Case Management/Assessment Specialist II/III (Department Promotional Only)

Full Job Description

San Mateo County Health is seeking an experienced individual to join our team as a Case Management/Assessment Specialist II/III within Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS).

There is currently one vacancy on the Pathways Team -– Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) Program, based in San Mateo with travel throughout the County as needed.

The Case Management/Assessment Specialist serves as an AOD Case Manager responsible for engaging individuals being released from custody into treatment, facilitating support groups, and providing case management services to participants enrolled in the Veterans Treatment Court Program.

The position completes eligibility reports for the court to determine appropriateness for Veterans Treatment Court and may also provide supplemental AOD linkage services to support Pathways Mental Health Court clients.

The role performs a broad range of intake, referral, and care coordination activities, including assessment, evaluation, tracking, and support services for clients receiving substance use treatment.

Responsibilities include identifying and making appropriate referrals, developing and implementing care coordination plans, supporting prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation efforts, engaging clients in services, and performing related duties as assigned.

This position requires field-based work, including travel throughout the County and transporting clients to appointments, home visits, and meetings.

The population served includes individuals who may be homeless and/or involved in the criminal justice system, and who may experience substance use disorders, mental illness, and complex co-occurring medical conditions.

The position utilizes ASAM criteria to screen, evaluate, authorize, and place clients in the appropriate level of care.

The role works closely with the Veterans Administration (VA) and criminal justice partners and coordinates care with treatment, mental health, and medical providers to support wellness and recovery.

About the Program

Veterans Treatment Court (VTC), established in 2012, serves current and former members of the United States Military who are involved in the criminal justice system.

The program aims to improve outcomes by connecting participants to services through the VA, including mental health treatment, substance use counseling, healthcare, employment support, and housing assistance.

VTC is a collaborative partnership among the San Mateo County Court, District Attorney’s Office, Private Defender Program, BHRS, Veterans Administration, and the Probation Department.

Participants are intensively supervised by Probation, expected to engage in VA services, and required to attend regular court progress reviews. Each participant is also paired with a Veteran mentor.

Successful completion of the program may result in reduced fines, early termination of probation, and/or expungement and sealing of records.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• At least two years of experience assessing and evaluating clients using assessments instruments and/or guidelines, identifying and making referrals based on those assessments, and interviewing clients for in a social service program.
• Experience working with adult clients having co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, emergency services, criminal justice system, or adult clients respective to the position.
• Demonstrated experience determining appropriate referrals and recommending treatment plans.
• Ability to maintain case files.
• Experience establishing appropriate clinical relationships.
• Ability to prepare reports, case summaries, and correspondence; maintaining case histories and work records, including data gathering as needed.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with partner and contract providers.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience with the issues of confidentiality and ethics.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors are strongly preferred (e.g. CADC-I/II, CAADE).
• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish and English is highly desirable but not required.

Rewarding Aspects of the Job:

• Make a meaningful difference in the lives of justice-involved Veterans by supporting recovery and successful reintegration.
• Develop individualized service plans that directly impact health, stability, and long-term outcomes.
• Witness important milestones, including treatment progress and program graduation.
• Collaborate with a dedicated, multidisciplinary team committed to serving Veterans.
• Contribute to positive change that extends to families and the broader community.

Challenging Aspects of the Job:

• Manage a complex caseload with competing priorities and court-driven deadlines.
• Balance intensive client engagement with required documentation and administrative responsibilities.
• Coordinate across multiple systems, including courts, Probation, the VA, and community providers.
• Navigate barriers to care while ensuring timely access to services.
• Adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining organization and accountability.

Classification Levels

Case Management/Assessment Specialist IISalary: $41.75 – $52.20/hourThis journey-level role performs the full range of duties with independence and clinical judgment.

Some assignments may require certification as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

The II level is flexibly staffed, with the opportunity to advance to Specialist III after five years of experience, certification as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor-Addiction Specialist and proven proficiency.

Case Management/Assessment Specialist IIISalary: $49.23 – $61.53/hourAs the advanced specialist level, this role manages complex cases, provides subject-matter leadership, and may offer guidance on workflows or projects.

Certification as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor–Addiction Specialist is required.

NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.

