Psychiatric Technician I/II

Psychiatric Technician I/II

Salary

Depends on Qualifications

Location

Kings County Government Center, 1400 W. Lacey Blvd, Hanford, CA

Job Type

Full-time permanent

Job Number

2025-139

Department

Behavioral Health Administration

Division

MH Services Act

Opening Date

06/03/2026

Closing Date

6/16/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

JOB OPPORTUNITY

The Kings County Behavioral Health Administration is currently seeking qualified individuals for the position of:

Psychiatric Technician I/II

Level I: $48,734.40 - $59,446.40 Annually

Level II: $53,830.40 - $65,665.60 Annually

Join our Behavioral Health team as a Psychiatric Technician I/II and play a key role in supporting clients on their path to wellness. In this vital position, you'll welcome and engage clients, take vital signs, assist with medication needs, coordinate same-day care, and collaborate closely with our clinical staff to provide compassionate, timely support. This is an excellent opportunity to grow your skills, contribute to a dedicated care team, and make a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals and families each day-whether you're just starting in the field or bringing experience to the journey-level role.

If you're ready to use your skills to make a meaningful impact in your community, we encourage you to apply!

You can also click here to watch a brief video showcasing the exceptional benefits available to our employees.

To discover what makes Kings County a great place to live and work, click here to watch a short video.

DUTY SAMPLE

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

Some duties, knowledge, skills, and abilities may be performed in a learning capacity for entry-level (I Level) positions.

• Performs a variety of technical psychiatric nursing care duties in support of behavioral health clients and professional psychiatric staff, including but not limited to physical assessments, medication administration, and coordinating various services in support of client wellness and recovery.
• Receives clients for scheduled psychiatry appointments; takes and records measures of clients' vital signs, physical condition, and behaviors; assists clients with connecting to psychiatrists for scheduled virtual appointments; remains with clients for duration of appointments as requested by client and/or psychiatrist.
• Under the direction of clinical staff, provides medication management services to clients; ensure the proper acquisition and administration of mediation.
• Provides education and training to clients, their families, and/or staff on the proper care and use of medications, including symptoms of, reactions to, or side effects of, specific medications; informs clients of the impact of abuse and/or misuse of medications.
• Assists and observes clients self-dispense medication as prescribed by a psychiatrist and administers scheduled injections.
• Conducts medication checks on clients to assess their overall medication management capabilities; takes appropriate action if client poses danger with respect to the use or abuse of medication; observes, evaluates, records, and reports to professional staff changes in client's condition.
• Collaborates with clinical staff to process new prescriptions and refills; works with insurance companies to obtain approvals; writes medical justifications to have prescriptions approved, as necessary; works with clinical staff and insurance companies to determine options when prescriptions are denied.
• As a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team, provides information and updates on medication changes, concerns, side effects, and other important client information; keeps clients stable and medication compliant with the treatment goal of improving overall life functionality.
• Performs crisis intervention; evaluates individuals to identify level of stable behavior; provides support and assistance in problem resolution; and coordinates or arranges for the provision of appropriate care services.
• Maintains inventory; orders, tracks, receives, stores, and monitors a variety of medications and related medical supplies adhering to establishing purchasing policies.
• Collaborates and consults with psychiatrists, pharmacists, registered nurses, drug representatives, clinicians, and various other program staff and service providers regarding client care.
• Attends and participates in a variety of meetings, conferences, trainings, and other staff development activities.
• Maintains accurate, detailed, and thorough documentation, case records, and notes of all billable and non-billable activities and services related to client care; oversees and maintains the urgent care log; and completes necessary documentation for billing purposes.
• Provides training to subordinate and less experienced staff and volunteers as assigned.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Minimum requirements must be met by the closing date

Please note: Work experience for the last 15 years must be included in the work history portion of your application. It is also important that your application show all the relevant education and experience that you possess, even if it extends beyond the required past 15 years. A resume may be attached, but it is not a substitute for completing the application and supplemental questions. Failure to submit a completed application may eliminate you from the recruitment.

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Education:

• Psychiatric Technician I and II: Equivalent to completion of the twelfth (12th) grade.

