QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in Counseling or related counseling field from a recognized, accredited college or university.
• A valid Texas Certificate as a Professional School Counselor is required.
• Licensed Professional Counselor or Licensed Professional Counselor Associate by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors/Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council is required.
• A minimum of two (2) years of successful experience as a classroom teacher is preferred.
• A minimum of three (3) years of related experience in the area of counseling connected with education is preferred.
• Visionary leadership in public schools to work with faculties, families, and communities of the 21st century.
• Applicant is responsible for maintaining active licensure throughout employment.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Probationary/Term Contract: 210 days

Salary:

$66,631 IA-4

Salary Range (based on experience) as set by the Board of Trustees for the school year 2022-2023

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Advanced oral and written communication skills.
• Exhibits good listening, negotiation, and collaboration skills.
• Demonstrates ability to work with diverse individuals and community groups.
• Displays professionalism, remains composed under stress, and takes responsibility for delivering on personal and organizational commitments
• Able to work independently and possesses organization/time management and prioritization skills.
• Basic computer skills including Microsoft office applications.

This position requires thorough knowledge of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD policies, procedures and academic requirements, district and campus organizational structures, and available campus and community resources. Applicant must have a thorough knowledge of social service programs available to meet a range of mental health, physical health, academic, and social needs, as well as knowledge of state, local, and federal laws impacting the lives of students (e.g. laws regarding child abuse and neglect). Applicant must also have experience in crisis response. Applicant must have the ability to conduct interventions within a broad range of settings in a professional manner and with acumen.

Applicant must be able to work independently demonstrating persistence, self-motivation, and excellent communication, organizational, and time management skills. Applicant must work effectively within a multidisciplinary team, maintain appropriate boundaries, and serve as a liaison between school and community. Applicant must be able to manage a student caseload for multiple campuses simultaneously.

The primary role of a Mental Health Intervention Counselor is to assist with identifying and offering support to students, families, and the school systems in an effort to overcome barriers that interfere with learning through the use of assessment, counseling, consultation, and coordination of school and community resources. The Mental Health Intervention Counselor utilizes knowledge of human behavior, and social, emotional, and community systems to guide service delivery. The applicant must have general knowledge of, and function within the district’s crisis response framework, and structure interventions accordingly.

KEY COMPONENTS:

• Crisis Counseling
• Resource Referrals
• Skill Building
• Grief and Loss
• Disaster Education, Awareness, and Assistance

