Director of Counseling Services

Description:

Berea College is seeking an experienced, highly motivated, and socially engaged administrator to serve as Director of Counseling Services. This is a full-time, 12-month position that provides clinical and administrative leadership for a multidisciplinary mental health team that serves a diverse population of approximately 1,500 undergraduate students. This role is essential to helping students achieve and maintain quality mental health and wellness so they can successfully fulfill their academic goals. The Director programmatically serves as a liaison between the Counseling Services department, and other departments on campus, and external partners by providing knowledge and expertise that contribute to the health and safety of the student body. 
This position provides executive direction of a residential college counseling clinic staffed with 6-8 therapists tasked with providing individual, couples, and group therapeutic counseling services for students.  The Director oversees the development and delivery of educational and preventive programs on common mental health issues among college students. The Director is also responsible for crisis management, oversight of budget, and ensuring the counseling center follows all legal and ethical obligations related to the delivery of mental health services. The Director advises the college leadership on current mental health trends and services and is a member of the college’s Care Team. The Director reports directly to the Vice President for Student Life.

Your Key Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership, vision, and oversight of Counseling Services.
• Ensure quality of care through directly supervising, guiding, and coaching mental health therapists (including provisionally licensed professional counselors), interns, and student workers
• Ensure that all aspects of Counseling Services adhere to established standards, laws, and regulations, including HIPAA and mental health counseling practice standards.
• Ensure confidential health information is properly maintained in compliance with HIPPA and FERPA.
• Maintain an active client caseload (individuals, groups, couples, families) appropriate to administrative workload and client demand. When necessary, develop mental health treatment plans for students.
• Maintain competencies and licensure through external and self-directed professional development
• Maintain relationships with external mental healthcare professionals who provide elevated professional support for needs such as psychiatric assessments, medication management, etc.
• Develop, implement and assess programs and initiatives pertaining to student mental health wellness, education and awareness.
• Provide student referrals to off-campus medical services when necessary.
• Provide internal professional development activities for the Counseling Services staff.
• Build cohesion and effective working relationships between employees in Counseling Services.
• Plan and implement educational programs to foster awareness and student success related to mental health wellness for students.
• Partner with other departments to host outreach programs
• Collaborate with peer professionals throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
• Collaborate with internal and external groups in coordination of programs designed to engage students on a broad array of topics such as depression, suicide prevention, and sexual assault awareness
• Develop methodologies to communicate programs, events and resources to the campus community.
• Develop annual objectives and benchmarks for the Counseling Services department which supports the college’s mission and Student Life division’s strategic goals.
• Network with counterparts in higher education to remain abreast of recent trends and best practices that can support Counseling Services.
• Assist in the reporting of data in compliance with inquiries from state and federal healthcare authorities.
• Establishes and monitors Institutional Effectiveness objectives and outcomes for Counseling Services. Provides regular reports related to Counseling Services activities and concerns to college leadership.
• Assist in development and management of the departmental budget.
• Seek for and develop partnerships with community agencies, grant-funded initiatives, and other third-party support to enhance mental health wellness efforts at Berea College.
• Remain abreast of local, state, and federal regulations related to public health and medical care compliance.
• Collaborate with Public Safety and Residence Life personnel to ensure training and planning with on­site staff for first response mental health crisis intervention.
• Represent Counseling Services at internal and external campus outreach programs and events.
• Serve on college committees and task forces as assigned
• Serve on the college’s Care Team and related emergency crisis management teams.
• Perform other duties as assigned by immediate supervisor or higher authority.

What You'll Bring:

Education required to ensure success in this position:

• A Master’s degree in the field of mental health (Counseling, Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work, or a related field). 
  1. A terminal degree in Psychology preferred (Ph.D. or Psy.D.).
• Active License within 90 days of employment in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Experience required to ensure success in this position:

• At least 7 years of professional experience providing mental health services.  
• 3+ years in a supervisory or administrative position within a mental health setting.
• Evidence of a professional history of strong leadership capabilities through the supervision of mature professionals, program development, and assessment.
• Superior written, verbal, and presentation skills. Exceptional ability to present to wide range of campus constituents, including students, faculty and staff members, Administrative Council, and the Board of Trustees.
• Counseling experience in a residential college or university setting preferred.
• Experience serving diverse student populations 
• Sensitivity to working with students with limited resources, including financial. 
• Experience supervising counselors, therapists, case managers, and administrative staff.
• Knowledge of electronic records and data management programs for counseling centers.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with campus partners while maintaining the highest professional standards regarding patient confidentiality.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends for special events with prior notice.

Special skills, knowledge and abilities:

• Administrative and supervisory experience to manage a dynamic staff of mental health therapists, practicum students, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, and administrative staff within a clinic with high demand.
• Demonstrated ability to manage personnel and operations budgets and solicit new and manage existing grant funding budgets.
• Strong therapeutic counseling skills in individual, couples, and group counseling.
• Knowledge of and adherence to legal and ethical standards of licensing boards.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage outreach initiatives and programs.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including intercultural sensitivity.
• Establish and maintain collaborative partnerships within the campus and local communities.
• Ability to effectively manage mental health crises with sensitivity. 
• Demonstrated abilities to develop course material and effectively teach undergraduates students (no more than one course per academic year).
• Understanding of using computer software needed to complete job duties such as a medical records system, Microsoft Office 365, Banner or other student information system, case management software, and a campus portal platform.

License, certification, or registration necessary:

• Valid Kentucky License in good standing to practice mental health therapy.
• Full licensure including supervisory authority (LPC-S).

Physical requirements:

• Ability to navigate campus/public buildings and grounds.
• Ability to physically respond to the mental health needs of the campus during a crisis.
• Visual acuity necessary for computer work.

Environmental conditions:

• Busy clinical office environment with interruptions and noise due to high demand for services including both scheduled

   appointments and walk-in services provided to students and interactions with staff and faculty.
Ability to operate the following vehicles or equipment:

• Standard office equipment: computer, phone, etc.