Mental Health Program Specialist - SB43 (Open & Promotional)

San Mateo County Health’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Division (BHRS) is excited to launch a new and innovative role supporting individuals newly eligible for services under Senate Bill (SB) 43.

This position is part of a brand-new team created specifically to serve a historically underserved population, expanding access to care for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) and/or severe substance use disordered (SUD).

This role offers a unique opportunity to help shape how SB43 is implemented locally, from building systems and partnerships to developing policies, procedures and outcome measures that will define success for this pilot program and beyond.

The SB43 Program Specialist will work collaboratively with the Facilities Utilization Management, Collaborative Care teams and partners across San Mateo County Health, including Aging and Disability Services, San Mateo Medical Center and regional hospitals and licensed facilities.

This position requires strong clinical judgement, systems thinking and the ability to build trust across disciplines and organizations.

There is currently one vacancy for this program. The position is based in San Mateo, with travel throughout the county and greater Bay Area as needed.

About SB43

Senate Bill (SB) 43 expands the definition of Grave Disability, one of the criteria used to place individuals on involuntary holds.

Under SB43:

• Severe substance use disorder is added as a qualifying condition.
• Inability to provide for personal safety or necessary medical care is included as a criterion.

• Individuals may be considered gravely disabled when a mental health disorder and/or severe substance use disorder prevents them from meeting basic survival needs, such as maintaining housing or adequate nutrition.

This legislation enables earlier intervention and expanded pathways to care for individuals who previously fell outside the system, requiring counties to build new processes, partnerships and clinical approaches to serve this population effectively and compassionately.

Key Responsibilities

The SB43 Program Specialist may be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

Clinical Care & Coordination

• Conduct regular visits to in-county and out-of-county (OOC) facilities to review cases and assess appropriate Level of Care (LOC)
• Meet with facility staff and clients to support engagement, transitions and treatment planning
• Participate in treatment reviews and provide clinical recommendations, including individualized behavior plans
• Initiate and coordinate case conferences for high-utilizing clients complex needs

Serve as a clinical resource related to substance use disorder and severe mental illness

Systems Building and Collaboration

• Build and maintain strong relationships with hospitals, licensed facilities and contracted providers within and outside San Mateo County
• Act as primary liaison between BHRS, San Mateo Medical Center, Aging and Disability Services and partner hospitals
• with the SMMC, BHRS and AAS to facilitate and coordinate appropriate level of care and placement
• Participate regularly in multidisciplinary team meetings, hospital coordination meetings and SB43 meetings
• Facilitate planning groups to address SB43 implementation priorities and emerging system needs

Program Development and Oversight

• Contribute to the development, refinement and implementation of SB43 policies and procedures
• Identify Service gaps, system challenges and operational shortfalls, and support solutions in collaboration with partners

• Assist with monitoring and consulting with in-county and OOC contract providers
• Train facilities on new SB43 placement criteria and compliance requirements
• Develop, update and maintain an electronic facility database to support data tracking and outcomes analysis

Leadership and Support

• Participating in required leadership meetings
• Providing coverage and support for other supervisors as needed
• Provide clinical supervision and training to interdisciplinary staff as needed
• Apply basic knowledge of Listen, Empathize, Agree, and Partner (LEAP) Methodology and other engagement strategies to support client-centered care

The ideal candidate will bring:

The ideal candidate is a collaborative, adaptable, and systems-oriented professional who is motivated by the opportunity to help build and shape a new program from the ground up.

They bring strong clinical judgment, comfort navigating complexity, and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for individuals who have historically been underserved.

Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• Familiarity with clients with complex needs, including individuals experiencing homelessness, co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, and high utilization of services within San Mateo County’s system of care
• Ability to organize, lead, and facilitate complex case conferences and interdisciplinary team (IDT) meetings, bringing together multiple providers and stakeholders to coordinate care for high-utilizing clients
• Strong clinical skills related to both severe mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD), with the ability to assess readiness for transitions in level of care
• Experience building and maintaining effective partnerships with hospitals, licensed facilities, and contracted providers
• A client-centered approach paired with a system-level perspective, balancing individual needs with program goals and regulatory requirements
• Flexibility, critical thinking, and creativity in navigating a new legal framework and evolving service model
• Comfort working in a pilot environment that requires innovation, data-informed decision-making, and continuous improvement

• Relevant post-licensure clinical experience (ideally two or more years) providing direct mental health services (desirable but not required)

• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish and English is highly desirable.

This role is well suited for someone who thrives in dynamic settings, values collaboration, and is energized by contributing to meaningful systems change under a new legislative framework.

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