Needs Assessment Counselor
Compensation
Pay not listed
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.
Job Description
Company
Allegheny Health Network
Job Description
GENERAL OVERVIEW:
Provides initial needs assessment of individuals with possible mental health and/or chemical dependency problems. Determines appropriate services and facilitates referrals. Provides information and referrals to individuals or agencies about mental health problems, treatment, community resources and legal procedures. Assists the general public, police agencies and physicians in initiating and processing involuntary commitments.
Essential Responsibilities
- Utilizes AHN’s Core Behaviors to collaborate for appropriate assessment, plan, and disposition ( 40%)
- Engages as part of the unit team to provide coverage per Hospital responsibility. (10%)
- Provides backup coverages to units including responding to organizational codes. (10%)
Effectively communicates all aspects of patient needs utilizing team collaboration, identifying appropriate referral, and disposition ( 40%)
Qualifications
- Minimum
- Bachelor's Degree in Mental Health, Counseling, Social Work, psychology or related field
- 3-5 years’ experience in assessment, crisis intervention, working with individuals with mental health problems, addiction or developmental disabilities
- Preferred
- Master's degree.
Additional Employment Requirements
- Act 34 Criminal Background Clearance Certificate
- Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance Certificate
- Act 73 FBI Fingerprinting Criminal Background Clearance Certificate
Disclaimer: The job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this job title. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job.
Compliance Requirement: This job adheres to the ethical and legal standards and behavioral expectations as set forth in the code of business conduct and company policies.
As a component of job responsibilities, employees may have access to covered information, cardholder data, or other confidential customer information that must be protected at all times. In connection with this, all employees must comply with both the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) as described in the Notice of Privacy Practices and Privacy Policies and Procedures as well as all data security guidelines established within the Company’s Handbook of Privacy Policies and Practices and Information Security Policy.
Furthermore, it is every employee’s responsibility to comply with the company’s Code of Business Conduct. This includes but is not limited to adherence to applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations as well as company policies and training requirements.
Highmark Health and its affiliates prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on any category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
California Consumer Privacy Act Employees, Contractors, and Applicants Notice
Key Responsibilities
The counselor provides initial needs assessments for individuals with mental health or chemical dependency issues and facilitates appropriate service referrals. They also assist the public, police, and physicians in processing involuntary commitments while collaborating with the unit team.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor degree
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Counselor Career Context
In Pennsylvania, the Mental Health Counseling weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$82k (13 salary observations; 84 listings), vs ~$77k nationally (464 salary observations; 2,113 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
The cost-of-living index for Pennsylvania is 97.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 61.7% of Pennsylvania clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Of the 50 active Mental Health Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 48% are remote, 20% have no call, 62% require no weekends.
Mental Health Counseling pay on WeekdayDoc is up 16.3% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).
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