Youth Treatment Counselor

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$23-$26/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Job Summary and Purpose

At Tennyson Center for Children, our core values guide everything we do.

We are Joyful, finding optimism and strength even in challenges; Curious, always learning and innovating to provide the best care; Dependable, building trust through reliability; Authentic, celebrating uniqueness and creating safe, inclusive spaces; and Compassionate, deeply caring for our teammates, our clients, and the community we serve.

If these values resonate with you, we’d love to have you join our team and help us make a lasting impact on the lives of children across Colorado!

The Youth Treatment Counselor collaborates within the framework of the educational and treatment team in the completion of instructional activities and behavior management in keeping with each child's IEP and treatment plans.

The Youth Treatment Counselor individualizes academic and social emotional support for each student in the classroom. Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds not just because it’s the right thing to do but because it makes our company stronger.

Essential Job Functions

Appropriately implement treatment plans and IEPs as directed by the clinician and teacher

Provide clean, safe, and therapeutic learning environments by providing one-on-one tutoring, small group instruction, and maintenance of student engagement in academic and social-emotional learning

Provide a therapeutic balance of hierarchy and affiliation, always demonstrating an understanding of the emotional needs of the children

Implement TCC procedures for behavior management (both verbal and non-verbal) and physical management, balancing the client’s needs for structure, nurturing, learning and recreation

Assist with classroom management strategies implemented with the educational, clinical, and student engagement specialists

Ensure positive behavior supports are being implemented on a milieu and individual level for all students

Required trainings must be completed and maintained as a condition of employment, including but not limited to Qualified Medication Administration Personnel (QMAP), Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), and the Neurosequential Model (NM); additional trainings may be assigned based on program needs and organizational standards

Supports and advances quality improvement efforts through adherence to Tennyson Center policies and procedures, regulatory standards, and best practices

  • Physical Requirements
  • Must be able to successfully complete a pre-hire physical
  • Implement behavioral interventions as needed

Working Conditions

In-person on-campus work/school and treatment environment

Minimum Qualifications

  • B.A. degree in Human Services/related field or equivalent experience required
  • Experience in an educational setting with special needs children K-12 preferred
  • All candidates must have (or qualify to obtain) a current Colorado driver's license

All positions require a pre-employment drug test, FBI fingerprint check, CBI criminal records check, child abuse registry check, motor vehicle record check, academic record verification, and reference checks

Benefits

  • For employees working 30 or more hours per week:
  • Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance options
  • Generous Paid Time Off
  • 13 paid holidays
  • Paid Mental Health days to regroup & recharge
  • Retirement Plan with a match up to 4% of your annual salary
  • Pet, Legal & Identity Theft insurance options
  • HSA & FSA options
  • Accident, Critical Illness, Disability & Hospital Indemnity insurance options
  • Company paid Life Insurance & AD&D with options to purchase additional coverage
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Employee Referral Bonus

Professional Development Assistance

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to colorado.gov

The estimated hourly rate for this role is $23.00 - $26.00 per hour.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

EEOC

Must demonstrate eligibility to work in the United States in compliance with federal law. All persons hired will be required to verify their eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. Tennyson Center for Children currently does not sponsor work visas.

Tennyson Center is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer; we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We seek applicants of diverse backgrounds and prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, military status, conditions relating to pregnancy or childbearing, and/or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

If you have any questions, please email our team at HRServices@Tennysoncenter.org. We appreciate your interest in Tennyson Center for Children.

Key Responsibilities

The Youth Treatment Counselor collaborates with the educational and treatment team to implement instructional activities and behavior management plans. They provide individualized academic and social-emotional support while maintaining a safe, therapeutic learning environment.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in human services or a related field and have experience working with special needs children in an educational setting. Applicants are required to pass various background checks and obtain specific certifications such as QMAP and TCI.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Key Skills

Instructional supportTherapeutic interventionIndividualized education program implementationMilieu support

Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Colorado is 103.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$51k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $49k in an average-cost state. 60.9% of Colorado clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 80% are remote, 28% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

Counseling pay on WeekdayDoc is up 18.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top Counselor Jobs

41 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution41 jobs · 18 employers

10
<$80k
7
$80k-95k
7
$95k-110k
12
$110k-125k
5
$125k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks33 jobs · 18 employers

401k / retirement match
91% this job
Sign-on bonus
42%
PSLF eligible
21% this job
CME allowance
15%
Loan repayment
12% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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Aurora Mental Health & Recovery · Aurora, CO, USA

$61k-$127k
#2

Therapist - Adults Southeast Counseling Center

Aurora Mental Health & Recovery · Aurora, Colorado

$61k-$127k
#3

Bilingual Therapist - Adult Outpatient/Elmira

$61k-$127k
#4

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

$74k-$126k
+ 39 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 10% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 519 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Denver

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$560k
Typical market rent
$1,881/mo
Residents’ average commute
25 min
State income tax
Up to 4.4%
Sources & methodology

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

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

Tennyson Center for Children logo

About Tennyson Center for Children

Mental Health Care
Denver, Colorado
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Paid Time Off
13 Paid Holidays
Paid Mental Health Days
Retirement Plan with 4% Match
HSA & FSA