Experience:

• Psychiatric Technician II: Two (2) years of increasingly responsible experience providing medication support to behavioral health clients at a level equivalent to a Psychiatric Technician I in Kings County.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Licenses:

• Possession of a valid California drivers license issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles at the time of appointment.
• Possession of a valid Psychiatric Technician licensure issued by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, to be maintained throughout employment. OR
• Possession of a valid Vocational Nurse licensure issued by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, to be maintained throughout employment.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualify for security clearance through a background investigation and fingerprint check; must be willing to work irregular hours as required.

For a detailed job specification, please see below.

Psychiatric Technician I

Psychiatric Technician II

SELECTION PROCESS: EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

All completed applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed. Depending upon the number of applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, the examination process may include a screening committee (pass/fail) and/or a written examination (pass/fail) and/or an oral examination (100%) to determine placement on the eligible list.

Note: Those applicants who are among the top 40 written test scores will be invited to participate in the oral examination process.

VETERANS PREFERENCE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Veterans Preference Application

You must submit a certified DD-214 and a new request form for each application submission prior to the closing date.

Tentative Recruitment Schedule:

Closing Date: June 16, 2026

SME Review: Week of June 16, 2026

Human Resources Interviews: Week of July 7 & 8, 2026

Department Interview: TBD

Please click here to view the current General Unit MOU.

Retirement Benefits: Eligible employees are enrolled in the Public Employees Retirement System, known as CalPERS. The County contracts with the CalPERS for this benefit in the miscellaneous or safety plans as appropriate. The County has reciprocity with other qualifying public retirement systems in California.

Effective January 1, 2013, all new members to CalPERS, or existing members with more than a 6 month break in service from a qualifying previous public employer, will be enrolled in one of the following CalPERS retirement plans (with three year average final compensation) based on their classification:

Miscellaneous - 2% at 62

Safety - 2.7% at 57

If a new employee is currently a member of a qualifying California public retirement plan without a break in service of no more than 6 months (documentation will be required), or ever worked for Kings County previously, they may qualify instead for either of these plans (with single highest year final compensation) in effect prior to January 1, 2013:

Miscellaneous - 2% at 55

Safety - 3% at 55

The new formulas will not apply to existing County employees hired prior to 12/31/12 who promote or transfer to a different position, or into a position covered by a different PERS plan (e.g. move from a position covered by the Miscellaneous Plan to one covered by the Safety Plan).

Health Insurance: Medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs, mental health, and chiropractic care for employees and their eligible dependents is available. The portion of the monthly cost that the employees are responsible for depends on their bargaining unit. The County offers a confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The County has an Employee Health Center available to Kings County employees and their dependents enrolled in the County health plan.

Deferred Compensation: Participation is voluntary. One plan with several investment options is available. For more information on the eligibility of a contribution match, please refer to the applicable MOU.

Holidays: New Years Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and day after, Christmas Eve; Christmas Day; and half-day New Years Eve. Holiday credit may vary for law enforcement, fire, and other employees required to work on a holiday. Refer to the MOU for information on the paid holiday closure.

Vacation: Eligible employees earn from two to four weeks of paid vacation per year, depending on their length of service and bargaining unit agreements.

Sick Leave: Sick Leave is accrued for each hour worked. Accrual rates vary depending on date of hire and bargaining unit agreements. The accumulation of sick leave starts from your first day of employment and sick leave may be requested subsequent to the time it is earned.

Retiree Health Insurance: Upon retirement from the County, and depending on bargaining unit agreements, a percentage of accrued sick leave may be converted to be used to pay for retiree health insurance benefits for eligible employee and spouse.

Education Reimbursement Program: Full-time, permanent employees are eligible to receive up to $500 for units earned toward an associates degree, or up to $1,500 for units toward a bachelors or masters degree. Permanent employees who work at least half-time are eligible. Extra help employees are not eligible. Courses must be to increase their knowledge or ability to perform their present job or to prepare for a higher level job with the County. This program is subject to annual funding.

