Case Therapist II-Outpatient Casual Days
Listed compensation
$33.58-$45.33/hr
The week · per this posting
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Company Description
At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry.
As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better health care, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system.
We pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, our goal is to take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?
Job Description
The Case Therapist II reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.
Responsibilities
- Consistent with established policies and procedures:
- Facilitates and documents comprehensive behavioral health and substance use crisis assessment protocol to identify patient strengths and needs and to establish a recommended level of care disposition
- Educates and discusses treatment options with patients related to mental health and substance use needs
Provides immediate mental health/substance abuse intervention to stabilize patient, outlining goals, identifying barriers, and discussing strategies to navigate barriers to care. Encourages patients to follow through on immediate and extended treatment recommendations.
Works within a multi-disciplinary team to consult on treatment and disposition of patients
Coordinates access to referral and linkage information and appointments to facilitate an effective community stabilization disposition
Coordinates with ED doctor and psychiatrist when establishing criteria and recommendation for inpatient care and Extended Stay Protocols
Coordinates with PES Team partners to verify benefits, facilitate pre-certification, and complete all administrative responsibilities required for proper handoff, and PES Nurse to facilitate an admission to NM or alternate hospital
Communicates with collateral partners the disposition and crisis safety plan
Provides individual and group crisis intervention services to patients receiving short-term crisis stabilization services within the psychiatric emergency department setting. These may include patients who are awaiting inpatient hospitalization as well as clients requiring further stabilization before returning to a community setting
Utilizes CPI de-escalation techniques to support and treat psychiatric patients. Utilizes evidence based, trauma, cultural, and recovery-informed practices to guide practices
Facilitates follow-up contact and intervention with identified clients who were assessed and referred to community resources and supports
- Provides grief support and Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) as requested
- Completes USARF screenings for unfunded patients at requesting facilities (county contract)
- As a member of the PES team, responds to client crisis calls and external requests for service as needed.
Engages in actively marketing PES services with consumer groups, community providers, education, police, and other collateral partners.
Provides all services in accordance with the Illinois Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act (Ill. Rev. Stat, ch. 91 ½, par 2-100 et seq. and par 801 et seq – 740 ILCS 11 0/1 et seq.)
Records appropriate client progress notes and required consultation documentation into the client’s treatment record.
Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Required
- Master’s Degree in psychology, social work, or related field required..
- Minimum of one or more years of experience related to mental health/substance use counseling
- Interpersonal skills necessary to establish a working relationship with patients and their families and staff.
- Analytical skills necessary in order to properly monitor patients’ behaviors and maintain a safe and therapeutic milieu environment
- Writing skills necessary in order to accurately document patients’ progress in the medical record.
- Must be organized, detailed oriented, able to multi-task, and dedicated to helping others
Preferred
Independent licensure as a mental health professional (LCSW, LCPC). Must obtain clinical licensure when becoming eligible by meeting the state’s requirements.
- Crisis experience preferred.
- Comprehensive knowledge of crisis intervention techniques for a broad spectrum of the mentally ill or chemically dependent is preferred.
Additional Information
Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.
Background Check
Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers.
If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check.
Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.
Artificial Intelligence Disclosure
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events.
- Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information
- NorthwesternMedicine Career Page
jobs.nm.org
Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings.
If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.
- Job Shift: Rotating
- Salary Range Minimum: $33.58
- Salary Range Maximum: $45.33
- Compensation: USD 33.58 - USD 45.33 - hourly
Qualifications
- Education
- Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Key Skills
Counselor Career Context
Northwestern Memorial Healthcare ranks #4 of 15 employers hiring contract/1099 Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.
In Illinois, the Mental Health Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$70k (289 salary observations; 957 listings), vs ~$75k nationally (5,133 salary observations; 21,000 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2025-12-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 18% have no call, 80% require no weekends.
Mental Health Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.0% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).
The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$82k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $82k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
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