Yale New Haven Health logo
Yale New Haven Health
New Haven, Connecticut

Milieu Counselor in a mental health setting

CounselorFull-Time

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.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values - integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion - must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.

Working collaboratively as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team, the Milieu Counselor is assigned to and works under the direction of a Registered Nurse, participating in carrying out nursing interventions to provide patients with opportunities for learning and adaptive ways of coping.

The Milieu Counselor works collaboratively with the licensed staff on the ongoing development of the milieu and activities that promote quality patient outcomes.

Patient and family centered care (PFCC) at YNHH is demonstrated by working with patients and their families based on the 4 principles of PFCC: participation, dignity and respect, information sharing, and collaboration.

This includes providing service excellence by creating a great "First Impression" by demonstrating exemplary customer service skills for all customer groups including patients, families/friends, physicians, staff and support department personnel.

Adheres to the "I Am YNHH" service excellence pledge and promotes a positive work environment.

EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran

Responsibilities

Assists the nursing staff in maintaining a therapeutic milieu/environment to ensure the care and treatment of patients.

Acts as a co-facilitator in select unit based therapeutic groups as identified by Nurse Manager.

Under the direction of the Registered Nurse, provides individualized patient care to ensure the safety and dignity of the patient.

Collaborates with members of multidisciplinary team offering suggestions and recommendations on addressing patient/family needs.

Participates in unit activities that promote a cohesive staff group.

Participates in interdisciplinary staff meetings and if unable to attend, reads and signs minutes.

Qualifications

Education

Associates degree required and Bachelor degree preferred

Experience

Minimum one (1) year prior experience in Psychology working with specialized populations such as emotionally disturbed children and families.

Special Skills

Ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team to communicate and effectively deal with complex effectively charged situations and possess group facilitation and crisis management skills.

Physical Demand

Requires prolonged standing; walking; use of sight, hearing, and touch. May be exposed to infectious diseases. Will be exposed to physical, mental and emotional illness. Moderate stress and risk of injury from patient care. Standing/walking for more than half of the day. Frequently bending, reaching, pushing, pulling, twisting and lifting. Must be able to assist pushing/pulling/lifting patients ranging from five (5) to three hundred (300) pounds.

YNHHS Requisition ID

187136

Qualifications

Education
Associate degree

Key Skills

Therapeutic milieu maintenanceInterdisciplinary collaborationCommunicationNursing intervention supportSafety management

Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Connecticut is 103.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 62.6% of Connecticut 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, 42% are remote, 36% have no call, 80% require no weekends.

Mental Health Counseling pay on WeekdayDoc is up 18.1% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top Counselor Jobs

37 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution31 jobs · 28 employers

13
<$75k
11
$75k-95k
3
$95k-115k
4
$115k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks31 jobs · 28 employers

401k / retirement match
97%
Sign-on bonus
42%
CME allowance
35%
Loan repayment
26%
PSLF eligible
19%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#2

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT, LPC, LCSW)

LifeStance Health · Brookfield, Wisconsin

$92k-$125k
#3

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

$115k-$120k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LMHC, LCSW)

$115k-$120k
+ 35 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Mental Health Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 752 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in New Haven

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$354k
Typical market rent
$2,015/mo
Residents’ average commute
22 min
State income tax
Up to 7%
Sources & methodology

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

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