Counselor Mental Health Court

Salary is $73,000 plus a $5,000 licensing stipend.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• 5 days of Paid Time Off
• 16 Paid Wellness Days and Holidays (including the week of Christmas off)
• 403b retirement plan
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Year-round employee wellness and appreciation initiatives

About the Role

This is a professional clinical position providing clinical assessments exclusively to individuals referred to Mental Health Court to determine acceptance into the program. Additionally, the Counselor will provide short-term counseling as needed to individuals assigned to Mental Health Court until they are linked to needed service providers, including community mental health, specialty programs for mental health or substance use disorders, private practice providers, or a medical home addressing all health needs (physical and behavioral).

The Counselor for Mental Health Court is part of a teaming model that includes an Intensive Case Manager. The Counselor and Intensive Case Manager will work in partnership with individuals assigned to Mental Health Court to identify and address all unmet needs, ensuring their success in the program and reducing recidivism within the criminal justice system.

The Counselor is responsible for providing 1-2 brief treatment sessions per week per individual for a period not to exceed 12 weeks, while the Intensive Case Manager connects the individual to longer-term community mental health or substance use services. The Counselor must remain up-to-date on all court actions and meet with individuals in various community settings, including shelters for the homeless, residential programs, jails, or in the individual’s home.

The Counselor will collaborate with the entire Mental Health Court team to ensure the individual’s overall success and remove identified barriers. They are responsible for keeping the Court informed of all progress or regress related to treatment by providing verbal and written progress notes to the Intensive Case Manager, which become part of formal court proceedings.

The Counselor will serve a minimum of 40 unique individuals per year.

Directions for Living is an essential services provider. All employees must be willing and able to provide vital support and essential services to the people served in the event of an emergency, pandemic, or other disaster situation.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field required.
• Sufficient clinical knowledge to provide clinical interventions to adults involved in the criminal justice system due to mental illness or co-occurring substance use disorders.
• Clinical knowledge of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and other research-supported or evidence-based treatments.