Per-Diem Counselor

CounselorPer Diem

Listed compensation

Salary Range: $18.04 /hr

The week · per this posting

Schedule not stated in this posting — no days, weekends, call or nights given.

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

Posted 6mo ago

Job Description

Job DetailsLevel: EntryJob Location: 177 Columbia St Res and HHCC - Brooklyn, NY 11231Education Level: High SchoolSalary Range: $18.04 - $18.04 HourlyJOB SCOPE: The Residential Counselor provides supportive counseling to assist residents in achieving individual long and short-term goals and objectives, and crisis intervention as required by individual residents.

Major areas of responsibility include providing and documenting services, monitoring the safety and security of the facility, providing good customer service, and exercising good judgment in managing crises. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Work with an assigned caseload of residents to provide support services.

Implement individual service plans to assist residents in attaining rehabilitation goals. Maintain, develop and document accurate case records, regular progress notes and individual service plan summaries for each resident.

Offer instruction and service delivery in any of 11 different service categories through role modeling, guidance, assistance, and support. Manage crises within the residence and intervene appropriately to minimize risk of potential harm to residents, staff, and damage to property.

Notify appropriate supervisor and document events on the appropriate forms. Order, supervise, and count medication in accordance with Licensed Housing Medication Policy and Procedures, where applicable. Provide counseling to clients/residents as required. Lead recreational, counseling, and other rehabilitation groups.

Escort clients in the community to medical, benefit, or other pertinent appointments. Coordinate and participate in community activities.

Maintain the environment of the facility safely and securely, monitor video surveillance cameras and conduct hourly building walk-throughs to assess the physical environment, and ensure the well-being of residents. Document significant building activities and events in the Communication Logbook.

Perform light maintenance and housekeeping skills, such as picking up or emptying garbage, mopping up spills, shoveling snow, etc. Ensure all resident visitors provide identification and sign in the Visitor Log. Conduct monthly fire drills.

Assess and respond to resident situations, including the utilization of de-escalation techniques. Report crises, untoward incidents, and emergencies immediately to the clinical staff on call and document such events in the program log, incident reports, and on appropriate forms in a timely manner.

Maintain accurate client case records, including writing progress notes and creating service plans, when needed, and as promulgated in PCMH Policies and Procedures. Conduct apartment inspections and provide support to clients with regard to daily living skills. Participate in residential staff meetings.

Remain on site until relief staff arrive. Adhere to personnel and residential policies and procedures as outlined in the PCMH Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual and the Residential Policies and Procedures Manual.

Performs other duties, consistent with the goals and objectives of the program, as assigned by the Program Director or Regional Director for Residential Services.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

High School Diploma or equivalent is required, college degree or 2 years of college in a mental health field desired. Minimum two years’ experience working as a counselor in a residential, mental health or related setting. Education may be substituted for some experience.

Key Responsibilities

The Residential Counselor supports residents in achieving goals through supportive counseling and crisis intervention, while also being responsible for documenting services and ensuring the safety and security of the facility. Essential functions include implementing service plans, maintaining accurate case records, and managing crises within the residence.

Requirements

A High School Diploma or equivalent is required, though a college degree or two years of college in a mental health field is desired. A minimum of two years' experience working as a counselor in a residential, mental health, or related setting is necessary, though education may substitute for some experience.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Service Plan ImplementationCase Record DocumentationMedication ManagementGroup LeadershipSafety MonitoringClient Support

Counselor Career Context

In New York, the Mental Health Counseling weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$75k (59 salary observations; 198 listings), vs ~$78k nationally (517 salary observations; 2,279 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for New York is 107.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 64.6% of New York clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 40 active Mental Health Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 43% are remote, 23% have no call, 78% require no weekends.

Mental Health Counseling pay on WeekdayDoc is up 14.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top contract/1099 Counselor Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution19 jobs

9
<$70k
3
$70k-85k
5
$85k-100k
2
$100k-115k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks18 jobs

401k / retirement match
89%
CME allowance
39%
Loan repayment
28%
PSLF eligible
28%
Sign-on bonus
6%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 4.8
Better work-life than 40% of Mental Health Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 762 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in New York

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$876k
Typical market rent
$4,154/mo
Residents’ average commute
40 min
State income tax
Up to 10.9%
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.