Mental Health Counselor (Part-Time)

Mt. Hood Community College•Gresham Campus, OR

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Mental Health Counselor provides accessible, student-centered mental health support to MHCC students in collaboration with faculty counselors and staff in the College’s Career Planning and Counseling Center (CPCC). The temporary position is anticipated to run from early January through mid-June 2027 and is part-time and onsite at the MHCC Gresham campus. The counselor provides brief, short-term, primarily appointment-based, in-person counseling, crisis assessment and intervention, safety planning, consultation, and connections to campus and community resources. The role assesses students’ needs and refers them to community providers, crisis resources, medical providers, or higher levels of care when appropriate. The counselor also supports students with related personal, academic, developmental, or resource-navigation concerns and may provide outreach, consultation, and educational programming as time and assignment needs allow.

Requirements

Master’s degree in counseling, counseling psychology, clinical mental health counseling, social work, psychology, or a closely related behavioral health discipline from an accredited institution.
Two years of experience providing mental health counseling; relevant supervised clinical internship or practicum experience may count toward this requirement.
Current Oregon licensure in good standing as an LPC, LCSW, or psychologist; or current Oregon-recognized pre-licensure/associate status permitting mental health counseling under an established supervision arrangement; or equivalent out-of-state licensure in good standing and ability to obtain Oregon licensure before the start date.
Knowledge of current practices in brief mental health counseling, crisis intervention, suicide-risk assessment, safety planning, and referral.
Ability to assess student needs and respond appropriately to students experiencing emotional distress or mental health concerns.
Ability to provide culturally responsive and inclusive counseling to students from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Knowledge of professional ethics, confidentiality, boundaries, and appropriate counseling documentation.
Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with students, counselors, College employees, and community providers.
Ability to use appropriate technology and counseling systems for scheduling, documentation, and communication.

Nice To Haves

Community college or higher education counseling experience.
Experience providing brief or short-term mental health counseling.
Experience providing crisis intervention, suicide-risk assessment, safety planning, and referrals to community or higher levels of care.
Experience using electronic counseling records, scheduling, or clinical documentation systems.
Bilingual or multilingual skills in English and Spanish, or another language meeting community needs, such as Russian, Vietnamese, or Arabic.

Responsibilities

Provide brief mental health counseling and support for students facing personal, emotional, relational, situational, academic, or other concerns affecting their well-being and educational success.
Use culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and student-centered approaches with students from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Conduct crisis assessment and intervention, including assessing suicide, self-harm, and other immediate safety risks.
Develop safety plans, support stabilization, and facilitate follow-up or referrals.
Provide primarily appointment-based, in-person counseling in the Career Planning and Counseling Center; provide same-day initial intake, assessment, and support when appropriate.
Assess student needs and determine appropriate levels of care, including referrals to community mental health providers, crisis resources, medical providers, or specialized or longer-term services.
Maintain timely, accurate, and confidential counseling documentation using College-approved scheduling, case documentation, and recordkeeping systems, consistent with applicable standards.
Collaborate and consult with faculty counselors and appropriate College personnel about student support, crisis response, and continuity of care while maintaining confidentiality and professional boundaries.
Participate in CARE/Behavioral Intervention, Title IX, or other College support processes as appropriate and consistent with professional responsibilities and confidentiality requirements.
Maintain knowledge of campus and community mental health resources and help students connect with appropriate services.
Provide consultation, educational programming, outreach, or other mental health-related support to the College community as time and assignment needs allow.
Participate in Counseling Center meetings, case consultation, training, and other activities supporting coordinated student services.
Work collaboratively with Counseling Center staff and other College departments to support student access, persistence, and well-being.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.