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OU Health
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Behavioral Health Therapist - Children's Behavioral Health Center - Inpatient

CounselorFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not disclosed

Employment & setting
Full-Time
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Not specified
Posted 12m ago · Verified live

Job description

Position Title

Behavioral Health Therapist - Children's Behavioral Health Center - Inpatient Department: BHC Adolescent Acute 5 North Job Description: Job Description *Behavioral Health Therapist positions are available at levels I, II, or III, depending on experience and education. * Our NEW Pediatric Behavioral Health Center is scheduled to open in December 2026. Candidates applying for this position should expect a start date after September 1, 2026. All applicants must be 21 years of age or older and provide two professional references as part of the hiring process. The Licensed behavioral health therapist is a behavioral health therapist under direct supervision of an applicable independently licensed individual. This position will provide therapeutic services to adult or pediatric patients at OU Health who need behavioral health services in outpatient, inpatient or in the emergency department while under a valid supervision contract with the applicable Oklahoma State Board. Essential Responsibilities Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position. Inability to perform these responsibilities with or without an accommodation may result in disqualification from the position. Conducts therapeutic interviews of patients, family members and other people connected to the patient, to gather collateral information. Conducts screenings, psychosocial and diagnostic assessments and communicates findings to necessary staff as appropriate. Provides education to patients, family members and other people connected to the patient regarding mental health diseases, treatments, social or financial situations, emotional stress and/or other mental health/social problems. Develops a collaborative care plan and provides therapeutic interventions to patients, family members and other people connected to the patient, to assist patient in reaching goals and to prevent relapse. Monitors and evaluates patient outcomes related to therapeutic goals in collaborative care plan. Provides behavioral interventions to support patient improvement, maintain stability, and prevent relapse. Develops and facilitates patient support or therapy groups to meet the needs of the clinical location or patient population. Provides psychotherapy counseling and other evidence-based psychotherapy interventions for the patients, family members and other people connected to the patient. Documents counseling services, care coordination, and interactions appropriately to meet the standards of all accrediting, governing bodies, and billing requirements with standardized departmental templates. Conducts risk assessments related to harming self or others, provides brief interventions, crisis counseling, establishes individual patient safety plans. Connects resources to patient, family members and other people connected to the patient, and documents sessions that meet the standards of all accrediting, governing bodies and billing requirements where services are rendered. Acts as a liaison between patients, family members and other people connected to the patient, staff and other agencies. Assists the patients, family members and other people connected to the patient, with referrals, placements, or transfers when clinically indicated. Assists patients, family members and other people connected to the patient, with adverse reactions or difficult adjustments to illness, treatment, or changes in functional status. Utilize trauma informed care. Acts as a patient advocate for issues related to informed decision making, end-of-life care, realistic goal setting and appropriate resolution of ethical dilemmas. Work collaboratively with consultative services and other applicable services as clinically indicated Assists patients with psychotherapy such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy or other evidence-based modalities as trained in and appropriate. Attend regular case consultation, team meetings, and peer review. Follows and meets expectations of departmental standard operating procedures. Participate in weekly individual or group supervision as indicated in standard operating procedures as required for licensure. Complete Third-Party Statement Affidavit statements and seek independently licensed individual if a LMHP is required to be completed. Signs documentation in a timely manner as outlined in standard operating procedures. General Responsibilities Performs other duties as assigned. Level I Minimum Qualifications Education Requirements Master's degree from accredited institution in social work, counseling or psychology required. Experience Requirements 0-3 years of experience required. License/Certification/Registration Requirements Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) with Supervision, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT) or Board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) certified by Board of Analyst certification Board BACB. (BCBA must also be licensed by the Oklahoma Human Services' (OKDHS) Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDS) to provide behavior analysis services from applicable Oklahoma state board required.) Active supervision contract with applicable licensing board required. Provisional license is accepted in the first 3 months of employment with Supervision. Knowledge/Skills/Abilities Required: Knowledge of the principles and practices of individual and group psychotherapy, social and psychological casework, of social and welfare