Effective School Solutions logo
Effective School Solutions
Irvington, New Jersey

Licensed School-Based Lead Clinician (LPC, LCSW,LMFT)

Social WorkIncludes callNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$65k-$75k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Lead Clinician

Transforming student mental health in schools.

About Effective School Solutions

Effective School Solutions (ESS) is a leading provider of school-based mental health services, serving 6,000+ K–12 students across 12 states.

We deliver the level of clinical care typically found in private practice, out-of-district placements, or higher levels of care directly within public schools- providing a full continuum of clinical programming, professional development, and district consultation.

Why This Role Matters

  • You’ll provide critical mental health support to high school students who may not otherwise have access to care—helping them succeed academically, build resilience, and thrive.
  • At ESS, clinicians are trusted partners in shaping supportive school environments.
  • Starting salary range: $65,000-$75,000

Responsibilities

Direct Clinical Care & Family Support

  • Provide comprehensive, school-based mental health services, including individual, group, and family therapy, as well as intake, diagnostic, and clinical assessments
  • Partner with families and facilitate parent support programming

Conduct risk assessments and crisis intervention, ensuring student safety and coordinating referrals to appropriate levels of care when needed

Develop and implement individualized, evidence-based treatment plans that support students’ emotional, behavioral, and academic success

  • Consultation, Training & Collaboration
  • Oversee the day-to-day clinical operations of the assigned school-based program
  • Serve as the primary clinical point of contact for the school partners
  • Collaborate with families, school staff, and interdisciplinary teams to deliver coordinated care, and provide consultation, coaching, and training on mental health and trauma-informed practices
  • Participate in team meetings, supervision, and ongoing professional development
  • Documentation, Compliance & Professional Expectations

Maintain timely, accurate clinical documentation in accordance with regulatory, ethical, and organizational standards

Uphold professional standards by maintaining active licensure, ethical practice, reliability, and a strong professional presence

Monitor program performance and ensure alignment with ESS clinical and operational standards

Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, or a related field
  • Active clinical license (e. g., LCSW, LPC, LMFT) in the state where services are provided
  • 3+ years of experience working with children and/or adolescents with behavioral and emotional needs
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound clinical judgment, and effectively problem-solve in a fast-paced environment
  • Experience working with schools, families, and community-based services (school-based experience preferred)
  • Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills
  • Proficient in clinical documentation and use of electronic systems (e. g., EMR, Microsoft Office), with the ability to maintain accurate and timely records

Why Clinicians Choose ESS

  • School-day schedule — No weekends or on-call requirements; occasional evening hours as needed to support family engagement
  • Light summers — 10 hours/week for 5 weeks with full-time pay
  • Small caseloads
  • Ongoing supervision, clinical support, and free CEUs
  • Competitive salary + comprehensive benefits
  • Clinical leadership at the heart of our company
  • Make a meaningful impact on student mental health.
  • Join Effective School Solutions

Equal Opportunity Employer

ESS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, veteran status, disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Individual therapyGroup therapyClinical assessmentRisk assessmentTreatment planningTrauma-informed careCase managementEMR systems

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Licensed School-Based Lead Clinician (LPC, LCSW,LMFT) at Effective School Solutions a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 15% of all Social Work healthcare professional listings evaluated on our platform. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Social Work Career Context

Effective School Solutions ranks #15 of 17 employers hiring Social Worker on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 34% have no call, 72% require no weekends.

Social Work by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$65k–$75kSocial Work median $74k (middle half $68k–$84k)10 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$64k in purchasing powerNew Jersey index 108.8 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Social Work listings in New Jersey77 active2,094 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 44% remote · 34% no call · 72% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Social Work pay trend+11.3% vs prior quarter—through Sep 2026
Effective School Solutions#15 of 17 for payTop Employers work-life index
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, Top Employers work-life index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Social Worker Jobs

36 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

36 jobs · 20 employers
10
<$80k
6
$80k-95k
7
$95k-110k
9
$110k-125k
4
$125k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

33 jobs · 20 employers
401k / retirement match
94%
Sign-on bonus
42%
CME allowance
33% this job
Loan repayment
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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LifeStance Health · San Diego, California

$117k-$134k
#2

LICSW - Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

LifeStance Health · St. Paul, Minnesota

$73k-$126k
#3

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

$74k-$126k
#4

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT, LPC, LCSW)

$92k-$125k
+ 34 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

7.2/ 10
Listing-based score
  • No weekends
  • Includes call
Effective School Solutions logo

About Effective School Solutions

Education Management
New Providence, New Jersey
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

No weekends or on-call
Light summers (10 hours/week for 5 weeks with full-time pay)
Small caseloads
Ongoing supervision, clinical support, and free CEUs
Competitive salary + comprehensive benefits

Living in Irvington

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$431k≈ 6.6× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,939/mo≈ 36% of gross pay
State income tax
Up to 10.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026).

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.