The Mental Health Therapist provides counseling and behavioral services to Special Education children in grades K-12, collaborating with IEP teams and school staff. They are responsible for developing and monitoring IEP goals and providing crisis counseling as needed.
Requirements summary
Candidates must have a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in a related field, with specific licensure requirements based on the therapist level. Experience with TK-12 students and excellent communication skills are essential.
We are currently offering a $6000 hiring bonus for all new Special Education Mental Health Therapists!
About Aspire
Aspire Public Schools operates a network of high-performing, college preparatory charter schools serving TK-12 scholars in communities across California. Founded in 1998—in an effort to transform the inequitable racial, social, and gender outcomes that our communities persist through—Aspire is one of the largest and most forward-thinking open-enrollment public charter school systems in the nation.
Our purpose is to prepare our scholars for success in college, career, and life. At Aspire, we set a foundation for our scholars to gain knowledge, skills, and power to access and make choices for their families and post-secondary lives. Every day, our community of students, families, teachers and staff comes together to learn, work, and play in an environment grounded in our values of Bienestar (Well-Being), Culture of Belonging, Community Partnership, Agency & Self-Determination, and Joy.
General summary
The Mental Health Therapist (SPED) provides a full range of school counseling, behavioral and social- emotional services to Special Education children in grades K-12, including screening and assessment, individual and group counseling, and work with/refer to outside agencies as appropriate. S/he is an integral member of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Team, helping to plan, implement, and monitor student programs across school sites. They influence the development of a safe, successful learning environment and positive school culture by partnering with teachers, administrators, school staff, and members of the Regional and Home Office.
Mental Health Therapist 1 (SPED)
Aspire Public Schools prioritizes the professional development and clinical hour collection of Mental Health Therapists 1 as they work towards becoming licensed therapists.
Mental Health Therapist 2 (SPED)
Aspire Public Schools prioritizes the professional development and leadership capacity building of Mental Health Therapists 2 as they work towards becoming clinical supervisors for colleagues within the organization.
Mental Health Therapist 3 (SPED)
Aspire Public Schools prioritizes the professional development and leadership capacity building of Mental Health Therapists 3 as they are the essential facilitators of clinical supervision for colleagues within the organization.
Essential duties & responsibilities
Benefits
Life Insurance
Paid Time Off
Health Insurance
Long-Term Disability
Tuition Reimbursement
Adoption Assistance
Demonstrate knowledge of and support of, Aspire Public Schools mission, vision, equity commitments, value statements, standards, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality standards, and the code of ethical behavior.
Consistently and routinely update case files for students on their caseload, complying with all Aspire, BBS, state, and federal guidelines and mandates around documentation, practice, and maintenance of clinical registration, including honoring mandated reporting duties.
Create positive, appropriate, and consistent communication with Aspire staff and administration about student clinical goals and progress.
Provide crisis counseling and referrals for students as needed, including honing their risk assessment methodology.
Work collaboratively with general education counselors and staff in order to implement MTSS systems, therapeutic interventions, goals, and data tracking for all students for the purposes of fostering better mental health and positive learning environments.
Explore and sharpen therapeutic preventions and interventions at all intervention tiers for the purposes of fostering better mental health and positive learning environments for all students at Aspire.
Collaborate with school staff on universal interventions for students such as peer mediation, conflict mediation, Restorative Practices, socio-emotional learning (SEL), and trauma-informed interventions, etc.
Work collaboratively with families to plan for student programming, including, but not limited to parent and staff education.
Demonstrate the ability to assist with IEP Programming, specifically for students at
Aspire that require mental health/social-emotional supports including:
Assist in the development of IEP goals related to Mental Health/Social-Emotional needs
Regularly progress monitor IEP goals through use of an online IEP system
Regular attendance at IEP meetings for the purpose of reporting student progress
Work collaboratively with the IEP team to help conduct Functional Behavioral Assessments, and write, implement and progress monitor Behavior Intervention Plans in accordance with the IDEA.
Provide support to teachers (Ed
Specialists and
GE teachers) through: modeling, observing, coaching, and planning.
Provide support to students receiving Educationally Related Mental Health services that require behavioral support, per Individual Education Plans.
Knowledge of child guidance principles and practices, especially as they relate to students with learning disabilities, development delays and autistic-like behaviors
Ability to support IEP teams with the implementation of systems to track student behavioral data and monitor progress towards goals.
Ability to handle emotionally charged situations through use of problem-solving and mediation techniques.
Work collaboratively with the school psychologist and other IEP team members to assist with Educationally Related Mental Health Services Assessments.
Mental
Health
Counselor 2 & 3 (SPED):
Supervise counseling trainees/interns.
Participate in the creation and facilitation of the regional, clinical professional development program for Mental Health Therapists 1.
Mental
Health
Counselor 3 (SPED):
Facilitate the individual, triadic, and/or group clinical supervision for associates seeking licensure in the state of California.
Provide ongoing crisis consultation for associates who they clinically supervise and for site teammates.
Schedule, organize, and communicate regularly with Associate MHCs, Program Specialists, outside clinical supervisors, and Regional/Home Office leadership regarding clinical supervision systems
Qualifications
Required knowledge, skills & abilities
Demonstrated commitment to students and learning.
Experience with students grades TK-12.
Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to write clearly and interact effectively with different stakeholders.
Excellent organization, time management and follow-up skills; ability to rank and carry out a variety of urgent priorities; demonstrated ability to successfully handle multiple cases concurrently.
Ability to work as a part of a team.
Possess knowledge of a variety of forms of intervention and prevention models for both individuals and group therapeutic settings (ex: CBT, Play therapy, etc.)
Demonstrate ability to adjust to and use new approaches in the performance of their duties.
Deal with obstacles and constraints positively and with a solutions-oriented mindset.
Minimum educational level
Bachelor’s Degree required
Master’s Degree in Counseling, Social Work, School Psychology or related discipline
Aspire Public Schools is dedicated to our teammate's well-being! In addition to a competitive base salary that is benchmarked against local districts and charter schools, we offer employees exceptional benefits, including paid time off, 100% core health benefits coverage on select plans, life insurance/long-term disability, participation in a CA state retirement plan, tuition reimbursement plan, and adoption assistance program. Our salary schedule based on years of experience for this position type is reflected here:
Aspire Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Aspire promotes affirmative action for minorities, women, disabled persons, and veterans.
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Market context
California SPED therapists remain in demand
California schools continue to need mental health therapists who can support TK-12 students in special education settings, especially candidates with the required degrees, licensure, and strong communication skills. These roles are competitive because districts often look for experience with school-based services, collaboration with educators and families, and readiness to work within SPED teams. Review the licensure level carefully and tailor your application to highlight TK-12 experience; the requirements and benefits shown here are AI-summarized from the original job description, which can save time when comparing roles.
