School Based Mental Health Therapist

About the Role

Backpack Healthcare is expanding our school-based services in Howard County. We're looking for compassionate clinicians who want to make a meaningful impact in the lives of children and adolescents while enjoying the flexibility of a hybrid model. This role gives you the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with students in their school environment, while also using telehealth to provide continuity of care when students are out of school.

Compensation

This is a Fee-for-Service W-2 position designed to provide competitive compensation and additional earning opportunities.

• $65 per session hour — fully licensed clinicians
• $45 per session hour — provisionally licensed clinicians
• $30 per hour — administrative time
• Monthly bonus potential — eligible clinicians may earn additional monthly incentive compensation based on applicable clinical and performance metrics

Benefits

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• 401(k) + Company Match
• Paid Holidays & PTO
• CEU reimbursement
• Clinical supervision for eligible pre-licensed clinicians
• Advancement and professional growth opportunities
• Supportive clinical and operational team

Schedule

Minimum of 3 in-person school days per week, 8 hours per day, with telehealth flexibility built into the role. You'll provide in-person care at your assigned school site(s), supplemented by telehealth services to support continuity of care during school breaks and closures. This model allows you to experience the impact of school-based care without giving up the flexibility of telehealth.

Responsibilities

You'll provide individual, group, and/or family therapy services to students both in person and through Backpack's telehealth platform. Your day-to-day will include:

• Conducting intake evaluations and risk assessments
• Creating individualized, trauma-informed treatment plans
• Delivering individual, group, and family therapy
• Maintaining a consistent in-person schedule at assigned school site(s)
• Providing telehealth sessions to maintain continuity of care
• Maintaining accurate and timely clinical documentation in Backpack's EHR
• Collaborating with school staff, pediatricians, families, and Backpack's internal clinical team
• Supporting school teams in managing behavioral health challenges and crisis response
• Conducting wellness workshops for caregivers, educators, and administrators
• Participating in individual and group supervision if pre-licensed

Requirements

• Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, or a related field
• Active Maryland license: LCSW-C, LMSW, LCPC, LGPC, LCMFT
• Minimum 1 year of experience providing therapy to children and adolescents
• Familiarity with trauma-informed care and school systems
• Strong cultural competence and commitment to culturally responsive care
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and clinical documentation skills
• Passion for increasing access to mental healthcare for underserved youth

Who We Are

We all walk around with an invisible backpack. It carries our emotional experiences, traumas, and unresolved feelings. Just like a physical backpack, it can become heavy and burdensome when filled with too many things. We created Backpack Healthcare to help lighten the load. We're reimagining mental healthcare for children, teens, and young adults by making high-quality care more accessible and meeting kids where they are—including at school. As a clinician-led, minority-owned company, our mission is simple: When clinicians thrive, kids thrive. At Backpack Healthcare, we're not just offering a job—we're offering purpose, flexibility, professional growth, and the opportunity to change lives every day.