Sanford Health logo
Sanford Health
Bemidji, Minnesota

Associate Behavioral Health Counselor | CTSS

Counselor Above average in Behavioral Health (Counseling)No nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$23-$36/hr

Listing transparency2 of 6 stated

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

Employment & setting
Full-Time
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Not specified
Posted 8m ago · Verified live

Job Description

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.

Work Shift

8 Hours - Day Shifts (United States of America)

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Compensation

Salary Range: $23.00 - $36.00

Union Position

No

Department Details

Join our Children's Therapeutic Support Services team as an Associate Behavioral Health Counselor!

Summary

The Associate Behavioral Health Counselor requires a broad, yet solid, understanding of human behavior and theories of counseling. May work with a wide range of patient populations and presenting issues, requiring a foundation in a variety of treatment modalities. This role is a team-based role where responsibility for patient well-being is diffused among the treatment team and the overall responsibility lies with a clinical supervisor or admitting provider.

Job Description

The Associate Behavioral Health Counselor assesses patient needs, develops treatment plans, and implements treatment interventions specific to patient needs. Continually assesses patients' progress and revises 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 Associate Behavioral Health Counselor may work in a variety of settings, with duties varying by setting.

In a clinic setting (other than primary care), the Associate Behavioral Health Counselor conducts scheduled face-to-face counseling sessions designed to assess and improve patients' emotional, mental, and behavioral health.

In a hospital setting, the Associate Behavioral Health Counselor may have a broad scope of duties, depending upon assignment. Hospital assignments include psychiatric inpatient treatment and/or specific hospital units.

Psychiatric inpatient treatment duties include development, implementation, and evaluation of treatment plan, individual and family counseling, and consultation with all Mental Health Professionals. Hospital unit duties include crisis intervention, assessment, and referral.

In a community setting, the Associate Behavioral Health Counselor coordinates and 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 Associate Behavioral Health Counselor consults with a multi-disciplinary team to ensure treatment compliance.

In a residential setting, the Associate Behavioral Health Counselor coordinates and 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 screening, individual and group counseling, development, implementation, and evaluation of treatment programs, and consultation and coordination with a multi-disciplinary team.

This position is specific to the Children's Therapeutic Support Services team. Service locations include clinic, community, and schools and services include individual, group, and family-based skills.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in behavioral sciences or related field preferred, and completion of a practicum or internship.

In Minnesota, must follow Minnesota State statute defining Mental Health Practitioner.

At least 4,000 hours of supervised experience in the delivery of services to persons with: mental illness, substance use disorders or emotional disturbances, traumatic brain injury or developmental disabilities,

OR,

Has at least 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours in behavioral sciences or related fields and at least 2,000 hours of supervised work experience in the delivery of services to persons with: mental illness, substance use disorders or emotional disturbances, traumatic brain injury or developmental disabilities.

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 1-877-949-5678 or send an email to talent@sanfordhealth.org.

Key Responsibilities

The Associate Behavioral Health Counselor assesses patient needs, develops and implements treatment plans, and provides counseling interventions across clinic, hospital, and community settings. They also document patient progress and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure effective care delivery.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Behavioral health counselingTreatment planningPatient assessmentIndividual counselingDocumentationInterdisciplinary collaborationMental health supportCase managementSocial skills trainingClinical interventionPatient education

Behavioral Health — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 34% have no call, 66% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Minnesota is 98.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$61k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $62k in an average-cost state. 63.4% of Minnesota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

32 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution32 jobs · 24 employers

8
<$85k
11
$85k-100k
6
$100k-115k
5
$115k-130k
2
$130k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks30 jobs · 24 employers

401k / retirement match
97%
CME allowance
47%
Sign-on bonus
30%
Loan repayment
20%
PSLF eligible
13%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Poway, California

$118k-$135k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Ventura, California

$117k-$134k
#3

Remote Licensed Talk Therapist - Fee For Service

$124k
#4

Licensed Talk Therapist - Fee For Service

$124k
+ 30 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

5.1/ 10
Listing-based score

Above average in Behavioral Health (Counseling)

  • No nights

Living in Bemidji

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$226k
Typical market rent
$1,203/mo
Residents’ average commute
17 min
State income tax
Up to 9.8%
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.