Temporary School Based Therapist or Behavioral Health Counselor
Listed compensation
$27.16-$37.34/hr
The week · per this posting
Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
- Temporary School Based Therapist Shield Program
- Full-Time, Onsite
- Behavioral Health Counselor II (BA-Level) Hiring Range: $27.16 - $33.94 Per Hour
- Therapist (MA-Level) Hiring Range: $29.80 - $37.34 Per Hour
Kitsap Mental Health Services (KMHS) is hiring either a Master’s-level School-Based Therapist or Bachelor’s-level Behavioral Health Counselor on a temporary basis to provide behavioral health services to students enrolled in our SHIELD program.
This role helps students navigate emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges that can affect success in the classroom. You'll partner with families, educators, and community providers to support meaningful progress and improve access to care.
If you're passionate about helping youth build resilience and reach their goals, we welcome your application.
Primary Responsibilities
- Meet with students to assess needs, make referrals, and coordinate care with community partners when appropriate.
- Conduct intakes and assessments to support treatment planning, diagnosis, and progress monitoring.
- Provide brief intervention, crisis intervention, and trauma-focused treatment services.
- Deliver individual, family, and group counseling based on student needs.
- Organize and facilitate therapeutic and social skills groups.
- Develop, implement, evaluate, and revise treatment plans in collaboration with program staff.
- Maintain timely and accurate documentation in the agency electronic health record.
- Collaborate with school personnel to support treatment goals and student success.
- Participate in behavioral interventions that reinforce program and school expectations.
- Provide therapeutic crisis response and coordinate with Designated Crisis Responders and other crisis services when needed.
- Partner with families through meetings, outreach, care coordination, and linkage to community resources.
- Provide consultation and coaching to school staff through classroom observations, presentations, and multidisciplinary meetings.
- Coordinate care with outside providers and service systems as appropriate.
- Support program operations and activities as needed, including student events, recreation, field trips, and program organization.
MA- Level Therapist Minimum Qualifications
- EDUCATION: Master's degree in psychology, social services, or behavioral health field.
- EXPERIENCE: Experienced (minimum 2 years of job-related experience)
- Experience working with children within the structure of an intensive, milieu-based program.
Licensure / Certification
- Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration.
- Qualification as a Child Mental Health Specialist.
Per the RCW 28A.400.303, employees of contractors with school districts that have regularly scheduled unsupervised access to children are required to complete FBI fingerprinting.
Current CPR certification (or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire; training provided by the organization).
BA-Level BHC Minimum Qualifications
- EDUCATION: Bachelors Degree in Psychology, social services, or behavioral health field.
- EXPERIENCE: Experienced (minimum 3 years of job-related experience)
- Experience working with children within the structure of an intensive, milieu-based program.
Licensure / Certification
- Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration.
- Qualification as a Child Mental Health Specialist.
Per the RCW 28A.400.303, employees of contractors with school districts that have regularly scheduled unsupervised access to children are required to complete FBI fingerprinting.
Current CPR certification (or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire; training provided by the organization).
Our recruitment processes are designed to prevent discrimination against our people regardless of gender identity or orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, citizenship, or any aspect which makes someone unique.
Key Responsibilities
The therapist or counselor will provide behavioral health services to students, including assessments, crisis intervention, and individual or group counseling. They will also collaborate with families, educators, and community providers to support student treatment goals and program operations.
Requirements
Candidates must hold at least a Bachelor's degree in a behavioral health field and have 2-3 years of relevant experience working with children. Required certifications include Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration and Child Mental Health Specialist qualification.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor degree
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 12% have no call, 70% require no weekends.
Mental Health Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 2.7% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).
The cost-of-living index for Washington is 107.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$67k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $63k in an average-cost state. 59.8% of Washington clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Location & Logistics
Washington has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$67k midpoint, that is roughly $3k–$5k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.
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