OPT Mental Health Therapy Jobs
Mental health therapy roles qualify for F-1 OPT when your degree is in counseling, psychology, social work, or a closely related field. Most positions require state licensure or supervised hours toward it, which counts as authorized OPT employment. STEM OPT extension is not available for this field.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Come grow with us! Elite DNA Behavioral Health is one of the largest providers of behavioral and mental health services in Florida – and we’re expanding quickly! We believe in providing high-quality, accessible care to our patients and a supportive environment that allows our team to grow professionally.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Full time opening for a Nurse Practitioner needed for a growing mental health agency in our Venice, Florida location.
We thrive on a mutual goal of providing excellent care to our patients through our comprehensive care services and collaborative culture. Elite DNA is the pioneer of the care coordination approach to mental health, where all patients are matched with their ideal services and providers prior to receiving direct care. Our team is at the forefront of providing leading-edge therapy services – from psychotherapy to psychiatry – to specialized programs such as psychosocial rehabilitation, EMDR, and group therapy.
Everything we do here at Elite DNA is guided by integrity and compassion for our patients and employees.
When you join the Elite DNA team, you’ll feel proud to be a part of the group that helps children, adults, and families in our communities live better lives.
Responsibilities
- Entails diagnosing, conducting, and prescribing medications for patients who have psychiatric-mental health problems and those likely to have them.
- Responsible for providing emergency psychiatric services, physical and psychosocial examination of their patients.
- Provide outpatient and residential care to patients showing a change or decline in mental status, chronic or urgent medical conditions.
- Work independently with other members of the medical team, with entitlements to specific clinical privileges approved by the clinic’s Medical Executive Board.
- Take part in an interdisciplinary team that provides primary care to employees and patients.
- Perform patients’ histories and physicals, risk factor assessment, ordering of therapeutic and diagnostic tests; and attend to consultations and appointments.
- Prescribe medications following the clinic’s policy, formulator and relevant regulations of the State.
- Consult with physicians on cases that are beyond the scope of qualification of PMHNP.
- Put all relevant patient data in medical records and case presentations.
- Formulate, execute and review healthcare education delivered to patients and families for disease prevention.
- Ensure smooth communication with other health professionals for effective delivery of clinic service to patients.
- Provide consultation to the clinic’s nursing and medical staff for improvement in their work performance, which enhances overall quality service delivery of the clinic.
- Proficient in the English language, both in writing and speaking to be able to communicate clearly with all stakeholders, including patients, families, clinic staff and other healthcare professionals.
- Possess and maintain graduate professional nurse, and nurse practitioner registration in a state, which must be unrestricted, current, complete, and active.
- Obtain Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner or Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
- Possess Bachelor’s degree in Nursing followed by a master’s degree in Psychiatric or Mental Health Nursing from a state approved and accredited school for professional nursing training.
- Possess strong understanding of societies and their impact on mental health; ability to solve problems, monitor and examine patients.
- Be compassionate, sensitive, and possess strong reasoning and thinking skills.
- Possess strong computer skills, including working with word processing and data entering applications, as well as with medical software applications.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Must have experience working with all ages & Suboxone.
- Must have experience working w/ Suboxone.
BENEFITS
- 401(k) Matching
- Health Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- 3 Weeks PTO/1st Yr.
- 7 Paid Holidays
- Mental Health Days
- CME's/Elite DNA University
SCHEDULE
8 hour shift
JOB TYPE
Full-time
SALARY
Up to $130,000.00 per year
SUPPLEMENTAL PAY TYPES
Quarterly bonus
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Monday to Friday
WORK SETTING
In-person/ Outpatient
WORK LOCATION
In person
CERTIFIED NURSE PRACTITIONER (Required)
INTRODUCTION
Come grow with us! Elite DNA Behavioral Health is one of the largest providers of behavioral and mental health services in Florida – and we’re expanding quickly! We believe in providing high-quality, accessible care to our patients and a supportive environment that allows our team to grow professionally.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Full time opening for a Nurse Practitioner needed for a growing mental health agency in our Venice, Florida location.
We thrive on a mutual goal of providing excellent care to our patients through our comprehensive care services and collaborative culture. Elite DNA is the pioneer of the care coordination approach to mental health, where all patients are matched with their ideal services and providers prior to receiving direct care. Our team is at the forefront of providing leading-edge therapy services – from psychotherapy to psychiatry – to specialized programs such as psychosocial rehabilitation, EMDR, and group therapy.
Everything we do here at Elite DNA is guided by integrity and compassion for our patients and employees.
When you join the Elite DNA team, you’ll feel proud to be a part of the group that helps children, adults, and families in our communities live better lives.
Responsibilities
- Entails diagnosing, conducting, and prescribing medications for patients who have psychiatric-mental health problems and those likely to have them.
- Responsible for providing emergency psychiatric services, physical and psychosocial examination of their patients.
- Provide outpatient and residential care to patients showing a change or decline in mental status, chronic or urgent medical conditions.
- Work independently with other members of the medical team, with entitlements to specific clinical privileges approved by the clinic’s Medical Executive Board.
- Take part in an interdisciplinary team that provides primary care to employees and patients.
