Community Action Treatment (CAT) Team Counselor

Bridgeway Center, Inc. (BCI); Fort Walton Beach (FL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Bridgeway Center, Inc. (BCI) seeks a dedicated Community Action Treatment (CAT) Team Counselor to join a multidisciplinary, trauma-informed team delivering intensive, community-based behavioral health services to youth and young adults aged 11 to 21.

The CAT Counselor collaborates with the juvenile justice system, provides mental health and substance use services, facilitates groups on anger management, decision-making, and social skills, and coordinates referrals and case management with

Qualifications

• Experience working with youth and families preferred.

Responsibilities

• Conduct screenings and assessments.
• Facilitate psychoeducational and therapeutic groups on topics such as anger management, substance use, social skills development, and decision-making.
• Provide individual support, case management, and intervention services.
• Oversee community-based referrals and screen youth for OP, TCM, CAT, or TASC services.

Job description

Job Posting

Posting No. BCI-2026-38

Bridgeway Center, Inc. (BCI)

Position

Community Action Treatment (CAT) Team Counselor

Employment Details

Employment Status: Full-Time (FT)

Department: Community Care Services Division (CCSD)

Reports To: Director of Community Care Services (DCCS)

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Status: Non-Exempt

Position Summary

Are you passionate about helping young people build brighter futures right in their own communities? Bridgeway Center, Inc. (BCI) is seeking a dedicated and motivated Community Action Treatment (CAT) Team Counselor to join a multidisciplinary team delivering intensive, comprehensive, community-based behavioral health services to youth and young adults ages eleven (11) to twenty-one (21). The CAT Team is a safe, effective, trauma-informed alternative to out-of-home placement for youth facing serious behavioral health challenges. Using the Wraparound model, the team helps youth remain successful within their families and communities.

The CAT Counselor works closely with youth involved in the juvenile justice system, providing mental health and substance use services designed to promote positive behavioral change, personal accountability, and successful community integration. Responsibilities include conducting screenings and assessments; facilitating evidence-based psychoeducational and therapeutic groups on topics such as anger management, substance use, social skills development, and decision-making; and providing individual support, case management, and intervention services. The CAT Counselor also oversees community-based referrals, screening youth for Outpatient (OP), Targeted Case Management (TCM), CAT, or TASC services, and provides transportation, respite, support, and encouragement to youth and families to improve child and family functioning.

This position requires active collaboration with the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), probation officers, families, schools, and community partners to ensure coordinated care and compliance with probation requirements. The CAT Counselor may attend court proceedings, participate in treatment planning, and connect youth and families with community resources that support stability and long-term success.

The ideal candidate is energetic, compassionate, and skilled in engaging adolescents and young adults who present with behavioral health and substance use challenges; communicates and collaborates effectively across BCI departments and with external partners; manages multiple responsibilities across two locations; and models a consistently professional, strengths-based demeanor that ensures every client and family has a positive, effective therapeutic experience.

Why Join BCI?

At BCI, you'll join a dynamic, mission-driven organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the children, youth, and families we serve. As a CAT Team Counselor, you'll make a direct, daily impact on adolescents and young adults facing behavioral health, substance use, and juvenile justice challenges, empowering youth, strengthening families, and supporting positive change through evidence-based interventions and community partnerships.

We are committed to investing in your success. The CAT Program utilizes a proven, evidence-based service model and provides comprehensive onboarding, training, mentoring, and ongoing coaching. Whether you are expanding your clinical expertise, developing leadership skills, or building experience in community behavioral health, BCI offers an environment that fosters professional growth and career advancement.

What You'll Love About This Role

• The opportunity to make a measurable difference in the lives of youth and families, one youth, one family, and one community at a time


• A collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment with the support of experienced leadership