Job Description
Job description
EXAM NUMBER
b1496C
TYPE OF RECRUITMENT
Departmental Promotional Opportunity
RESTRICTED TO PERMANENT EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THEIR INITIAL PROBATIONARY PERIOD.
FILING START DATE
January 19, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. (PT)
This examination will remain open until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.
Current employees in the unclassified service in the County of Los Angeles Department of Mental Health who meet the following criteria also qualify to participate in this exam:
Unclassified employees who have attained permanent County status on a classified position by successful completion of the initial probationary period, with no break in service since leaving the classified service. Or full-time employees in the unclassified service with at least six months of full-time experience in the unclassified service at the time of filing or by the last day of filing.
Withhold Information: Permanent employees who have completed their initial probationary period and hold qualifying payroll title may file for this examination if they are within six months of meeting the experience requirements by the last day of filing. However, the names of such employees will be withheld from the certification list until the required experience is fully met.
Definition/Standards:
Under general supervision, administers conservatorships, guardianships and trusts that are referred to and fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Public Guardian.
Classification Standards:
This is the journey/intermediate level in the Deputy Public Guardian Series. Positions allocable to this classification are in the Department of Mental Health's Office of the Public Guardian and are responsible for managing Special Needs Trusts and a range of clients, from routine to the more difficult Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) or Probate appointed cases. Incumbents manage the structured placement, medical and mental health treatment, personal care, and social welfare of conservatees and wards adjudged to be mentally incompetent or disabled and unable to manage their own affairs. Incumbents may also be assigned to assist Senior Deputy Public Guardians and/or Principal Deputy Public Guardians in the conservatorship investigation process and complicated appointed cases.
Positions allocated to this class report to a Supervising Deputy Public Guardian and perform assignments in connection to cases with persons and estate related issues including stabilized placement in structured settings, less complicated trusts, such as a Special Needs Trusts, estates with public assistance benefit, and the need for ongoing surrogate decision-making related to physical, mental health, and substance use needs.
Positions are distinguished from Senior Deputy Public Guardian in that the latter is responsible for investigations in structured environments or for difficult assignments related to case management.
These positions require general knowledge of principles of conservatorships; trust administration, the ability make decisions on behalf of conservatees; interpret Federal, State, and County legislation, regulations and mandates; establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, community members, and other public and private agencies; and communicate effectively orally and in writing. In addition, incumbents must follow general guidelines and procedures, apply provisions of applicable, Probate, Welfare and Institution Codes, Penal Code, and Health and Safety Codes; and make decisions requiring independent judgement and use discretion and tact in dealing with persons in stressful circumstances.
Develops care plan in coordination with treatment team and verifies and monitors implementation of care plan.
Determines and authorizes appropriate living arrangements; and arranges for and authorizes physical, mental health, and substance use treatment including the specific authority to require involuntary placement and treatment.
Makes periodic visits to evaluate and monitor the delivery and quality of care to identify special needs and to perform personal services or direct the delivery of services such as obtaining clothing and other personal items.
Establishes and monitors budgets and authorizes expenditures of funds to meet conservatees needs in accordance with Probate Code, fiduciary responsibilities, and policies and procedures.
Locates and arranges for the safeguarding and inventory and appraisal of all known assets and is responsible for court documents verifying the marshalling and protection of said assets.
Identifies all financial resources to meet conserved client's needs and secures and maintains benefits and income sources to which the estate is entitled.
Negotiates debt collection favorable to estate; secures property; health insurance coverage; and authorizes expenditures and payment of liabilities in favor of conserved clients.
Notifies family members or concerned parties of conservatee deaths, and makes funeral and burial arrangements according to burial instructions.
Prepares and negotiates funeral and burial arrangements, if no previous burial instructions exist, according to cultural and faith-based requirements or availability of resources.
Prepares and assists County Counsel in the preparation of petitions for conservatorship, guardianship, and trusts.
Prepares annual court reports supporting the need for ongoing conservatorship and responds to court ordered inquiries.
Testifies in court regarding the need for conservatorship, litigation against estates, dependency court, criminal, and civil court matters pertaining to conserved clients or their dependent children.
Ensures timely submission of documentation related to investigation and administration of conservatorships and guardianships.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Option I: One year as a Deputy Public Guardian Trainee in the County of Los Angeles.
Option II: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in a discipline related to the core business function of the department and -AND- two years of experience administering public guardian conservatorships, guardianships or trusts in a public agency. A Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in a discipline related to the core business function of the department may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License is required to perform job-related essential functions.
