High School Mental Health Counselor, LPC or LCSW required

About the role

EQA Schools seeks a highly skilled counselor to provide individual and group counseling to its students and to provide leadership to the school’s trauma-informed approach. More than half of EQA School’s students have behavioral struggles. A large percentage of students suffer from PTSD or C-PTSD due to exposure to high levels of neighborhood violence. In a city and state which lack appropriate mental health, crisis, and wrap-around services, EQA Schools believes it has more responsibility than schools normally do for providing high quality mental health services to its students.

This position is designed to join a team consisting of a combination of full and part time individuals such as: school counselors, deans of students, family coordinators, attendance coordinators, psychologists, and Special Education personnel. EQA School’s culture is based on restorative approaches and all staff are selected for and trained in working with students with high levels of need and trauma.

Responsibilities

• Assessment: Select psycho-social assessments informed by the impact of race, gender, and social injustice on the family and youth; complete psycho-social assessments on every student every semester; assess needs, characteristics, and interactions of students, families, staff, and community; use DSM V and current research to accurately assess student needs; conduct compliant and productive Functional Behavior Assessments; maintain electronic and paper records of assessments and share with students, families, and staff as appropriate.
• Resources: Research and vet resources and build partnerships with high quality providers; collaborate with team to ensure all students are connected with appropriate referrals, supports and resources; track referral outcomes and advocate for students and families to ensure they receive appropriate care; assist students in accessing formal and informal community resources.
• Interventions & Counseling: Design effective intervention strategies for students, parents, and staff; serve on SBLC to review student needs and make decisions regarding interventions, placements, and supports; manage caseload of short and long term cases; provide high quality individual counseling using cognitive behavioral therapy or other best practices; design and provide high quality group counseling around student needs including grief, trauma, substance abuse, conflict resolution, anger management using CBT and other best practices; engage families, do home visits, mediate with family members and otherwise include families in students’ growth and development; provide all services in ways that build upon students’ individual strengths and assets.
• Crisis Prevention and Intervention: In collaboration with students, families, and staff, design crisis plans for high needs students; train students and staff to handle crisis in safe, restorative, and appropriate ways.
• Staff training and consultation: Design and provide training for staff on trauma informed care, mental health issues, best practices, and secondary trauma; consult with staff and leaders on issues such as attendance, confidentiality, ethnicity and diversity, mental health, behavioral management, discipline, crisis intervention, and child abuse and neglect.
• Program Management & Accountability: Design evaluation systems and collect and analyze data to ensure evidence-based decision making; collect, communicate, and analyze student records and data to ensure appropriate student progress; conform to the National Association of Social Work Code of Ethics and Standards for School Social Work practice; maintain appropriate communication and confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA, FERPA, state law and school policy.
• Constantly Develop your Craft: Set goals for student development and professional growth; actively reflect on your own work and monitor progress toward goals; productively seek, give, and use feedback; positively contribute to the school’s collegial community; participate in all scheduled professional development activities and seek out additional opportunities; involve yourself in the continual development and improvement of the school’s curriculum, culture, and program.

Position Requirements

Education & Experience

• 5–10+ years experience effectively counseling adolescents with mental health, behavioral health, and trauma issues
• Experience with restorative approaches, SAMSHA’s 6 Principles of Trauma-Informed Approaches, and effective, culturally responsive interventions for adolescents with CPTSD
• Experience in schools preferred but not required
• LCSW or LPC required; all Louisiana certification/licensure must be in good standing

Skills & Approach

• Passion for improving educational opportunities for urban students and for being a part of a strong, mission-driven team
• Commitment to EQA’s mission, vision and growth
• Demonstrated record of effective collaboration with diverse teams and with building effective partnerships
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Careful, detail-oriented data/file/information management
• Flexible and learning mindset focused on effective and innovative problem solving
• Dedicated to continually growing as a professional and as a servant leader