Pre-Release Care Manager - Limited Term (County Classification: B.H. Specialist III)

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office is seeking collaborative and adaptable professionals to join their team as a Pre-Release Care Manager (Behavioral Health Specialist III). This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to work in forensic social work.

The California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Justice-Involved Initiative administered by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) mandates all state and local correctional facilities to provide targeted pre-release services to eligible persons prior to release from incarceration. This position will be working side by side with a dedicated team of Correctional and Healthcare staff seeking to improve the continuity of care for individuals being released into the community.

The Pre-Release Care Manager supports incarcerated individuals preparing to transition back into the community. The position will be located in the County Jail and will be focused on case management, reentry planning, and resource coordination, rather than clinical assessment or treatment. Care Managers play a critical role in identifying needs, initiating Medi-Cal enrollment or reactivation, and coordinating enhanced care management, community supports, and behavioral health linkages in alignment with CalAIM goals. This position will work collaboratively with internal staff and external partners to connect individuals to comprehensive services in the community and reduce recidivism through early connection and linkages to services.

This position may be eligible for a $2.00 per hour differential for all hours worked in the jail facility.

Please contact Paula McGrath at (805) 781-4234 or [email protected] with any questions regarding this position.

Click here to learn more about the units and divisions within the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.

Click here to read the full job description for Behavioral Health Specialist III. 

This recruitment is to fill a Limited Term, full-time position. Employees in limited term positions receive benefits equivalent to permanent full-time employees, therefore will be eligible to earn vacation, sick leave, health, and pension benefits. The current sunset date for this position is 03/31/2027.

This recruitment may be used to fill future permanent, substitute, limited term, or temporary positions, both full-time and part-time throughout the County.In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will have experience working with the justice-involved population. Experience working in a correctional facility is highly desired.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Licensure must be held at time of application and maintained throughout employment.

Behavioral Health Specialist III:
Either A: A Master's degree in a human social services or related behavioral or health science field and one (1) year experience in providing behavioral health prevention/counseling services;

Or B: Bachelors' degree (or equivalent related credits) in education, recreation, social, human, or behavioral sciences or a related field: AND three (3) years' experience in social service, substance use and/or mental health or related field;

Or C: Two (2) years post-secondary education in education, recreation, social, human, or behavioral sciences or a related field AND five (5) years' experience in a social service, substance use, mental health or related field;

Or D: A Licensed Psychiatric Technician, Licensed Vocational Nurse, Registered Nurse, or a drug and alcohol treatment certificate or equivalent AND five (5) years' experience in a social service, substance use, mental health or related field.

Applications, including answers to supplemental questions, must be submitted online by the final filing date. Apply for this position at governmentjobs.com/careers/slocountyca. Most County recruitments require you to respond to supplemental questions as part of the application process. We recommend that you review these questions prior to beginning your application.

An initial application review will be conducted. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and are best qualified will be invited to participate in selection activities which may include online assessments, performance exams, written exams, and interviews.

Final candidates will be required to have an in-depth background review performed before proceeding in the process. Please note that references will not be contacted until the end of the process. 

If you have questions or would like to discuss the opportunity further, please contact Human Resources at [email protected]. Confidential inquiries are welcome.

For further information regarding the County of San Luis Obispo, visit our website at www.slocounty.ca.gov.

BACKGROUND CHECK:

To accept a position with the Sheriff's Office, you must successfully complete a Sheriff's Background Investigation. Below is a partial list of offenses or issues that may disqualify you from successful completion. Please review the below list: 

• Any felony conviction
• Recent misdemeanor conviction, or any two misdemeanor convictions as an adult
• Poor employment history
• Any sale, manufacture, or cultivation of illegal drugs
• Recent use of illegal substances such as opiates, hallucinogens, injectables, cocaine, methamphetamine, or similar substance
• Poor driving record such as numerous hazardous traffic violations or chargeable accidents
• Recent conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, or any two convictions for this offense as an adult
• Any act of domestic violence, as defined by law
• Any crime committed against a child
• Behavior or derogatory remarks constituting discrimination or bias toward others based on their race, religion, gender, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other protected class 
• Any material misstatement of fact or intentional omission of information during the application or background process