Entry Level Behavioral Health Social Worker Jobs
New grad behavioral health social worker jobs welcome recent graduates and entry level candidates with zero to two years of experience, where strong internship placements or field practicum work can matter more than a long resume. Most openings are on-site roles across Healthcare & Medical Services, with employers like Rady Children's Hospital, Singing River Health System, and Bristol Hospital Incorporated hiring at this level now.
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Your passion belongs at UNC Health. Join more than 56,000 teammates working together to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve across North Carolina.
Summary:
A Social Worker - Behavioral Health is an integral member of the healthcare team, providing comprehensive support and services to patients and their families. They play a vital role in promoting mental, emotional, and social well-being. The Clinical Social Worker is responsible for a range of duties, including psychotherapy, billing for services, conducting assessments, developing patient-centered care plans, facilitating resources, monitoring progress and evaluation, advocating for patients, actively listening to their concerns, respecting individuality, and building trust. This position must practice under appropriate supervision as defined by the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board.
Responsibilities:
1. Psychotherapy: Provide individual, group, and family psychotherapy to patients to address their emotional, psychological, and social needs. Utilize evidence-based therapeutic techniques and interventions to promote positive change and enhance overall well-being.
2. Documentation and Billing for Services: Accurately document and bill for services rendered in compliance with insurance and regulatory requirements.
3. Assessments: Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments to evaluate patient needs and identify any barriers to their overall functioning. This includes assessing their support systems, coping mechanisms, mental health conditions, and psychosocial factors.
4. Patient-Centered Care Plans: Collaborate with the healthcare team and the patient to develop individualized care plans that address their unique needs, goals, and preferences. These plans should integrate medical, psychological, and social aspects of care to ensure a holistic approach. Plans should facilitate optimal patient care transitions to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations or emergency department utilization.
5. Resource Facilitation: Connect patients and their families with community resources, mental health services, support groups, and other relevant programs. This includes assisting with referrals for psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and coordinating care with other providers.
6. Crises Management: Identify possible or actual patient/family crises, provide crisis intervention and emotional support, and creates and facilitates effective plans for resolution.
7. Progress Monitoring & Evaluation: Continuously monitor and evaluate the progress of patients' care plans to assess their response to interventions, measure outcomes, and make necessary
adjustments. Collaborate with the healthcare team to ensure appropriate follow-up and continuity of care.
8. Advocacy: Advocate for patients' needs within the healthcare system and the community. This involves ensuring access to appropriate treatment, facilitating communication between patients and their healthcare team, and addressing any barriers or concerns that may impact the patient's well-being.
9. Active Listening: Engage in active listening to understand patients' experiences, concerns, and emotions. Provide a safe and non-judgmental space for patients to express themselves, and offer empathy, validation, and support.
10. Respect for Individuality: Recognize and respect the unique values, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds of each patient. Tailor interventions and support to align with their individual needs and preferences, taking into account their cultural, social, and spiritual backgrounds.
11. Building Trust: Build trust-based relationships with patients and their families by demonstrating empathy, confidentiality, and professionalism. Foster open communication, collaboration, and a therapeutic alliance.
12. Actively participates in meetings, problem solving, goal setting, quality improvement and patient satisfaction initiatives.
Other Information
Other information:
Education Requirements:
- Master's Degree in Social Work
Licensure/Certification Requirements:
- LCSW-A
Professional Experience Requirements:
- -
Knowledge/Skills/and Abilities Requirements:
- • Knowledge of mental health conditions, diagnostic criteria, and evidence-based treatment modalities
- Ability to collaborate effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team
- Empathy, compassion, and cultural sensitivity
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and adhere to ethical guidelines
Job Details
Legal Employer: NCHEALTH
Entity: Johnston Health
Organization Unit: Behavioral Health Screeners
Work Type: Full Time
Standard Hours Per Week: 40.00
Salary Range: $28.87 - $41.50 per hour (Hiring Range)
Pay offers are determined by experience and internal equity
Work Assignment Type: Onsite
Work Schedule: Day Job
Location of Job: US:NC:Smithfield
Exempt From Overtime: Exempt: Yes
This position is employed by NC Health (Rex Healthcare, Inc., d/b/a NC Health), a private, fully-owned subsidiary of UNC Heath Care System. This is not a State employed position.
Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran or political affiliation.
UNC Health makes reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as applicants and employees with disabilities. All interested applicants are invited to apply for career opportunities. Please email applicant.accommodations@unchealth.unc.edu if you need a reasonable accommodation to search and/or to apply for a career opportunity.
Qualifications
Primary Location: Smithfield, NC, US
Department: Johnston Health
Shift: DAY JOB
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Entry Level Behavioral Health Social Worker Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level behavioral health social worker job?
Start by highlighting any supervised clinical hours, practicum placements, or internships on your resume, since these are what entry level employers look for most. Certifications in motivational interviewing, crisis intervention, or case management software give candidates an edge at this stage. Tailoring your application to show experience with specific populations, such as youth, veterans, or individuals with co-occurring disorders, also strengthens early-career candidacy.
Which companies hire entry level behavioral health social workers?
Companies hiring entry level behavioral health social workers right now include Rady Children's Hospital, Singing River Health System, and Bristol Hospital Incorporated, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. At this level, hiring tends to come from community mental health centers, nonprofit social service agencies, hospital systems, and government-funded behavioral health programs that build staff pipelines through entry level and new grad openings.
Are there remote entry level behavioral health social worker jobs?
Yes, though most roles in this field are still on-site or hybrid given the hands-on nature of direct client work. About 0% of entry level behavioral health social worker openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with telehealth counseling, care coordination, and case management roles most likely to offer flexible arrangements for candidates early in their careers.
Are these new grad behavioral health social worker jobs?
Yes, listings on this page include new grad, recent graduate, and junior behavioral health social worker roles. A posting is typically new-grad friendly when it welcomes zero to two years of experience, counts internships or practicum hours toward qualifications, or accepts a strong portfolio of supervised field work in place of full-time employment history. Look for language like 'entry level,' 'new grad,' or 'recent graduates encouraged to apply.'
Which industries hire the most entry level behavioral health social workers?
Entry Level behavioral health social worker roles concentrate in Healthcare & Medical Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These sectors drive hiring at the entry level because they rely on large direct-service workforces, often fund positions through government grants or Medicaid reimbursement, and regularly recruit new graduates to meet ongoing caseload demand.