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Volunteer Behavioral Health
Chattanooga, Tennessee

IOP COUNSELOR

CounselorFull-Time

Pay not listed · Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Job Details: Job Location: Johnson Mental Health Center - Chattanooga, TN, Education Level: Graduate Degree, Salary Range: Undisclosed, Agrees to follow all applicable laws and regulations, including VBHCS Standards of Conduct and VBHCS Policies and Procedures, in order to create and maintain a healthcare and business environment that is committed to integrity and ethical conduct.

Provide clinical services to a population of outpatient adults, children, adolescents and adults who have alcohol and drug treatment issues or co-morbid health problems. Provide intervention, assessment/intake, treatment planning, triage, individual therapy, group therapy, as necessary.

Clinicians will ensure that all documentation necessary to meet contract, licensure, and appropriate behavioral health organization requirements pertaining to these services will be completed in a timely manner per VBHCS standards.

Employee is expected to meet the productivity standards as outlined by VBHCS, based on the number of hours worked per month.

Clinical services will include individual therapy, intakes, assessments, such as DLA 20, Columbia Suicide Assessment and PHQ9, discharge planning, treatment planning, appropriate referral to internal/external services and support systems, and staffing of consumers.

Treatment population will be adults, children and youth and their family system. Liaison and/or consultation with other service providers and referral sources necessary to achieve treatment goals will be required. This may include; court, schools, foster homes, relatives, case managers, and/or state agencies.

The Group Counselor / Facilitator will lead Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) groups face to face and via telehealth. Additional duties include: Facilitate IOP groups face to face or via tele-video using approved agency approved curriculum. Work in collaboration and coordination with a co-group leader when needed.

Provide the following services for assigned clients as needed: Assessment of mental health, psychosocial and physical needs. Referral to internal/external services and support systems. Consultation with other service providers and referral services.

Preparation of reports for agencies, courts, other service providers, etc. Provide a minimum of 1200 hours annually (prorated for part time staff) of billable clinical and/or contract services. Maintain clinical records according to VBHCS Policy & Procedure and Quality Assurance standards.

Participate in staffing, administrative staff meetings, supervisory sessions and other Center committees as assigned. One hour of Corporate Compliance Training and four hours of Risk Area Training annually.

Qualifications

Master’s Degree in the Behavioral Sciences or related field preferred. Experience in group, family, and/or individual therapy with individuals living with mental illness, addiction, or co-occurring disorders preferred.

Salary to Be Determined Based on Experience and Education.

Key Responsibilities

Provide clinical services including individual and group therapy for adults, children, and adolescents with mental health or substance abuse issues. Facilitate Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) groups and maintain accurate clinical documentation in accordance with agency standards.

Requirements

A Master’s Degree in Behavioral Sciences or a related field is preferred. Experience in group, family, or individual therapy for individuals with mental illness or addiction is also preferred.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Crisis interventionCase managementMental health counselingAddiction counseling

Behavioral Health Counseling — Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Tennessee is 91.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 58.6% of Tennessee clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 54% are remote, 32% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

Location & Logistics

Tennessee has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top Counselor Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution50 jobs · 39 employers

12
<$75k
20
$75k-95k
12
$95k-115k
6
$115k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks41 jobs · 39 employers

401k / retirement match
93%
CME allowance
44%
Sign-on bonus
17%
Loan repayment
17%
PSLF eligible
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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$94k-$132k
#2

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#3

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

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+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 3.0
Below most Behavioral Health Counseling listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 35 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Chattanooga

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$327k
Typical market rent
$1,513/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.5
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Chattanooga, TN-GA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

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About Volunteer Behavioral Health

Mental Health Care
501-1,000 employees