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Hiring a Mental Health Clinician: Job Description, Salary, and More

Image of a mental health professional speaking to a client patient in a round circle with a blue background Hiring a mental health clinician

There is a growing need for mental health specialists as greater emphasis gets placed on addressing mental illness and accessing professional care. Mental health clinicians are at the forefront of providing critical mental health support to those who need it most.

We know you’re looking to hire a mental health clinician, so let’s dive into the important details, including defining the role, responsibilities, and interview questions, and more.

What is a mental health clinician?

Mental health clinicians, also referred to as mental health counselors or therapists, are trained to assess, diagnose, and provide psychotherapeutic treatment to patients suffering from mental health conditions. They offer a variety of approaches spanning from talk therapy, psychotherapy, and counseling techniques to support patients of all ages.

Some job titles associated with being a mental health clinician include:

  • Psychotherapist
  • Social worker
  • Mental health counselors
  • Licensed professional clinical counselors (LPCs)

Which one your medical facility needs or associates with will differ based on the needs of the role.


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Mental health job roles and responsibilities

Although the specific job responsibilities of a mental health clinician differ based where they work at and the needs of the patients, the role generally consists of:

  • Offering psychotherapeutic services to individuals, family members, spouses, or groups to help navigate mental disorders, achieve interpersonal goals and quality of life
  • Carefully documenting patient activity, including diagnostic findings, clinical evaluations, and treatment recommendations
  • Providing crisis counseling for patients experiencing acute episodes or major life disturbances
  • Evaluating seriously emotionally disturbed or persistently mentally ill patients and arranging for observation or admission into a facility
  • Communicating diagnoses with patients and patient families clearly and free of confusing medical jargon
  • Educating patients and their families on a diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plan.
  • Managing the day-to-day care of patients by assessing their needs, referring them to proper providers, and monitoring their overall progress
  • Performing administrative tasks such as preparing reports, data entry, reviewing case files, and attending interdisciplinary meetings

In some cases, mental health clinicians will need to review patient cases or treatment plans as part of an interdisciplinary team of professional and technical staff. They may act as a “case manager” for patients to ensure continuity of care across various health fields.


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Top skills of a mental health clinician

Mental health clinicians should have a basic knowledge of how to assess, diagnose, treat, counsel, and administer psychotherapeutic treatment. They should also understand how to implement and oversee a patient treatment plan with compassionate care while adhering to local regulatory guidelines.

Additionally, mental health clinician candidates will have a combination of skills that make them successful at their role, including:

  • Good listening: Clinicians should be active listeners that provide ample time for patients to speak while asking questions and seeking mutual understanding.
  • Non-judgmental: Successful mental health clinicians need to separate personal opinions from their professional guidance when dealing with patients suffering from a range of conditions.
  • Clear communicator: Clinicians need to give clear explanations of their professional assessments, address patient issues directly, and navigate any difficult conversations with ease.
  • Empathetic: Empathy is an important part of patient rapport. Mental health clinicians should relate to patient concerns and offer genuine support.
  • Problem-solver: Patients can be suffering from a host of personal issues ranging from marital problems to work-related stress or chronic mental conditions. A successful counselor can problem-solve any scenario alongside their patients.

When creating a mental health clinician job description, be sure to call attention to the hard and soft skills you are looking for in the ideal candidate.

Credentials and qualifications of a mental health clinician

Most mental health clinicians are required to have a degree in psychology, counseling, or a health-related field. Additionally, given the sensitivity of managing patients’ mental health conditions, many employers require candidates to have a master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling or a related field.

Alongside schooling, mental health clinicians often complete internships under licensed professional counselors in order to meet local licensing standards. Every state has its own licensing/certifications required to work directly with patients.

Pay and job outlook

As more Americans seek out professional mental health support, there is a rising need for qualified mental health clinicians. As of 2021, there were over 350,000 counsel jobs total, 43,600 available listings, and forecasted growth of 22% (up to 77,500 more jobs) by 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The median pay in May 2021 for mental health clinicians was $48,520. Government-based counseling roles paid higher with an average salary over $60,000, followed by hospitals ($49K), individual/family services ($47K), outpatient centers ($47K), and inpatient facilities ($42K).


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Commonly asked interview questions for a mental health clinician

It’s important to ask interview questions that assess a clinician’s ability to juggle the administrative and patient-facing aspects of the job. Key interview questions for a mental health clinician candidate include:

  • What drew you to work as a mental health counselor?
  • What previous experience do you have providing psychotherapeutic treatment to patients?
  • What types of clinical settings have you worked in previously?
  • Have you worked previously with children or adults impacted by abuse or trauma?
  • What prior experience do you have conducting mental health assessments? What evidence-based or trauma-specific assessments have you used and what was the outcome?
  • Walk me through your process of developing a patient treatment plan and share the most important elements to include.
  • What is your prior experience with individual, group, and family counseling? Share any special age considerations or special circumstances.
  • What do you consider to be your bests counseling session and why?
  • What is your preferred system for tracking case notes and completing patient documentation?
  • Have you been asked to testify in a criminal or civil court pertaining to any previous mental health services cases?
  • What is your experience with insurance billing? Are you currently active on any insurance rosters?
  • What types of mental health data do you typically track for your recurring patients?
  • How do you prepare and present cases for clinical review? What information is important to include?
  • What experience do you have participating as a member of a multi-disciplinary care team?

Hire your next mental health clinician today

Finding your next mental health clinician isn’t difficult once you’ve familiarized yourself with the role, qualifications, and basic job description details. For teams that need help sourcing or hiring the best mental health clinician candidates, Insight Global specialists are available to support them. Reach out to our team today!