Military and Family Life Counselor - Child/Youth and School

About the role

This position supports schools associated with Fort Jackson, SC. Candidates must be local or willing to become local to Fort Jackson and hold an independent-level license in any state as a Mental Health Counselor, Therapist, or Social Worker. The primary responsibility is providing the full breadth of Child and Youth Behavioral (CYB) counseling services to children of all ages of military service members and their families at military installations and off-installation locations. Services include non-medical counseling, training/health and wellness presentations, consultation with parents, personnel, schools, and installation command regarding behavioral health issues affecting children and youth. CYB School counselors are assigned to Department of Defense (DoDEA) schools and community schools and must have experience working in a school setting. Assignments also include youth programs, summer camps, and on-demand assignments. Counselors work closely with installation and military branch Points of Contact (POC) to ensure the program operates within scope and meets installation and school needs.

Responsibilities

• Provides non-medical, short-term, solution-focused counseling directly to eligible children and youth of service members at assigned primary and secondary locations.
• Conducts assessment, brief counseling and consultation, action planning, referral to resources (ensuring linkage as appropriate), and follow-up as indicated.
• Supports staff and personnel of DoDEA, community schools, and summer camps; provides parent training and guidance.
• Delivers training and health and wellness presentations; participates in health fairs and other base/installation activities focused on children and youth.
• Enters counselor activity data daily via smartphone or web application to ensure accurate reporting while maintaining confidentiality and anonymity of service/family members.
• Establishes and maintains working relationships with community resources focused on children and youth; provides appropriate linkages.
• Maintains consistent visibility within the school, abiding by line-of-sight protocol (another adult responsible for the child must be able to see the counselor and child at all times).
• Partners with the POC to provide CYB services that address the needs of the installation/facility.
• Develops an effective, professional working relationship with the installation/facility POC.
• Manages duty-to-warn and restricted reporting situations according to DoD protocol; staffs cases with Regional Supervisor/Regional Director.
• Communicates with Regional Supervisor and participates in regular individual and group supervision, sharing information on trends and issues across assigned installations and facilities.
• Responds to critical incidents and special requests as directed by the POC and approved by the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) program manager.
• Flexes schedule to respond to urgent requests as needed or at the request of the Regional Supervisor/Regional Director.
• Participates in regular in-services/training, Quality Improvement committees, initiatives, studies, pilot programs, and other contract activities as assigned (including pilot program certification, activity documentation, integration of pilot activities, and use of applicable technology).
• Performs all other duties as