BEHAVIORAL THERAPIST JOB DESCRIPTION

Behavioral therapy is direct intervention with measurable goals. A Behavioral Therapist delivers individualized, evidence-based treatment to clients across a range of settings, from outpatient mental health clinics and community-based programs to school environments and brain injury rehabilitation, working against documented behavior plans and session-level data. HIPAA-compliant documentation and progress tracking are non-negotiable constants; the work is evaluated session by session against each client's authorized plan of care. Where a Behavior Analyst designs the intervention framework, this role implements, adjusts, and reports on it in real time with real clients.

As the Behavioral Therapist, you deliver direct therapeutic services to individuals and families, translating clinical treatment plans into measurable behavioral change through structured sessions, caregiver training, and ongoing progress documentation. You operate within a multidisciplinary team, coordinating with supervising clinicians, educators, physicians, and case managers, and carry caseload responsibility for session outcomes and goal attainment across your assigned clients.

Career Impact: Hands-on caseload management across diagnostic populations, including ABI, childhood mental health, and community behavioral health, builds the clinical breadth that distinguishes licensed practitioners in competitive behavioral health job markets.

Business Impact: Clients and families depend on the continuity of your session work; treatment plan adherence and goal attainment rates for your caseload directly determine whether individuals achieve the independence and skill gains documented in their authorized care plans.

Growth Opportunity: The licensure pathways open to practitioners at this level - LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, and BCBA supervision tracks - expand both scope of practice and earning potential as you accumulate supervised clinical hours.

• Implement individualized behavior intervention plans for assigned clients, following authorized plans of care and supervisor directives.
• Conduct structured 1:1 and group therapy sessions using evidence-based behavioral and psychosocial treatment methods.
• Collect and tabulate session-level behavioral data to track client progress against documented goals.
• Prepare progress notes, discharge summaries, and term-based reports in compliance with HIPAA and organizational documentation standards.
• Coordinate with supervising clinicians, caregivers, educators, and case managers to ensure continuity of care across settings.
• Deliver caregiver and family training on behavioral strategies and compensation techniques for use between sessions.
• Participate in team meetings, clinical case conferences, and mandatory training to maintain current, evidence-based practice.
• Communicate any safeguarding concerns, child or adult protection matters, or serious complaints to the designated supervisor promptly.

• Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, or a related human services field, or equivalent work experience.
• 1 or more years of direct experience providing behavioral therapy, ABA services, or clinical mental health intervention.
• Working knowledge of behavior plan implementation, data collection methods, and session documentation protocols.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a client caseload independently while operating within a supervised clinical framework.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to convey treatment progress to families and interdisciplinary team members.
• Current CPR certification or ability to obtain before start.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for community-based or home-visit service delivery.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of protected health information in compliance with HIPAA regulations.

• Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, or a related clinical field from an accredited institution.
• Active or eligible clinical licensure - LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, LPC, or equivalent - in the state of practice.
• Minimum 1 year of ABA-specific experience, including direct implementation under BCBA supervision.
• Experience with electronic medical record systems for session documentation and progress reporting.

• Goal attainment rate per client, measuring the percentage of authorized plan goals reached within the treatment period.
• Session documentation compliance rate, reflecting timely and complete progress note submission against organizational policy.
• Caregiver training completion rate, tracking the proportion of families who complete structured home-strategy instruction.
• Caseload utilization, measured by the number of direct service hours delivered against authorized hours per week.
• Data collection accuracy rate, assessed through supervisor audit of session-level behavioral records.
• Typical tools: electronic medical record platforms (commonly CentralReach or Rethink); scheduling and documentation systems (commonly practice management or EMR-integrated tools).

• Base Salary Range: $42,000-$62,000 annually, varying by licensure status and setting
• Bonus: Performance or productivity bonuses in some clinic and agency environments
• Equity: Rarely offered; not standard for this role
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage standard across most employers
• PTO: 10-15 days annually; higher in hospital and agency settings
• Common Perks: Clinical supervision hours toward licensure, CEU reimbursement, mileage reimbursement for community-based service delivery

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check and, where applicable, a drug screening consistent with state and client requirements. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants and employees with disabilities upon request. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Behavioral Therapist delivers individual and group therapy sessions and shadow support across mainstream preschool and primary school settings, working alongside Allied Educators, parents, and teachers to provide holistic learning support. This role shapes student outcomes by tracking progress through session data and term-based reports, ensuring families receive actionable strategies that extend learning beyond the therapy environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct individual and group therapy sessions and provide shadow support in mainstream preschool and primary school settings.
• Analyze behaviors of students and implement strategies with Supervisor.
• Design and implement differentiated lesson plans for students of different learning needs and support required.
• Provide parents with verbal and written feedback and strategies that they can implement at home after session.
• Collect and tabulate data after each session to track student's progress.
• Prepare session materials and term-based progress reports.
• Collaborate with Allied Educators, parents, and teachers to provide holistic support and generalisation of learning for students.

Required Qualifications

• Diploma in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Psychology, or equivalent.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• A good listener with an ability to empathize while still providing guidance.
• Ability to work well in a team.
• Flexibility in working hours.

