Behavior Health Counselor

The Behavioral Health Therapist provides evidence-based substance use counseling, therapy, case management, and harm reduction education to patients receiving services in the Meharry clinic. Working within a clinical framework of assessment, treatment planning, referral, and discharge planning, this role maintains timely documentation in the electronic health record and TN-WITS, coordinates linkage to community resources and higher levels of care, and supports telehealth services as needed.

Essential Functions (Principal Duties and Job Responsibilities):

• Provide individual substance use, relapse prevention, and supportive counseling using evidence-based modalities such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and harm reduction approaches; complete assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, and discharge documentation in the electronic health record.
• Facilitate group counseling, psychoeducation, and skills-based interventions for clinic participants, adapting services to patient readiness, recovery goals, and risk-reduction needs.
• Provide case management by assessing psychosocial needs, coordinating referrals, linking patients with internal and external providers, and supporting access to community resources and higher levels of care when indicated.
• Enter and maintain accurate patient, encounter, and service information in TN-WITS and other required systems to support compliance, billing, quality assurance, and program reporting requirements.
• Build collaborative relationships with clinic staff and outside service providers, participate in meetings, training, and supervision, and assist with integrated service delivery and other related departmental duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Knowledge of substance use treatment principles, relapse prevention, screening and assessment, trauma-informed care, culturally responsive practice, and harm reduction approaches for underserved populations.
• Skill in maintaining accurate, timely, and confidential clinical documentation in electronic health record systems, TN-WITS, and standard Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong verbal, written, interpersonal, and telephone communication skills, with the ability to build rapport, facilitate groups, and coordinate care across multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, maintain professional boundaries, and respond calmly to clients experiencing distress, fear, anger, or disruptive behavior.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities Preferred:

• Experience providing counseling in an addiction medicine, integrated behavioral health, or outpatient clinic setting.
• Familiarity with telehealth service delivery, community resource navigation, and working with uninsured, indigent, marginalized, or otherwise high-risk populations.

Education and Experience Required:

• Master’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology, behavioral health, or a related field required; candidates with qualifying experience and credentialing as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor II (LADAC II) may be considered consistent with program needs.

• Minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience providing counseling, case management, or substance use treatment services required.

Education and Experience Preferred:

• Three (3) or more years of clinical experience preferred.
• Experience working with indigent, marginalized, or high-risk populations in a clinic or community-based setting preferred.

Licensure, Certification or Registration Required:

• Licensed Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor II (LADAC II), or active Tennessee licensure or license eligibility in social work, counseling, or a related behavioral health discipline required.
• Must meet all credentialing, supervision, and documentation requirements necessary to provide counseling services within scope of practice.

Licensure, Certification or Registration Preferred:

• Advanced independent Tennessee licensure, such as LCSW, LPC-MHSP, LMFT, or a higher-level substance use treatment credential, preferred.