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IU Health
Indianapolis, Indiana

Behavioral Health Counselor MS Licensed

Counselor 8.0 Work-LifeFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the pay range, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

  • Position Title: Behavioral Health Counselor MS Licensed
  • Location: IUHMG M-Neuroscience Center
  • Shift: Full-Time Day

Position Overview: The Behavioral Health Counselor facilitates patient involvement in treatment and education through individual, group, and family counseling. This role includes discharge planning, crisis intervention, and collaboration with the healthcare team to ensure safe, timely, and resource-supported care. The counselor also serves as a liaison for protective services and provides specialized mental health interventions for diverse patient needs.

  • Roles and Responsibilities:
  • Conduct individual, group, and family counseling to support emotional and behavioral health.
  • Facilitate patient participation in treatment and education activities.
  • Perform utilization review and develop discharge plans to ensure safe patient transitions.
  • Collaborate with healthcare team members to coordinate care and resources efficiently.
  • Interpret and communicate complex patient and family needs, modeling caring practices.
  • Assess psychosocial risks based on prior functioning, support systems, and coping abilities.
  • Counsel patients and families on emotional, social, and financial impacts of illness/disability.
  • Access and mobilize community and family resources to meet patient needs.
  • Conduct mental health assessments upon physician referral and provide therapeutic interventions.
  • Serve as primary point person for cases involving child abuse/neglect, elder abuse/neglect, institutional abuse, and domestic violence, coordinating with protective agencies.
  • Maintain principles and techniques of crisis intervention and de-escalation.
  • Support guardianship, foster care, adoption, and mental health placements.
  • Provide specialized mental health services, including crisis management and addiction assessments.
  • Lead clinical interventions during dangerous or potentially violent situations, emphasizing safety and de-escalation.
  • Ensure a safe, therapeutic environment and instruct patients in daily activities and programming.
  • Document all clinical activities accurately in electronic medical records and MS Office tools.

Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with community agencies, law enforcement, schools, and healthcare providers.

  • Qualifications & Requirements:
  • Master’s Degree in a mental health field such as Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or related discipline.
  • 3-5 years of relevant healthcare, mental health, or community-based experience.
  • Current license in Indiana as an LCSW, LMHC, LMFT, LCAC, or HSPP.
  • Certification in crisis intervention (may be required).
  • BLS certification (may be required).
  • Knowledge of evidence-based practices (CBT, MI, DBT).
  • Understanding of the disease process and human behavior related to social needs.
  • Knowledge of legal mandates for protective services.
  • Ability to create a safe, therapeutic environment and instruct daily activities.
  • Proficiency in Electronic Medical Records and MS Office applications.
  • Ability to develop strong working relationships with community and healthcare partners.

Why IU Health?

Join Indiana's leading healthcare system committed to delivering compassionate, patient-centered care. We offer opportunities for professional development, a collaborative team environment, and a focus on improving community health.

Benefits Designed for You

[https://careers.iuhealth.org/pages/benefits-designed-for-you]

  • Indiana University Health has nearly 40,000 team members, including more than 3,600 physicians and 1,200 advanced practice providers, and we’re home to the largest nursing network in Indiana with more than 9,000 nursing team members at over 800 sites of care.
  • IU Health is ranked No. 1 in Indiana by U.S. News & World Report, Riley Children's Health is ranked among the top children's hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report.
  • A unique partnership with the Indiana University School of Medicine – one of the nation’s largest medical schools – gives patients access to groundbreaking research and innovative treatments, and it offers team members access to the latest science and the very best training – advancing healthcare for all.
  • With 15 hospitals, including seven with Magnet designation and eight with Pathways to Excellence designation, our team members are leading the way through excellence.
  • At Indiana University Health, your personal and professional growth is a top priority. You will have access to many diverse opportunities to learn and develop in meaningful ways that matter most to you, such as advanced clinical training, leadership development, promotion opportunities and cross training development.
  • Indiana University Health is invested in the lives of Hoosiers, leading the transformation of healthcare to make Indiana one of the nation’s healthiest states.

Indiana University Health is Indiana’s most comprehensive health system, with 15 hospitals and nearly 40,000 team members serving Hoosiers across the state.

We’re looking for team members who are inspired by challenging and meaningful work for the good of every patient. People who are compassionate and serve with a purpose. People who aspire to excellence every day.

Key Responsibilities

The counselor facilitates patient involvement in treatment through individual, group, and family counseling while managing crisis intervention and discharge planning. They also collaborate with the healthcare team to coordinate resources and serve as a liaison for protective services.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in a mental health field and possess 3-5 years of relevant experience. A current Indiana license as an LCSW, LMHC, LMFT, LCAC, or HSPP is required.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Individual counselingGroup counselingMental health assessmentAddiction assessmentPsychosocial risk assessmentCase managementProtective services coordination

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Behavioral Health Counselor MS Licensed at IU Health a 8.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as excellent. This places the position in the top 5% in Behavioral Health (Counseling) — ranked against 304 active Behavioral Health (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc.

Behavioral Health — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 26% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

Counselor pay on WeekdayDoc is down 3.3% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Indiana is 93.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 60.4% of Indiana clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

41 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution40 jobs · 33 employers

15
<$80k
6
$80k-100k
5
$100k-120k
14
$120k-140k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks30 jobs

401k / retirement match
87% this job
CME allowance
50%
Sign-on bonus
40%
Loan repayment
20%
Relocation assistance
3%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Virtual School Based CounselorContract

Lets Therapy · Springfield, Pennsylvania

$66 per hour
#2

Remote Licensed Professional Counselor-VirginiaContract

Adjuvant Behavior Health · Virginia Beach, Virginia

$66/hr
#3

Licensed Therapist (LCSW or LPC)

#4

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Bilingual)

$65/hr
+ 39 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 8.0
Among the best 10% of Behavioral Health (Counseling) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 304 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Indianapolis city (balance)

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$229k
Typical market rent
$1,389/mo
Residents’ average commute
25 min
State income tax
Up to 3.1%
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 IU Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Indianapolis, Indiana
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Retirement Plan
Professional Development