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Durham County
Durham, North Carolina

COUNSELOR - YOUTH HOME -MULTIPLE

Counselor / TherapistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$50K - $67.6K

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 5mo ago

Job Description

Join Durham County GovernmentDurham County Government is home to over 2,000 dedicated professionals working together to deliver essential services that strengthen and support our vibrant, diverse community. As the heart of a fast-growing region, we offer meaningful careers across a wide range of fields—giving you the opportunity to make a real impact where you live, work, grow, and play. Learn more at dconc.gov.

Department

YOUTH HOME

DATE Posted

MAY 28, 2026

Closing DATE

OPEN UNTIL FILLED

Hiring Range

$50,004.00 - $67,605.00

Position Number

MULTIPLE

Job TYPE

FULL-TIME

*This position is eligible for a $6,000 sign on bonus*

General Description

The purpose of this job is to monitor, supervise, and counsel juveniles throughout the shift to prevent acting-out or aggressive behavior, which would prove harmful to Youth Home residents, staff, or property.

This position works under close to general supervision according to set procedures but determines how or when to complete tasks.

Duties and Responsibilities

The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this position. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the position as necessary.

  • Provides security and supervision of juveniles detained at the Durham County Youth Home.
  • Monitors behavior of juveniles to maintain order and to prevent injuries or escapes.
  • Monitors juveniles to ensure proper personal hygiene.
  • Supervises juveniles in the maintenance of sleeping and recreational areas.
  • Receives and processes information on juveniles admitted and release from detention.
  • Follows standard procedures when admitting and releasing juveniles.
  • Communicates daily with court and police personnel.
  • Administers medication to juveniles as prescribed by medical personnel.
  • Performs related work as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • General knowledge of the security, rules, regulations and procedure of juvenile detention.
  • General knowledge and understanding of adolescent problems and delinquency.
  • Ability to supervise juveniles in a closed environment.
  • Ability to understand and effectively carry out oral and written instructions.
  • Ability to maintain routine records.
  • Effectively communicate with the public.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Requires an associate degree in criminal justice or a human services field; or graduation from high school and two years of experience with juveniles in a structured environment or related field supplemented by two (2) years of experience in counseling, detention services or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Physical Demands

Performs medium work that involves walking, standing, stooping, jumping, dancing, stretching, or lifting all of the time and also involves exerting between 20 and 100+ pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis or exceptional skill, adeptness and speed in the use of the fingers, hands or limbs in tasks involving very close tolerances or limits of accuracy.

Unavoidable Hazards (Work Environment)

Involves Routine and Frequent Exposure To

  • Bright/dim light; Dusts and pollen.
  • Extreme heat and/or cold; Wet or humid conditions.
  • Extreme noise levels, Animals/wildlife.
  • Vibration; Fumes and/or noxious odors.
  • Traffic; Moving machinery.
  • Electrical shock; Heights.
  • Radiation; Disease/pathogens.
  • Toxic/caustic chemicals; Explosives; Violence.
  • Other extreme hazards not listed above.

Special Certifications and Licenses

All applicants must be a U.S. citizen and at least 20 years of age.

Employment is contingent on passing a physical examination, positive background check and negative drug test results.

Must have valid North Carolina driver license and ability to meet Durham County’s acceptable three-year driving criteria for using a county vehicle to transport.

Must successfully obtain a four-week Juvenile Justice Officer (JJO) General Certification within first year of employment, First-Aid, and CPR.

Special Requirements

Must have valid North Carolina driver license and ability to meet Durham County’s acceptable three-year driving criteria for using a county vehicle to transport.

Americans with Disabilities ACT Compliance

Durham County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires Durham County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.

Background Check Statement

This position may be subject to a background check, which could include, but is not limited to, criminal history (employment-related and/or SBI fingerprint-based), credit history, motor vehicle records, educational verification, and checks of the sexual offender registry, depending on the specific requirements of the role. A conviction record does not automatically disqualify an applicant from employment consideration, unless otherwise required by applicable state law.

Key Responsibilities

Monitor and supervise juveniles in a detention facility to prevent aggressive behavior and maintain order. Responsibilities include managing admissions, administering medication, and ensuring the safety of residents and staff.

Requirements

Requires an associate degree in criminal justice/human services or a high school diploma with four years of combined experience in juvenile structured environments and counseling. Must possess a valid NC driver's license and be able to obtain JJO, First-Aid, and CPR certifications.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Juvenile SupervisionCrisis InterventionSecurity MonitoringMedication AdministrationRecord KeepingCommunicationConflict ResolutionAdolescent Psychology

Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for North Carolina is 94.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$59k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $62k in an average-cost state. 59.2% of North Carolina clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 50% are remote, 34% have no call, 52% require no weekends.

What does the Counseling market look like in North Carolina?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score7.2 / 10 · top 25% in counselingranked against 366 Counseling listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$50k–$68kCounseling median $74k (middle half $58k–$80k)11 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$62k in purchasing powerNorth Carolina index 94.3 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Counseling listings in North Carolina12 active365 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 50% remote · 34% no call · 52% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repayment$6k sign-onNorth Carolina counselor listings (all specialties): 14% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 15% offer loan repayment471 active listings, Nov 2026
Counseling pay trend−20.2% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (366 Counseling listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates COUNSELOR - YOUTH HOME -MULTIPLE at Durham County a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Counseling — ranked against 366 active Counseling listings on WeekdayDoc.

Top Counselor Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

40 jobs · 30 employers
15
<$75k
7
$75k-90k
11
$90k-105k
2
$112k
5
$120k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

34 jobs · 30 employers
401k / retirement match
94%
CME allowance
35%
Sign-on bonus
29% this job
PSLF eligible
15% this job
Loan repayment
12%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Therapist

LifeStance Health · Lake Oswego, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#2

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

LifeStance Health · West Linn, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#3

Mental Health Therapist

$82k-$131k
#4

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC)

$115k-$120k
+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 7.2
Better work-life than 80% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 366 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
Durham County logo

About Durham County

Government Administration
Durham, North Carolina
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

$6,000 sign-on bonus
Government benefits
PSLF eligible

Living in Durham

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$358k≈ 7.2× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,626/mo≈ 39% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
22 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.6
State income tax
Up to 4.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.