School Based Mental Health Counselor

Job Description

About the Role: Every member of the Team & Family at KIPP Texas Public Schools plays a critical role in ensuring our students have the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose - college, career and beyond. Our educators are passionate advocates for their students and their families, working tirelessly to ensure our students have access to opportunity. In our classrooms and across the KIPP family we embrace, honor and celebrate our differences across several characteristics that construct our unique identities in our little and big KIPPsters.

We are especially committed to attracting and developing individuals who share the life experiences of our students because we believe the best work we do is grounded in the realities and experiences of our families and KIPPsters.

The primary role of the School-Based Mental Health Counselor is to identify and assist students, families and school systems in overcoming barriers that interfere with learning through the use of assessment, counseling, consultation, and coordination of school and community resources. The School-Based Mental Health Counselor utilizes knowledge of human behavior, social and emotional competencies, and community systems to guide service delivery.

They are an integral part of supporting the whole child and collaborate with the multidisciplinary leadership team to provide guidance, recommendations, and support for student and family needs.

• Conduct assessments of individuals and families with the goal of improving student social, emotional, behavioral and academic outcomes.
• Conduct reliable and valid assessments of students and families to inform the design of interventions to remove barriers to learning.
• Complete assessments of campus needs to prioritize service delivery.
• Provide 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 capacity.
• 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 the use of evidence informed practices in their interventions.
• Utilize data in assessing needs of, planning interventions for individual students, groups, and/or whole school population.
• Maintain accurate, complete and punctual records, as well as safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of information as required by law, District policy, and licensing requirements.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the values and ethics of the individual’s professional code of ethics.
• Meet the minimum professional development requirements as set forth by the licensing board.
• Adhere to state and District mandating reporting requirements as they pertain to safety concerns.
• Utilize evidence-informed practices, skills, and techniques that reflect the understanding of the role of culture in the helping process.
• Empower students and families to gain access to and effectively utilize school and community resources.

• LMSW, LCSW, LCSW‑S
• LPC‑I, LPC, LPC‑S
• LMFT

Incumbent is responsible for maintaining active licensure throughout employment. If the incumbent is a LPC‑I they must maintain their own clinical supervision throughout employment.

This position requires candidates to have knowledge of social services and programs available to meet a range of mental health, physical health, academic, and social service needs, as well as knowledge of state, local, and federal laws impacting the lives of students. Candidates must also have experience in crisis response. Candidates must have the ability to conduct interventions within a broad range of settings, in a professional manner and with competency.

Candidates must be able to work independently demonstrating persistence, self‑motivation, and excellent communication, organization and time management skills. Candidates must work effectively within a multidisciplinary team, maintain appropriate boundaries, and serve as a liaison between school and…