Flexible Benefits Program: Optional program allows employees to pay for certain qualified benefits with pre-tax salary (such as child care expenses, unreimbursed medical costs, or health insurance premiums).

Specialty Pays: See MOU for information.

Note: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision or procedure described herein may be modified or revoked at any time without notice.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

01

The application and supplemental questionnaire must be completed fully. The following supplemental questions are used to help determine qualifications and eligibility to continue in the recruitment process. All education and experience used to answer the supplemental questions must be included on the education and work history portion of your application. Incomplete applications or supplemental questionnaires cannot be revised after submission and may be grounds for rejection. Responses such as "see resume" or "see application" or brief general statements will be considered incomplete. Incomplete applications may be rejected. By clicking "I Accept" below, I certify that I understand and will follow the application instructions.

• I Accept

02

Do you have a high school diploma or GED equivalency?

• Yes, I possess a high school diploma.
• Yes, I possess a GED or equivalent.
• I did not graduate from high school or pass a GED equivalency exam, but I have attained a degree from an accredited college or university.
• No, I do not meet this requirement.

03

Do you possess any of the following valid licenses issued by the State of Californias Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT)? NOTE: Please attach a copy of your valid license. For information on how to add attachments to your application, click here.

• I possess a valid Psychiatric Technician licensure.
• I possess a valid Vocational Nurse licensure.
• No, I do not meet this requirement.

04

Please indicate below the amount of increasingly responsible experience providing medication support to behavioral health clients.

• Less than one (1) year of experience as a full-time Psychiatric Technician.
• More than one (1) year but less than two (2) years of experience as a full-time Psychiatric Technician.
• Two (2) or more years of experience equivalent to a Psychiatric Technician I in Kings County.
• None.

05

Describe your experience working as a Licensed Psychiatric Technician providing patient care services or nursing in a hospital, clinic or mental health setting. BE SPECIFIC. In your response, indicate the name of employer, job title, dates of employment, and relevant job duties including the types of medications you administered and any experience you have working with mentally ill or chemically dependent clients. Type "N/A" if you do not have applicable experience.

06

Describe your experience maintaining accurate, detailed, and thorough clinical documentation related to client care. BE SPECIFIC. In your response, indicate the name of employer, job title, dates of employment, and relevant job duties, including any experience completing case records, progress notes, urgent care logs, or billing-related documentation. Type "N/A" if you do not have applicable experience.

07

Do you possess a current, valid California Drivers License (CADL)? NOTE: Military Spouses, please attach copies of your supporting documentation. For information on how to add attachments to your application, click here.

• Yes, I do possess a valid CADL.
• No, I do NOT possess a valid CADL, but I am WILLING AND ABLE to obtain one prior to appointment.
• No, I do not possess a CADL, but I am a military spouse with a valid driver's license issued by the state of my active-duty spouse's legal residency. I understand that I will be required to submit documents to verify, including but not limited to my dependent ID, my spouse's current out-of-state driver's license, or any other document necessary to verify the information.
• No, I do not possess a CADL and I am UNABLE to obtain one prior to appointment to this position.

08

This position requires the ability to qualify for security clearance through a background investigation which includes fingerprinting.

• I have read and understand the above requirement.

09

Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 10 pounds. Are you willing and able to meet this requirement?

• I am WILLING and ABLE to meet this requirement.
• I am UNABLE to meet this requirement.

10

This position requires the ability to work irregular hours as required. Are you willing and able to meet this requirement?

• Yes, I am WILLING and ABLE to meet the above requirements.
• No, I am UNABLE to meet the above requirements.

11

I understand that only a complete and accurate application will be considered. I have included all current and at least 15 years previous work history and education. I also understand that my application must show all the relevant education and experience that I possess, even if it extends beyond the required past 15 years. Additionally, I understand that the supplemental questions are considered part of my official application. All statements made on the application are subject to investigation and verification. False statements will be cause for disqualification, or discharge from employment. By clicking "I Accept" below, I certify that I understand and have followed the application instructions.

• I Accept

Required Question

Employer Kings County

Address Kings County Government Center

1400 W. Lacey Blvd

Hanford, California, 93230

Phone (559) 852-2510

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kingscounty