Berks Counseling Center logo
Berks Counseling Center
Leesport, Pennsylvania

Forensic Counselor

CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$50k-$53k

The week · per this posting · Monday – Thursday

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and nights and shift pattern.

Posted 48m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Berks Counseling Center is excited to be a team-based organization where every client has an entire team of care. If you enjoy being a team player in a helping profession, we invite you to explore our job opportunities.

We are a recovery-oriented behavioral health, physical health, and supportive services organization providing a holistic approach to a culturally and economically diverse population for the purpose of achieving a healthy and productive lifestyle.

Summary of Job

As a Forensic Counselor, you will provide screening and assessment and out-patient services to inmates housed at the Berks County Jail System.

  • You will…
  • Provide screening and assessment of inmates.
  • Provide individual, group, and family counseling as appropriate to inmates.

Effectively complete all required clinical documentation related to outpatient treatment standards in an efficient and up-to-date manner.

Work collaboratively with BCC and BCJS staff, this includes working with the care coordinator of the Jail Project.

Requirements

  • To qualify for the position, you will need…
  • Bachelor’s degree in a related social service field

Ability to work 40 hours per week within agency hours of operation, which are 8am-8pm Mon-Thurs, 8am-4pm Friday with Saturday hours, when applicable.

Preferred Candidates Will Have…

  • One (1) year direct substance abuse counseling experience (or relevant internship).
  • Master’s degree
  • CAC certification
  • Bilingual ability in English/Spanish.

Physical Requirements

VISUAL: Must be able to read and interpret documents and read and analyze data on a computer screen for prolonged periods.

  • COMMUNICATING: Must be able to communicate with clients, vendors, and coworkers.
  • MOBILITY: Must have mobility to move about the jail, agency, and community.
  • PHYSICAL EFFORT: Must be able to carry up to 10 pounds.
  • OTHER: Must be able to write, type and use technology.
  • By joining BCC full time, you can receive the following perks:
  • Salary comparable to experience/education
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
  • Free Virtual Urgent Care (Telemedicine) and Virtual Mental Health Services for you and your family
  • Additional voluntary insurance options
  • 403(b) with agency match after 12 months of service
  • 15 days of Paid time off
  • 2 floating holidays per calendar year
  • 2 wellness days per calendar year
  • 10 full paid holidays per calendar year
  • Free parking
  • Tuition Reimbursement or Student Loan Assistance
  • Paid Licenses and Certifications, if they are relevant to BCC and the work you do
  • Free supervision offered for clinical licensure (LPC, LCSW)

All offers of employment are contingent upon the following:

Receipt of results of a satisfactory drug and alcohol screening test.

Receipt of the originals of the following background checks (clearances): PA State Police Criminal History, PA State Child Abuse, and FBI Criminal History clearance. These clearances must be valid within the 60 months prior to employment. A conviction is not a bar to employment; however, a review will be conducted to make a determination of employment should a conviction be present.

Receipt of original documentation and verification of relevant degrees, diplomas, certificates, or licensure.

Confirmation that you are not on any state or federal list that would exclude you from participation in Medicaid, Medicare or other federal healthcare programs if your role provides services under these programs.

Confirmation that you are not on the OIG Federal Healthcare Program Exclusion from Participation list. Should you appear on this list, Berks Counseling Center is prohibited from employing you.

Ability to obtain clearance and access to work at the Berks County Jail System (BCJS).

Contact Information

  • Please complete application online by clicking Apply.
  • You can find all our listings by visiting: bit. ly
  • Be sure you’re using an updated browser, and your resume is up to date and in PDF or Word format before uploading.
  • Visit our website for more information: berkscounselingcenter.org
  • If you are unable to complete the application online, please reach out to HR@berkscc.org to receive assistance.
  • With one application, we can consider you for multiple positions.

Key Responsibilities

The Forensic Counselor provides screening, assessment, and outpatient counseling services to inmates at the Berks County Jail System. They also collaborate with jail staff and care coordinators to ensure effective clinical documentation and treatment standards.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Forensic counselingIndividual counselingGroup counselingCrisis interventionCase managementTreatment planningBilingual communication

Forensic Counseling — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 42% are remote, 38% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Pennsylvania is 97.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$51k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $53k in an average-cost state. 61.7% of Pennsylvania clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Counselor pay on WeekdayDoc is up 2.5% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Forensic Counselor at Berks Counseling Center a 6.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Counseling — ranked against 13,631 active Counseling listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Top Counselor Jobs

32 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution32 jobs · 26 employers

14
<$75k
9
$75k-95k
3
$95k-115k
6
$115k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks29 jobs · 26 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
41%
CME allowance
31%
Loan repayment
24% this job
PSLF eligible
17%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#2

Clinical Director - LMFT, LCSW, LPCC

Seneca Family of Agencies · Salinas, California

$112k-$126k
#3

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

$92k-$125k
#4

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

$115k-$120k
+ 30 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 6.2
Better work-life than 50% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 13,631 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends

Living in Leesport

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$340k≈ 6.8× annual pay
Median resident rent
$978/mo≈ 24% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
20 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.1
State income tax
Up to 3.1%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Reading, PA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Berks Counseling Center logo

About Berks Counseling Center

Individual and Family Services
Reading, Pennsylvania
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
Free Virtual Urgent Care (Telemedicine) and Virtual Mental Health Services
Additional voluntary insurance options
403(b) with agency match after 12 months of service
15 days of Paid time off
2 floating holidays per calendar year
2 wellness days per calendar year
10 full paid holidays per calendar year