- Perform patients’ histories and physicals, risk factor assessment, ordering of therapeutic and diagnostic tests; and attend to consultations and appointments.
- Prescribe medications following the clinic’s policy, formulator and relevant regulations of the State.
- Consult with physicians on cases that are beyond the scope of qualification of PMHNP.
- Put all relevant patient data in medical records and case presentations.
- Formulate, execute and review healthcare education delivered to patients and families for disease prevention.
- Ensure smooth communication with other health professionals for effective delivery of clinic service to patients.
- Provide consultation to the clinic’s nursing and medical staff for improvement in their work performance, which enhances overall quality service delivery of the clinic.
- Proficient in the English language, both in writing and speaking to be able to communicate clearly with all stakeholders, including patients, families, clinic staff and other healthcare professionals.
- Possess and maintain graduate professional nurse, and nurse practitioner registration in a state, which must be unrestricted, current, complete, and active.
- Obtain Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner or Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
- Possess Bachelor’s degree in Nursing followed by a master’s degree in Psychiatric or Mental Health Nursing from a state approved and accredited school for professional nursing training.
- Possess strong understanding of societies and their impact on mental health; ability to solve problems, monitor and examine patients.
- Be compassionate, sensitive, and possess strong reasoning and thinking skills.
- Possess strong computer skills, including working with word processing and data entering applications, as well as with medical software applications.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Must have experience working with all ages & Suboxone.
- Must have experience working w/ Suboxone.
BENEFITS
- 401(k) Matching
- Health Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- 3 Weeks PTO/1st Yr.
- 7 Paid Holidays
- Mental Health Days
- CME's/Elite DNA University
SCHEDULE
8 hour shift
JOB TYPE
Full-time
SALARY
Up to $130,000.00 per year
SUPPLEMENTAL PAY TYPES
Quarterly bonus
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Monday to Friday
WORK SETTING
In-person/ Outpatient
WORK LOCATION
In person
CERTIFIED NURSE PRACTITIONER (Required)
See all 913+ OPT Mental Health Therapy Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Mental Health Therapy Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Mental Health Therapy
Target employers with existing supervision infrastructure
Community mental health centers, hospital systems, and university counseling centers regularly hire OPT students because they already have licensed supervisors on staff. These settings are built for supervised practice, which aligns naturally with your OPT authorization period.
Clarify your licensure status upfront
Most therapy roles require licensure or active progress toward it. Before applying, confirm whether you hold an associate license, are accruing supervised hours, or need employer-sponsored supervision. Employers want to know your licensure timeline, not just your work authorization status.
Frame your OPT timeline around supervision hours
Many states require 2,000 to 4,000 supervised hours for full licensure. If your OPT period covers part of that requirement, show employers how your authorization window maps to their supervision commitment and caseload onboarding.
Research state licensure requirements before relocating
Licensure rules vary significantly by state. Some states have reciprocity agreements; others require separate applications. Accepting a role in a new state without confirming licensure eligibility can delay your ability to practice and complicate your OPT employment authorization.
Highlight telehealth experience when relevant
Telehealth roles have expanded access for therapists across state lines, but licensing restrictions still apply. If you have telehealth training or practicum experience, include it. Many OPT-sponsoring employers in behavioral health are actively scaling remote therapy capacity.
Start the H-1B conversation before your OPT expires
Mental health therapy qualifies as a specialty occupation for H-1B visa purposes when the role requires a specific graduate degree. Raise the H-1B question with employers at the offer stage, not six months into the job, so they have time to prepare the petition.
Mental Health Therapy OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does mental health therapy qualify for F-1 OPT work authorization?
Yes, mental health therapy qualifies for OPT when your degree is directly related to the role. A master's in counseling, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, or psychology supports OPT authorization for licensed or pre-licensed therapy positions. Your work must fall within the scope of your field of study as defined on your OPT authorization.
Can I work as a therapist on OPT if I'm not yet fully licensed?
Yes, pre-licensed positions count as valid OPT employment as long as the role is within your field of study. Associate therapist, licensed professional counselor associate, and supervised clinician roles all qualify. You'll need a licensed supervisor, but the supervised hours you accumulate during OPT count toward your full licensure requirements in most states.
Is a STEM OPT extension available for mental health therapy roles?
No. Mental health therapy, counseling, and social work degrees are not on the STEM Designated Degree Program list, so the 24-month STEM extension is not available. You'll have 12 months of OPT to work with. Planning for H-1B sponsorship before your OPT expires is the most common next step for therapists who want to stay in the U.S.
Where can I find mental health therapy jobs that sponsor OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT and visa-sponsored jobs, including mental health therapy roles. Employers listed there have indicated openness to sponsoring international candidates, which saves you from applying to positions that will reject you at the work authorization question. Filtering by field and authorization type helps you focus on realistic opportunities.
Does mental health therapy qualify for H-1B sponsorship after OPT ends?
Mental health therapy can qualify for H-1B sponsorship when the position requires a specific graduate-level degree in a related field, meeting the specialty occupation standard. Clinical therapist and licensed counselor roles at hospitals, behavioral health companies, and university counseling centers have successfully secured H-1B approval. The specific job duties and degree requirement matter more than the job title alone.