District Mental Health Counselor

About the role

The primary purpose of the District Mental / Behavioral Health Counselor is to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program for grant-funded campuses. The individual will counsel students to fully develop each student’s academic, career, personal, and social abilities and address the needs of special population students. Additionally, the Counselor will evaluate and administer a comprehensive mental health guidance and counseling program. The individual will counsel students and promote mental wellbeing inclusive of suicide prevention, grief, and positive behavior interventions.

Responsibilities

• Mental Health Promotion
• Substance Abuse Prevention
• Suicide Prevention
• Grief Informed and Trauma Informed Practices
• Building Skills Related to Managing Emotions, Establishing and Maintaining Positive Relationships, and Responsible Decision-Making
• Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
• Safe and Supportive School Climate
• Collaborate with campus staff and administrators to provide wrap around services for student’s needs
• Use accepted theories and effective techniques of developmental guidance to counsel individual students, small groups of students, and parents to plan, monitor, and manage a student’s own personal and social development
• Provide preventive, remedial, and crisis counseling as needed
• Coordinate school, home, and community resources and refer students, parents, and others to special programs and services as needed
• Work collaboratively to advocate for individual students and specific groups of students
• Plan, implement, evaluate, and promote continuous improvement of a balanced mental/behavioral guidance program
• Plan and conduct lessons that align to the RES mission and utilize the current curriculum for Character Virtues, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Stephen Covey and Capturing Kids Hearts in accordance with students’ developmental needs
• Compile, maintain, and file all reports, records and other documents as required
• Comply with mental health counseling policies established by federal and state law, state board of education rule, and board policy
• Comply with all district and campus routines and regulations
• Adhere to legal, ethical, and professional standards for school counselors including current professional standards of competence and practice
• Travel required
• Use all equipment required to perform job duties and tasks
• Meet physical demands; reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Valid Texas school counselor certificate
• 2+ years of teaching experience

Skills

• Knowledge of counseling procedures, student appraisal, and mental health
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to instruct students regarding their behavior
• Ability to present information in one-on-one, small group, and large group situations to students, parents, and district staff
• Ability to advise and instruct staff on mental wellness best practices