Position works 10 A.M. - 6 P.M. Monday - Friday

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: The work involves responsibility for coordinating mental health care services and treatment planning in a public school.  The incumbent assesses mental health concerns and recommends therapeutic and corrective measures while collaborating with families and outside providers.  The Mental Health Counselor may provide evaluative information to students’ doctors.  The work is performed independently under the appropriate license, is a collaboration with students’ licensed primary physicians or psychologists qualified in the specialty area.  The incumbent retains responsibility for the professional tasks performed within his or her scope of practice.  Does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:  

• Developing/implementing a comprehensive school counseling program;
• Working with students individually and in groups;  
• Participation in the annual review process and responsibility for updating Student Learning Plans; 
• Participation in the CSE process as appropriate; 
• Assisting students with personal goal setting and monitoring;
• Providing response services to include individual and small group counseling;  
• Consultation and collaboration with teachers, staff and parents/guardians;  
• Serving as a member of the School Based Support Team; 
• Providing classroom guidance instruction to students in several areas to include college and career readiness skills; 
• Assisting administrators with mediating student conflicts and partnering with parents to problem solve barriers to learning.  
• Develops a thorough developmental history with the School Based Support Team and family;
• Assesses data, discriminating between normal and abnormal findings;
• Assists in assessing mental health problems, and makes referrals to appropriate service providers;
• Assists in the development of an Independent Crisis Management Plan (ICMP) for students at risk of harming themselves or others, in collaboration with the District LCSW and/or Behavioral Specialist;
• Evaluates the ICMP for effectiveness, and institutes and supports the necessary adjustments or corrections;
• Follows up on student care by contacting providers and families and/or conducting home visits;
• Creates and maintains a variety of records and reports related to the work performed including case histories and medical charts;
• Participates in staff, quality assurance, peer review and other meetings;
• Acts as a resource person to staff regarding mental health care and provides mental health care training to staff as required;
• May instruct, guide and counsel students and/or their families regarding mental health matters.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of mental health diagnosis, assessment, and treatment; ability to recognize signs and symptoms associated with changes in the mental and emotional health of students and respond appropriately; ability to initiate and provide emergency mental care services; ability to understand and interpret complex oral instructions and/or written directions; ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; ability to create and maintain a variety of records and reports related to the work performed; ability to understand and empathize with the needs and concerns of others; in depth clinical knowledge in dealing with child and adolescent mental health; ability to collaborate with or lead a multidisciplinary team.

Social Worker Role

This position reports to the Pupil Services Division in a midsize urban school district located in the Capital region of Upstate New York. The social worker will work with teachers, parents, and school leaders to develop plans and strategies to improve students’ academic performance and social emotional development. Students and their families will be referred to the social worker to deal with problems such as aggressive behavior, bullying, or frequent absences from school. This position requires a high degree of self-awareness, knowledge on the educational impacts of trauma and creativity when it comes to addressing the needs of students.

Social Worker Expectations

• Successful intervention work with high poverty populations;
• Successful intervention work with students with mental health needs;
• Ability to articulate their understanding of and support for high academic expectations; through their work with students and families;
• Able to articulate the barriers and strategies for overcoming those barriers of working with students and families in an urban setting;
• Knowledge of and linkage to community agencies and resources available to families and children;
• Advocates for children and families;
• Skill in collection and analyzing data needed to plan for student centered interventions ability to articulate this to other staff;
• Must be able to implement classroom behavior modification strategies;
• Be the lead in developing and implementing FBA’s and BIP's;
• Work with students to build their resiliency and strengthen their assets to enable them to improve their pro-social skills within the school and community;
• Knowledge of Cognitive Behavioral Supports, Culturally Responsive Education Anti-Racist policies and Trauma sensitive practices; 
• Support classroom staff with classroom management practices; 
• Strengthen the bond between students and school through home visits, resulting in improved attendance.

