Clinical Mental Health Coordinator

Cass County Government; Fargo (ND); On-site; USD 75,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Life insurance

Paid vacation and sick leave

Job security in public service

Job summary

Cass County Government is seeking an experienced Clinical Mental Health Coordinator to deliver direct counseling and crisis intervention to inmates at the Cass County Jail. You will coordinate care with mental health professionals, supervise as needed, and ensure compliance with confidentiality and HIPAA standards.

The role offers a robust benefits package and a salary range aligned with public service, with opportunities for growth within the classification.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Counseling, Social Work, Nursing or Psychology.
• ND license as a LCSW or LPCC required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct clinical mental health services to inmates within Cass County Jail.
• Coordinate care with psychiatrists and outside providers.
• Perform crisis intervention, assessments, and treatment planning.

Skills

Communication skills

Education

Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Nursing or Psychology

ND license as a LCSW or LPCC

Job description

CLOSING DATE:October 21st, 2026 @5:00pm CDT

ANNUAL SALARY:$75,427 - $82,502 * Additional salary growth available through regular increases within the classification up to $110,819 and COLA adjustments.

Job Summary

Work involves providing direct clinical mental health services to a varied, complex caseload at the advanced professional license level, and coordinates supplemental care provided by outside mental health professionals. Provide crisis intervention and stabilization, case management and therapeutic treatment services to inmates within the Cass County Jail. These services include the assessment and treatment of complex cases such as mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. This position functions with considerable clinical autonomy under minimal supervision.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires a Master’s Degree in one of the following disciplines: Counseling, Social Work, Nursing or Psychology, and two years of professional therapeutic counseling experience; and ND license as a LCSW or LPCC
• Requires knowledge of principles, concepts and methodology.
• Requires extensive experience in duties of an equivalent and complexity as those performed at this level.
• Requires extensive written and verbal communication skills to motivate, convince and/or change behavior or attitude of contacts.

Why Join Cass County?

We understand the importance of supporting the professionals who support others. That's why, aside from a salary of $75,727 - $82,502 a year, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Paid vacation and sick leave
• Long-term stability and strong job security in public service

What You'll Do

As the Clinical Mental Health Coordinator, you'll provide direct counseling, crisis intervention, assessment, and treatment planning services for inmates within the jail. You'll conduct mental health evaluations, develop treatment plans, monitor progress, and provide ongoing therapeutic support for individuals experiencing a variety of mental health concerns.

You'll also coordinate care with psychiatrists, mental health professionals, medical staff, courts, correctional staff, and community providers to ensure inmates receive appropriate services. This role includes crisis assessment and stabilization, case management activities, emergency mental health response, participation in multidisciplinary meetings, and maintaining accurate clinical documentation.

In addition, you'll provide professional consultation, assist with commitment-related evaluations and court recommendations when needed, and help ensure compliance with applicable mental health, confidentiality, and correctional standards.

This position works within both secure and non-secure areas of the Cass County Jail and occasionally in other clinical or community settings. Most hours are worked during normal business hours, though flexibility may be required to meet clinical, training, and emergency response needs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Services (75%)