Embedded within a client-facing behavioral health team, the Behavioral Therapist provides behavior assistance, interventions, and support services to assigned clients under the direction of a BCBA or program supervisor. Working closely with supervisors, co-workers, and clients, this role builds consistent care outcomes by implementing behavior plans and maintaining accurate session documentation in line with organizational policies.

Core Functions

• Follow the instructions of the BCBA or program supervisor.
• Provide behavior assistance, interventions, and support services to assigned clients.
• Provide crisis intervention as needed.
• Implement behavior plans.
• Document sessions per policies and procedures.

Qualifications & Experience

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Current CPR certification and current PPD or Chest X-Ray, as applicable.
• Minimum 1 year of ABA therapy experience.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to effectively exchange information with supervisors, co-workers, and clients.
• Basic computer proficiency.

Reporting to the leadership team, the Child Behavioral Therapist provides evidence-based individual and group therapy for children ages 4 to 19 and their families, holding an active LCSW, LMFT, or LPC license with current New Jersey licensure. Partnering with primary care physicians, educators, and a non-profit clinical partner, this role advances personalized treatment plans that improve children's mental health outcomes across both in-person and teletherapy settings.

Primary Duties

• Provide evidence-based 1:1 and group therapy for children and their families.
• Run caregiver training courses on how to help children struggling with their mental health.
• Collaborate with the clinical team to develop personalized treatment plans for every child and family.
• Engage with primary care physicians, educators, and therapists to ensure holistic treatment.
• Work continuously with families to drive the treatment plan forward.
• Attend routine meetings with the leadership team to give feedback on clinical offerings and policies.
• Apply current treatment protocols and methods through partnership with a non-profit clinical partner.
• Participate in ongoing training, educational opportunities, and conferences for continuous professional development.

Skills & Qualifications

• Active LCSW, LMFT, or LPC license, with current licensure in New Jersey.
• Degree from an accredited training program.
• 3 or more years of direct clinical experience working with children ages 4 to 19 and their families.
• Preferred in-network status with insurance payers such as Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield.
• Experience providing teletherapy is a plus.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Must have reliable high-speed internet access with minimum speeds of 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload.

Sitting at the intersection of clinical social work and community-based care, the Behavioral Therapist applies social work methods and theory to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of psychosocial problems, mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders across families, individuals, groups, and organizations. Operating across care teams that include physicians, case managers, and home health providers, this role owns the delivery of comprehensive assessments, therapy, and coordinated services that expand patient access to community resources in Kentucky.

Duties

• Participate in care delivery and perform comprehensive assessments, patient referrals, therapy progress documentation, and discharge planning.
• Advocate for patient access to resources through community programs, case management referrals, and patient mentoring as appropriate.
• Communicate treatment plans to patients, families, and appropriate staff.
• Collaborate with caregivers, physicians, case managers, and home health care providers to enhance client care.
• Provide support groups and psychoeducation on clinical issues such as anxiety, aggression, anger management, coping skills, stress reduction, and caregiving.
• Communicate child or adult protection matters and serious complaints to the Director promptly.
• Serve as mentor and provide support to new or struggling staff as needed.
• Attend team meetings, training, and development activities as required and maintain compliance with all organizational policies.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, or Marriage and Family Therapy from an accredited institution.
• LCSW license preferred, with LPCC and LMFT also considered; all must meet Kentucky state supervision requirements.
• Minimum qualifications include CSW, LPCA, or MFT licensure in Kentucky under appropriate supervision.
• Knowledge of community-based behavioral health service delivery and psychosocial treatment frameworks.
• Experience using an Electronic Medical Records system preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and other required systems.
• Strong oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills with excellent time management.
• Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and proof of auto insurance.

A key member of a rehabilitation-focused service team, the Behavioral Therapist leads individuals with brain injuries in identifying needs, developing compensation techniques, and building independence across employment, educational, and independent living goals. Collaborating across families, caregivers, referral agents, and community agency representatives, this role delivers person-centered care that expands each consumer's skills and quality of life in alignment with their authorized plan of care.

Functions

• Implement organizational philosophical principles across all aspects of service delivery.
• Assist individuals in identifying needs and developing compensation techniques for brain injury consequences, including trigger identification, skill application, reorganization, and processing.
• Integrate employment, educational, and independent living goals into therapy.
• Provide services as designated on each consumer's authorized plan of care and document sessions on the day of service.
• Educate families and caregivers about brain injury consequences and communicate goals and progress as needed.
• Attend weekly conference calls, webinars, team meetings, and all required trainings and workshops.
• Establish and maintain professional rapport with consumers, co-workers, referral agents, and community agency representatives.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher preferred, with equivalent experience in related fields considered.
• HIPAA compliance knowledge required for maintaining confidentiality of protected health information.
• Experience working with individuals with disabilities and ability to teach skills in this population.
• Basic to moderate technology skills, including proficiency with iPad-based electronic medical record systems.
• Excellent verbal, written, and listening communication skills.
• Strong time management, organizational ability, and capacity to shift between tasks without loss of composure.
• High degree of sensitivity toward all people and ability to interact professionally on a one-to-one basis.
• Reliable transportation required.