Life Counselor

Communities In Schools of San Antonio•San Antonio, TX

2d•$43,900 - $70,762•Onsite

About The Position

The Life Counselor provides counseling and case management services to opportunity youth facing obstacles to personal success at the NXT-Level Center, a multi-department City of San Antonio and nonprofit collaborative. The position maintains clinical counselor licensure. An LPC-Associate or LMSW in this role must receive supervision from a clinical supervisor approved by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors or the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners. The role provides individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, intake and assessment, individualized service planning, trauma-informed services, and connections to community resources. The Life Counselor collaborates with Life Coaches and program partners, monitors participant progress, evaluates program effectiveness, and supports program operations, reporting, partner coordination, and accurate case-file and data maintenance. This is a full-time, exempt salaried position. Work is generally Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., depending on location. Daily hours may need to be adjusted for the work site, and the position may occasionally require long hours and weekend work. Travel is primarily local during the business day, though some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected.

Requirements

Minimum master's degree in social work, counseling, or a related field.
Three years of experience in a related field.
LPC, LMFT, or LCSW licensure, or current licensure through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors or Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners; LPC-Associates and LMSWs must be on an applicable clinical supervision plan and receive clinical supervision.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Knowledge of client groups and issues related to the program area.
Proficiency with computers for word processing, databases, spreadsheets, email, and internet use.
Experience with at-risk populations and cross-cultural environments.
Ability to demonstrate empathy toward clients, their challenges, and viewpoints.
Experience identifying barriers to success among at-risk populations, developing practical solutions and action plans, providing support, and advocating for resources.
Ability to set priorities, manage multiple responsibilities, meet deadlines, and work with minimal supervision.
Ability to communicate effectively to understand needs, convey information, and collaborate on solutions.
Adaptability to diverse work environments, frequent changes, and varied leadership styles.
Experience working with youth and young adults.
Willingness to follow the CIS-SA model, adapt to client and system changes, and coordinate in a collaborative team environment.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional and ethical behavior in all interactions and interventions.
Reliable transportation.
Ability to pass a criminal history background check.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual ability in Spanish and English.
Experience collecting and analyzing data to inform decision-making and intervention strategies.
Knowledge of social-service resources that support social, emotional, and academic needs.

Responsibilities

Provide individual and group counseling to targeted participants and crisis intervention during critical situations.
Conduct intake and assessments, including use of the ACEs Assessment tool, to establish service baselines.
Assess participants and create Individual Service Plans to provide or coordinate services supporting academic re-entry, post-secondary education, employment, or training.
Provide case management that connects opportunity youth with community resources addressing their assessed needs.
Develop and implement individualized and group trauma-informed services.
Collaborate regularly with Life Coaches to gather recommendations, share participant updates, and identify participants who may benefit from counseling.
Monitor and document participants' progress toward counseling and case-management goals, and evaluate program effectiveness.
Adhere to contractual and grant provisions and assigned budgetary requirements.
Implement, manage, and report information for assigned grants and projects; meet contract obligations and prescribed caseload and goal deadlines.
Maintain program quality and submit accurate required reports.
Stay informed about program developments and updates from the NXT Level Site Lead, NXT Level Center partners, and CIS-SA; communicate relevant updates and successes to the Site Lead.
Coordinate with outside agencies, businesses, volunteers, interns, and NXT-Level partners to provide direct services, referrals, and collaborative case-management support.
Maintain strategic collaborations with businesses, universities, and community organizations to create opportunities for youth.
Coordinate and communicate with partners to support effective collaboration and integrated services.
Orient volunteers and community partners to CIS-SA and NXT Level program policies.
Coordinate in-kind donations supporting participant needs and program activities.
Follow documentation policies and procedures, collect required forms and demographic information, and enter required service and Individual Service Plan information into the approved database.
Establish and maintain accurate, complete, and current youth files, and obtain service sign-in sheets in accordance with program procedures.
Manage timecards, attend required meetings and trainings, complete required programmatic reports, and plan expenditures and maintain budgets.
Maintain required licensure through relevant professional development and clinical supervision, including attendance at required CIS-SA Clinical Supervision sessions.
Exhibit CIS core values of passion, compassion, collaboration, optimism, and adaptability.