PHYSICAL CLASS: II – Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10 pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:
Option I: To qualify, applicants must have County status in the class as evidence by holding or having held such payroll title in the service of Los Angeles County for the required amount of time to qualify. NO OUT-OF-CLASS EXPERIENCE WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Option II: In order to receive credit for any college or university course, or any type of college or university degree, such as Bachelor's or higher, you must include a legible copy of the official diploma or official transcripts from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization with your application at the time of filing or within 7 (seven) calendar days of filing.
• Foreign degrees must be evaluated for equivalency to United States accredited institutions standards by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). See Employment Information under Accreditation Information.
Official Transcript is defined as a transcript that bears the college seal and states "official and/or copy" issued by the school's Registrar Office. A printout of the transcript from the school's website is NOT considered official and; therefore, will NOT be accepted and may result in your application being incomplete or rejected.
NOTE: Candidates are required to upload any required documents as attachments during the application submission. If you are unable to attach the required documents with your application online, you may e-mail them to [email protected] within seven (7) calendar days from application submission. In the "Subject" of the e-mail please type the Exam Title.
• ACCREDITATION: Accredited institutions are those listed in the publications of regional, national or international accrediting agencies which are accepted by the Department of Human Resources. Publications such as American Universities and Colleges and International Handbook of Universities are acceptable references. Also acceptable, if appropriate, are degrees that have been evaluated and deemed to be equivalent to degrees from United States accredited institutions by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE).
EXAMINATION CONTENT: This examination will consist of two parts.
Part I: An evaluation of experience based on information listed on the online application and supplemental questionnaire at the time of filing weighted 50%. Credit will be given for additional experience in excess of the Minimum Requirements.
Part II: An Appraisal of Promotability weighted 50%. The Appraisal of Promotability will evaluate knowledge and skills, verbal and written communication, adaptability, work habits and attitudes, problem solving, and personal and public relations.
Candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on each weighted part of the examination in order to be placed on eligible register.
ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:
The names of candidates receiving a passing score in this examination will be placed on the eligible register in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation.
Retake: NO PERSON MAY COMPETE IN THIS EXAMINATION MORE THAN ONCE EVERY TWELVE (12) MONTHS.
Applications will be processed on an "as-received" basis and those receiving a passing score will be promulgated to the eligible register accordingly.
SPECIAL INFORMATION:
Past and present mental health clients and family members are encouraged to apply.
VACANCY INFORMATION:
The resulting eligible register for this examination will be used to fill vacancies within the Department of Mental Health.
SHIFT: Any - Appointees may be required to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.
APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:
APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED ONLINE ONLY. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY U.S. MAIL, FAX, OR IN PERSON WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Applicants are required to submit a Standard County of Los Angeles Employment application and supplemental questionnaire ONLINE only. Resumes cannot be accepted in lieu of applications, although resumes and supporting documents may be uploaded as attachments to the online application.
Fill out your application and supplemental questionnaire completely. Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaces provided so we may evaluate your qualifications for the job. All information is subject to verification and applications may be rejected at any time during the selection process.
The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS and you have completely filled out your application.
Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" button located on the top right corner of the screen. You can also track the status of your application using this website. Your application and supplemental questionnaire must be submitted electronically by 5:00 p.m., PT, on the last day of filing.
Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the 5:00 p.m. (PT) deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
• Please note that ALL information included in the application materials is subject to VERIFICATION at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made.
• FALSIFICATION of any information may result in DISQUALIFICATION or RESCISSION OF APPOINTMENT.
• Utilizing VERBIAGE from Class Specification and/or Selection Requirements serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE APPLICATION and you may be DISQUALIFIED.
CORRESPONDENCE AND UPDATES WILL BE SENT VIA E-MAIL
For the time being, all notifications, including results letters and notices of nonacceptance, will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add [email protected] and [email protected] to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.
Applicants have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.
FAIR CHANCE INITIATIVE:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER LANGUAGE:
Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.
COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT LIBRARIES:
For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.
NO SHARING USER ID AND PASSWORD:
All applicants must file their applications online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
HR Examinations Unit: (213) 972-7034
HR Examinations Unit Email: [email protected]
Analyst Contact Phone: Irene San, (323) 705-4074
ADA Coordinator Phone: (323) 705-4074
EXAM NUMBER
b1496C
TYPE OF RECRUITMENT
Departmental Promotional Opportunity
RESTRICTED TO PERMANENT EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THEIR INITIAL PROBATIONARY PERIOD.
