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Sheppard Pratt
Towson, Maryland

Intake Therapist, Day Hospital

CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$62k-$109k

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Shift: Monday - Friday, 8am - 4pm | Location Type: In-person

What to expect.

Performs comprehensive intake, assessment, and evaluation services for child, adolescent and adult patients requiring day hospital level of care. Interviews patients and families to perform admission intake functions and complete psychosocial assessments, risk evaluations, and level-of-care determinations.

Evaluates clinical appropriateness for admission and provides treatment recommendations and referral guidance; communicates with outside agencies regarding patient needs and any reportable events. Communicates with patients based on an understanding of the developmental needs of patient.

Conducts diagnostic interviews, psychosocial evaluations, and clinical screenings to identify appropriate service placement. Participates as a member of the treatment team to facilitate admission decisions and coordination of services for patients entering the program.

Specific Responsibilities Include

1. CUSTOMER RELATIONS

  • Demonstrates patient focus and strives to exceed expectations for customer service

2. PATIENT ASSESSMENT

  • Collects patient assessment data in a systematic, continuous and complete manner.
  • Conducts diagnostic interviews and comprehensive intake evaluations.
  • Reviews referral documentation, prior treatment records to determine clinical appropriateness for program admission.
  • Identifies treatment barriers and recommends appropriate interventions or alternate resources.
  • Documents assessments in an accurate and timely manner.
  • Identifies behaviors which may indicate suicidal risk.
  • Identifies signs of abuse and completes appropriate follow-up.
  • Completes assessments include assessing the patient’s growth and development, including physical, emotional, cognitive, educational, nutritional, and social development.

3. TREATMENT PLANNING

  • Develops a plan of care that complements the services that are provided by other members of the team.
  • Identifies and communicates family and patient’s goals in a manner that is clear, specific and individualized.
  • Appropriately identifies, coordinates, and utilizes available resources.
  • Communicates the plan of care to the patient and other members of the health care team.
  • Communicates the plan of care to family members, significant others, community referral source, and/or agencies.

4. DOCUMENTATION/REPORTING

  • Completes written documentation in compliance with hospital and program standards.
  • Completes all documentation so that it is legible, accurate, timely and in accordance with Hospital & program standards.
  • Reports pertinent information to treatment team.
  • Provides appropriate communication, liaison, and coordination of information with school systems and community resources regarding child abuse/neglect, guardianship/custody, and other clinical issues.
  • For LMSW’s/LGPC’s: Maintains documentation of supervisory sessions with board approved supervisor as required by the Social Work/Counseling board

What you'll get from us.

At Sheppard Pratt, you will work alongside a multi-disciplined team led by a bold vision to change lives. We offer:

  • A commitment to professional development, including a comprehensive tuition reimbursement program to support ongoing education and licensure and/or certification preparation
  • Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits for benefit eligible positions
  • 403b retirement match
  • Generous paid-time-off for benefit eligible positions
  • Complimentary Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Generous mileage reimbursement program

The pay range for this position is $62,386.69 to $108,576.83 maximum. Pay for this position is determined on a number of factors, including but not limited to, years and level of related experience, and licensure level.

What we need from you.

1. Education Required: Master's degree in Social Work/Counseling from an accredited school.

2. License Required: Possession of a Maryland State license (LCSW-C, LCPC, LMSW, or LGPC) at the time of appointment and continuously while in the Therapist position.

1. For LGPC: Will be required to receive 100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision provided by a board-approved supervisor and is expected to apply for the LCPC license within 2 to 3 years’ of acceptance of LGPC role.

Will be required to participate in a minimum of 3 hours of face-to-face supervision per month with the approved supervisor. Will be responsible for maintaining documentation, for at least 5 years, of supervisory sessions including dates, duration, and focus of supervision, to be available for verification to the Board.

2. For LMSW: Will be required to receive 144 hours of supervision provided by a board-approved SPHS LCSW-C supervisor and is expected to apply and sit for the LCSW-C license within 2 to 3 years’ of acceptance of LMSW role.

Will be required to participate in a minimum of 3 hours of face-to-face supervision per month with the LCSW-C supervisor. Will be responsible for maintaining documentation, for at least 5 years, of supervisory sessions including dates, duration, and focus of supervision, to be available for verification to the Board.

3. Experience Required: Two years of experience in a mental health or chemical dependency treatment setting.

4. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required:

5. Knowledge of psychiatric disorders, diagnoses, and therapies, and social work theory, principles, and practice.

6. Knowledge of psychiatric terminology; psychopharmacology; social work/counseling therapies, and techniques (including psychotherapy and other specialized techniques such as hypnotherapy depending on specific program assignment); community referral resources; financial planning; and referral and follow-up procedures sufficient to meet patients' treatment needs.

7. Interpersonal skills to effectively interact with stressed, hostile, irritable, or emotionally dependent child/adolescent patients or family members, conduct therapy sessions, and represent the Hospital

8. Work requires analytical ability to resolve psychosocial problems including: assessment of patients' needs; development of goals and appropriate treatment strategies; modification of levels of care for patients with shifting emotional, social, vocational, interpersonal, and medical needs; and discharge and aftercare planning.

Why Sheppard Pratt?

At Sheppard Pratt, we are more than just a workplace. We are a community of healthcare professionals who are dedicated to providing hope and healing to individual’s facing life’s challenges. Join us and be a part of a mission that changes lives!

1.

Key Responsibilities

The Intake Therapist performs comprehensive intake, assessment, and evaluation services for patients requiring day hospital care. They facilitate admission decisions, develop treatment plans, and coordinate services with the interdisciplinary team and community agencies.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's degree in Social Work or Counseling and possess a valid Maryland State license (LCSW-C, LCPC, LMSW, or LGPC). Two years of experience in a mental health or chemical dependency treatment setting is required.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Psychosocial evaluationRisk evaluationDiagnostic interviewingCrisis interventionPatient advocacyClinical documentationCase managementInterdisciplinary collaborationPsychiatric disorder knowledgeReferral coordinationSuicide risk assessmentAbuse reporting

Counselor Career Context

Sheppard Pratt ranks #9 of 22 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 48% are remote, 26% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Maryland is 105.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$85k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $81k in an average-cost state. 62.9% of Maryland clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

32 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution32 jobs · 26 employers

6
<$75k
13
$75k-95k
5
$95k-115k
7
$115k-135k
1
$155k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks27 jobs · 26 employers

401k / retirement match
96% this job
Sign-on bonus
37%
CME allowance
33%
Loan repayment
19%
PSLF eligible
11%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.9
Better work-life than 30% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,961 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends

Living in Towson

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$424k≈ 6.8× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,872/mo≈ 36% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
25 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
104.5
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Sheppard Pratt logo

About Sheppard Pratt

Mental Health Care
Baltimore, Maryland
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Tuition reimbursement program
Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits
403b retirement match
Generous paid-time-off
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Mileage reimbursement program