African American/Black Culture -School Based Mental Health Consultant, George Middle School & Peninsula Elementary

Multnomah County•Portland, OR

1d•$41 - $51•Onsite

About The Position

THIS WORK MATTERS! We seek leaders, achievers and doers who bring skill and passion to a challenging and evolving environment. At the Multnomah County Health Department we are all inspired by the mission: We work with communities to advance health equity, protect the most vulnerable, and prompt health and wellness for everyone and we uphold the values: Compassion and Care, Empowerment, Racial Equity, Creativity and Integrity. And create a culture of respect, trust and understanding for the highly diverse population we serve in our communities. Our team is recruiting clinicians for the role of African American/Black Culture - School Based Mental Health Consultant. In this capacity, you will deliver comprehensive mental health support to students and their families within educational environments. This 0.80 FTE position (2026-27), split between George Middle School and Peninsula Elementary, focuses on serving at-risk youth and families, specifically targeting those who are uninsured or Medicaid-eligible. Responsibilities encompass conducting clinical assessments and screenings, providing individual, family, and group therapeutic interventions, and offering expert consultation to school personnel. Furthermore, you will facilitate essential connections between families and community resources. You will also lead prevention, education, and outreach initiatives designed to foster healthy mental development for students and staff. All clinical work is performed in a culturally competent manner with African American/Black communities. This position requires advanced knowledge of and experience working with the African American/Black community. This would be demonstrated by knowledge of the traditions, values, and customs of the community being served as well as the ability to identify specific examples of experience (professional and lived) working directly with individuals and families who identify with the African American/Black community. Schedules for this .80 FTE (32-hour) role are structured Monday through Thursday to align with the operational requirements of designated Multnomah County elementary and middle schools.

Requirements

Must meet the standards of Qualified Mental Health Professional - (QMHP - C) with the Mental Health & Addiction Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO)
Current QMHP-C, and/or licensed Board of Oregon (LPC, LCSW, CSWA, LPC Associate, PHD, etc)
Graduate degree in psychology or Graduate degree in social work or counseling or Graduate degree in a behavioral science field
Must have a minimum of two (2) years post graduate work experience
Ability to demonstrate proficiencies independent of on-site supervision and oversight in: Providing direct mental health treatment services to youth-based clients in an outpatient setting experiencing diagnosable mental health conditions
Providing assessment, intervention, and safety planning for youth presenting with risk for suicide
Clinical treatment interventions addressing mental health diagnosis and conditions that are rooted in evidence-based treatment modalities.
This position requires a Background Investigation, which may include being fingerprinted.
Advanced knowledge of and experience working with the African American/Black community. This would be demonstrated by knowledge of the traditions, values, and customs of the community being served as well as the ability to identify specific examples of experience (professional and lived) working directly with individuals and families who identify with the African American/Black community.
Understands cultural, racial and ethnic factors, including systemic advantage or disadvantage; acculturation, intergenerational immigrant family challenges, effects of trauma during immigration, war, separation from family and/or primary supports, detention, refugee camps, etc.; generational trauma, and any factors related to non-dominant culture affecting mental health and treatment.

Nice To Haves

Advanced knowledge of the traditions, values and customs of the community being served as well as having a close affiliation with and membership in the African American/Black community.
Advanced knowledge of the African American/Black community, historical and current barriers to mental health services and has knowledge of the traditions, values and customs specific to this population.
Respect and appreciation for ethnic and cultural diversity
Ability to apply an equity, intersectional and anti-racist lens
Ability to provide information/referrals to community mental health providers.
Crisis intervention, including risk assessment of clients who may be involved in potentially life threatening situations
Advanced skills in managing sensitive information and ability to support the community.
Knowledge of cultures, customs and social experiences of communities experiencing marginalization and barriers to opportunity
Ability to exercise good judgment, diplomacy, and tact in dealing with sensitive, complex, confidential information and situations, in addition to acting professionally, and empathically, with individuals, internal/external partners and communities

Responsibilities

Provide holistic prevention and treatment services—including assessment, DSM diagnosis, clinical treatment using evidence based modalities (e.g. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and crisis intervention—for school-aged children, adolescents, and their families.
Facilitate individual, family, and group therapy, psycho-educational groups, environmental interventions, and case management tailored to the specific needs of enrolled clients.
Ensure all clinical work, outreach, and engagement strategies are delivered through a culturally responsive lens specifically designed to support the African American/Black community.
Utilize standardized outcome-based care tools and clinical assessment metrics to monitor treatment efficacy and inform ongoing clinical planning.
Maintain accurate, timely, and compliant treatment records and service notes within the electronic health record in EPIC accordance with all federal, state, and departmental policies.
Determine appropriate levels of care, including urgent interventions, and coordinate effectively with the Multnomah County Student Health Center and external partners to ensure seamless continuity of care.
Provide expert guidance to school staff and community professionals—such as physicians, child welfare workers, and juvenile justice representatives—on navigating complex mental health systems and determining appropriate levels of care.
Interpret mental health terminology, diagnostic categories, and psychological testing results to support school staff and teams in effective case planning.
Develop and implement proactive, tailored behavior management strategies for both individual students and classroom settings to support academic and social success.
Offer expert intervention techniques to resolve complex clinical, educational, or administrative system issues, as well as challenging student and family situational problems.
Identify and facilitate access to relevant community resources, ensuring students and families are connected to the specific support they need.
Lead and participate in regular meetings with school-based site staff (e.g., School Counselors, Health Center teams) and multi-agency partners to ensure integrated and consistent support for students and families.
Deliver comprehensive mental health education—including conflict resolution, parent education, and parenting classes—to students, families, and the community at large.
Facilitate time-limited psycho-educational and support groups designed to foster positive mental health development.
Partner with school staff to design and execute educational outreach services that support long-term student wellness.
Participate in individual and group supervision with clinical leadership to review cases and refine practice.
Attend all mandatory team meetings, training, and professional development sessions.
Ensure timely completion of all administrative documentation, including timekeeping and mileage reports.
Prepare and maintain accurate quantitative data to support tracking, contract compliance, and key performance outcomes.
Provide field supervision and performance evaluations for Master’s level interns in collaboration with academic instructors.
Complete additional administrative and operational duties as assigned to support program goals.