Program Therapist - School

Counselor / TherapistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$2K–$2K biweekly

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

  • Job Location: Laurel Community Based - Laurel, MT 59044
  • Position Type: Full Time
  • Education Level: Graduate Degree
  • Salary Range: $54,280.20 - $69,486.30 SalaryPosition Summary: At Yellowstone Boys & Girls Ranch, our Program Therapists are an integral part of the interdisciplinary care team for youth experiencing emotional, behavioral, and psychiatric challenges. They provide evidence-based interventions to promote the mental health and well-being of the youth on their caseload. This position involves conducting assessments and developing treatment plans based on varying diagnoses. Program Therapists are also responsible for working with different funding agencies, complying with external contract requirements, and federal and state guidelines. Starting
  • Salary Range: Salary reflects steps 1-5 of an 11-step pay schedule

The starting salary will be determined based on the applicant’s education and relevant experience.

Current Montana SWLC, or PCLC, or MFLC range is $2,087.70 - $2,349.72 biweekly Current Montana LCSW, or LCPC, or MLFT range is $2,374.53 - $2,672.55 biweekly Daily and Monthly Responsibilities: Provides individual, group and family therapy, and therapeutic intervention to youth in school/community/home settings, while maintaining financial viability of the program.

Provides individual, group and family therapy, and mental health clinical assessments to youth in school/community/home settings, while maintaining financial viability of the program. Encourage and engage in parent/guardian/caregiver interactions.

Comfortable and willing to engage with youth and families in person and via telehealth. Intervene in crisis in a calm appropriate manner that maintains staff and youth safety.

Complete, submit and verify accuracy of paperwork including initial assessments, treatment plans, therapy notes, and other required clinical documentation for all services provided, while maintaining PQI standards as set forth by the CBS Administrators.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with treatment team members and stakeholders and engage in regular communication through attendance and participation at treatment team and staff meetings. Involved in peer supervision, whether individually or in a group setting, as directed by supervisor.

Attends meetings and provides consultation to, and advocates for youth with schools, participates in CST/IEP meetings as needed, coordinates services with community agencies, and cooperates with other providers to meet youth and youth system needs.

Maintain a working knowledge and understanding of Montana Medicaid and YBGR's Mental Health Center Licensure rules and regulations.

Qualifications 21 years old or older Criminal / Child Abuse Clearance: Must pass criminal record and child abuse registry background check as required by the State of Montana. Education: Master’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, or similar field of study from an accredited university.

(60 Credit Hour Program) Professional License Program Therapist 1 - Current Montana SWLC, or PCLC, or MFLC Program Therapist 2 - Current Montana LCSW, or LCPC, or MFLT License to operate a passenger vehicle. Required Abilities/Skills Ability to relate and build rapport with youth and families therapeutically.

Ability to work in cooperation and collaboration with treatment team.

Ability to adhere to code of ethics including: The Child and Youth Worker Code of Ethics, The National Association of Social Worker Code and The American Psychological Association Code Ability and willingness to maintain and enhance clinical skill set.

Knowledge of and ability to maintain professional therapeutic boundaries and confidentiality with youth and families. Knowledge of behavior modification and age-appropriate youth development Good computer skills and able to quickly learn and use YBGR selected software solutions.

Good judgment and decision-making skills Demonstrate being self-motivated, self-disciplined, and diligent with forward thinking. Demonstrate the ability to think of their team over self and define success collectively rather than individually. The ability to effectively interact and communicate with others.

These skills are essential for building and maintaining relationships, collaborating with colleagues, resolving conflicts, and navigating various social situations. Demonstrate the following values. Faith - is being sure of successfully achieving our mission, based upon our trust in a loving creator.

Integrity - doing what is right, putting the needs of others above your own, and living by the highest values. Relationship - being committed to one another in a mutually respectful, dignified, healthy, and honoring manner.

Stewardship is the use of any resource or talent entrusted to YBGR to fulfill the mission and values.

Key Responsibilities

The Program Therapist provides individual, group, and family therapy to youth in school, community, and home settings while maintaining clinical documentation and treatment plans. They also collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, schools, and community agencies to advocate for youth and ensure effective service coordination.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, or a similar field and possess a current Montana professional license (SWLC, PCLC, MFLC, LCSW, LCPC, or MLFT). Applicants must also pass a criminal record and child abuse registry background check.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Individual therapyGroup therapyCrisis interventionTreatment planningCase managementInterdisciplinary collaborationMedicaid compliance

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Program Therapist - School at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) — ranked against 7,479 active Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc.

Counselor Career Context

Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch ranks #11 of 14 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 62% are remote, 32% have no call, 76% require no weekends.

Mental Health Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score7.2 / 10 · top 25% in mental health therapy (counseling)ranked against 7,479 Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$54k–$69kMental Health Therapy median $71k (middle half $61k–$80k)334 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$65k in purchasing powerMontana index 94.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Mental Health Therapy listings in Montana25 active7,476 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 62% remote · 32% no call · 76% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedUS counselor listings (all specialties): 13% state a sign-on bonus (median $3k) · 13% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Mental Health Therapy listings2,512 in the last 30 days1,354 the 30 days before (+86%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Mental Health Therapy pay trend−2.9% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch#11 of 14 for payTop Employers work-life index
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (7,479 Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings), Top Employers work-life index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Counselor Jobs

39 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

39 jobs · 17 employers
8
<$80k
10
$80k-95k
9
$95k-110k
12
$110k-125k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

32 jobs · 17 employers
401k / retirement match
94%
Sign-on bonus
53%
CME allowance
25%
Loan repayment
6%
Relocation assistance
3%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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Gotham Enterprises · Santa Ana, California

$115k-$120k
#2

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

Gotham Enterprises · Altoona, Iowa, United States

$115k-$120k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMFT, LMHC, LCSW)

$115k-$120k
#4

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

$115k-$120k
+ 37 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 7.2
Better work-life than 80% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,479 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Laurel

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$371k
Typical market rent
$1,282/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
93.5
State income tax
Up to 6.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Billings, MT metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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