-psychotherapist privilege).

Knowledge of suicidal behavior and homicidal, and the skills necessary to assess lethality, and to develop appropriate treatment plans.

Knowledge and understanding of human behavior and communication, psychotherapy, case management, and the influence of cultural and spiritual values in social work practice.

Knowledge and skills necessary to provide psychosocial care appropriate to the age-specific needs of children, adolescents, adults and elders.

Knowledge of recovery-oriented services, family systems, and evidenced based treatments (e. g., Cognitive and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interview, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention, etc.).

Must demonstrate interpersonal and organizational skills, to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with rapidly changing priorities and competing demands.

Department Specific Skills & Knowledge

  • Department SCP: Experience working with psych patient population
  • Department SCP: Experience running groups in a mental health facility
  • Department SCP: Experience completing assessment for mental health placement
  • Department SCP: Clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, treatment, or individual or group psychotherapy

These Principal Accountabilities, Requirements and Qualifications are not exhaustive, but are merely the most descriptive of the current job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, staff changes, workload, or technical development).

Job Shift

Days

Schedule: Per Diem/Casual

Shift Hours

8

Days of the Week

Variable

Weekend Requirements

As Needed, Saturday, Sunday

Benefits

No

Unions

Yes

Position Status: Non-Exempt

Weekly Hours

0

Employee Status

Per Diem/Casual

  • Sutter Health is an equal opportunity employer EOE/M/F/Disability/Veterans.
  • Pay Range is $46.35 to $59.33 / hour

The compensation range may vary based on the geographic location where the position is filled. Total compensation considers multiple factors, including, but not limited to a candidate’s experience, education, skills, licensure, certifications, departmental equity, training, and organizational needs. Base pay is only one component of Sutter Health’s comprehensive total rewards program. Eligible positions also include a comprehensive benefits package.

Key Responsibilities

Provides psychosocial assessment, individual and group therapy, and family treatment to support mental health recovery. Acts as a liaison to community programs and develops strategic partnerships to enhance patient aftercare planning.

Requirements

Requires a Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, or a related field along with 2 years of relevant experience. Must hold a valid AMFT, APCC, or ACSW licensure.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Individual therapyDischarge planningSubstance abuse assessmentCognitive behavioral therapyMotivational interviewing

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Mental Health Therapist II at Sutter Health a 6.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) — ranked against 8,035 active Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no night shifts.

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 32% are remote, 32% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top contract/1099 Counselor Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution35 jobs

15
<$80k
4
$80k-110k
9
$110k-140k
7
$140k-170k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks32 jobs

401k / retirement match
75%
CME allowance
47%
Loan repayment
28%
Sign-on bonus
22%
PSLF eligible
19%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Mental Health Therapist (Part-Time, W2)Contract

Two Chairs · New Hampshire

$58.5-$85/hr
#2

Mental Health Therapist (Part-Time, W2)Contract

Two Chairs · Colorado

$58.5-$85/hr
#3

Fully Licensed Therapist (Anxiety & Depression) – Remote California – 1099 (LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, Psychologist)

$70-$80/hr
#4

Licensed Therapist (LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, Psychologist) – Remote California – 1099

$70-$80/hr
+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 6.2
Better work-life than 50% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 8,035 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • Includes weekends

Living in Sacramento

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$455k
Typical market rent
$2,056/mo
Residents’ average commute
25 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
106.7
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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