Youth Villages logo
Youth Villages
Fort Smith, Arkansas

PRN Community-Based Counselor

CounselorIncludes callPer Diem

Listed compensation

$20-$22/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

For over 35 years, Youth Villages has transformed the lives of children and families nationwide through innovative, research-based programs focused on preserving and restoring families.

As a national leader in children’s mental and behavioral health, we serve more than 47,000 youth, young people, and their families annually across 29 states and Washington, D.C. Our proven treatment models drive long-term success in child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health systems. At Youth Villages, we do what works — partnering with others to expand our impact and advocate for meaningful, lasting change.

We're seeking purpose-driven individuals who are passionate about making a difference. With a dedicated team of more than 5,000 staff, Youth Villages is committed to investing in and supporting our employees by offering opportunities to build a fulfilling career through professional growth, personal development, and a mission that matters— helping children and families live successfully.

For more information, please visit youthvillages.org

Program Overview

Intercept®, developed by Youth Villages, is an evidence-based intensive, in-home program that focuses on keeping families together by preventing out-of-home placements or facilitating reunification after such placements, including foster care, residential treatment facilities, hospitalization, or juvenile detention centers. It is one of the first programs to receive the well-supported designation from Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse developed in accordance with the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) having been shown to reduce out-of-home placements and accelerate permanency for children.

This program serves youth from birth to age 18 who are facing serious emotional or behavioral challenges or have experienced trauma, such as abuse or neglect. Services are provided by highly trained Family Intervention Specialists directly in the family’s home and community–Intercept® is not an office-based program.

Intercept provides intensive, strength-based support tailored to each family’s unique needs, ultimately helping them achieve lasting change through evidence-based mental health interventions, along with the development of new parenting and communication skills.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The PRN Community-Based Counselor

Carries a small case load as assigned by supervisor on an as-needed basis

Holds individual and family sessions with each youth/family weekly, scheduled at the convenience of the families

Conducts on-going assessment of youth to determine their needs from a strength-focused, solution-based perspective

Attends 3 weekly meetings (individual, team, and clinical consultation) for professional development and quarterly booster trainings to enhance clinical skills

Drives up to 60 to 80 miles to meet with families in their homes and communities (additional travel may be required)

  • Collaborates with other providers, case workers, and courts to formulate a collaborative treatment plan
  • Provides on-call crisis support to the youth and family (schedules vary by location)
  • Completes accurate and timely documentation in an electronic medical record system (EMR)
  • Performs other duties as assigned

Additional Information

  • Schedule is flexible and non-traditional as it is based around the availability of youth and families served
  • Applicants must possess a current, valid driver’s license, an automobile for work purposes, and proof of auto insurance
  • Community-based staff will be reimbursed for applicable mileage

Salary

$20 - $22 per hour based on education and clinical license

Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in a social services discipline (preferred)
  • Bachelor's degree in a social services discipline (required)
  • Degrees that can be considered include: social work, drug and alcohol education or counseling, psychology, criminal justice, guidance counseling, or marriage and family therapy (others subject to review)
  • Experience working with at-risk youth and/or families in a volunteer, internship, or paid position (preferred)
  • Clinical experience (preferred)
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
  • Excellent written, verbal, and oral skills
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
  • Basic computer knowledge
  • Ability to maintain a flexible schedule
  • Youth Villages Benefits
  • Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision
  • 401(k)

Time Off

  • 2 week paid vacation (full-time) / 1 week paid vacation (part-time)
  • 12 paid sick days per year
  • 11 paid holidays
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)
  • Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision
  • Growth & development through continuous training

Clinical and Administrative Advancement Opportunities

*Benefits are excluded for variable status employees.

Youth Villages is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Youth Villages is committed to not only advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but also in our work with children and young adults.

We know that children, families and young people of color can face inequity in child welfare and justice systems, and we train our employees to build the skills they need to work with the communities that we serve, as well as, other employees from different cultures and backgrounds.

Youth Villages is opposed to racism in any of its forms and is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.

Key Responsibilities

The counselor manages a small caseload, conducting weekly individual and family sessions in the client's home and community. They also collaborate with other providers and courts to develop treatment plans while providing on-call crisis support.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Case managementCrisis interventionClinical assessmentFamily counselingTreatment planningElectronic medical recordsTime managementCollaborationStrength-based approachSolution-focused therapy

Counselor Career Context

Of the 40 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 60% are remote, 13% have no call, 90% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Arkansas is 86.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$44k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $50k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Arkansas clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top contract/1099 Counselor Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution15 jobs

9
<$70k
1
$82k
1
$101k
4
$110k-130k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks20 jobs

401k / retirement match
90% this job
CME allowance
60%
Loan repayment
35%
Sign-on bonus
15%
PSLF eligible
15%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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#3

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#4

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+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.4this job 4.8
Better work-life than 30% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 561 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call

Living in Fort Smith

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$208k
Typical market rent
$1,054/mo
Residents’ average commute
17 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
85.9
State income tax
Up to 4.9%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Fort Smith, AR-OK metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Youth Villages logo

About Youth Villages

Mental Health Care
Memphis, Tennessee
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision
401(k)
2 weeks paid vacation (full-time) / 1 week paid vacation (part-time)
12 paid sick days per year
11 paid holidays
Paid Parental Leave
Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement
Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision