Assignment Readiness Counselor - Short Term or On Demand

Magellan Health • Virginia Beach, VA

3d

About The Position

The Assignment Readiness Counselor (ARC) provides coverage for short-term, surge, and on-demand military needs, including post-deployment events and coverage for counselors who are absent. The Summer ARC position covers assignments from May 15 through September 15, coinciding with school summer break. Counselors may cover assignments of varying lengths, from a weekend to two weeks, and may work in adult or Child and Youth Behavioral (CYB) counseling roles at military installations and related sites.

With minimal guidance and oversight, the counselor provides non-medical, short-term, solution-focused services to military service members and their families. Services include assessment, brief counseling, consultation, action planning, referrals and follow-up as indicated. Additional duties may include training and health and wellness presentations, consultation with parents and personnel at child daycare centers and schools, and consultation to installation command about behavioral health issues affecting military personnel and their families.

CYB counselors may work in DoDEA and community schools, youth programs, summer camps, and other on-demand assignments. They support children, youth, parents, and staff, and must follow line-of-sight protocols when working with children. Adult counselors may support MFLC services at military community and readiness centers and take on surge or on-demand assignments. Counselors work with installation and military branch Points of Contact (POCs) to ensure services are within scope and meet installation needs.

The counselor maintains community-resource relationships, handles duty-to-warn and restricted-reporting situations according to DoD protocol, consults with regional supervisors, participates in supervision and assigned training or program activities, and responds to critical incidents and special requests as directed. Counselor activity data must be entered daily through a smartphone or web application while maintaining client confidentiality and anonymity. Additional duties aligned with the role may be assigned.

Requirements

• Master’s degree from an accredited graduate program in a mental-health-related field or social work.
• Current independent-level licensure as a Social Worker (LCSW, LICSW, LCSW-R, or LICSW-CP), Mental Health Counselor (LPC or LMHC), Therapist (LMFT), or equivalent independent licensure; licensure must meet applicable state, Commonwealth, or customer-specific requirements.
• Clinical work experience.
• Ability to accept assignments on short notice, including assignments of undefined duration and weekend work.
• Ability to cover full-time assignments ranging from a weekend to two weeks.
• Ability to build rapport quickly with service personnel, family members, students, parents, and coworkers.
• Adaptability to new work conditions, location rules, and differing work environments.
• Ability to work effectively with minimal instruction and guidance and to listen carefully to instructions.
• Ability to engage and communicate quickly with military members, spouses, or children and respond to emergent situations at military installations or in school settings.
• Ability to traverse short or long distances on installations, including indoor and outdoor areas, rugged or uneven terrain, steep inclines, stairs, and grass, and to work in outdoor weather and other military-base conditions.
• Ability to comply with site-specific requirements; some assignments may require current immunizations or vaccinations and proof of receipt.
• Ability to prove U.S. citizenship and fluency in English.
• Advanced knowledge of brief therapy and solution-focused counseling methods.
• For CYB positions, ability to meet Magellan MFLC CYB experience criteria for working with children and youth and specialty criteria in child and adolescent development or psychology.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Ability to establish a trusted, approachable presence while maintaining the program’s confidentiality; for CYB assignments, availability to children, youth, and staff in child and youth settings.

Nice To Haves

• Prior military service, being a military family member, or strong familiarity with military culture.
• For CYB roles, experience with children and youth and a specialty in child and adolescent development or psychology, as required by Magellan MFLC CYB criteria.

Responsibilities

• Provide short-term, surge, and on-demand coverage for military counseling needs, including coverage for absent counselors and post-deployment events.
• Provide non-medical, short-term, solution-focused assessment, counseling, consultation, action planning, referrals, resource linkages, and follow-up to service members and their families.
• Deliver training and health and wellness presentations and participate in health fairs and other installation activities.
• For CYB assignments, support children, youth, parents, and staff in schools, daycare centers, youth programs, and summer camps, including parent training and guidance.
• Consult with parents, school and daycare personnel, and installation command about behavioral health issues affecting military personnel and families.
• Coordinate with installation and military branch POCs to provide services that meet site needs and remain within program scope.
• Establish and maintain relationships with community resources and provide appropriate referrals and linkages.
• Enter counselor activity data daily using a smartphone or web application while maintaining confidentiality and anonymity.
• Manage duty-to-warn and restricted-reporting situations according to DoD protocol and staff cases with a Regional Supervisor or Regional Director.
• Communicate with Regional Supervisors and participate in individual and group supervision, sharing information about trends and issues at assigned locations.
• Participate, with minimal notice, in in-services, training, Quality Improvement committees, or other assigned contract activities.
• Respond to critical incidents and special requests as directed by the POC and approved by the OSD program manager.
• For CYB work with children, follow line-of-sight protocol.

Benefits

• Pay rate and health and welfare allowance are specified in the applicable wage determination agreement for this Service Contract Act-covered position.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level