Mental Health Counselor, Student Accessibility And Support Services - Mcdaniel College

Job Description:

The Mental Health Counselor for Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS) participates in the full range of generalist counseling service delivery, along with specific expertise in clinical interventions for students with disabilities including those with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, learning disabilities, chronic mental illness, and other elements of neurodiversity. Duties of this Mental Health Counselor include the provision of innovative clinical services to students registered with SASS, including goal-focused individual therapy, crisis intervention, group therapy and skills workshops, as well as campus-wide outreach programming and consultation. This position is embedded within SASS and works in concert with the teams of SASS and the Wellness Center in addition to other campus partners to provide an integrated approach to supporting the holistic well-being of a diverse community of learners that leverages students' resilience and other key skills and increases their level of functioning, autonomy, and capabilities.

General Mental Health Counseling Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides intake assessments and effective treatment planning within the Pathways to Care model of comprehensive mental health services.

• Provides individual and group counseling to students presenting with a variety of personal, social, academic, and mental health concerns.

• Provides case management and appropriate referrals to off-campus providers as needed.

• Provides crisis assessment, intervention, and consultation as needed during working hours and on-call rotation for evenings and weekends.

• Seeks immediate consultation with the Director of the Wellness Center in situations where there is imminent concern for a student's safety or the safety of others.

• Uses a culturally responsive and social justice framework in providing mental health services. Attention is given to the impact of systemic inequality, racism, and discrimination as well as identity-specific sources of strength and resilience.

• Designs and executes innovative mental health and wellness educational programs tailored to the specific experiences of students from marginalized populations with particular attention to empowered collaboration with student groups through the Wellness Liaison Program.

• Delivers educational outreach programming for the campus community on a variety of topics related to mental health and wellbeing and actively participates in orientation activities and other college-wide programs.

• Provides professional consultation to faculty, staff, college administrators, and family members of students as needed.

• Establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with local hospitals, substance abuse and mental health agencies, and mental health professionals.

• Maintains accurate, adequate, and timely documentation of treatment records including assessment, treatment plans, progress notes, correspondence with others, and termination records.

• Follows professional ethics, state laws, FERPA, and McDaniel College Wellness Center procedures for the administration and documentation of treatment records.

• Contributes to the Clinical Training Program through task supervision, training, consultation, and clinical supervision (if appropriate requirements are met).

• Maintains professional licensure and credentials in good standing including the completion of required continuing education credits.

• Observes state and national statues and guidelines related to professional role, code of ethics, and confidentiality including FERPA.

• Attends weekly Clinical Consultation meetings, regular Counseling Services staff meetings, Wellness Center staff meetings, and departmental and divisional professional development sessions and other meetings assigned by supervisor.

• Actively participates in orientation activities and other divisional programs.

• Generates up-to-date and accurate reports as needed.

• Serves as a member of campus committees as assigned.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Mental Health Counselor, Student Accessibility and Support Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops, implements, and evaluates clinical services, outreach, and training to meet the identified mental health needs of students with physical, mental, emotional, and developmental disabilities including those with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, learning disabilities, chronic mental illness, and other elements of neurodiversity.

• ·Recognizes the strengths of students with disabilities as well as their challenges and utilizes best practices and current research in supporting their academic and social/emotional needs.

• Reviews clinical documentation from community mental health professionals and attends SASS intake meetings with students and families in order to collaborate with the SASS team to develop and implement individualized plans to support the mental health and behavioral needs of students.

• ·Maintains availability within the SASS office to provide in-the-moment brief intervention, crisis response, drop-in hours, outreach, and consultation for SASS students.

• ·Provides neurodiversity and disability informed intakes, single sessions, initial assessments, short-term individual counseling, group therapy, crisis intervention, and referral services to students registered with Student Accessibility and Support Services.

• Facilitates psycho-educational groups, support groups, and skills training for students with various neurodivergent conditions with a particular focus on social skills development.

• Utilizes both flexible and goal-oriented approaches to individual treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, social skills training, executive functioning support, and interpersonal therapy.

• Provides consultation to faculty, staff, administration, and families regarding the mental health and well-being needs of SASS students.

• Educates the campus community about neurodivergence and disability issues, helping to create and sustain a welcoming, accessible, and supportive environment for all students.

• Collaborates with the teams of SASS and the Wellness Center to optimize the care provided to students.

• Consults with providers in the community to facilitate continuity of care.

• Contributes to the professional development of Wellness Center and SASS staff through the provision of didactic training and seminars, with a particular focus on building competencies for support and intervention with students with disabilities and neurodiversity.

The hiring range for this 12-month, salaried position is $69,160-$72,800.

Requirements:

Qualifications

• PhD, PsyD, MSW, or M.A. in Mental Health Counseling or related field.

• Independently licensed to practice in the state of Maryland: LCSW-C, LCPC, or licensed psychologist.

• Two or more years of experience providing mental health treatment to individuals with disabilities including Autism Spectrum, Learning Disabilities, and ADHD.

• Demonstrate a profound understanding of and experience in supporting the specific mental health and wellness needs of individuals from marginalized populations (BIPOC, LGBTQIA, first generation, etc.).

• Two or more years of experience managing crisis situations.

• Effective interpersonal and cultural competency skills and demonstrated ability to communicate professionally with diverse populations of students, parents and other constituencies.

• Experience working with database, tracking and counseling software.

• Ability to provide on-call coverage and emergency response.

Working Conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is routinely working in a normal office environment with minimal exposure to adverse conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal.

Physical Abilities

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

• Sitting for long periods of time.

• Some bending and stooping when working with files.

• Limited lifting involved but not more than 10 pounds at a time.

Additional Information:

McDaniel College is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the student body. McDaniel College, in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, and employment of students, faculty, and staff in the operation of any of its educational programs and activities. McDaniel College will not tolerate any discrimination or harassment on basis of any protected status including protective hairstyle, race, religion, color, ancestry or national origin, disability, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, military status, genetic information, marital status, veteran's status, or any other actual or perceived legally protected characteristics. For more information on the College's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, please visit this link.

Application Instructions:

Completed applications must include the following: cover letter addressing position qualifications and related experience; resume, names and contact information of three professional references, and a completed job application. Review of applications begins immediately and continues until position is filled.