• Conduct Intake: interview clients to collect information necessary to evaluate the need for services; complete clinical mental health assessment.
• Analyze information obtained through records, testing, consultative reports, and related professional sources to appraise interests, aptitudes, abilities, and related characteristics; establish diagnosis.
• Develop, implement, and maintain treatment and rehabilitative plans for each inmate identified.
• Provide direct counseling or psychotherapy services to individual inmates.
• Observe and monitor inmate behavior to determine effectiveness of counseling techniques; assess treatment and rehabilitation plan progress.
• Prepare and maintain clinical records.
• Provide clinical oversight to staff and interns as needed.
• Provide education, training, evaluation, and consultation to families, agency staff, community groups, other agencies, and interns.
• Provide crisis intervention services by phone or face‑to‑face assessments.
• Provide emergency services as a Qualified Mental Health Professional in involuntary hospitalization situations.
• Serve as an expert witness in legal proceedings.
• Serve on teams, committees, and task forces as related to job functions or as appointed by agency director.
• Represent agency at local, regional, and state meetings.
• Provide emergency triage service to inmates.
• Request NDSH prescreens as needed.
• Provide temporary case management services as situation dictates.
• Provide support clinical services to outside clinicians within the jail.
• Provide crisis intervention with assessment and stabilization.
• Complete initial intakes and any follow up therapeutic coverage as needed.
• Determine when individuals need to be added to/removed from a particular list - Psychiatrist or MHP, based on clinical needs (report of side effects from meds, upcoming release, behavior management issues, etc.).
• Provide crisis intervention, ongoing monitoring and assessment of inmates. Evaluations of inmates will occur cell‑side when clinically appropriate or when deemed necessary by security.
• Participate in and/or coordinate attendance to all mental health classification, administrative and/or multidisciplinary team meetings.
• Petition investigations for Mental Health Commitments.
• Provide recommendations to the Courts on an as needed, as required basis.
• Insure accurate and ongoing data collection and data entry of all mental health visits and timely preparation of statistics required by third party agency, if applicable, including those for the Psychiatrist, MHP and case managers.
• Abide by security regulations and according to policies and procedures of the facility.
• Ensure the confidentiality and rights of patients, the confidentiality of the health systems and department documents, and adhering to HIPAA Regulations.

Emergency/On‑Call Clinical Service (5%)

• Provide on‑call emergency coverage to jail staff as needed for mental health emergencies.
• Meet with inmates admitted to the Cass County Jail to complete assessments on an as needed basis.
• Complete NDSH prescreen requests/emergency hold paperwork as needed.
• Determine need for urgent/emergent contact or higher level of care.

Clinical Triage Services (10%)

• Interview inmates for basic demographics and presenting problem.
• Screen applicants for essential services eligibility.
• Determine need for urgent/emergent contact or services/level of care.
• Refer to outside providers for those inmates who can best be served by other community resources.
• Advocate for client services from mental health and criminal justice system.
• Promptly and thoroughly complete all paperwork and documentation of inmate contact and scheduled appointments.
• Complete all documentation and charting.
• Daily completion of statistical requirements.
• Maintain non‑case related paperwork.
• Attend in‑service training, workshops and staff development as directed.
• Attend necessary staff meetings/case consultations.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

Those typically found in an office setting with need to walk long distances, sufficient dexterity in both limbs to operate instruments associated with clinical setting. Occasional lifting to 25lbs or less.

Tools, Equipment, Vehicles, and Machines

Standard office equipment such as telephone, copier/fax/printer, calculator, dictation equipment, personal computer, laboratory equipment, administering drug tests, etc.

Review of Work

Work is reviewed through periodic discussions, staff meetings, incidental contacts.

Laws, Ordinances, or Regulations

ND Century Code, ND Civil Commitment Law, Extended Case Management guidelines, records procedures.

Practices or Departmental Policies

• Cass County Policy Manual
• Cass County Sheriff's Office Policy and Procedures Manual
• Cass County Custody Policy and Procedures Manual

Personal Contacts

Mental Health Professionals, Co-Workers, Law Enforcement, Judges, Attorneys, General Public and Inmates.

Licenses or Certificates

Master’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling or any other Master’s Degree Approved by the ND Board of Counseling Examiners and Licensure as a LCSW or LPCC. Must be a licensed mental health professional in ND.

Cass County Government is an Equal Opportunity and At Will Employer

Qualifications

Education

Masters or better in Counseling Psychology or related field.

Experience

Experience working in corrections, community mental health, crisis services, forensic settings, or other behavioral health environments is highly desirable.

Preferred

Experience working in corrections, community mental health, crisis services, forensic settings, or other behavioral health environments is highly desirable.

2 years:

Professional therapeutic counseling services

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.