Licensed Behavioral Health Counselor / IOP Therapist – SUD & Mental Health

About the Position

Spark Change Pathways LLC is seeking a compassionate, dependable, and clinically focused Behavioral Health Counselor / IOP Therapist to join our growing community behavioral health team.

This position is ideal for a licensed professional who is passionate about helping individuals experiencing mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and co-occurring disorders build stability, strengthen coping skills, and make meaningful progress toward recovery.

The Counselor/Therapist will provide assessments, treatment planning, individual and group counseling, clinical documentation, and ongoing monitoring of client progress.

We are looking for someone who can build strong therapeutic relationships while maintaining professional boundaries, provide high-quality clinical services, work effectively with a multidisciplinary team, and consistently complete documentation on time.

What You'll Do

• Complete initial clinical assessments for behavioral health and counseling services
• Identify client strengths, needs, symptoms, barriers, and treatment goals
• Develop and update individualized treatment plans
• Provide individual counseling and psychotherapy
• Facilitate group therapy and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) groups
• Provide services to individuals experiencing mental health and/or substance use disorders
• Provide treatment for clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use needs
• Monitor client participation, progress, treatment response, and achievement of goals
• Modify treatment interventions and treatment plans when clinically appropriate
• Assist clients with development of coping skills, emotional regulation, relapse-prevention strategies, and recovery goals
• Provide trauma-informed, person-centered, culturally responsive, and recovery-oriented care
• Provide crisis support and utilize appropriate de-escalation techniques when necessary
• Collaborate with case managers, peer support staff, prescribers, nurses, residential staff, and other members of the treatment team
• Participate in multidisciplinary treatment team meetings and case reviews
• Coordinate with outside behavioral health, medical, community, and support providers when appropriate
• Assist with discharge and continuing-care planning
• Maintain accurate, timely, and complete documentation in the Electronic Health Record (EHR)
• Complete progress notes, assessments, treatment plans, discharge documentation, and other required clinical records
• Maintain documentation standards consistent with agency, Medicaid, Ohio behavioral health, and CARF requirements
• Participate in medical record reviews and quality assurance/performance improvement activities
• Identify clinical or documentation concerns and assist with corrective and performance-improvement strategies
• Maintain HIPAA compliance, confidentiality, professional ethics, and client rights
• Participate in required supervision, staff meetings, training, orientation, and competency development
• Assist clinical leadership with program development and improvement as needed
• Promote a supportive, professional, and team-oriented workplace culture

Programs You May Support

Depending on experience, credentials, and program needs, the Counselor/Therapist may provide services within:

• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
• Mental Health Counseling
• Substance Use Disorder Treatment
• Individual Therapy
• Group Therapy
• Co-Occurring Mental Health/SUD Services
• Adult Behavioral Health Services
• Youth Behavioral Health Services
• Veteran Behavioral Health Services
• Community-Based Behavioral Health Services

Required Qualifications

• Active Ohio behavioral health license or credential appropriate to the services provided, such as:
• LSW
• LISW
• LPC
• LPCC
• LMFT / IMFT
• LCDC / LICDC
• Other qualifying Ohio behavioral health credential
• At least 1 year of counseling, behavioral health, mental health, or substance use treatment experience preferred
• Experience providing treatment for mental health and/or substance use disorders
• Ability to conduct assessments and develop individualized treatment plans
• Ability to provide individual and/or group counseling within the scope of the candidate's license
• Strong clinical documentation skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional and therapeutic boundaries
• Strong organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team
• Demonstrated computer proficiency and ability to use an EHR system
• Ability to pass required background checks
• Negative TB screening/testing as required
• CPR and First Aid certification or ability to obtain before providing applicable services
• Completion of SCP orientation, required training, and competency requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience facilitating IOP groups
• Experience treating co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders
• Experience in outpatient or community behavioral health
• Experience working with Medicaid populations
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care
• Knowledge of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, relapse prevention, and recovery-oriented treatment
• Crisis intervention and de-escalation experience
• Experience working with adults, youth, or Veterans
• Familiarity with Ohio behavioral health documentation requirements
• Familiarity with CARF standards
• Active NPI
• Active Ohio Medicaid Provider Number, when applicable
• Experience working with a startup or growing behavioral health organization

Ideal Candidate

We are especially interested in clinicians who are:

• Compassionate but able to maintain professional boundaries
• Comfortable working with individuals in early recovery
• Able to manage clients experiencing emotional distress or behavioral challenges
• Confident facilitating structured therapeutic groups
• Organized and able to complete clinical documentation on time
• Dependable and responsive
• Comfortable working in a growing behavioral health environment
• Open to collaboration and clinical feedback
• Focused on both quality of care and measurable client outcomes

Schedule

Full-time and Part-time opportunities available

Potential scheduling may include:

• Monday–Friday
• Daytime hours
• Some evening IOP groups
• Occasional weekend availability based on program needs

Specific schedules will be discussed during the interview process.

Compensation

$30.00–$40.00 per hour

Starting compensation will be based on:

• Ohio licensure/credential
• Level of independent licensure
• Education
• Mental health experience
• Substance use disorder experience
• IOP/group counseling experience
• Clinical documentation experience
• Medicaid behavioral health experience
• Overall qualifications

Benefits

Employer-sponsored benefits are not provided during the first six months of employment.

Employees may become eligible for available SCP employee benefits after six months of continuous employment, subject to company policy and applicable plan eligibility requirements.

Application Questions

Applicants should be prepared to answer the following:

• What active Ohio behavioral health license or credential do you currently hold?
• How many years of counseling or behavioral health experience do you have?
• What experience do you have treating individuals with mental health conditions?
• What experience do you have treating individuals with substance use disorders?
• Do you have experience facilitating IOP or other therapeutic groups?
• Are you comfortable providing both individual and group counseling?
• What experience do you have completing behavioral health assessments and treatment plans?
• What therapeutic approaches do you commonly use with clients?
• How do you maintain timely cl…