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Sanford Health
Harrisburg, South Dakota

Behavioral Health Therapist | Harrisburg Clinic

CounselorNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$31-$46.5/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

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.

Work Shift

Day (United States of America)

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Compensation

Salary Range: $31.00 - $46.50 Sign On Bonus Available!

Union Position

No

Department Details

Join a close-knit team in a welcoming small-town community where you can make a meaningful impact every day. Provide behavioral health therapy to patients of all ages while building lasting relationships with patients, families, and colleagues.

Summary

The Behavioral Health Therapist requires a broad and thorough understanding of human behavior, theories of counseling, and psychopathology. May work with a wide range of patient populations and presenting issues, requiring a foundation in a variety of treatment modalities. This role has total independence and responsibility for patient well-being.

Job Description

The Behavioral Health Therapist provides diagnostic assessment, onsite crisis assessment and intervention, and determines need for ongoing care according to level of clinical ability, medical, and psychosocial complexity. Develops treatment plans and implements treatment interventions specific to patient needs.

Continually assesses patient's progress and revises diagnosis(es), 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 clinic setting (other than primary care), the Behavioral Health Therapist conducts scheduled face-to-face therapy sessions designed to assess and improve patient's emotional, mental, and behavioral health.

Credentialing through the Allied Health Staff of the organization where you will be working will be required.

Qualifications

Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or related Behavioral Health Sciences required; graduation from an accredited school preferred.

  • License must be in good standing in state(s) of practice.
  • In South Dakota, must have one of the following, dependent upon work setting:
  • Licensed Professional Counselor - Mental Health (LPC-MH)
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
  • 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 1-877-949-5678 or send an email to talent@sanfordhealth.org.

Key Responsibilities

The therapist provides diagnostic assessments, crisis interventions, and develops individualized treatment plans for patients of all ages. They also conduct face-to-face therapy sessions and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to monitor patient progress.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Crisis interventionTreatment planningCounseling theoriesClinical documentationInterdisciplinary collaborationPatient educationMental health assessment

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 48% are remote, 42% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

Mental Health Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 8.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

The cost-of-living index for South Dakota is 88.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$81k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $91k in an average-cost state. 58.2% of South Dakota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Location & Logistics

South Dakota has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$81k midpoint, that is roughly $3k–$6k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

Top Counselor Jobs

29 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution29 jobs · 17 employers

8
<$80k
3
$80k-95k
2
$95k-110k
14
$110k-125k
2
$125k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks27 jobs · 17 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
CME allowance
33%
Sign-on bonus
15% this job
Loan repayment
11%
PSLF eligible
4%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Outpatient Therapist (Licensed Psychologist or LICSW)

Allina Health · Edina, Minnesota

$125k-$140k
#2

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

LifeStance Health · Madison, Wisconsin

$92k-$125k
#3

Weekend Outpatient Mental Health Therapist

$63k-$123k
#4

Lead Licensed Mental Health Counselor LMHC Supervisor

$83k-$123k
+ 27 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.3this job 5.1
Better work-life than 40% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 8,100 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights

Living in Harrisburg

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$344k
Typical market rent
$1,261/mo
Residents’ average commute
22 min
State income tax
None
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.

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About Sanford Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Sioux Falls, SD
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Sign-On Bonus Available
Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
Retirement Plan