FILING START DATE
January 19, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. (PT)
This examination will remain open until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.
Current employees in the unclassified service in the County of Los Angeles Department of Mental Health who meet the following criteria also qualify to participate in this exam:
Unclassified employees who have attained permanent County status on a classified position by successful completion of the initial probationary period, with no break in service since leaving the classified service. Or full-time employees in the unclassified service with at least six months of full-time experience in the unclassified service at the time of filing or by the last day of filing.
Withhold Information: Permanent employees who have completed their initial probationary period and hold qualifying payroll title may file for this examination if they are within six months of meeting the experience requirements by the last day of filing. However, the names of such employees will be withheld from the certification list until the required experience is fully met.
Definition/Standards:
Under general supervision, administers conservatorships, guardianships and trusts that are referred to and fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Public Guardian.
Classification Standards:
This is the journey/intermediate level in the Deputy Public Guardian Series. Positions allocable to this classification are in the Department of Mental Health's Office of the Public Guardian and are responsible for managing Special Needs Trusts and a range of clients, from routine to the more difficult Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) or Probate appointed cases. Incumbents manage the structured placement, medical and mental health treatment, personal care, and social welfare of conservatees and wards adjudged to be mentally incompetent or disabled and unable to manage their own affairs. Incumbents may also be assigned to assist Senior Deputy Public Guardians and/or Principal Deputy Public Guardians in the conservatorship investigation process and complicated appointed cases.
Positions allocated to this class report to a Supervising Deputy Public Guardian and perform assignments in connection to cases with persons and estate related issues including stabilized placement in structured settings, less complicated trusts, such as a Special Needs Trusts, estates with public assistance benefit, and the need for ongoing surrogate decision-making related to physical, mental health, and substance use needs.
Positions are distinguished from Senior Deputy Public Guardian in that the latter is responsible for investigations in structured environments or for difficult assignments related to case management.
These positions require general knowledge of principles of conservatorships; trust administration, the ability make decisions on behalf of conservatees; interpret Federal, State, and County legislation, regulations and mandates; establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, community members, and other public and private agencies; and communicate effectively orally and in writing. In addition, incumbents must follow general guidelines and procedures, apply provisions of applicable, Probate, Welfare and Institution Codes, Penal Code, and Health and Safety Codes; and make decisions requiring independent judgement and use discretion and tact in dealing with persons in stressful circumstances.
Develops care plan in coordination with treatment team and verifies and monitors implementation of care plan.
Determines and authorizes appropriate living arrangements; and arranges for and authorizes physical, mental health, and substance use treatment including the specific authority to require involuntary placement and treatment.
Makes periodic visits to evaluate and monitor the delivery and quality of care to identify special needs and to perform personal services or direct the delivery of services such as obtaining clothing and other personal items.
Establishes and monitors budgets and authorizes expenditures of funds to meet conservatees needs in accordance with Probate Code, fiduciary responsibilities, and policies and procedures.
Locates and arranges for the safeguarding and inventory and appraisal of all known assets and is responsible for court documents verifying the marshalling and protection of said assets.
Identifies all financial resources to meet conserved client's needs and secures and maintains benefits and income sources to which the estate is entitled.
Negotiates debt collection favorable to estate; secures property; health insurance coverage; and authorizes expenditures and payment of liabilities in favor of conserved clients.
Notifies family members or concerned parties of conservatee deaths, and makes funeral and burial arrangements according to burial instructions.
Prepares and negotiates funeral and burial arrangements, if no previous burial instructions exist, according to cultural and faith-based requirements or availability of resources.
Prepares and assists County Counsel in the preparation of petitions for conservatorship, guardianship, and trusts.
Prepares annual court reports supporting the need for ongoing conservatorship and responds to court ordered inquiries.
Testifies in court regarding the need for conservatorship, litigation against estates, dependency court, criminal, and civil court matters pertaining to conserved clients or their dependent children.
Ensures timely submission of documentation related to investigation and administration of conservatorships and guardianships.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Option I: One year as a Deputy Public Guardian Trainee in the County of Los Angeles.
Option II: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in a discipline related to the core business function of the department and -AND- two years of experience administering public guardian conservatorships, guardianships or trusts in a public agency. A Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in a discipline related to the core business function of the department may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License is required to perform job-related essential functions.
