Mental Health Therapist

The Mental Health Provider will be responsible for providing direct and indirect mental health services to support the emotional care and wellbeing of students and staff. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES includes the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Complies with the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession; upholds and enforces rules, administrative directives, regulations, GISD school board policies, as well as local, state and federal regulations. 

Identify students who require or would benefit from receiving mental health services, not limited to counseling, group therapy, establishing boundaries, identifying personal needs. 

Conductive comprehensive mental health assessments to determine mental health needs of identified students and staff. 

Participates in planning meetings, staffings, 504’s and IEPs making recommendations for educationally-related mental health services for students with social emotional and or behavioral health needs.

Assist students and staff in establishing realistic goals and effective coping strategies related to social emotional or behavioral health needs or growth.

Provide a continuum of therapeutic interventions and support addressing issues or concerns related to, but not limited to, interpersonal relationships, decision making, problem solving, effective communication, chemical dependency, and suicide prevention.  

Provide individual or group counseling services to students and staff who self-refer or are referred by parent or school personnel for issues related to mental health services.

Utilize evidence based, age-appropriate, practices to provide individual or group therapies.

Collaborate with and make referrals to community agencies, therapists and health professionals to develop individual goals or seek extensive services for the individual.

Ability to establish and maintain clear and time effective communication and relationships with school staff, parents, and health professionals.  

Coordinate and provide training for school staff related to social emotional and behavioral health services. 

Travel to and support students and staff at GISD schools as needed.

Serve as a liaison between students, staff, treatment centers, and mental health providers for the purpose of providing direct treatment, program development and collaboration.

Have knowledge of and an understanding of both HIPAA and FERPA and the relationship in a school setting.

Coordinate and collaborate with school personnel to include, but not limited to, Administrators, Counselors, Nurse, Psychologists and Social Workers.

Coordinates the school Health and Wellness Team.

Participates in home visits as needed.

Adheres to and follows all district health and safety policies.

Make appropriate referrals to agencies, law enforcement, and providers as required by law in relation to abuse and neglect.

Addresses the needs of the student with a focus on respect of self, educational environment regarding effective strategies

Provide crisis intervention and follow-up services with students, families and staff.

Documentation is completed daily in a timely, accurate, and appropriate manner.

Complies with District and Professional Licensure requirements and the Professional Code of Ethics.

Appropriately licensed and participates in Medicaid School Based Services (MSBS) Billing MSBS billing must be completed in a timely, accurate and appropriate manner. 

Demonstrates the cultural context of relationships, trends, and issues in a multicultural and diverse society, to include but not limited to, culture, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, religious/spiritual beliefs, socioeconomic status, or unique characteristics.

Attendance and punctuality are essential components of the position.

Performs other duties as assigned

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Education: Master’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling, or a Doctoral Degree in Psychology 
  FYI: (A Master’s level psychologist requires the direct supervision of a Doctoral Prepared Psychologist)

• Licensure:  Licensed NM - Independent Professional Licensure  

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.  Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.  Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format.  Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry.  Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.  The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Maintains emotional control under stress.

WORK ENVIRONMENT  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.