School Based Mental Health Counselor

Job Description

About KIPP Texas Public Schools KIPP Texas Public Schools is a free, public charter school network with more than 45 Pre-K–12 schools across Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. We prepare students for college, career, and beyond, and are committed to creating classrooms, offices, and communities rooted in academic success and joy.

Role:
School-Based Mental Health Counselor

The School-Based Mental Health Counselor identifies and assists students, families and school systems in overcoming barriers to learning through assessment, counseling, consultation, and coordination of school and community resources. They apply knowledge of human behavior and social-emotional competencies to guide service delivery and collaborate with the leadership team to support student and family needs.

• Conduct assessments of individuals and families to improve student social, emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes.
• Conduct reliable and valid assessments to inform the design of interventions and remove barriers to learning.
• Assess campus needs to prioritize service delivery.
• Provide consultation to school personnel, parents/guardians, and community partners to enhance understanding of student needs and develop effective interventions.
• Act as a liaison with community agencies to ensure continuity of services.
• Facilitate crisis response and provide follow-up crisis counseling and referrals to appropriate providers.
• Demonstrate evidence-informed practices in interventions.
• Utilize data to assess needs and plan interventions for individuals, groups, or the whole school population.
• Maintain accurate and timely records; safeguard privacy and confidentiality as required by law and policy.
• Demonstrate commitment to professional ethics and standards; meet minimum professional development requirements set by licensing boards.
• Adhere to state and district mandatory reporting requirements related to safety concerns.
• Utilize culturally informed practices and empower students and families to access school and community resources.

Required Education and Experience

• Must possess at least one of the following certifications or licenses: LMSW, LCSW, LCSW-S; LPC-I, LPC, LPC-S; or LMFT.
• Incumbent is responsible for maintaining active licensure throughout employment. If the incumbent is an LPC-I, they must maintain clinical supervision throughout employment.

Competency and Skills

This position requires knowledge of social services and programs to meet a range of mental health, physical health, academic, and social service needs, and knowledge of state, local, and federal laws affecting students. Experience in crisis response is required. Candidates must be able to conduct interventions across a broad range of settings in a professional and competent manner. They must work independently with persistence, self-motivation, and excellent communication, organization and time management skills, and collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team.

The role includes managing a student caseload for one campus.

• The physical demands described are representative of those required to perform the essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.
• Ability to move about inside and outside the school during the workday.
• Attend conferences, meetings, and training sessions both virtually and in person within the region.

• Reliable transportation is needed for travel between campuses.
• Ability to maintain emotional control under stress; work with frequent interruptions.

• Reports to the school site Monday–Friday.
• Typical school environment with frequent interruptions.

• Minimal travel; may travel to other school sites or regional offices for professional learning or meetings.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with options for employees and families.
• Competitive vacation and flexible paid time off (PTO).
• Paid family leave, flexible spending account or HSA, employee assistance programs.
• Other employee-paid benefits include legal plans, Life Lock identity protection, life and disability insurance.

KIPP Texas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability. If you need assistance applying, contact the Talent Team. Federal law requires reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities; please indicate if you require an accommodation to apply or perform job duties.