Social Worker Key Qualities

• Able to be empathetic by caring, understanding, and cultivating an empowering environment for all students;
• Demonstrates patience with serious issues, students and families;
• Able to be dependable in ways that develop trust with students;
• Able to implement an organizational system to support both case management and student needs simultaneously;
• Being able to observe with skill and listen closely;
• Being able to make impartial informed decisions on behalf of students and families;
• Ability to be persistent and resilient when dealing with setbacks;
• Willing to be flexible and multitask as needed on demand;
• Ability to use a culturally responsive approach to develop relationships and execute interventions with fidelity; 
• Willingness to learn, in order to be relatable, flexible, personable and adaptable;
• Engages in continuous self-care.

School Psychologist Role

This position reports to the Pupil Services Division and school principal in a midsize urban school district located in the Capital region of Upstate New York. The School Psychologist will work with teachers, parents, and school leaders to develop plans and strategies to improve students’ academic performance and social emotional development. School Psychologist will possess the competencies necessary for serving the psychological and educational needs of children, adolescents and families.  School Psychologist will be a change agent for the district and assigned school. This position requires a high degree of culturally responsiveness, knowledge on the educational impacts of trauma and creativity when it comes to addressing the needs of students.

School Psychologist Expectations

• Assessment:  Administering psychological and educational assessments; 
• Consultative Skills:  Working with teachers, staff, and students to develop behavior plans;
• Intervention design and evaluation of programs to intervene both directly and indirectly with children's academic, behavioral, and emotional problems;
• Understanding of culturally diverse children, parents, teachers, and school personnel;
• Providing assessment and intervention solutions as part of their role as facilitator of the school-based support team;
• Demonstrate knowledge of special education regulations, processes, and procedures;

School Psychologist Key Qualities

• Able to be empathetic by caring, understanding, and cultivating an empowering environment for all students;
• Demonstrates patience with serious issues, students and families;
• Able to be dependable in ways that develop trust with students;
• Able to implement an organizational system to support both case management and student needs simultaneously;
• Being able to observe with skill and listen closely;
• Being able to make impartial informed decisions on behalf of students and families;
• Ability to be persistent and resilient when dealing with setbacks;
• Willing to be flexible and multitask as needed on demand;
• Ability to use a culturally responsive approach to develop relationships and execute interventions with fidelity; 
• Willingness to learn, in order to be relatable, flexible, personable and adaptable;
• Engages in continuous self-care.

CSE Chairperson Role

This position reports to the Pupil Services Division and school principal in a midsize urban school district located in the Capital region of Upstate New York. The School Psychologist will work with teachers, parents, and school leaders to develop plans and strategies to improve students’ academic performance and social emotional development. School Psychologist will possess the competencies necessary for serving the psychological and educational needs of children, adolescents and families.  School Psychologist will be a change agent for the district and assigned school. This position requires a high degree of culturally responsiveness, knowledge on the educational impacts of trauma and creativity when it comes to addressing the needs of students.

CSE Chairperson Expectations

• Assessment:  Administering psychological and educational assessments; 
• Consultative Skills:  Working with teachers, staff, and students to develop behavior plans;
• Intervention design and evaluation of programs to intervene both directly and indirectly with children's academic, behavioral, and emotional problems;
• Understanding of culturally diverse children, parents, teachers, and school personnel;
• Providing assessment and intervention solutions as part of their role as facilitator of the school-based support team;
• Demonstrate knowledge of special education regulations, processes, and procedures;

CSE Chairperson Key Qualities

• Able to be empathetic by caring, understanding, and cultivating an empowering environment for all students;
• Demonstrates patience with serious issues, students and families;
• Able to be dependable in ways that develop trust with students;
• Able to implement an organizational system to support both case management and student needs simultaneously;
• Being able to observe with skill and listen closely;
• Being able to make impartial informed decisions on behalf of students and families;
• Ability to be persistent and resilient when dealing with setbacks;
• Willing to be flexible and multitask as needed on demand;
• Ability to use a culturally responsive approach to develop relationships and execute interventions with fidelity; 
• Willingness to learn, in order to be relatable, flexible, personable and adaptable;
• Engages in continuous self-care.