School Based Therapist/Behavioral Health Counselor

About the role

Kitsap Mental Health Services is seeking a School-Based Behavioral Health Counselor II or Therapist to provide ongoing behavioral and therapeutic support to children enrolled in our program. The ideal candidate is dedicated to improving the mental well-being of young individuals and making a positive impact.

Responsibilities

• Meet with referred students to assess needs and make appropriate referrals as needed, including but not limited to primary care doctor, outpatient mental health counseling, wraparound intensive services, and substance abuse treatment;
• Provide brief intervention, crisis intervention, and trauma support;
• Provide in-school voluntary family, individual, and group counseling as indicated depending on the student's needs. The counseling techniques will include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and builds emotional regulation skills in children, and Motivational Interviewing;
• Collaborate with school district personnel to implement plans to support students;
• Participate in interventions as necessary to encourage students to follow the school expectations;
• Identify issues that impede the student's successful social and emotional behavior and assist in creating plans that address these issues;
• Partner with the families of students enrolled in the program as necessary. Help families learn skills to assist the student outside of school, build a stronger relationship with the school system, and access appropriate resources for their students. This may include conducting family meetings, providing outreach to family homes, coordinating with other systems, or helping connect the family with additional resources or services;
• Provide guidance/coaching to school faculty as requested. This may include classroom observations, faculty presentations, and participation in family staffing or multidisciplinary team meetings;
• Document client progress to maintain a permanent record of client activity according to established policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Behavioral Health Counselor: Bachelors Degree in Psychology, social services, or behavioral health field. Experienced (minimum 3 years of job-related experience);
• Treatment Therapist: Master's Degree in Psychology, social services, or a mental health field. Experienced (minimum 2 years of job-related experience).

Skills

• Knowledge of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Motivational Interviewing;
• Ability to drive clients in a personal vehicle on behalf of the agency, meeting all agency driving requirements;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Strong organizational and time management skills;
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Coverage: Health, Dental & Vision;
• Generous PTO: 8 weeks of vacation in the summer, plus scheduled school-year breaks (2 weeks in winter and 1 week in spring), and 80 hours of sick leave annually (pro-rated for part-time employees).

Pay

This position follows a 92% compensation structure to align with the academic calendar year and scheduled working hours. The hiring range for Behavioral Health Counselor II is $26.89 - $33.61 per hour, and for Therapist is $29.58 - $36.97 per hour. A sign-on bonus of $3,000 is available for new hires.

Schedule

The schedule for this position is flexible and may vary based on the needs of the school district and the individual's availability.