Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Registered Clinical Counselor

🎯 Role Definition

A Registered Clinical Counselor (RCC) provides client-centered, evidence-based mental health assessment and psychotherapy to individuals, couples, families and groups across the lifespan. The RCC conducts comprehensive intake assessments, develops and executes individualized treatment plans, performs risk and safety assessments, documents clinical progress in electronic health records, collaborates with multidisciplinary teams (psychiatrists, primary care, social services), and participates in program development, quality improvement and clinical supervision. The role requires strong clinical judgment, adherence to regulatory and ethical standards, cultural humility, and the ability to manage complex clinical caseloads across in-person and telehealth settings.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Mental Health Worker / Mental Health Technician
Case Manager or Care Coordinator
Master's-level counseling intern or practicum student

Advancement To:

Senior Clinical Counselor / Lead Therapist
Clinical Supervisor or Team Lead
Program Director / Director of Clinical Services

Lateral Moves:

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)
Behavioral Health Program Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct thorough intake assessments including biopsychosocial history, mental status exam, substance use screening, and standardized assessment tools; synthesize findings into diagnostic impressions aligned with DSM-5 criteria.
Develop individualized, measurable treatment plans based on assessment data and client goals; update plans regularly and document clinical rationale for treatment changes.
Provide evidence-based individual psychotherapy (e.g., CBT, DBT-informed interventions, trauma-focused therapies, ACT) tailored to client needs, developmental level and cultural context.
Facilitate group therapy sessions and psychoeducation groups on topics such as coping skills, relapse prevention, grief processing, and parenting strategies.
Deliver family and couples therapy when indicated, conducting systemic assessments and working with multiple family members to improve functioning and communication.
Perform ongoing risk assessment for suicide, self-harm, harm to others and abuse; develop safety plans, engage crisis services when needed, and document actions taken.
Coordinate care with psychiatrists, primary care providers and other community agencies for integrated treatment planning, medication management and social supports.
Provide crisis intervention, stabilization and short-term therapy in urgent situations; participate in on-call rotations as required.
Maintain timely, complete and legally compliant clinical documentation in the electronic health record (EHR), including progress notes, treatment plans, consent and release forms, and discharge summaries.
Track clinical outcomes using measurement-based care tools, monitor symptom change, and adjust treatment plans based on progress data.
Complete clinician-required paperwork for third-party payers, submit claims or collaborate with billing staff to ensure accurate CPT coding and authorization compliance.
Conduct discharge planning and transitions of care, provide relapse prevention planning, and make referrals to appropriate community resources or higher levels of care.
Provide case management services including benefits navigation, housing and vocational referrals, coordination with child welfare or criminal justice systems when applicable.
Supervise and mentor practicum students, counseling interns and less-experienced clinicians; provide regular clinical supervision and case consultation consistent with licensing board requirements.
Participate actively in multidisciplinary team meetings (treatment team rounds, care conferences) to review cases, share clinical perspectives and align care plans.
Implement trauma-informed and culturally responsive interventions; adapt therapeutic approaches to meet the needs of diverse populations, including LGBTQ+, veterans, refugees and culturally specific communities.
Lead or contribute to quality improvement initiatives, clinical audits, utilization reviews and chart reviews to maintain clinical standards and improve outcomes.
Deliver telehealth services via secure platforms, ensuring confidentiality, informed consent for telehealth and adherence to jurisdictional telepractice regulations.
Maintain professional licensure/registration and continuing education credits; participate in training on evidence-based modalities, ethics, mandated reporting and risk management.
Advocate for clients with external agencies (schools, employers, legal representatives) and represent the program in community outreach, education and interagency meetings.
Ensure compliance with HIPAA and other privacy laws; maintain strict confidentiality and professional boundaries while documenting any mandated reporting or disclosure events.
Participate in program development by helping design therapeutic groups, treatment pathways, referral protocols and clinical policies that support best practices.

Secondary Functions

Support program-level reporting by compiling utilization, outcome and productivity metrics for clinical leadership.
Assist with development and delivery of staff training, case presentations and clinical competency workshops.
Help maintain or develop clinical resource libraries, client handouts and structured therapy curricula.
Contribute to business development and community outreach efforts to grow referrals and partnerships.
Participate in safety drills, emergency preparedness and agency compliance activities.
Collaborate with quality assurance to respond to client complaints, grievances and incident reports.
Engage in research or program evaluation projects as needed to support evidence-based practice.
Support electronic health record optimization by providing end-user feedback on clinical documentation workflows.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Clinical assessment and diagnostic formulation using DSM-5 criteria.
Development of individualized treatment plans and measurable goals.
Proficiency delivering evidence-based therapies (e.g., CBT, DBT-informed strategies, trauma-focused CBT, ACT, Motivational Interviewing).
Risk assessment and safety planning for suicide, self-harm, domestic violence and child/adult protection concerns.
Group therapy design and facilitation skills.
Case management and care coordination across behavioral health, primary care and social services.
Documentation proficiency in electronic health records (EHRs) and understanding of CPT codes and payer authorization processes.
Telehealth/teletherapy competency and knowledge of telepractice regulations.
Measurement-based care and the use of standardized outcome measures (PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5, etc.).
Familiarity with psychopharmacology basics to collaborate effectively with prescribing providers.
Experience with substance use assessments and relapse prevention planning.
Regulatory compliance knowledge (HIPAA, mandated reporting, privacy and confidentiality standards).

Soft Skills

Strong clinical judgment and ethical decision-making.
Empathic listening and trauma-informed, culturally humble practice.
Excellent verbal and written communication, including concise clinical note writing.
Collaborative team orientation and ability to give and receive clinical feedback.
Time management and caseload prioritization under competing demands.
Conflict resolution and de-escalation skills in high-intensity situations.
Adaptability to changing clinical, regulatory and technological environments.
Resilience, self-awareness and commitment to professional growth.
Client advocacy and motivational skillset to engage ambivalent clients.
Attention to detail and organizational skills for accurate documentation and billing.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Master’s degree in Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy or closely related mental health field from an accredited institution.

Preferred Education:

Graduate-level training with practicum/internship hours in clinical settings; additional coursework or certification in evidence-based modalities (CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care) preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Clinical/Counseling Psychology
Counseling (M.Ed., M.A.)
Social Work (MSW)
Marriage and Family Therapy
Psychiatric Rehabilitation

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5+ years of post-master’s supervised clinical experience working with diverse mental health populations; some roles accept 0–2 years with strong practicum experience.

Preferred:

3+ years providing direct psychotherapy in outpatient, community mental health, substance use treatment, school-based or inpatient settings.
Experience supervising interns, conducting group therapy and working in integrated care or multidisciplinary teams.
Prior experience with EHR documentation, insurance authorizations and productivity expectations.

Licensure & Certifications

Current registration or licensure as required by jurisdiction (e.g., Registered Clinical Counselor [RCC], Licensed Professional Counselor [LPC], Licensed Clinical Social Worker [LCSW], or equivalent). Must meet supervised hours requirement for title where applicable.
Basic Life Support (BLS) or Crisis Intervention Training preferred depending on agency.
Continuing education commitments consistent with licensing board requirements.

Note: This job description is structured to support optimized candidate search and applicant tracking systems (keywords: Registered Clinical Counselor, psychotherapy, CBT, DBT, risk assessment, treatment planning, telehealth, EHR, case management). Adjust responsibilities and credential requirements to reflect local licensure laws and organizational needs.