Requirements

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Conduct comprehensive client evaluations using interviews, collateral information, assessment tools, and clinical guidelines to determine appropriate level of care, referrals, and treatment recommendations.
• Interview clients and families to obtain relevant social, psychiatric, and substance use history.
• Obtain required consents and coordinate with outside agencies to gather collateral information.
• Develop and maintain complete and accurate case files, including assessment summaries, court documents, correspondence, and related records.
• Prepare and submit written reports to courts, probation, treatment providers, and other agencies, including case histories, assessment results, treatment recommendations, authorizations, referrals, and compliance updates.
• Provide clients with program information, community resources, and psychoeducation regarding substance use disorders and available treatment options.
• Coordinate with treatment providers, community agencies, and justice system partners to support service plans addressing housing, medical, employment, and other stabilization needs.
• Monitor and report on compliance with court-ordered or criminal justice-related referrals.
• Consult with clinical professionals as needed to support treatment planning and case decisions.
• Develop or improve report templates and documentation tools to support program operations.
• Share and disseminate community resource information with staff and partner agencies.
• Provide training and presentations to community organizations, staff, and stakeholders on relevant topics and services.
• Attend staff meetings, case conferences, and interagency meetings to coordinate services and program activities.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Specific duties for positions at the III level include but are not limited to the following:

• Determine and approve client's level of care.
• Work with the highly complex cases, including those with co-occurring mental health issues and complex trauma, co-morbid medical conditions, individuals with developmental learning disabilities and cognitive impairments, and those involved in multiple systems such as criminal justice, child welfare, conservatorship, homeless / shelter services, and high utilizers of emergency or urgent services.
• Provide high quality clinical case documentation with attention to documentation for billable services.
• Manage client crisis situations including those in active withdrawal and who are pre-contemplative.
• Effectively collaborate, coordinate, strategize and/or partner with outside systems, and advocate as appropriate to meet client needs and/or help make system improvements.
• Provide input and assist in creating and implementing workflows and processes to streamline or support client services.
• Manage and maintain strong relations with community-based organizations.
• Depending on assignment, may provide shift coverage and lead direction to assigned staff on a project.
• Work on related committees.
• Facilitate relapse prevention or psycho-educational groups and provide one-on-one or facilitate alcohol and other drug group support.

Qualifications

Jail Clearance:

This position requires that the applicant obtain and maintain a jail clearance as a condition of employment.

Knowledge of:

• Principles, philosophy, practices, materials, trends and literature related to substance use and mental health disorders, and impact of trauma.
• Various models of treating addiction including medication assisted treatments, and the use of medications to treat substance use disorders, CBT approaches, relapse prevention and harm reduction.
• How to work effectively with individuals with developmental disabilities and cognitive impairments, including those related to substance use.
• Prevention methods and treatments procedures related to alcohol and drug disorders, mental and emotional illness, and personality disorders.
• Social aspects of drug, alcohol, mental and emotional problems.
• Techniques and dynamics of group and individual counseling.
• Techniques and dynamics of assessment and engagement.
• Standardized clinical assessment instruments, practices and procedures.
• BHRS policies, which include informing clients of consent to services, notice of privacy practices, and OCFA right to file a grievance procedure.
• Social and psychological needs, problems, behavior patterns and treatment of persons impacted by substance use.
• Availability of and procedures for obtaining a wide variety of community and governmental services and resources.
• Methods and techniques of interviewing, problem solving and motivational interviewing.
• Principles of counseling, including group leader functions.
• Resources/strategies for the client for purpose of referral.
• Appropriate methods and use of assessment to evaluate and assess alcohol and drug disorders.
• Basic case management processes.
• Reporting requirements of criminal justice referrals and treatment providers.
• Federal and State confidentiality and privacy regulations including 42 CFR part 2, HIPPA, etc.

Skill/Ability to:

• Assess client's immediate needs and ensure client's receipt of needed services.
• Interview clients and other professionals with the purpose of gathering information.
• Perform effectively in stressful, emotional, and confrontational situations.
• Recognize factors causing reaction or changes in clients' condition or behavior.
• Obtain, maintain, and present accurate client data.
• Communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing.
• Secure pertinent social and personal data and meet documentation requirements.
• Develop relationships with the treatment provider community, courts, probation and other professional agencies/staff.
• Evaluate information received and make appropriate treatment recommendations and/or referrals.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients and their families, professionals and paraprofessionals and support staff in the department, outside agencies and the public.
• Provide high quality clinical case documentation

Education and Experience:

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:

• Case Management/Assessment Specialist II: Two years of experience assessing and evaluating clients using assessments instruments and/or guidelines, identifying and making referrals based on those assessments, and interviewing clients for in a social service program.
• Case Management/Assessment Specialist III: Three to four years of experience assessing and evaluating clients. For positions in the AOD Program: five years of experience assessing and evaluating clients, including experience in determining and approving level of care.

Licensure/Certification:

At the III level, incumbent must have and maintain valid certification as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor-Certified Addiction Specialist by a Department of Health Services approved agency.

Additional Information

Departmental Promotional Only. Only current County of San Mateo employees in San Mateo County Health with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date may apply.

The examination process will consist of an application screening based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions (weight: pass/fail).

Candidates who pass the application screening may be invited to a panel interview (weight:100%).

Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification.

Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination.

All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button.

If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply.

Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form.

A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required application materials. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department by noon on the final filing date.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date: Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST
Application Screening: Week of March 9, 2026
Panel Interviews: Week of March 16, 2026

About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment.

The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community.

We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.