Entry Level Behavioral Health Counselor Jobs
New grad behavioral health counselor jobs welcome recent graduates and entry level candidates with zero to two years of experience, where strong internship work or supervised practicum hours can matter more than a long resume. Most openings are on-site roles across Healthcare & Medical Services, Education, and Social Media, with employers like Sanford Health, Memorial Healthcare System, and UPMC hiring at this level now.
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Showing 5 of 17+ Entry Level Behavioral Health Counselor jobs
At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better health care, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. We pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, our goal is to take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?
Job Description
Shifts: 3:00pm-11:30pm
Days: Thurs-Mon
The Living Room is a space provided by Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center for people to address crises as an alternative to going to an emergency department. The Behavioral Health Counsellor-BGC reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. As a member of a multidisciplinary team, assists in providing patient assessments and treatment as directed. Under supervision, provides supportive counseling, case management, and community support services. Assesses patient and patient's family needs, develops treatment plans, provides and evaluates patient care, and assists with discharge planning.
Responsibilities:
- Screen and evaluate requests for service.
- Collect and report social history for assigned cases.
- Intervene, stabilize, and manage acute crisis situations.
- Assess and evaluate client needs, strengths, goals and resources.
- Develop individual plans with clients utilizing available assessment tools.
- Work with an interdisciplinary team in reviewing cases and developing individual plans.
- Implement individual plans through rehabilitation services such as case management, advocacy, outreach, skills training groups, social rehabilitation, community support and support counseling.
- Provide linkage case management, participate in treatment planning and discharge planning.
- Consult with other center staff regarding problem assessment and treatment/intervention planning.
- Consult with other service agencies around case-specific and programmatic issues.
- Refer and link clients to other human services programs.
- Serve as a liaison to other agencies as needed.
- Train other providers and non-providers in areas relating to service specialties.
Qualifications
Minimum Requirements:
Education:
* Bachelor’s in Behavioral Health
Licensure:
* All NM, Ben Gordon Center (WR849) employees, at point of hire and annually, are required to have a valid State of Illinois driver’s license, current auto liability insurance, and an annual driving abstract
Behavioral Attributes:
* Advance verbal and written communication skills
Preferred:
* One year of experience interacting with clients in an outpatient setting
Additional Information
Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.
Background Check
Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.
Artificial Intelligence Disclosure
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.
Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position):
Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.
At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better health care, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. We pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, our goal is to take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?
Job Description
Shifts: 3:00pm-11:30pm
Days: Thurs-Mon
The Living Room is a space provided by Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center for people to address crises as an alternative to going to an emergency department. The Behavioral Health Counsellor-BGC reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. As a member of a multidisciplinary team, assists in providing patient assessments and treatment as directed. Under supervision, provides supportive counseling, case management, and community support services. Assesses patient and patient's family needs, develops treatment plans, provides and evaluates patient care, and assists with discharge planning.
Responsibilities:
- Screen and evaluate requests for service.
- Collect and report social history for assigned cases.
- Intervene, stabilize, and manage acute crisis situations.
- Assess and evaluate client needs, strengths, goals and resources.
- Develop individual plans with clients utilizing available assessment tools.
- Work with an interdisciplinary team in reviewing cases and developing individual plans.
- Implement individual plans through rehabilitation services such as case management, advocacy, outreach, skills training groups, social rehabilitation, community support and support counseling.
- Provide linkage case management, participate in treatment planning and discharge planning.
- Consult with other center staff regarding problem assessment and treatment/intervention planning.
- Consult with other service agencies around case-specific and programmatic issues.
- Refer and link clients to other human services programs.
- Serve as a liaison to other agencies as needed.
- Train other providers and non-providers in areas relating to service specialties.
Qualifications
Minimum Requirements:
Education:
* Bachelor’s in Behavioral Health
Licensure:
* All NM, Ben Gordon Center (WR849) employees, at point of hire and annually, are required to have a valid State of Illinois driver’s license, current auto liability insurance, and an annual driving abstract
Behavioral Attributes:
* Advance verbal and written communication skills
Preferred:
* One year of experience interacting with clients in an outpatient setting
Additional Information
Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.
Background Check
Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.
Artificial Intelligence Disclosure
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.
Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position):
Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.
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Entry Level Behavioral Health Counselor Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level behavioral health counselor job?
Employers hiring at the entry level look for a relevant degree in counseling, psychology, social work, or a related field, along with supervised clinical hours from an internship or practicum. Highlighting hands-on experience with specific populations, any licensure-track progress such as working toward an LPC or LCSW, and strong case documentation skills gives new candidates a clear edge over applicants with only coursework.
Which companies hire entry level behavioral health counselors?
Companies hiring entry level behavioral health counselors right now include Sanford Health, Memorial Healthcare System, and UPMC, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Hiring at this level covers community mental health centers, outpatient clinics, hospital systems, and nonprofit social service organizations that build their counseling teams by bringing in new graduates and training them on-site.
Are there remote entry level behavioral health counselor jobs?
Yes, though most roles at this level are on-site or hybrid given the hands-on nature of clinical work. About 0% of entry level behavioral health counselor openings are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those positions tend to appear most often in telehealth platforms and larger health systems with established virtual care programs.
Are these new grad behavioral health counselor jobs?
Yes, these listings include new grad, recent graduate, and junior roles alongside other entry level postings. A new grad-friendly posting typically welcomes zero to two years of experience, counts internship placements or supervised practicum hours as qualifying experience, and does not require an active independent license, making them accessible to candidates who are still working toward full licensure.
Which industries hire the most entry level behavioral health counselors?
Entry Level behavioral health counselor roles concentrate in Healthcare & Medical Services, Education, and Social Media, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. These sectors drive entry level hiring because they operate high-volume service settings, rely on state and federal funding tied to workforce development, and regularly need to recruit new graduates to meet ongoing caseload and community care demands.