Behavioral Health Professional 2
State of Iowa
FreshPosted Feb 17
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Posted: February 12, 2026 (8 days ago)
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Behavioral Health Professional 2
State of Iowa
400 Health & Human Services - State Operated Specialty Care
Location
Iowa, 50319
Salary
$38.27 - $58.86
per hour
Type
Full-Time
More Healthcare & Medical jobs →Closes
February 23, 2026
Job Description
Summary
This job involves providing therapy and counseling to young male offenders aged 12-18 in a secure state facility, helping them manage mental health issues, de-escalate crises, and develop treatment plans as part of a team of professionals.
It includes working with individuals, groups, and families, documenting progress, and supporting the youth's transition back to the community.
A good fit would be someone compassionate and resilient who enjoys challenging work with at-risk teens and has experience in mental health support.
Key Requirements
- Licensed clinician preferred (e.g., Mental Health Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist, or Behavior Analyst) or license-eligible
- Proficiency in providing individual, group, and family psychotherapy/counseling using evidence-based protocols
- Ability to create and revise measurable mental health treatment plans
- Skills in conducting evidence-based suicide risk assessments and de-escalating youth in crisis
- Experience managing a diverse therapy and crisis caseload with timely documentation
- Strong collaboration as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team
- Commitment to annual trainings, continuing education, and professional development
- Successful completion of a background check
Full Job Description
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Division of State-Operated Specialty Care, Bureau of State Training School (STS) is seeking a Behavioral Health Professional 2 to join our team!
This is a full-time position with flexible scheduling available and occasional on-call responsibilities required.
The Behavioral Health Professional 2 (Mental Health Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist, or Behavior Analyst) provides individual, group, and family psychotherapy/counseling to a caseload of youth, completes timely documentation, assesses suicide and non-suicidal self-injurious risk, helps motivate and de-escalate youth, and maintains annual training, continuing education, and professional development.
This work is done as part of an integrated multidisciplinary team comprised of psychiatric, medical, cottage (residential), school/vocation, skills/rehabilitative, and transition/discharge professionals, as well as the youth and their parents/guardians.
A successful candidate for this role will be proficient in:
- Working effectively and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team.
- Managing a diverse therapy and crisis management caseload.
- Creating and revising measurable mental health treatment plans.
- Providing individual, group, and family psychotherapy/counseling using evidence-based protocols.
- Completing evidence-based suicide risk assessments.
- Motivating and de-escalating youth in crisis.
- Maintaining clear, thorough, and timely documentation.
- Maintaining compliance with annual trainings, continuing education units, and addressing professional development needs for life-long learning.
- Assisting non-clinical staff in understanding and implementing best practices to work effectively with youth.
- Supportive teamwork, collaboration, and problem solving.
Licensed clinician preferred and license-eligible clinicians considered.
Applicants will be required to complete a background check to be considered for this position.
STS offers a holistic social, behavioral, psychiatric, academic, and vocational program that utilizes evidence-based practices to provide a secure setting, rooted in treatment, for males ages 12 to 18 years old who have been adjudicated delinquent.
STS provides individualized treatment plans and offers comprehensive education with the goal of successfully transitioning young men back into the community.
If you enjoy rewarding yet challenging work and helping young men find stability in their lives and security in their future, this is this the right job for you.
Your work at STS has the potential to help pull these young men together and change their futures.
For more STS info: https://hhs.iowa.gov/family-community/specialty-care-facilities/state-training-school
Benefits of Joining STS
Working for the State of Iowa comes with its perks. In addition to a competitive salary, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and professional growth.
- Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage: Health and dental insurance packages to keep you and your family healthy at a low cost with outstanding coverage!
- Paid Time Off: Take time to recharge with paid time off, including vacation(96 hours/year to begin, increasing with years of service), sick leave (144 hours/year), and paid holidays (9 days/year).
- Retirement Plans: Participate in retirement plans such as IPERS (employees contribute 6.29% and the State of Iowa contributes 9.44%) as well as our Retirement Investors Club (RIC), Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan (the State of Iowa matches dollar for dollar up to $75/month).
- Flexible Spending Accounts: Take advantage of flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses.
- Insurance Coverage: Benefit from life insurance and free long-term disability insurance for added peace of mind.
- Employee Assistance Program: Access resources and support through our Employee Assistance Program for personal and professional challenges.
- Employee Discount Programs: Enjoy discounts on a variety of goods and services through our employee discount programs.
- Free On-Campus Workout Facilities
For additional information on benefits click here.
Click here to see how we compare with other employers or offers by using our Total Compensation Calculator.
Working at STS comes with a special perk! This location offers access for staff to the impressive on-campus gym during off student hours.
This includes 3 full size basketball courts, two fully stocked weight rooms with machine and free weights, showers, and lockers.
We also provide a cardio room for staff only featuring exercise mats and advanced treadmills and stationary bikes. Usage of these resources is completely free for all STS staff.
Eldora Highlights
STS is located in Eldora, a quaint community with a population of approximately 2,800 residents, located in north central Iowa.
Eldora is an Iowa River Greenbelt Community and the Iowa River Greenbelt Scenic Drive winds through a picturesque landscape of valleys, woods, and streams.
With easy access to the Iowa River and Pine Lake, outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy hiking, kayaking, canoeing, hunting, and fishing, as well as the many educational opportunities, cultural activities, and entertainment events nearby, including a picturesque 9-hole golf course surrounded by Pine Lake State Park.
Eldora is 45 minutes away from Ames and Cedar Falls, 30 minutes from Marshalltown, and only 20 minutes from Iowa Falls. Des Moines, Iowa’s capital, is just 1 hour and 15 minutes away.
- Ames, Iowa is the home of Iowa State University, featuring one of the nation’s premier Engineering schools and leading Veterinary and Agricultural programs. https://www.iastate.edu/
- Cedar Falls is the home of the University of Northern Iowa, https://uni.edu/
- Iowa Falls is the home of Ellsworth Community College. https://ecc.iavalley.edu
- Des Moines has one of the nation’s finest State Fairs and is home to the Iowa Cubs, Casey’s Center (host site of NCAA Basketball, premier concerts), and Lauridsen Skatepark, the nation’s largest skatepark.
The State of Iowa is an EEO/AA Employer
HHS values those with “lived experience” and encourages adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the HHS system to apply.
Minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired – Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD).
E-Verify and Right to Work
The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.
Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States.
The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization.
For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.
Qualifications
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree in psychology, mental health counseling, applied behavior analysis, clinical social work, behavioral sciences, mental health, or a closely-related field.For additional information click on this link to view the job description
Additional Information
Within a period of time after hire, as determined by the appointing authority, employees in this class may be required to obtain one or more of the following certificates, licenses, or endorsements:- Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Licensed Clinical Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor (LCADAC)
- Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
- Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW)
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
- Licensed Behavioral Analyst
- Provisional Licensed Psychologist
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