Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Deer Oaks • Des Moines, IA

15d • Onsite

About The Position

Deer Oaks Behavioral Health is seeking a Licensed Mental Health Counselor to join its integrated clinical team and provide behavioral health services onsite at one or more long-term care facilities in the counselor’s local community. The role includes therapy, assessment, care planning, and behavioral health support for older adults and people with chronic medical conditions. It offers professional autonomy, a predictable Monday–Friday schedule, and administrative and clinical support.

The counselor provides individual, family, and group therapy; conducts clinical assessments, psychosocial evaluations, screenings, and treatment planning; and supports residents with concerns such as depression, anxiety, adjustment to illness, grief, trauma, substance use, and behavioral disturbances. The counselor collaborates with interdisciplinary care teams and facility staff, maintains timely documentation in the Geriatric Notes Tool (GNT), and follows applicable ethical, professional, and regulatory guidelines.

Deer Oaks has focused on behavioral health in long-term care since 1992 and serves skilled nursing and assisted living facilities nationwide. The organization’s stated mission is to enhance residents’ emotional well-being and quality of life through compassionate, clinically excellent behavioral health services.

Requirements

• Active, unrestricted Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) license.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating with an interdisciplinary team.
• Comfort navigating long-term care environments.
• Commitment to timely documentation and high-quality care.

Nice To Haves

• Enjoy working with older adults and medically complex individuals.
• Strong communication and comfort partnering with facility staff.
• Organization, compassion, and clinical confidence.
• Interest in long-term stability in a supportive environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual, family, and group therapy to long-term care residents.
• Conduct clinical assessments, psychosocial evaluations, screenings, and treatment planning.
• Support residents with depression, anxiety, adjustment to illness, grief, trauma, substance use, behavioral disturbances, and other conditions common in long-term care settings.
• Deliver behavioral management and brief, goal-oriented interventions aligned with best practices in geriatric care.
• Collaborate with nursing, social services, rehabilitation, and medical providers to coordinate treatment and improve resident outcomes.
• Participate in care plan discussions, facility meetings, and case collaborations as needed.
• Maintain complete and timely documentation using the Geriatric Notes Tool (GNT).
• Follow ethical, professional, and regulatory guidelines for clinical documentation, confidentiality, and care delivery.
• Build professional relationships with facility staff and leadership and serve as a behavioral health resource for residents’ mental and emotional needs.

Benefits

• Flexible scheduling with the ability to create a Monday–Friday schedule.
• No evenings, weekends, or on-call work.
• Autonomy in organizing daily workflow and caseload.
• ASWB-accredited continuing education units at no cost.
• Ongoing clinical support, mentorship, and consultation.
• Access to geriatric-specific clinical training and specialty resources.
• Administrative support for billing, collections, credentialing, insurance, and scheduling.
• HIPAA-compliant documentation system and efficient workflows.
• Company-paid liability insurance for full-time and part-time staff.
• Competitive compensation model.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance for full-time staff.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Generous paid time off and paid holidays for full-time staff.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed