Behavioral Health Counselor

Meharry Medical College; United States; On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Meharry Medical College is seeking a Behavioral Health Therapist to provide evidence-based substance use counseling, therapy, case management, and harm reduction education to patients in the Meharry clinic.

The role includes assessment, treatment planning, referral, discharge planning, and timely documentation in the electronic health record and TN-WITS, with coordination to community resources and higher levels of care. Telehealth services may be supported as needed.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology, behavioral health, or a related field required.
• Candidates with LADAC II or Tennessee licensure eligibility may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual substance use counseling using evidence-based modalities (Motivational Interviewing, CBT, harm reduction).
• Facilitate group counseling and psychoeducation tailored to patient readiness and goals.
• Provide case management by coordinating referrals and linking patients to resources.
• Enter and maintain accurate patient and service data in EHR and TN-WITS systems for compliance and reporting.
• Collaborate with clinic staff and external providers to support integrated service delivery.

Skills

Substance use treatment principles

Group counseling facilitation

Clinical documentation

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Verbal & written communication

Education

Master’s degree in social work / counseling / psychology

LADAC II or Tennessee licensure eligibility

Tools

Electronic Health Records (TN-WITS)

Microsoft Office

Job description

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.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement Meharry Medical College complies with Title IX and is an affirmative action employer. Candidates will be considered for employment without discrimination for an non-merit reason such as race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, handicap or veteran status.

About Meharry

Meharry Medical College was founded just 11 years after the end of the Civil War with the mission of educating African Americans to serve the underserved. Today, the nation’s largest private, historically black academic health sciences center has trained thousands of health care professionals. Three out of every four Meharrians return to urban or rural communities to serve others by providing medical or dental services. Our faith-based roots within the United Methodist Church inspire us to respect and serve all. Our standards are high within an educational environment that is nurturing. We believe that health equity is key to alleviating suffering. Whether our graduates are physicians, dentists, scientists, professors or public health professionals, the Meharry experience equips them to affect the world as a force for change led by our motto: “Worship of God Through Service to Mankind".

Mission

Meharry Medical College is a global academic health sciences center advancing health equity through innovative research, transformative education, exceptional and compassionate health services and policy-influencing thought leadership. True to its legacy, Meharry empowers diverse populations to improve the well-being of humankind.

Core Values

Meharry Medical College is a community of scholars and learners committed to excellence Accountability with transparency Equity with inclusion Respect with collegiality Service with compassion Integrity without exception

Contact

For questions regarding employment, please contact 615-327-6336 or [e-mail].