Counselor, Behavioral Health (Licensed) - Sierra Vista, AZ

Job Title: Behavioral Health Counselor - Licensed

Reports To: Supervisor, Behavioral Health Counseling Program

Job Summary: Provides comprehensive, evidence-based behavioral health counseling services - including assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and psychotherapy - to individuals, families, and groups served by CCHCI, working collaboratively with primary care providers, psychiatric providers, and counselors to deliver integrated, whole-person care.

Qualifications and Requirements

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Job duties may be modified at any time based on business needs.

Essential Job Duties

• Provides and manages care to children (ages 6-11), adolescents (ages 12-17), and adults (ages 13+).
• Diagnoses behavioral health and substance use disorders per appropriate DSM-5 and ICD-10 standards.
• Conducts comprehensive intake assessments, including biopsychosocial history, presenting concerns, and risk assessment, to establish diagnostic impressions and inform the plan of care.
• Develops individualized, measurable treatment plans in collaboration with clients, grounded in evidence-based practice and client-identified goals.
• Provides counseling and treatment services within the scope of practice defined by the clinician's specific license (e.g., LCSW, LPC, LMFT, LIAC).
• Provides individual, family, and/or group psychotherapy using evidence-based modalities appropriate to the clinician's training (scope of competence) and client need (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy, trauma-focused approaches, solution-focused therapy, etc.).
• Monitors and documents client progress toward treatment goals and adapts interventions as indicated.
• Completes and maintains timely, accurate clinical documentation in the electronic health record.
• Assesses risk and provides intervention and safety planning for clients experiencing acute distress, suicidal or homicidal ideation, or other urgent behavioral health needs.
• Participates in multidisciplinary care team meetings and case conferences with psychiatric providers, case managers, and other agencies to coordinate integrated, whole-person treatment.
• Advocates for client needs and supports shared decision-making between clients and their care team.
• Provides ethical, culturally competent, trauma-sensitive, recovery-oriented, evidence-based care.
• Participates in Behavioral Health team meetings and quality improvement activities, including chart audit/peer review processes, as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Minimum Qualifications - Education, Experience, Certificates & Licenses

• Master's degree in counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy, or a closely related behavioral health field from an accredited program.
• Current, active, unrestricted independent license to provide behavioral health counseling issued by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), or Licensed Independent Addiction Counselor (LIAC), or another independent behavioral health license approved by CCHCI.
• Scope of clinical practice, supervision requirements, and continuing education obligations are governed by the clinician's specific license type and the applicable licensing board.
• Completes continuing education requirements and maintains active, unrestricted licensure in good standing with the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.
• Driver's License and Proof of Insurance may be required if requesting mileage reimbursement.
• Valid Fingerprint Clearance Card.

Preferred Qualifications - Education, Experience, Certifications & Licenses

• One year of experience providing direct client care in a behavioral health or integrated primary care setting strongly preferred.
• Experience with evidence-based treatment modalities such as CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing, or trauma-focused therapies.
• Experience serving rural, underserved, or culturally diverse populations.
• Experience with electronic health records and telehealth service delivery.

Required Language Skills

• Ability to comprehend and compose instructions, correspondence, and communications in English in both oral and written format.
• Ability to effectively present clinical and educational information in one-on-one, small group, and multidisciplinary team settings to patients, internal providers and staff, and other agency staff working in cooperation with the organization.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish is preferred, but not required.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to occasionally exert enough force to move objects weighing up to 10 pounds.
• Ability to continuously remain in a stationary position.
• Ability to constantly move about inside the workplace to assist patients, operate office or medical equipment, etc.
• Possesses hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to constantly operate computers, telephone, and other office machinery.
• Possesses close visual acuity necessary to accurately record and view information on a computer monitor, handwritten and typed documents.
• Ability to discern the nature of sounds at a normal spoken volume.

Other Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all measures, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret graphs.
• Ability to skillfully gather and analyze data.
• Ability to perform a variety of assignments and make decisions requiring considerable independent judgment.
• Displays a high level of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed and culturally responsive care principles.
• Knowledge of crisis intervention and safety planning practices.
• Familiarity with AHCCCS/Medicaid behavioral health documentation requirements.
• Knowledge of health plans and community health centers preferred.
• Computer literacy required.
• Knowledge of Electronic Health Records preferred.
• Ability to develop and present educational programs and/or workshops.
• Ability to prioritize and plan work activities, use time efficiently, and develop realistic action plans.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary care team.

Work Environment & Conditions

• Work environment is typical of a health clinic setting with occasional exposure to communicable diseases, bodily fluids, and hazardous chemicals.
• Work requires reliable transportation, as the position requires frequent travel and extended hours to include early mornings, evenings, and weekends.
• Work requires the ability to be contacted by cell phone during or outside of regular work hours.
• When providing services via telehealth, must maintain a private and secure setting consistent with client confidentiality requirements.