Military and Family Life Counselor - School

Magellan Health • Havelock, NC

2d • $59,922 - $100,280

About The Position

The Military and Family Life Counselor (School) supports a school affiliated with MCAS Cherry Point and provides Child and Youth Behavioral (CYB) counseling services to children of military service members and their families. Candidates must be local or willing to relocate to become local and must hold an independent-level counseling license. School-assigned counselors must have experience working in a school setting and meet Magellan MFLC CYB criteria for experience with children and youth and specialization in child and adolescent development or psychology.

The counselor provides short-term, solution-focused, non-medical counseling, assessment, consultation, action planning, referrals and follow-up to eligible children and youth. The role also supports school staff and personnel, provides parent training and guidance, and delivers training and health and wellness presentations. Counselors may be assigned to youth programs, summer camps and on-demand assignments, and work with installation and military branch Points of Contact to ensure services meet local needs and remain within program scope.

The position requires accurate daily activity reporting while maintaining the confidentiality and anonymity of service members and families. Counselors maintain community resource relationships, comply with line-of-sight protocols when working with children, follow DoD procedures for duty-to-warn and restricted-reporting situations, and participate in supervision, training, quality improvement activities, studies, pilot programs and other assigned contract activities. Schedules may need to flex to respond to urgent requests and critical incidents.

The work may require travel across military installations and school settings, including outdoor or uneven terrain and varied weather conditions. Site-specific requirements may include current immunizations or vaccinations. Candidates must prove U.S. citizenship, be fluent in English, hold a valid U.S. state driver’s license, and pass the required background and security checks.

Requirements

• Master’s degree from an accredited graduate program in a mental-health-related field.
• Valid, unrestricted independent counseling license from a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. territory or commonwealth authorizing independent practice; examples listed include LCSW, LMFT and LCMHC/LPC.
• Less than 2 years of post-licensure clinical experience.
• Intermediate competency with Microsoft Suite, internet navigation, smartphones/tablets and applications, and video-conferencing platforms.
• Ability to engage and communicate with military members or children and respond quickly to emergent situations.
• Ability to traverse short and long distances on military installations, including indoor and outdoor locations, rugged or uneven terrain, inclines, stairs and grass, and to work in outdoor weather and other military-base conditions.
• Ability to meet site-specific work requirements, which may include having and documenting current immunizations or vaccinations.
• Proof of U.S. citizenship and fluency in English.
• Understanding, sensitivity and empathy for service members and their families, with the ability to develop 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.
• Valid U.S. state vehicle operator’s license unless specifically 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.
• Meet Magellan MFLC CYB criteria for experience with children and youth and specialization in child and adolescent development or psychology.
• For school assignments, have past work experience in a school setting.
• Be local to the MCAS Cherry Point area or willing to relocate to become local.

Responsibilities

• Provide short-term, solution-focused, non-medical counseling to eligible children and youth of service members at assigned locations.
• Conduct assessments, brief counseling, consultation, action planning, referrals and follow-up as indicated.
• Provide consultation to parents, school personnel, installation personnel and command regarding behavioral health issues affecting children and youth.
• Support staff and personnel at DoDEA and community schools 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.
• Record counselor activity data daily using a smartphone or web application while maintaining confidentiality and anonymity.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community resources focused on children and youth and provide appropriate linkages.
• Remain visible and accessible within the school and follow line-of-sight protocol when working with children.
• Partner with Points of Contact to provide services that address installation or facility needs and maintain professional working relationships with them.
• Manage duty-to-warn and restricted-reporting situations according to DoD protocol and consult with the Regional Supervisor or Regional Director.
• Participate in individual and group supervision and communicate trends and issues at assigned installations and facilities.
• Respond to critical incidents and special requests as directed and approved; flex schedule as needed to address urgent requests.
• Participate in in-services, training, Quality Improvement committees, initiatives, studies, pilot programs and other assigned contract activities.
• Complete required activity documentation, pilot-program certification and training, and use applicable technology to carry out required activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Potential eligibility for short-term incentives.
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Health, life, voluntary and other benefits and perks supporting physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level