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Conducts S & R Assessments of individuals and families with the goal of improving student social, emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes.
• Conducts reliable and valid assessments of students and families to inform the school designee of interventions to remove barriers to learning.
• Completes assessment of campus needs to prioritize service delivery.
• Provides consultation to school personnel, parents/guardians, and community partners for the purpose of enhancing their understanding of student needs, developing effective interventions, and building school aptitude.
• Collaborates with campus administration to increase accessibility and effectiveness of services.
• Acts as a liaison with community agencies to ensure continuity of services.
• Serves on the district crisis team when instructed.
• Serves on the Mental Health Intervention Team.
• Facilitates crisis response at designated vertical team campuses, as well as providing support as needed during district-wide crisis.
• Demonstrates the understanding and use of evidence-informed practices in their interventions.
• Utilizes data in assessing the needs of, and planning interventions for individual students, groups, and/or the whole school population.
• Designs and provides professional development and workshops for administrators, faculty, and community members to support the understanding of social and emotional barriers to learning.
• Maintains accurate, complete, and punctual records, as well as safeguards the privacy and confidentiality of information as required by law, district policy, and licensing requirements.
• Demonstrates a commitment to the values and ethics of the individual’s professional code of ethics.
• Meets the minimum professional development requirements as set forth by the licensing board.
• Adheres to state and district-mandated reporting requirements as they pertain to safety concerns.
• Ensures that students and their families are provided services within the context of multicultural understanding and competence.
• Utilized evidence-informed practices, skills, and techniques that reflect the understanding of the role of culture in the helping process.
• Empowers students and families to gain access to and effectively utilize school and community resources.
• Focuses on student safety.
• Delivers individualized support using services in Harris County.
• Follow up with students to ensure student’s needs are met and provide follow-up to counseling visits as indicated including arranging a consultation with specialists.
• Communicate with students, facilitating family communication.
• Provide counseling to individuals identified by the school administration.
• Interpret individual and family medical and psychosocial histories and communicate with the administration regarding risk concerns.
• Provide counseling and support psychosocial needs.
• Maintains documentation of therapeutic services provided.
• Recognizes signs and symptoms of chemical dependency disorders.
• Assesses all chemical dependency needs of student patients, using the twelve core functions.
• Keep the psychologist team informed of the student’s status.
• Provides counseling services for, but not limited to, confusion, disorientation, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, mood disturbances, behavior disturbances, and bizarre and agitated behavior.
• Monitor student progress. Identifies and helps develop students’ education materials.
• Fosters safe work and school environment.
• Tracks data for all consulted students and logs information within the appropriate databases as indicated.
• Provides statistical data to appropriate persons; reports on required data at identified meetings.
• Serves as primary contact and liaison for specified mental health concerns from schools to the community in regard to counseling.
• Facilitates the identification of high-risk behavior.
• Assists in classroom and/or behavioral management planning with parents and professional personnel.
• Uses computers in job-related activities.
• Attends meetings: Counselor, Administrative, Team, and Faculty as instructed.
• Provides personal and developmental counseling services through individual and group conferences.
• Works cooperatively with professional personnel and community resource personnel in the prevention and/or intervention of drug abuse and school dropouts.
• Provides crisis counseling and/or consultant services.
• Provides for small groups and classroom guidance programs to emphasize personal and social development; i.e., learning to be responsible for one’s behavior, orientation, effective study methods, stress management, and decision-making.
• Maintains the necessary lines of communication between the home and the school to enhance the development of the student.
• Works closely with the school psychologist, homebound teachers, diagnostician, attendance office, Youth Services Specialist, and all ancillary personnel to help students with special concerns.
• Organizes and conducts parent study groups when there is an interest or need.
• Consults with the school psychologist on identified students and coordinates the referral process for psychological services.
• Works cooperatively with middle/high school counselors on the placement of students to ease the transition from elementary to middle school/middle to high school.
• Coordinates and advises parents and teachers of referral sources available beyond those that school counselors can provide (outside agencies, Child Welfare, psychological and medical assistance, etc.)
• Explains the role of counselors to appropriate agencies, the community, and to school staff members – public relations.
• Reports child abuse cases to the Children’s Protective Services and involves the Youth Service Specialists when necessary.
• Attends conferences and workshops as recommended by the administration.
• Follows up with detention and suspension of students on behavior by reviewing inappropriate behavior with the students.
• Provide education and behavioral health interventions to support and increase students’ efficacy, including health action plans, change interventions, case coordination, and discharge planning.
• Provide substance abuse and dependency counseling as needed.
• Possesses knowledge and insight of the importance of thorough risk assessments for suicide and homicide.
• Understands crisis intervention techniques.
• Evaluates for self-injurious or harmful behaviors.
• Provide crisis intervention counseling and/or education with adults, children, and families experiencing emotional disturbances, mental illness, or problems related to substance abuse.
• Provide intervention in cases involving child abuse/neglect, domestic violence, elderly abuse, institutional abuse, and sexual assault.
• Serve as a resource person and provide crisis counseling and work effectively as part of the Mental Health Intervention Team, communicating regularly with staff, students, and parents.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Regular and reliable attendance is an essential job function.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:
Maintain emotional control under stress. Work with frequent interruptions. Occasional prolonged and irregular hours. Transportation will be required.

DEADLINE TO APPLY:

Until Filled

Applications will be reviewed.

Not all applicants will be interviewed.

Hiring Managers may choose to email you regarding this application. Please monitor your email regularly for any communication.