School Based Mental Health Counselor

Project Play Therapy•Nashville, TN

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Project Play Therapy’s School Based Mental Health Counselor is a direct-service role focused on providing quality mental health support to students in school settings. The counselor works with school-based staff at assigned schools to provide therapy and counseling to students with or without IEPs, conduct intake sessions with parents and families, communicate with parents and school staff, provide crisis support when needed, and collaborate with outside agencies as appropriate. The role also includes planning and scheduling sessions and collaborating internally with Project Play colleagues. The counselor is expected to build effective working relationships with students, families, school staff, and community partners, and to help integrate Project Play Therapy services into each school’s culture and processes. The position serves charter schools in Nashville and surrounding middle Tennessee public schools, and reports directly to the Lead Counselor or Director of Related Services.

Requirements

Master’s degree or equivalent proof of certification in Professional Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Clinical Social Work, School Counseling, School Psychology, or a related field.
Tennessee state license in one of the listed areas: LMFT, LPC, LCSW, Licensed School Counselor, or Licensed School Psychologist. Temporary licenses are considered with proof of supervision requirements.
Integrity, student advocacy, and reliability.
Comfort collaborating in meetings with school leaders, internal management, and other stakeholders.
Ability to use problem-solving and team collaboration effectively to promote excellence, build community, and meet or exceed partner schools’ needs.
Ability to implement processes that enhance support for the professional team and identify opportunities to expand available resources.

Nice To Haves

Relevant school experience.

Responsibilities

Provide direct counseling and therapy to students in school settings for varying mental health, behavioral, and emotional needs.
Work with school-based teams to support students holistically while maintaining confidentiality.
Communicate with parents about student educational and mental health concerns as needed.
Partner with school staff, family members, and community partners to find collaborative ways to support students affected by trauma or crisis.
Collaborate with school partners to create schedules that address students’ academic and mental health needs.
Develop and maintain a consistent schedule for assigned schools.
Maintain service quality and accurate, thorough records and notes using Project Play’s EMR platform.
Provide periodic progress updates to school teams and families as needed.
Build rapport and trust with schools and maintain cohesive communication and service delivery.
Adapt communication to the needs of school partners, families, colleagues, and community partners.
Demonstrate inclusion, problem-solving, and proactive communication.
Collaborate within a team environment that values communication and accountability.
Foster goodwill with current contract partners and support client satisfaction.
Help implement processes that strengthen support for the professional team and identify opportunities to expand available resources.