Behavioral Health Counselor | Mental Health Services
Listed compensation
$27.5-$41.5/hr
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
Sanford Health is one of the largest and fastest-growing not-for-profit health systems in the United States. We’re proud to offer many development and advancement opportunities to our nearly 50,000 members of the Sanford Family who are dedicated to the work of health and healing across our broad footprint.
- Work Shift: 8 Hours - Varied Shifts (United States of America) Scheduled
- Weekly Hours: 0
- Salary Range: $27.50 - $41.50 Union
- Position: No Department Details The mental health department at Sanford is a close group working together with the Interdisciplinary team of Physicians
Nurses, Case Managers and Social Workers working together for the best outcome for our patients. Summary The Behavioral Health Counselor requires a broad, yet solid, understanding of human behavior and theories of counseling.
May work with a wide range of patient populations and presenting issues, requiring a foundation in a variety of treatment modalities.
This role is a team-based role where responsibility for patient well-being is diffused among the treatment team and the overall responsibility lies with a clinical supervisor or admitting provider.
Job Description The Behavioral Health Counselor assesses patient needs, may diagnose disorders, develops treatment plans, and implements treatment interventions specific to patient needs. Continually assesses patient's progress and revises treatment plans and interventions accordingly. Documents treatment sessions.
Provides patient progress updates to interdisciplinary team, as needed. May educate patient support members about patient issues and interventions. May refer for additional clinical services or to specialists, as needed. Must stay current on emerging issues in the profession.
In a hospital setting, the Behavioral Health Counselor may have a broad scope of duties, depending upon assignment. Hospital assignments include psychiatric inpatient treatment and/or specific hospital units. Depending on location, may place patients on mental health and substance-related holds.
Psychiatric inpatient treatment duties include development, implementation, and evaluation of therapy programs, individual and family counseling, and consultative services to attending psychiatrist. Hospital unit duties include crisis intervention, assessment, and referral.
Qualifications Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or related Behavioral Health Sciences required. License must be in good standing in state(s) of practice.
In South Dakota, must have one of the following: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Licensed Professional Counselor - Mental Health (LPC-MH) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Certified Social Worker (CSW) Certified Social Worker - Private or Independent Practice (CSW-PIP) Sanford is an EEO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vet.
If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-877-673-0854 or send an email to talent@sanfordhealth.org.
The Sanford organization owns and manages multiple distinct brands, including Sanford Health, Marshfield Clinic, and Good Samaritan, as well as Lewis Drug, Sanford Health Equip, Solutions by Sanford, Great Shots, and Blue Rock Bar & Grill.
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland.
Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 53,000 employees and serves over 2 million patients and nearly 425,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 56 hospitals, 288 clinic locations, 147 senior care communities, 4,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies.
The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to 78 specialties. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
Good Samaritan, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of senior care and services, is committed to transforming the aging experience through innovation, compassion and personalized care.
As part of Sanford Health, an integrated nonprofit health system headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Good Samaritan serves 10,000 seniors and offers access to a full continuum of care, including 94 rehabilitation and skilled nursing centers, 56 assisted living and memory care facilities, 44 independent living locations and 37 home health and hospice agencies.
The senior care provider delivers services across the upper Midwest, with 70% of residents living in rural communities. Learn more about Good Samaritan’s mission and commitment to delivering high quality senior care in rural America at good-sam.com.
Key Responsibilities
The Behavioral Health Counselor is responsible for assessing patient needs, potentially diagnosing disorders, developing and implementing treatment plans, and continually revising interventions based on patient progress. This role involves documenting sessions, updating the interdisciplinary team, and potentially educating patient support members or referring patients to specialists.
Requirements
Candidates must possess a Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or a related Behavioral Health Science, along with a license in good standing for the state(s) of practice. Specific licensure requirements apply for practice in South Dakota, such as LPC, LPC-MH, LMFT, CSW, or CSW-PIP.
Qualifications
- Education
- Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Key Skills
Behavioral Health Counseling — Counselor Career Context
The cost-of-living index for South Dakota is 88.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$72k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $81k in an average-cost state. 58.2% of South Dakota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 72% are remote, 26% have no call, 76% require no weekends.
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $57k–$86k | Counselor median $74k (middle half $56k–$86k)266 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$81k in purchasing power | South Dakota index 88.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Counselor listings in South Dakota | 34 active | 13,734 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 72% remote · 26% no call · 76% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
| Counselor pay trend | +2.5% vs prior quarter | —through Sep 2026 |
Location & Logistics
South Dakota has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$72k midpoint, that is roughly $3k–$5k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.
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