[2026-2027] Licensed School-Based Mental Health Clinician (Lead)

Effective School Solutions • Westport, CT

5h • Onsite

About The Position

Effective School Solutions (ESS) is seeking a Lead Clinician/Social Worker to join their team. ESS is a leading provider of school-based mental health services for K-12 students across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and West Coast regions. The company's mission is to offer higher acuity clinical care within public school buildings, similar to what students would receive in private practice or private school settings. This role involves providing clinical services to a small group of students with significant behavioral and emotional needs, as well as coaching, training, and education to the school community to foster a more trauma-attuned environment. All ESS clinicians collaborate with a seasoned clinical management team and receive extensive training on the organization's protocols and service model.

Requirements

• Must have 3+ years of experience treating children and/or adolescents with significant behavioral and emotional challenges.
• Must hold a clinical license in social work (LMSW/LCSW), counseling (LPCA/LPC) or marriage and family therapy (LMFTA/LMFT) in the state the services are being provided.
• Experience providing training and coaching to educational professionals and parents/caregivers on student mental health issues.
• Significant knowledge and experience in trauma-attuned modalities (TAM).
• Effective problem-solving and communication skills.
• Experience working with students and families, plus community mental health and social service agencies.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office and comfortable using a computer.
• Must be able to complete thorough clinical documentation.

Nice To Haves

• Worked in or has experience collaborating with school districts preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads weekly consultation sessions focused on student goals and documentation compliance with assigned clinician(s).
• Delivers clinical interventions consistent with needs of the student and family, in a safe and ethical manner that promote and sustain academic and mental health stability.
• Demonstrates competency in: Group Therapy, Individual Counseling, and Family Counseling.
• Provides family programming with monthly evening Parent Support groups.
• Understands continuum of mental health services, referring students and family to an appropriate level of care in coordination with their supervisor (such as: substance abuse services and/or IOP/PHP/In-Patient).
• Optimizes the collaboration and coordination of the interdisciplinary team to enhance the environment of student care.
• Demonstrates a commitment to developing strong working relationships with school administration, district leadership, teachers, and paraprofessionals.
• Consults with school administrators, teachers, and staff (including clinicians) on mental health and trauma-attuned modalities (TAM) in their school community.
• Provide coaching and training to school administrators, teachers, and staff on mental health issues, and protocols.
• Provide coaching and training on mental health issues to caregivers, guardians, and parents.
• Participates in and at times leads, team meetings including but not limited to: Administrative School Meetings, ESS Town Hall meetings, ESS Supervision Meetings, and Treatment Team meetings.
• Submits Clinical Documentation in a timely manner, aligned with the electronic medical record.
• Maintains current professional license and adheres to ethical standards in accordance with the governing board.
• Consistently attends work on scheduled day and time, in professional attire and with a professional demeanor.
• Participates in learning opportunities provided by ESS, such as Supervision Groups, and treatment planning, that will advance knowledge of clinical interventions and skills throughout the school year.
• Collects the necessary data: grades, discipline, attendance, to ensure all metric goals are met
• Participates in completing clinicians’ performance evaluations
• Demonstrates the ability to develop action plans when data falls below ESS standards
• Prepares relevant data in preparation for coordinator meetings

Benefits

• ESS provides staff with excellent career growth opportunities.
• ESS provides extensive time off tied to the school calendar, with limited summer hours.
• ESS prioritizes and gives value to a clinician’s work-life balance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees