Behavioral Health Counselor

The Behavioral Health Therapist provides evidence-based substance use counseling, therapy, case management, and harm reduction education to patients receiving services in the Meharry clinic. Working within a clinical framework of assessment, treatment planning, referral, and discharge planning, this role maintains timely documentation in the electronic health record and TN-WITS, coordinates linkage to community resources and higher levels of care, and supports telehealth services as needed.

Essential Functions (Principal Duties and Job Responsibilities):

• Provide individual substance use, relapse prevention, and supportive counseling using evidence-based modalities such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and harm reduction approaches; complete assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, and discharge documentation in the electronic health record.

• Facilitate group counseling, psychoeducation, and skills-based interventions for clinic participants, adapting services to patient readiness, recovery goals, and risk-reduction needs.

• Provide case management by assessing psychosocial needs, coordinating referrals, linking patients with internal and external providers, and supporting access to community resources and higher levels of care when indicated.

• Enter and maintain accurate patient, encounter, and service information in TN-WITS and other required systems to support compliance, billing, quality assurance, and program reporting requirements.

• Build collaborative relationships with clinic staff and outside service providers, participate in meetings, training, and supervision, and assist with integrated service delivery and other related departmental duties as assigned.

• Knowledge of substance use treatment principles, relapse prevention, screening and assessment, trauma-informed care, culturally responsive practice, and harm reduction approaches for underserved populations.

• Skill in maintaining accurate, timely, and confidential clinical documentation in electronic health record systems, TN-WITS, and standard Microsoft Office applications.

• Strong verbal, written, interpersonal, and telephone communication skills, with the ability to build rapport, facilitate groups, and coordinate care across multidisciplinary teams.

• Ability to manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, maintain professional boundaries, and respond calmly to clients experiencing distress, fear, anger, or disruptive behavior.

• Experience providing counseling in an addiction medicine, integrated behavioral health, or outpatient clinic setting.

• Familiarity with telehealth service delivery, community resource navigation, and working with uninsured, indigent, marginalized, or otherwise high-risk populations.

• Master’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology, behavioral health, or a related field required; candidates with qualifying experience and credentialing as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor II (LADAC II) may be considered consistent with program needs.

• Minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience providing counseling, case management, or substance use treatment services required.

• Three (3) or more years of clinical experience preferred.

• Experience working with indigent, marginalized, or high-risk populations in a clinic or community-based setting preferred.

• Licensed Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor II (LADAC II), or active Tennessee licensure or license eligibility in social work, counseling, or a related behavioral health discipline required.

• Must meet all credentialing, supervision, and documentation requirements necessary to provide counseling services within scope of practice.

• Advanced independent Tennessee licensure, such as LCSW, LPC-MHSP, LMFT, or a higher-level substance use treatment credential, preferred.