resources available in the community and hospital, of current social and economic conditions, trends, and problems. Knowledge of federal and state laws particularly related to patient confidentiality. Knowledge of case management fundamentals and the technical/procedural aspects of case management. Ability to resolve issues, applying judgment, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to determine a course of action. Ability to exercise discretion when making decisions and seeks management advice to determine proper course of action while following established standards. Ability to handle stressful situations, different situations or circumstances, and complete projects in a timely manner. Ability to explain technical data in a form understandable by patients, families, and hospital staff. Good interpersonal and communication skills. Level II Minimum Qualifications Education Requirements Master's degree from accredited institution in social work, counseling or psychology required. Experience Requirements At least 3 years of postgraduate counseling experience in a healthcare setting required. License/Certification/Registration Requirements Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) certified by Board of Analyst certification Board BACB. (BCBA must also be licensed by the Oklahoma Human Services' (OKDHS) Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDS) to provide behavior analysis services from applicable Oklahoma state board required.) Must be able to provide clinical supervision per Oklahoma licensing board requirements. Knowledge/Skills/Abilities Required Advanced knowledge of the principles and practices of individual and group psychotherapy, social and psychological casework, of social and welfare resources available in the community and hospital, of current social and economic conditions, trends, and problems. Knowledge of federal and state laws particularly related to patient confidentiality. Knowledge of case management fundamentals and the technical/procedural aspects of case management. Ability to resolve complex issues, applying judgment, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to determine a course of action. Ability to exercise discretion when making decisions and seeks management advice to determine proper course of action while following established standards. Ability to handle stressful situations, different situations or circumstances, and complete projects in a timely manner. Ability to explain technical data in a form understandable by patients, families, and hospital staff. Good interpersonal and communication skills. Level III Minimum Qualifications Education Requirements Master's degree from accredited institution in social work, counseling or psychology required. Experience Requirements 5 or more years of postgraduate counseling experience in a healthcare setting required. License/Certification/Registration Requirements Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT) or Board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) certified by Board of Analyst certification Board BACB. (BCBA must also be licensed by the Oklahoma Human Services' (OKDHS) Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDS) to provide behavior analysis services.) Must be able to provide clinical supervision per Oklahoma licensing board requirements. Knowledge/Skills/Abilities Required Expert level knowledge of the principles and practices of individual and group psychotherapy, social and psychological casework, of social and welfare resources available in the community and hospital, of current social and economic conditions, trends, and problems. Knowledge of federal and state laws particularly related to patient confidentiality. Knowledge of case management fundamentals and the technical/procedural aspects of case management. Ability to resolve the most complex issues, applying judgment, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to determine a course of action. Ability to exercise discretion when making decisions and seeks management advice to determine proper course of action while following established standards. Ability to handle stressful situations, different situations or circumstances, and complete projects in a timely manner. Ability to explain technical data in a form understandable by patients, families, and hospi

Key Responsibilities

The therapist conducts psychosocial assessments, develops collaborative care plans, and provides evidence-based psychotherapy to pediatric and adult patients. They also act as a patient advocate, facilitate support groups, and manage crisis interventions while maintaining accurate clinical documentation.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's degree in social work, counseling, or psychology and possess an active license or supervision contract in Oklahoma. Experience requirements range from entry-level to over five years depending on the specific therapist level applied for.

Qualifications

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

Certifications

Board Certification

Key Skills

Risk AssessmentPsychosocial AssessmentPatient AdvocacyMental Health EducationDiagnostic AssessmentSafety Planning

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 24% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

Mental Health Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 3.4% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Oklahoma is 87.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 60.9% of Oklahoma clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

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CME allowance
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Sign-on bonus
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Work-life snapshot

1.5/ 10
Listing-based score

A signal to investigate—not a guarantee about the workplace.