School Based Mental Health Therapist

School Based Mental Health Therapist

Baltimore, MD; Columbia, MD; Ellicott City, MD

Hybrid | Fee-for-Service | Howard County, Maryland

Location: Howard County, MD — School-Based, Hybrid License Requirements: Active Maryland license required Compensation: Fee-for-Service W-2 + Monthly Bonus Potential

Bring Mental Health Care Where Kids Need It Most

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.

As a clinician-led, minority-owned organization, we're committed to creating an environment where clinicians feel supported, valued, and empowered to grow.

When clinicians thrive, kids thrive.

Compensation + Monthly Bonus Potential

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

Additional 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

Hybrid 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.

What You'll Do

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

What We're Looking For

We're seeking clinicians who bring strong clinical skills and a genuine passion for supporting children and families.

You'll need:

• 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.

How We Support You

Growth & Education CEU reimbursement, clinical supervision, consultation, and advancement opportunities.

Supportive Team Culture Be part of a collaborative community of clinicians and operators who genuinely care about the work.

Flexibility Combine meaningful in-person school-based care with telehealth flexibility.

Competitive Earning Potential Competitive fee-for-service compensation plus monthly bonus potential.

Ready to Make an Impact?

If you're ready to bring mental health care directly into schools, support children and families where they live and learn, and join a team committed to helping clinicians thrive, we'd love to hear from you.

Bring your clinical expertise. Bring your passion. We'll bring the support, referrals, and opportunity to grow.

Backpack Healthcare is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that the strength of our care depends on the diversity and wellbeing of our team. We celebrate differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, national origin, physical and mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, and other traits that make each person unique. We welcome and encourage diverse candidates to apply for any position for which they are qualified and to bring their unique perspectives, experiences, and talents to our team.