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Sanford Health
South Dakota

Behavioral Health Therapist

CounselorNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$29-$46.5/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 6mo ago

Job Description

Sanford Health is one of the largest and fastest-growing not-for-profit health systems in the United States. We’re proud to offer many development and advancement opportunities to our nearly 50,000 members of the Sanford Family who are dedicated to the work of health and healing across our broad footprint.

  • Work Shift: 8 Hours - Day Shifts (United States of America) Scheduled
  • Weekly Hours: 40
  • Salary Range: $29.00 - $46.50 Union
  • Position: No Department Details

Summary The Behavioral Health Therapist requires a broad and thorough understanding of human behavior, theories of counseling, and psychopathology. May work with a wide range of patient populations and presenting issues, requiring a foundation in a variety of treatment modalities.

This role has total independence and responsibility for patient well-being. Job Description The Behavioral Health Therapist provides diagnostic assessment, onsite crisis assessment and intervention, and determines need for ongoing care according to level of clinical ability, medical, and psychosocial complexity.

Develops treatment plans and implements treatment interventions specific to patient needs. Continually assesses patient's progress and revises diagnosis(es), treatment plans, and interventions accordingly. Documents treatment sessions. Provides patient progress updates to interdisciplinary team, as needed.

May educate patient support members about patient issues and interventions. May refer for additional clinical services or to specialists, as needed. Must stay current on emerging issues in the profession.

The Behavioral Health Therapist may work in a variety of settings, with duties varying by setting: In a clinic setting (other than primary care), the Behavioral Health Therapist conducts scheduled face-to-face therapy sessions designed to assess and improve patient's emotional, mental, and behavioral health.

In a community setting, the Behavioral Health Therapist provides treatment for patients with severe and persistent mental illness. This may include community-based interventions aimed at improving daily living skills, social skills, and self-regulation skills.

The community-based Behavioral Health Therapist serves as a consultant for a multi-disciplinary team to ensure treatment interventions are implemented and that the patient is in compliance with treatment.

In a residential setting, the Behavioral Health Therapist provides treatment for patients requiring a higher level of care than outpatient therapy; however, do not meet the criteria for psychiatric inpatient treatment.

Treatment occurs at the residential treatment facility and includes a broad range of duties: assessment and diagnosis, individual and group therapy, development, implementation, and evaluation of therapy programs, and consultation and coordination with a multi-disciplinary team.

Credentialing through the Allied Health Staff of the organization where you will be working will be required.

Qualifications Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or related Behavioral Health Sciences required; graduation from an accredited school preferred. License must be in good standing in state(s) of practice.

In Iowa, must have one of the following: Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) In Minnesota, must have one of the following: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) In North Dakota, must have one of the following: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) In South Dakota, must have one of the following, dependent upon work setting: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Licensed Professional Counselor - Mental Health (LPC-MH) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Certified Social Worker - Private or Independent Practice (CSW-PIP) In some states, will consider candidates seeking licensure by reciprocity in instances where obtaining licensure in the state of practice can be accomplished within 90 days of hire.

This will require the candidate to review and compare their current state issued license to practice with regulations for the independent practice of clinical social work/professional counseling in the state of practice and ensure that timely acquisition of licensure is possible based on comparisons of statutes, educational, and clinical requirements.

Non-licensed candidates must provide documentation that they are in the process of obtaining appropriate license. If applicable to position, may be required to possess a valid class D driver's license and auto insurance.

If class D driver’s license is required, must maintain a good driving record and have access to personal vehicle and willingness to use the vehicle in carrying out position responsibilities. Sanford is an EEO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vet.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-877-673-0854 or send an email to talent@sanfordhealth.org.

The Sanford organization owns and manages multiple distinct brands, including Sanford Health, Marshfield Clinic, and Good Samaritan, as well as Lewis Drug, Sanford Health Equip, Solutions by Sanford, Great Shots, and Blue Rock Bar & Grill.

Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland.

Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 53,000 employees and serves over 2 million patients and nearly 425,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 56 hospitals, 288 clinic locations, 147 senior care communities, 4,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies.

The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to 78 specialties. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.

Good Samaritan, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of senior care and services, is committed to transforming the aging experience through innovation, compassion and personalized care.

As part of Sanford Health, an integrated nonprofit health system headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Good Samaritan serves 10,000 seniors and offers access to a full continuum of care, including 94 rehabilitation and skilled nursing centers, 56 assisted living and memory care facilities, 44 independent living locations and 37 home health and hospice agencies.

The senior care provider delivers services across the upper Midwest, with 70% of residents living in rural communities. Learn more about Good Samaritan’s mission and commitment to delivering high quality senior care in rural America at good-sam.com.

Key Responsibilities

The Behavioral Health Therapist provides diagnostic assessments and crisis interventions, developing and implementing treatment plans tailored to patient needs. They continually assess patient progress and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure effective treatment.

Requirements

Candidates must have a Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or related fields, with relevant licensure in good standing. Non-licensed candidates must be in the process of obtaining appropriate licensure.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Crisis InterventionTreatment PlanningPatient AssessmentInterdisciplinary TeamworkIndividual Therapy

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Mental Health Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 68% are remote, 26% have no call, 78% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for South Dakota is 88.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$79k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $89k in an average-cost state. 58.2% of South Dakota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Mental Health Therapy by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$60k–$97kMental Health Therapy median $75k (middle half $55k–$88k)273 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$89k in purchasing powerSouth Dakota index 88.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Mental Health Therapy listings in South Dakota21 active7,907 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 68% remote · 26% no call · 78% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Location & Logistics

South Dakota has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$79k midpoint, that is roughly $3k–$5k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

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Salary Distribution

37 jobs · 17 employers
10
<$85k
3
$85k-100k
5
$100k-115k
18
$115k-130k
1
$155k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

31 jobs · 17 employers
401k / retirement match
97%
Sign-on bonus
35%
CME allowance
19%
Loan repayment
6%
PSLF eligible
3%

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 5.1
Better work-life than 40% of Mental Health Therapy (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 7,851 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

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