Helpline Center logo
Helpline Center
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

988 Mental Health Counselor

CounselorFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Mental Health Counselors provide evidence-informed crisis intervention, brief supportive counseling, suicide prevention, information & referral and follow-up services to individuals who contact the Helpline Center through 988 in emotional distress, with substance use issues or with suicidal ideation.

Counselors interact with clients by telephone, SMS text messaging, and/or web chat. The position provides an opportunity to practice a wide range of clinical skills, and knowledge of the expanding field of behavioral health.

Hours for this role would be 12:30-10:30 pm Sunday-Wednesday. Would qualify for shift differentials.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in counseling, social work, psychology, or related field required or ability to obtain Master's degree within four weeks of hire date

  • Additional experience working in mental health counseling or mental health crisis strongly preferred.
  • Applicants must be comfortable working independently and as part of a team in a collegial group environment.
  • Strong oral and written language skills
  • Working knowledge of computers and software programs, proficient keyboarding skills
  • Offers of employment contingent upon acceptable background check

Key Responsibilities

Mental Health Counselors provide crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and supportive counseling to individuals in distress via phone, text, and web chat. They also manage information and referral services while maintaining accurate follow-up documentation.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Telephone communicationComputer literacy

Crisis Counseling — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 54% are remote, 28% have no call, 72% require no weekends.

Counselor pay on WeekdayDoc is up 6.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

The cost-of-living index for South Dakota is 88.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 58.2% of South Dakota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Location & Logistics

South Dakota has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top Counselor Jobs

37 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution29 jobs

9
<$70k
6
$70k-95k
3
$95k-120k
11
$120k-145k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks29 jobs

401k / retirement match
86%
CME allowance
48%
Sign-on bonus
17%
Loan repayment
10%
PSLF eligible
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 Mental Health Counselor (Bilingual)

$65/hr
#4

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

$62-$64/hr
+ 35 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.7this job 3.0
Below most Crisis Counseling listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 251 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Sioux Falls

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$304k
Typical market rent
$1,302/mo
Residents’ average commute
17 min
State income tax
None
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.

Helpline Center logo

About Helpline Center

Individual and Family Services
Sioux Falls, SD
11-50 employees