Military and Family Life Counselor - Adults or Children

Magellan Health • Havelock, NC

1d • $59,922 - $100,280

About The Position

The Military and Family Life Counselor (MFLC) provides non-medical, short-term counseling, consultation, training, and health and wellness services to military service members and their families in support of MCAS Cherry Point. Counselors may work on base or in local schools with high populations of military children. Candidates must be local or willing to become local and hold an independent-level license as a social worker, therapist, or mental health counselor.

The counselor offers walk-around, solution-focused services at assigned locations, including assessment, brief counseling, consultation, action planning, referrals and follow-up. The role also includes consultation to installation command about behavioral health issues, presentations and participation in installation events, and maintaining effective relationships with installation contacts and community resources. Counselors respond to critical incidents and urgent requests, flexing their schedules as needed, and follow Department of Defense protocols for duty-to-warn and restricted-reporting situations.

Counselors document activity daily while maintaining confidentiality, participate in supervision, training and quality-improvement or contract activities, and may contribute to initiatives, studies and pilot programs. The duties listed are representative rather than exhaustive; additional duties may be assigned in keeping with the role.

Requirements

• Master’s degree from an accredited graduate program in a relevant field, such as social work, psychology, marriage and family therapy, counseling or another 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.
• Less than two years of post-licensure clinical experience.
• Intermediate competency with technology and software, including Microsoft Suite, internet navigation, smartphones or tablets and applications, and video-conferencing platforms.
• Ability to engage and communicate with military members or children as assigned and respond quickly to emergent situations in military installations or school settings.
• Ability to traverse short or long distances, move through rugged or uneven outdoor locations such as inclines, stairs and grass, and work outdoors in varying military-base conditions; travel outside installations may be required.
• Ability to meet site-specific requirements for assigned locations; some assignments may require specified immunizations or vaccinations and proof of receipt.
• Ability to prove U.S. citizenship and fluency in English.
• Understanding, sensitivity and empathy toward service members and their families, with the ability to build trusting helping relationships and work with people from diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Must pass a National Agency Check and Inquiries (NACI) clearance, Installation Records Check (IRC), criminal background check and FBI fingerprint check.
• Must possess a valid U.S. state vehicle operator’s license unless waived by the FEDSIM COR; may be required to pass tests and obtain a U.S. military vehicle operator’s permit for commercial sedans and similar vehicles for TDY locations.
• Must be local to the MCAS Cherry Point area or willing to become local.

Responsibilities

• Provide non-medical, short-term, solution-focused walk-around counseling to eligible service members and family members at assigned primary and secondary locations.
• Conduct assessments, brief counseling and consultations; develop action plans; refer clients to resources; and follow up as indicated.
• Provide consultation to installation command regarding behavioral health issues, with an understanding of the military unit, culture and mission.
• Deliver training and health and wellness presentations and participate in health fairs and other installation activities as requested or directed.
• Enter counselor activity data daily through a smartphone or web application while maintaining client and service-member confidentiality.
• Maintain visibility within the assigned brigade or regiment and establish working relationships with community resources to provide appropriate linkages.
• Partner with installation Points of Contact (POCs) to provide services that address installation needs and maintain professional working relationships.
• Respond to critical incidents, surge and on-demand events, and special requests as directed by the POC and approved by the OSD program manager; flex schedules for urgent requests as needed.
• Manage duty-to-warn and restricted-reporting situations according to DoD protocol and consult with the Regional Supervisor or Regional Director.
• Communicate with Regional Supervisors and participate in regular individual and group supervision, sharing information about installation trends and issues.
• Participate in in-services, training, Quality Improvement committees and other assigned or appropriate contract activities.
• Participate in initiatives, studies and pilot programs, including related certification and training, activity documentation, integration of pilot activities into counseling work, and use of applicable technology.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• The position may be eligible for short-term incentives.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including a broad range of 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