How to hire a psychosocial rehabilitation counselor

How to hire a psychosocial rehabilitation counselor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step psychosocial rehabilitation counselor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a psychosocial rehabilitation counselor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new psychosocial rehabilitation counselor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a psychosocial rehabilitation counselor job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a psychosocial rehabilitation counselor, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A psychosocial rehabilitation counselor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, psychosocial rehabilitation counselors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of psychosocial rehabilitation counselor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Counselor	Description	Hourly rate
   Psychosocial Rehabilitation Counselor	Rehabilitation counselors help people with physical, mental, developmental, and emotional disabilities live independently. They work with clients to overcome or manage the personal, social, or psychological effects of disabilities on employment or independent living.	$16-30
   Counselor/Art Therapist	A counselor/art therapist is responsible for conducting art sessions as part of patients' therapy treatments, letting them express their human nature and emotions through artistic discovery. Counselors/art therapists guide the patients throughout their recovery process, identifying their needs and conditions by analyzing their crafts... Show more	$26-52
   Counselor/Case Manager	A Counselor provides advice for coping with everyday situations, relationships, health challenges, or disabilities of patients. Case Managers develop, monitor, and evaluate treatment plans and the progress of patients within the social service departments, healthcare companies, hospital networks, etc.	$15-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Social Work
   • Rehabilitation
   • PSR
   • Community Resources
   • Federal Guidelines
   • Group Therapy
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Mental Health Issues
   • DBT
   • Clinical Assessments
   • Substance Abuse
   • Severe Mental Illness
   • Client Behavior
   • Skill Building

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage litigation involving the agency, and drafts bills and amendments for legislative consideration.
   • Provide group and individual counseling to patients receiving medication assist therapy through comprehensive recovery-orient and trauma inform treatment planning and implementation.
   • Provide leadership to provide psychological, physical and cognitive rehabilitative services to individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your psychosocial rehabilitation counselor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A psychosocial rehabilitation counselor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, psychosocial rehabilitation counselors' average salary in oklahoma is 47% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level psychosocial rehabilitation counselors 45% less than senior-level psychosocial rehabilitation counselors.
   • Certifications. A psychosocial rehabilitation counselor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a psychosocial rehabilitation counselor's salary.

   Average psychosocial rehabilitation counselor salary

   $47,497yearly

   $22.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level psychosocial rehabilitation counselor salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a psychosocial rehabilitation counselor job description

   A psychosocial rehabilitation counselor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a psychosocial rehabilitation counselor job description:

   Psychosocial rehabilitation counselor job description example

   *Family Services of Westchester (FSW)* is looking for Psychosocial Rehabilitation Staff for our Respite Program located in White Plains, NY.
   
   _The Psychosocial Rehabilitation_ _(PRS)_ _Staff will be part of __the Child and Family Treatment and Support Services_ _team providing supervision, support, and social skills building for children between the ages of 5-17 who are struggling with serious emotional disturbance (SED)._
   
   _Psychosocial Rehabilitation __Services __(__PRS__) are designed to restore, rehabilitate, and support a child's/youth's developmentally appropriate functioning as necessary for the integration of the child/youth as an active and productive member of __their __family and community with the goal of achieving minimal on-going professional intervention. __PRS_ _activities are focused on addressing the rehabilitative needs of the child/youth as part of a treatment plan and can be provided in coordination with treatment interventions by a licensed practitioner_
   *RESPONSIBILITIES: *
   
   * Work within a team and/or individually, providing supervision/engagement during recreational activities for SED children in one of our programs - varied flexible hours available weekdays after school, weekends (_Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday daytime_), school vacations and summer break.
   * Submit the mandatory program forms, log reports, petty cash records, and progress notes daily
   * Staff Schedules and Progress notes are entered in the CareLogic, electronic health record database.
   * Work individually or in groups with children & adolescents to build skills, promote resilience andrestore, rehabilitate, and support a child's/youth's developmentally appropriate functioning
   * Potential to become part of support circle for children, including additional supportive contact
   * Hours for this position are non-traditional and require flexibility in response
   * Must meet with supervisor monthly and attend monthly staff meetings
   * Submit your schedule weekly to program supervisor
   * Maintain FSW agency vehicles cleanliness and document vehicle usage and maintenance needs.
   * Use of personal vehicle may be required but agency will provide mileage reimbursement.
   * This position may require use of personal vehicle with reimbursement for mileage.
   
   *REQUIREMENTS: *
   
   * Minimum 21 years old
   * Experience with the SED population preferred. Experience working with children in a recreational or educational setting strongly preferred
   * Initial orientation and supervision as well as training sessions are required.
   * Mandated Reporter training required
   * Cultural awareness and sensitivity
   * Ability to set boundaries and limits, to work collaboratively with others, and to communicate information clearly in a strength-based, sensitive way, both orally and in writing
   * Ability to connect with people, recognizing and building on their individual strengths.
   * Consistency and dependability - being responsible to meet obligations and honor commitments
   * Have a great sense of humor
   
   *MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: *
   
   * *COVID-19 *vaccination is required to work at Family Services of Westchester, Inc. Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 must be submitted as part of employment application.
   
   *JOB TYPE: * Per Diem
   
   (Commitment to 1 client minimum) = 1 (five-hour shift) per week
   
   *REQUIRED EDUCATION: *
   
   * HS Diploma
   * Some College (Preferred)
   * Bachelor's in Social Work or Related Field (Preferred)
   
   *REQUIRED EXPERIENCE: *
   
   * Minimum three years' experience in children's mental health, addiction, and/or foster care
   
   *REQUIRED LICENSE OR CERTIFICATION: *
   
   * Valid Driver's License (any state)
   
   _At FSW, we enjoy working in a collaborative, mission-driven environment and value the benefits of a diversified workplace that prioritizes our clients and the communities we serve. If you want to make a difference in the lives of thousands of people across the communities of Westchester, and if this position speaks to your capabilities, experience and commitment to social service, please submit an application. Qualified candidates will be contacted by phone and/or email_.
   
   _Family Services of Westchester is an equal opportunity employer._
   
   Job Type: Full-time
   
   Pay: $32,690.96 - $146,953.29 per year
   
   Benefits:
   * Dental insurance
   * Flexible spending account
   * Health insurance
   * Life insurance
   * Paid time off
   * Retirement plan
   * Vision insurance
   Schedule:
   * 8 hour shift
   
   COVID-19 considerations:
   COVID-19 VACCINATIONS REQUIRED.
   
   Ability to commute/relocate:
   * White Plains, NY 10603: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
   
   Application Question(s):
   * At FSW, we require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to work at any of our locations. Are you able to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination?
   
   Education:
   * Bachelor's (Preferred)
   
   License/Certification:
   * Driver's License (Preferred)
   
   Work Location: One location

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right psychosocial rehabilitation counselor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your psychosocial rehabilitation counselor job on Zippia to find and recruit psychosocial rehabilitation counselor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting psychosocial rehabilitation counselors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new psychosocial rehabilitation counselor

   Once you've decided on a perfect psychosocial rehabilitation counselor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new psychosocial rehabilitation counselor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a psychosocial rehabilitation counselor?