Mental Health Counselor job description.
A Mental Health Counselor provides individual, group, or family counseling to help clients manage emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns. They develop treatment plans, apply evidence-based therapeutic techniques, and coordinate care with other healthcare or social service providers.
The Mental Health Counselor job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Mental Health Counselor Reports to: Clinical Director or Behavioral Health Manager
A Mental Health Counselor provides individual, group, or family counseling to help clients manage emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns. They develop treatment plans, apply evidence-based therapeutic techniques, and coordinate care with other healthcare or social service providers.
- Conduct intake assessments to evaluate client mental health needs
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans
- Provide individual, group, or family counseling sessions
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
5 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Clinical Director or Behavioral Health Manager
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Conduct intake assessments to evaluate client mental health needs
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans
- Provide individual, group, or family counseling sessions
- Apply evidence-based therapeutic techniques and interventions
- Monitor and document client progress toward treatment goals
- Coordinate care with psychiatrists, case managers, or medical providers
- Respond appropriately to crisis situations, including safety planning
- Maintain confidential clinical records in compliance with regulations
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Master's degree in counseling, psychology, or related field
- Current licensure/board certification as required by state and employer
- Experience providing individual or group counseling
- Strong assessment and crisis intervention skills
- Specialized training in trauma-informed or evidence-based modalities
- Experience with a specific population, such as adolescents or veterans
- Bilingual communication skills
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Mental Health Counselor job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Mental Health Counselor job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The mid band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Clinical Director or Behavioral Health Manager) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What licensure is required to work as a Mental Health Counselor?
- Candidates must hold current licensure/board certification as required by state and employer, generally following a master's degree and supervised clinical hours.
- Does this role involve crisis response?
- Yes, mental health counselors are typically trained to assess risk and respond to crisis situations, including safety planning and appropriate escalation.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Substance Abuse Counselor
A substance abuse counselor provides assessment, individual and group counseling, and case management to clients recovering from addiction.
Behavioral Health Technician
A Behavioral Health Technician provides direct support to individuals receiving mental health or substance use treatment, assisting with daily activities, monitoring behavior, and reinforcing treatment plans developed by clinical staff.
Peer Support Specialist
A peer support specialist draws on personal recovery experience to help clients with mental health or substance use challenges build skills, hope, and connections to community resources.
This Mental Health Counselor job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.