Military and Family Life Counselor - School

About the role

This position is in person at schools affiliated with Fort Benning. Candidates must be local or be willing to relocate to become local and must be licensed at the independent level as a Social Worker (LCSW), Therapist (LMFT), or Mental Health Counselor (LPC).

Responsibilities

• Provide 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 military installations.
• Offer non-medical counseling, training/health and wellness presentations, consultation with parents, personnel, schools, and consultation to installation command regarding behavioral health issues affecting children and youth.
• Be assigned to Department of Defense (DoDEA) schools and community schools, and youth programs, summer camps, and on-demand assignments.
• Work closely with the installation and military branch Points of Contact (POC) to assure that the program is provided within scope and meets the needs of the installation and the schools.
• Provide non-medical, short-term, solution-focused, counseling directly to eligible children and youth of service members at assigned primary and secondary locations.
• Support the staff and personnel of DoDEA, community schools, summer camps (if available/assigned) as well as provide parent training and guidance.
• Offer training and health and wellness presentations, participate in health fairs and other base/installation activities focused on children and youth.
• Enter counselor activity data daily through smart phone, or web application, to assure that reporting is accurate from assigned installation while maintaining confidentiality and anonymity of service/family member.
• Establish and maintain working relationships with community resources focused on children and youth and provide appropriate linkages.
• Consistently visible within the school which allows MFLC services to be accessible when working with children, the counselor must abide by line of sight protocol (another adult with responsibility for the child must be able to see the counselor and child they are working with at all times).
• Partner with POC to provide CYB services in a manner that addresses the needs of the installation/facility.
• Manage duty to warn and restricted reporting situations according to DoD protocol and staff the cases with Regional Supervisor/Regional Director.
• Communicate with Regional Supervisor and participate in regular individual and group supervision, sharing information regarding trends and issues on the installations and in facilities to which they are assigned.
• Respond to critical incidents and special requests as directed by the POC and approved by the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) program manager.
• The CYB will flex schedule to respond to urgent requests as needed or at the request of the Regional Supervisor/Regional Director.
• Participate in regular in-services/training, Quality Improvement committees, initiatives, studies, pilot programs other contract activities as assigned/appropriate as directed by the customer and/or Magellan.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree from an accredited Graduate Program in a Mental Health related field.
• Valid unrestricted independent counseling license from a State, District of Columbia, US Territory or Commonwealth that grants authority to provide counseling services as an independent practitioner.
• Less than 2 years of post-licensure clinical experience.
• Demonstrate intermediate-level competencies in technology and software (i.e., Microsoft Suite, Internet navigation, Smartphone/Tablet and application navigation, video-conferencing platform navigation).
• Able to engage and communicate with military members or children as assigned, in order to accomplish job functions, and to respond quickly to emergent situations in any physical location on a military installation and/or within a school setting, which includes the need to traverse short and/or long distances within the base to both indoor and outdoor locations, to maneuver through rugged, outdoor or uneven locations (e.g., steep inclines, stairs, grass), and work in outdoor weather and other military base conditions.
• Pass a National Agency Check and Inquiries (NACI) Clearance, and an Installation Records Check (IRC), Criminal Background Check, and FBI Fingerprints Check.
• Vehicle Operator's License Requirement: Unless specifically waived by the FEDSIM COR, all contractor personnel providing counseling support at Government locations shall possess a valid U.S. state vehicle operator’s license.
• Must meet the Magellan MFLC CYB criteria for experience with children and youth and specialty in child and adolescent development/psychology.
• School assigned counselors must have past work experience in a school setting to qualify for assignment.

Qualifications

Due to the nature of working on military installations or related worksites, counselors may need to comply with various site-specific requirements to work at designated locations. For example, for some assignments, counselors will need to have certain current immunizations or vaccinations and provide record of receipt.

Skills

• Ability to engage and communicate with military members or children as assigned, in order to accomplish job functions, and to respond quickly to emergent situations in any physical location on a military installation and/or within a school setting, which includes the need to traverse short and/or long distances within the base to both indoor and outdoor locations, to maneuver through rugged, outdoor or uneven locations (e.g., steep inclines, stairs, grass), and work in outdoor weather and other military base conditions.
• Understanding, sensitivity and empathy for service members and their families.
• Ability to develop trusting, helping relationships.
• Ability to work with individuals and families from diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Benefits

N/A

Pay

TBD

Schedule

N/A