Military And Family Life Counselor - School Counselor -Fort Eustis, VA

VetJobs•Newport News, VA

13d•$59,922 - $100,280•Onsite

About The Position

The Military and Family Life Counselor (MFLC) School Counselor provides the full breadth of Child and Youth Behavioral (CYB) counseling services to children of military service members and their families at military installations and off-installation locations. The counselor may be assigned to Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools, community schools, youth programs, summer camps, and other on-demand assignments. School-assigned counselors must have previous experience working in a school setting. The role provides non-medical, short-term, solution-focused counseling to eligible children and youth. Services include assessment, brief counseling and consultation, action planning, referrals and linkage to resources, and follow-up as indicated. The counselor also supports school and youth-program staff, provides parent training and guidance, delivers health and wellness presentations, and participates in health fairs and installation activities. The counselor works with installation and military branch Points of Contact (POCs), community resources, schools, and supervisory staff to ensure services address local needs and remain within program scope. The position requires maintaining confidentiality and anonymity, recording activity data daily, following line-of-sight protocols while working with children in schools, and managing duty-to-warn and restricted-reporting situations in accordance with DoD protocol. The counselor participates in supervision, training, quality-improvement work, and other assigned contract activities, and may respond to critical incidents or urgent requests with schedule flexibility. The role requires a master's degree in a mental-health-related field and a valid, unrestricted independent counseling license. Candidates must meet the program's CYB experience criteria and have a specialty in child and adolescent development or psychology. The posting lists a salary range of $59,922 to $100,280.

Requirements

Master’s degree from an accredited graduate program in a mental-health-related field; the posting lists behavioral health or social work as required education.
Valid, unrestricted independent counseling license from a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. territory, or commonwealth, authorizing independent practice.
Less than two years of post-licensure clinical experience.
Meet Magellan MFLC CYB criteria for experience with children and youth and specialty in child and adolescent development or psychology.
Previous work experience in a school setting is required for school-assigned counselors.
Intermediate-level competency with technology and software, including Microsoft Suite, internet navigation, smartphones/tablets, applications, and video-conferencing platforms.
Ability to engage and communicate with military members or children as assigned and respond quickly to emergent situations.
Ability to travel short or long distances on installations and maneuver through indoor and outdoor locations, including rugged or uneven terrain, steep inclines, stairs, and grass, and work in outdoor weather and other military-base conditions.
Ability to meet site-specific work requirements; some assignments may require current immunizations or vaccinations and proof of receipt.
Ability to prove U.S. citizenship and fluency in English.
Understanding, sensitivity, and empathy for service members and their families; ability to build trusting helping relationships and work with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Pass a National Agency Check and Inquiries (NACI) clearance, Installation Records Check (IRC), criminal background check, and FBI fingerprints check.
Possess a valid U.S. state vehicle operator’s license unless waived by the FEDSIM COR.
May be required to pass tests for and obtain a U.S. military vehicle operator’s permit for commercial sedans and similar vehicles for TDY locations, if required.

Responsibilities

Provide non-medical, short-term, solution-focused counseling to eligible children and youth of military service members.
Conduct assessments, brief counseling and consultations, action planning, referrals, resource linkages, and follow-up as indicated.
Provide consultation to parents, school and youth-program personnel, and installation command regarding behavioral health issues affecting children and youth.
Support DoDEA and community school staff, youth programs, and summer camps, and provide parent training and guidance.
Deliver training and health and wellness presentations and participate in health fairs and other installation activities focused on children and youth.
Enter counselor activity data daily using a smartphone or web application while maintaining service-member and family confidentiality and anonymity.
Maintain working relationships with community resources focused on children and youth and provide appropriate referrals and linkages.
Remain visible and accessible in assigned schools and follow line-of-sight protocol when working with children.
Partner with installation or facility POCs to deliver CYB services responsive to local needs and maintain professional working relationships.
Manage duty-to-warn and restricted-reporting situations according to DoD protocol and consult with the Regional Supervisor or Regional Director.
Communicate with the Regional Supervisor and participate in individual and group supervision, sharing relevant trends and issues.
Respond to critical incidents and special requests as directed by the POC and approved by the OSD program manager; flex the schedule for urgent requests as needed.
Participate in in-services, training, Quality Improvement committees, initiatives, studies, pilot programs, and other assigned contract activities.
Complete required activity documentation and use applicable technology for assigned program activities.
Perform other duties as assigned.