Step by Step Behavioral Health logo
Step by Step Behavioral Health
Jacksonville, Florida

Community Mental Health Therapist

Counselor / TherapistContract

Listed compensation

$25 per hour

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 21m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Step-By-Step Behavioral Health is a welcoming and fast-growing agency seeking a Full-time Community Mental Health Therapist to join our team.

Position Summary

  • Provide outpatient therapeutic counseling to children, adolescents, young adults, and families
  • Assist clients in reducing emotional and mental distress and changing maladaptive behaviors
  • Address concerns, including anxiety, trauma, mood disorders, family dynamics, abuse, self-esteem, and behavioral challenges
  • Deliver services in the home, school, community, and via telehealth

Knowledge Required

  • Group dynamics, culture, ethnicity, and societal influences
  • Counseling and social work ethics
  • Trauma-informed care across developmental stages
  • Assessment and counseling modalities for behavioral and affective disorders
  • Individual, family, and group therapy models and techniques
  • Psychoeducational group counseling methods and outcome measurement

Skills

  • Ability to prioritize assignments with minimal supervision
  • Effective organizational skills
  • Strong clinical assessment and interviewing skills
  • Strong documentation and time-management skills

Abilities

  • Strong interpersonal and active listening skills
  • Ability to work collaboratively as a team player
  • Communicate effectively with clients, families, and professionals
  • Make sound decisions in emergency situations

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Maintain client records in compliance with regulatory and program standards
  • Utilize DSM and ICD diagnostic criteria
  • Monitor progress and revise treatment plans as clinically indicated
  • Engage clients and families in the therapeutic process
  • Collaborate with internal and external service providers
  • Participate in discharge and aftercare planning
  • Refer clients to appropriate community resources
  • Comply with HIPAA requirements
  • Collaborate with internal and external service providers
  • Preference for working with children ages 6 and up
  • Provide individual, group, and family therapy

Complete Assessments and Make Treatment Recommendations

  • Develop client-centered treatment plans with youth and families client records in compliance with regulatory and program standards
  • Utilize DSM and ICD diagnostic criteria
  • Monitor progress and revise treatment plans as clinically indicated
  • Participate in peer review and quality assurance activities
  • Complete required training within designated timeframes
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Education and Experience

  • Master’s degree from an accredited institution in a related field:
  • Mental Health Counseling
  • Social Work
  • Marriage and Family Therapy
  • Psychology
  • Licensed or license-eligible per Florida State laws (preferred)
  • Minimum two years of professional experience providing behavioral health services
  • At least two years of experience working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families
  • Experience in outpatient mental health settings preferred
  • Experience with Medicaid Documentation and third-party insurance preferred

Job Type: 30 hours per week

Contract (1099 Independent Contractor)

Benefits

  • Company parties
  • Flexible schedule
  • Free food & snacks
  • Training & development

Compensation

$25.00 per hour

Key Responsibilities

Provide outpatient therapeutic counseling to children, adolescents, and families across various settings including home, school, and telehealth. Maintain accurate client records, develop treatment plans, and collaborate with internal and external service providers to ensure quality care.

Requirements

Requires a Master's degree in a related field such as Mental Health Counseling, Social Work, or Psychology. Candidates should have at least two years of professional experience in behavioral health, preferably with children and adolescents.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Interpersonal skillsTreatment planningCrisis interventionDSM diagnostic criteriaHIPAA compliance

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 32% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

Mental Health Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 2.0% vs. the prior quarter (through Oct 2026).

Mental Health Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$52kMental Health Therapy median $57k (middle half $45k–$80k)30 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$50k in purchasing powerFlorida index 103.4 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Mental Health Therapy listings in Florida352 active7,943 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 46% remote · 32% no call · 60% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedFlorida Counselor listings: 6% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 11% offer loan repayment615 active listings, Nov 2026
New Mental Health Therapy listings2,623 in the last 30 days1,577 the 30 days before (+66%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Mental Health Therapy pay trend−2.0% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Location & Logistics

Florida has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$52k midpoint, that is roughly $2k–$4k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

Top contract/1099 Counselor Jobs

33 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

33 jobs · 26 employers
13
<$75k
8
$75k-95k
5
$95k-115k
5
$115k-135k
2
$141k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

18 jobs
401k / retirement match
94%
CME allowance
39%
Sign-on bonus
28%
Loan repayment
11%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Therapist

LifeStance Health · Lake Oswego, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#2

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

LifeStance Health · West Linn, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#3

Mental Health Therapist

$131k
#4

Behavioral Health Specialist Requires LCSW LPC or LMFT

$61k-$130k
+ 31 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 2.8
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,895 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Benefits & Perks

Company parties
Flexible schedule
Free food & snacks
Training & development

Living in Jacksonville

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$270k
Typical market rent
$1,589/mo
Residents’ average commute
24 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
99.5
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Jacksonville, FL metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.