Riverside Community Care logo
Riverside Community Care
Upton, Massachusetts

Respite Counselor - Relief

CounselorIncludes callPer Diem

Listed compensation

$21.21-$22.27/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

We make a difference – in your community and in your career.

Respite Counselor

In this exciting role, the Respite Counselor will work as part of a team in this acute care residence.

The Respite Counselor will provide guidance, education, supervision, and direct supports to allow consumers to maintain their physical and emotional health, live safely in the community and develop the skills necessary to return to independent living. Interactions between staff and consumers will be guided by an appreciation for those being served as unique individuals and adults, with the expectation and goal of crisis or situational stabilization.

The Respite programs provide both short and long-term care for persons experiencing mental health, substance use disorder, and co-occurring disorders who might otherwise require treatment in an inpatient setting and would benefit from structured stabilization, support, care coordination, and treatment planning.

Schedule: Relief; Flexible shifts available

Pay Rate: differentials available!

  • $21.21/hour High School Diploma
  • $22.27/hour with a Bachelor’s Degree

Why You'll Love Riverside

We make a true difference in people’s lives through rewarding work. Most of our jobs come with great benefits – including healthcare, numerous professional development opportunities, and generous time off - all in a respectful and inclusive environment, perhaps why Riverside was named a Boston Globe Top Workplace and a best-in-state employer by Forbes.

Benefits Include

  • Comprehensive, high-quality health, dental, and vision insurance options
  • Flexible Spending Accounts – both medical and dependent care
  • Eleven paid holidays
  • Separate accruals for vacation (increases with tenure), personal, and sick time
  • Tax-deferred 403(b) retirement savings plan with employer match
  • Employee Assistance Plan / Travel Assistance Plan
  • Employee bonus for referrals resulting in hiring
  • Discounts to movie theaters, sporting, and entertainment events
  • Employee YMCA discount: 10% off a YMCA monthly membership and 50% off the joiner’s fee

Learn More About Our Benefits and Culture

Our Benefits [https://www.riversidecc.org/careers/employee-benefits/]

Our Culture [https://www.riversidecc.org/about-riverside-community-care/our-culture/]

Hear what employees think about working for Riverside! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh5_qJ-SZ7o]

Key Responsibilities

The Respite Counselor provides guidance, supervision, and direct support to consumers in an acute care residence to help them maintain health and develop independent living skills. They facilitate crisis stabilization and care coordination for individuals experiencing mental health or substance use disorders.

Requirements

The position requires a minimum of a High School Diploma, with a higher pay rate offered for candidates holding a Bachelor’s Degree. Applicants should be prepared to work in a structured, acute care environment.

Key Skills

Mental health supportSubstance use disorder supportIndependent living skills training

Counselor Career Context

Of the 43 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 49% are remote, 26% have no call, 79% require no weekends.

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

The cost-of-living index for Massachusetts is 105.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 63.2% of Massachusetts clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

42 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution22 jobs

10
<$70k
4
$70k-95k
2
$95k-120k
6
$120k-145k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks34 jobs · 26 employers

CME allowance
76%
401k / retirement match
53% this job
Sign-on bonus
35%
Loan repayment
24%
PSLF eligible
12%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Mental Health Therapist (Part-Time, W-2)Contract

Two Chairs · Maryland

$58.5-$85/hr
#2

Mental Health Therapist (Part-Time, W2)Contract

Two Chairs · Ohio

$58.5-$85/hr
#3

Psychotherapist Outpatient Clinic – LCSW / LMHC / LMFT/Independent Contractor/The Villages

$60-$70/hr
#4

Psychotherapist Outpatient Clinic – LCSW / LMHC / LMFT/Independent Contractor/Port St Lucie

$60-$70/hr
+ 40 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 646 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
  • Includes call

Living in Upton

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$713k
Median resident rent
$939/mo
Residents’ average commute
36 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

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

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Riverside Community Care logo

About Riverside Community Care

Mental Health Care
Dedham, MA
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
Flexible Spending Accounts
Paid Holidays
Vacation Time
Sick Time
403(b) Retirement Plan