Mental Health Practitioner

Bethune-Cookman University•Daytona Beach, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Bethune-Cookman University seeks a qualified, compassionate, and person-centered Licensed Mental Health Practitioner to join its Behavioral Health Services Department. The position provides comprehensive clinical mental health services to promote students' psychological well-being, emotional resilience, personal development, and academic success. The practitioner conducts clinical assessments, provides evidence-based individual and group psychotherapy, responds to behavioral health crises, develops individualized treatment plans, and coordinates referrals and supportive services. The role uses a culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and student-centered framework and collaborates with university departments, healthcare professionals, and community mental health providers to address students' psychological, social, developmental, and academic needs. The practitioner provides confidential counseling and psychotherapy, conducts bio-psychosocial and clinical assessments, develops and monitors treatment plans, maintains clinical documentation, and provides case management and care coordination. Crisis responsibilities include risk assessment, stabilization, safety planning, and coordination with emergency and community services when needed. The role also supports referrals, continuity of care, mental health promotion, prevention initiatives, workshops, campus consultation, and departmental evaluation activities. The practitioner works primarily within the University's Behavioral Health Services Department, providing in-person services and participating in campus outreach and crisis response. Occasional schedule flexibility may be required for campus programming, urgent clinical needs, or designated crisis response responsibilities. The practitioner reports to the Director of Behavioral Health Services.

Requirements

Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or a closely related clinical behavioral health field from an accredited institution.
Current, active, and unrestricted State of Florida licensure as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
At least two years of post-degree clinical or supervised counseling experience.
Demonstrated experience conducting clinical assessments, providing psychotherapy, developing treatment plans, and responding to behavioral health crises.
Strong working knowledge of evidence-based psychotherapy, mental health assessment, diagnostic formulation, and clinical treatment planning.
Competency in suicide risk assessment, crisis intervention, safety planning, and appropriate emergency referral procedures.
Knowledge of trauma-informed care, culturally responsive treatment, and ethical clinical practices.
Understanding of confidentiality and privacy requirements, including HIPAA and FERPA as relevant to university counseling records.
Ability to establish effective therapeutic relationships with students from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds.
Strong clinical documentation, organizational, interpersonal communication, and case management skills.
Ability to exercise sound professional judgment and work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary university environment.
Proficiency in electronic clinical documentation systems and standard office technology.
Ability to respond professionally to emotionally challenging situations, maintain appropriate clinical boundaries, protect confidential student information, and coordinate services across university and community settings.

Responsibilities

Provide confidential, evidence-based individual and group psychotherapy for students experiencing emotional, behavioral, psychological, or adjustment-related concerns.
Use clinically appropriate therapeutic interventions, including CBT, solution-focused interventions, trauma-informed approaches, and other evidence-based modalities.
Address common college mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, stress, relationship difficulties, adjustment disorders, and emotional dysregulation.
Facilitate therapeutic groups, psycho-educational workshops, and skill-building activities focused on stress management, emotional regulation, coping skills, resilience, and psychological wellness.
Provide culturally responsive counseling that recognizes students' backgrounds, experiences, identities, and developmental needs.
Conduct comprehensive bio-psychosocial and clinical mental health assessments of presenting concerns, psychosocial functioning, mental health history, and treatment needs.
Administer, score, and interpret appropriate standardized screening and assessment instruments within professional scope and competency.
Assess students for depression, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, substance use concerns, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and other behavioral health risks.
Formulate preliminary or formal clinical diagnoses, as appropriate and consistent with licensure, competency, and current diagnostic standards.
Determine appropriate levels of care and recommend counseling, psychiatric evaluation, crisis services, or specialized treatment.
Develop individualized, measurable treatment plans based on assessment findings and student-identified goals; monitor progress and modify interventions as clinically indicated.
Maintain timely, accurate, confidential, and comprehensive clinical documentation in the department's EMR or approved clinical documentation system.
Provide case management and coordinate behavioral health, psychiatric, medical, and community-based services for students who need them.
Collaborate with campus healthcare professionals, disability support services, student support personnel, and interdisciplinary teams while maintaining confidentiality requirements.
Ensure documentation and service delivery comply with professional standards, institutional policies, and federal and state regulations.
Provide timely clinical intervention, risk assessment, crisis stabilization, and supportive counseling for students experiencing acute distress or behavioral health emergencies.
Conduct suicide and violence risk assessments using established protocols and evidence-informed frameworks, including SAFE-T when appropriate.
Develop collaborative safety plans and coordinate follow-up services for students experiencing elevated behavioral health risks.
Assess situations requiring emergency psychiatric evaluation or involuntary examination under applicable Florida Baker Act provisions.
Coordinate emergency responses with campus safety personnel, emergency medical services, psychiatric receiving facilities, and community crisis providers as appropriate.
Participate in departmental crisis response protocols, consultation, and follow-up procedures to support continuity of care.
Identify students who need specialized psychiatric, psychological, substance use, or intensive outpatient treatment beyond the scope of university counseling services.
Facilitate referrals to community mental health providers, psychiatric specialists, hospitals, and treatment programs; coordinate warm handoffs and continuity of care when indicated and authorized.
Collaborate with campus and community partners and help students navigate barriers to treatment, including service access, insurance limitations, transportation, and continuity of care.
Participate in campus-wide mental health promotion, prevention initiatives, and psycho-educational programming.
Develop and facilitate workshops on stress management, test anxiety, emotional wellness, healthy relationships, coping strategies, suicide prevention, and resilience.
Collaborate with academic departments, Student Affairs, Campus Health Services, Resource (Disability) Services, and other campus stakeholders.
Provide consultation and educational guidance to faculty and staff on recognizing students in distress and making appropriate behavioral health referrals.
Support initiatives to reduce mental health stigma, strengthen help-seeking behaviors, and improve student wellness and academic persistence.
Maintain professional licensure and fulfill State of Florida continuing education requirements.
Adhere to ethical standards, confidentiality requirements, professional boundaries, and institutional policies.
Participate in clinical supervision or consultation, case conferences, departmental meetings, professional development, and quality improvement activities.
Maintain accurate service utilization records and contribute to departmental program evaluation and outcome reporting.
Demonstrate professional judgment, cultural humility, ethical decision-making, and a commitment to trauma-informed clinical practice.
Perform other related duties as assigned by the Director of Behavioral Health Services.