Senior Behavioral Health Therapist and Program Lead

University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Texas at Austin seeks a Senior Behavioral Health Therapist and Program Lead to support telemedicine initiatives and school-based mental health services in Texas. The role provides clinical therapy to children and adolescents and supervises LPC-As and LMSWs within licensure guidelines.

The position reports to the Behavioral Health Manager, collaborates across disciplines, leads training, and advances program quality and outcomes under state funding through Aug 31, 2027.

Qualifications

• Requires a Master's Degree in Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, or a related field.
• 3 years post-degree clinical experience with children, adolescents, and families.
• Licensure in Texas as LCSW-S or LPC-S is required.

Responsibilities

• Provides direct clinical services, including diagnostic impressions and treatment planning.
• Conducts individual, family, and group therapy sessions as needed.
• Provides clinical supervision to supervisees pursuing licensure.
• Offers mentorship and guidance to care teams and staff.
• Participates in integrated care meetings and quality improvement activities.

Skills

Clinical expertise

Interpersonal savvy

Developing others

Problem solving

Composure

Professional conduct

Education

Master's degree in Psychology/Counseling/Social Work

Job description

Job Posting Title:

Senior Behavioral Health Therapist and Program Lead

Hiring Department:

Department of Psychiatry

Position Open To:

All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date:

Oct 12, 2026

Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until Aug 31, 2027

Location:

AUSTIN, TX

Job Details:

General Notes

Dell Medical School is seeking a Senior Behavioral Health Therapist and Program Lead.

This is a state funded position with an end date of 8/31/2027, renewable based upon availability of funding, work performance, and progress toward goals.

Purpose

This role supports mental health programs and initiatives developed through the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium, with a focus on improving the quality and accessibility of mental health care for children and adolescents across Texas.

The Senior Behavioral Health Therapist and Program Lead (LCSW-S or LPC-S) works as part of an interdisciplinary, team-based program supporting the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) initiative and similar programs, which provide telemedicine or telehealth programs to school districts to help identify and assess the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents and provides access to mental health services. Reporting to the Behavioral Health Manager or LCSW/LPC Training Manager, this position provides mental health therapy to children, adolescents, and their families, and provides oversight and supervision to LPC-As and LMSWs delivering program services, in alignment with licensure requirements. Responsibilities include conducting behavioral and mental health assessments, developing treatment plans, providing brief interventions, and participating in interdisciplinary team consultations. The Senior Behavioral Health Therapist and Program Lead also leads training efforts and uses data to inform and enhance programming. This role supports the expansion of high-quality mental health care, promotes collaboration among care teams, and ensures services are delivered in alignment with professional, ethical, and clinical standards.

Responsibilities

Provides Direct Clinical Services

• Evaluates and provides diagnostic impressions.
• Formulates treatment plans according to evidence-based practices and protocol.
• Conducts individual, family, and group therapy sessions as needed.
• Monitors patients for suicidal/homicidal intent and ensures patient safety if necessary.
• Undertakes crisis intervention, as needed.

Maintains Clinical Documentation and Compliance

• Participates in supervision, feedback, and quality assurance checks.
• Maintains client records and performs data entry as required by protocol.
• Completes documentation in the clinical record related to interaction with individuals-served, families, and other service providers in an accurate and timely manner.
• Ensures documentation is in accordance with professional ethics and both federal and state regulations.

Provides Clinical Supervision

• Provides clinical supervision to at least one team member pursuing independent licensure, under a Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council-approved plan, in accordance with licensure requirements (LPC-S for LPC-As; LCSW-S for LMSWs).
• Regularly provides individual and/or group supervision and participates in training to support supervisee.
• Reviews documentation and closes supervisee's session notes.
• Provides feedback and recommendations regarding documentation.

Delivers Clinical Guidance and Staff Support

• Serves as a clinical lead.
• Works closely with social workers and/or professional counselors to provide mentorship, support, and consultation.
• Provides guidance, direction, debriefing, clinical staffing, and support to staff, including care coordinators.
• Assists with coverage, staffing, and workflow optimization.

Participates in Integrated Care and Professional Development

• Provides expert care for patients with co-occurring physical and mental health conditions, addressing psychosocial factors.
• Applies clinical experience, condition-specific training, and certifications to contribute to improved healthcare outcomes.
• Participates in meetings, continuing education opportunities, and academic and research activities.
• Attends training workshops, interdisciplinary meetings, and client staffing as required.

Contributes to Projects and Quality Improvement

• Participates in the development and implementation of projects.
• Leads or contributes to committees and workgroups focused on clinical or operational initiatives.
• Engages in quality improvement activities that analyze professional practice, outcomes, and efficiencies.
• Participates in peer review and chart review processes.
• Supports staff education and clinical guideline development.
• Contributes to continuing education and quality assurance efforts.

MARGINAL OR PERIODIC FUNCTIONS:

• Responds to behavioral health emergencies and performs crisis interventions.
• Participates in research activities or pilot programs.
• Attends professional development conferences and maintains continuing education.
• Assists with grant writing or program funding proposals.

Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

Clinical Expertise

• Demonstrates deep knowledge of mental health disorders and therapeutic modalities
• Applies evidence-based practices consistently.
• Tailors interventions to different populations.
• Maintains current knowledge of clinical literature.

Interpersonal Savvy

• Relates well to all kinds of people; builds rapport and trust.
• Listen actively and empathetically.
• Navigates sensitive conversations with professionalism.
• Builds collaborative relationships across disciplines.

Developing Others

• Provides constructive feedback and coaching to support growth.
• Offers supervision aligned with licensure standards.
• Creates learning opportunities for junior staff.
• Encourages reflective practice and skill development.

Problem Solving

• Uses logic and analysis to address complex clinical issues.
• Assess risk and determines appropriate interventions.
• Synthesizes information from multiple sources.
• Develops creative solutions for challenging cases.

Composure

• Maintains calm and effectiveness under pressure.
• Responds to crises with clarity and control.
• Supports others during emotionally intense situations.
• Demonstrates resilience and professionalism.

Professional Conduct and Standards

• Demonstrates integrity and accountability in all professional interactions.
• Maintains confidentiality and complies with organizational policies and applicable regulations.
• Adheres to licensure requirements and professional practice guidelines.
• Promotes respectful and patient-centered care.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Requires a Master's Degree in Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, or a related field with at least year(s) of experience in

• 3 years post-degree clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and family systems.
• Experience working in a multidisciplinary team with a variety of other healthcare professionals (i.e., physicians, psychologists, social workers, nurses, etc).
• Proficiency in electronic systems including, but not limited to, Google Suite, Trayt, Slack, Athena or Epic, Calendly.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

According to Executive Order No. GA-48 of the State of Texas: for all positions that research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2), Business and Commerce Code, it is required that both candidates for employment and employees have the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

in with at least year(s) of experience in

• 5 years of post-degree clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and family systems in outpatient or inpatient mental health settings.
• Experience providing school-based mental health services.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS OR CERTIFICATIONS

REQUIRED:

• Active licensure in Texas as one of the following:
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker Supervisor (LCSW-S)
  • Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S)

PREFERRED:

• None

Salary Range

$70,133+ depending on qualifications

WORKING ENVIRONMENT/EQUIPMENT

• Standard office equipment
• Repetitive use of a keyboard
• May be exposed to such occupational hazards as communicable diseases, blood borne pathogens, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, hazardous medications, and disoriented or combative patients, or others.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I‑9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E‑Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E‑Verify is 854197. For more information about E‑Verify, please see the following:

• E‑Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP‑3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.