PHYSICAL CLASS: II – Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10 pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:
Option I: To qualify, applicants must have County status in the class as evidence by holding or having held such payroll title in the service of Los Angeles County for the required amount of time to qualify. NO OUT-OF-CLASS EXPERIENCE WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Option II: In order to receive credit for any college or university course, or any type of college or university degree, such as Bachelor's or higher, you must include a legible copy of the official diploma or official transcripts from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization with your application at the time of filing or within 7 (seven) calendar days of filing.
• Foreign degrees must be evaluated for equivalency to United States accredited institutions standards by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). See Employment Information under Accreditation Information.
Official Transcript is defined as a transcript that bears the college seal and states "official and/or copy" issued by the school's Registrar Office. A printout of the transcript from the school's website is NOT considered official and; therefore, will NOT be accepted and may result in your application being incomplete or rejected.
NOTE: Candidates are required to upload any required documents as attachments during the application submission. If you are unable to attach the required documents with your application online, you may e-mail them to [email protected] within seven (7) calendar days from application submission. In the "Subject" of the e-mail please type the Exam Title.
• ACCREDITATION: Accredited institutions are those listed in the publications of regional, national or international accrediting agencies which are accepted by the Department of Human Resources. Publications such as American Universities and Colleges and International Handbook of Universities are acceptable references. Also acceptable, if appropriate, are degrees that have been evaluated and deemed to be equivalent to degrees from United States accredited institutions by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE).
EXAMINATION CONTENT: This examination will consist of two parts.
Part I: An evaluation of experience based on information listed on the online application and supplemental questionnaire at the time of filing weighted 50%. Credit will be given for additional experience in excess of the Minimum Requirements.
Part II: An Appraisal of Promotability weighted 50%. The Appraisal of Promotability will evaluate knowledge and skills, verbal and written communication, adaptability, work habits and attitudes, problem solving, and personal and public relations.
Candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on each weighted part of the examination in order to be placed on eligible register.
ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:
The names of candidates receiving a passing score in this examination will be placed on the eligible register in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation.
Retake: NO PERSON MAY COMPETE IN THIS EXAMINATION MORE THAN ONCE EVERY TWELVE (12) MONTHS.
Applications will be processed on an "as-received" basis and those receiving a passing score will be promulgated to the eligible register accordingly.
SPECIAL INFORMATION:
Past and present mental health clients and family members are encouraged to apply.
VACANCY INFORMATION:
The resulting eligible register for this examination will be used to fill vacancies within the Department of Mental Health.
SHIFT: Any - Appointees may be required to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.
APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:
APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED ONLINE ONLY. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY U.S. MAIL, FAX, OR IN PERSON WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Applicants are required to submit a Standard County of Los Angeles Employment application and supplemental questionnaire ONLINE only. Resumes cannot be accepted in lieu of applications, although resumes and supporting documents may be uploaded as attachments to the online application.
Fill out your application and supplemental questionnaire completely. Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaces provided so we may evaluate your qualifications for the job. All information is subject to verification and applications may be rejected at any time during the selection process.
The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS and you have completely filled out your application.
Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" button located on the top right corner of the screen. You can also track the status of your application using this website. Your application and supplemental questionnaire must be submitted electronically by 5:00 p.m., PT, on the last day of filing.
Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the 5:00 p.m. (PT) deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
• Please note that ALL information included in the application materials is subject to VERIFICATION at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made.
• FALSIFICATION of any information may result in DISQUALIFICATION or RESCISSION OF APPOINTMENT.
• Utilizing VERBIAGE from Class Specification and/or Selection Requirements serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE APPLICATION and you may be DISQUALIFIED.
CORRESPONDENCE AND UPDATES WILL BE SENT VIA E-MAIL
For the time being, all notifications, including results letters and notices of nonacceptance, will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add [email protected] and [email protected] to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.
Applicants have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.
FAIR CHANCE INITIATIVE:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER LANGUAGE:
Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.
COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT LIBRARIES:
For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.
NO SHARING USER ID AND PASSWORD:
All applicants must file their applications online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
HR Examinations Unit: (213) 972-7034
HR Examinations Unit Email: [email protected]
Analyst Contact Phone: Irene San, (323) 705-4074
ADA Coordinator Phone: (323) 705-4074
💡 Quick Summary
Seeking a career-building opportunity? The DEPUTY PUBLIC GUARDIAN position is now open for candidates interested in the Government Job Alert sector. This role in California offers a professional environment and growth potential.
Requirement Snapshot: Candidates should possess basic communication skills, a proactive attitude, and the ability to work in a team. Experience in Government Job Alert is a plus.
