POSITION GOAL To help link students and families to community resources, evaluate individual mental health goals and needs, and to assist students in developing appropriate coping strategies and implement individual mental health responses and plans
PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Determine the appropriate level of response for a student in distress
a) Initiate a Baker Act, when appropriate
b) Link students and families to community mental health resources, when appropriate
c) Coordinate transition plans for students transitioning from mental health agencies
d) Conduct Mental Health Screenings and threat assessments on referred students
2. *Through individual and group counseling, help each student to:
a) Understand their self in relation to the social and psychological work in which he lives and to develop positive self-esteem.
b) Develop personal decision-making competencies.
c) Develop coping strategies for dealing with a crisis and problem solving
d) Resolve special problems, such as living with loss, suicide prevention, new student orientation and school adjustment, divorce, abuse and neglect, substance abuse prevention, dropout prevention, health and safety issues (including pregnancy).
3. *Collect and disseminate to students and their parents information concerning community resources, post-vention strategies and information concerning mental health.
4. *Coordinate the use of services available beyond those the counselor can provide by:
a) Making students and their parents aware of the availability of mental health services.
b) Make referrals to community mental health agency
c) Conduct Baker Acts when appropriate and necessary
d) Serve as a member of the Threat Assessment Response Team
e) Maintaining liaison and cooperative working relationships with other student services specialists and with agencies in the community where mental health services are available.
5. *Assist in providing placement services for students in need by:
a) Planning with school counselors and administrators for the grouping and scheduling of students.
b) Helping students make appropriate choices.
c) Coordinating with others for the most effective use of the placement services available in the community for students in need. 6. *Help parents by:
a) Acting as a consultant regarding the growth, development and mental well-being of their children.
b) Providing information about their children.
c) Assisting to develop individual treatment plans.
d) Provide family counseling to students and families in need of assistance.
7. *Serve as a consultant to members of the administrative and teaching staffs in the area of mental health by:
a) Sharing appropriate individual student data.
b) Helping to identify students with mental health needs and problems.
8. *Maintain all records and reports legally required or administratively useful, in support of and to document compliance.
9. *Provide and coordinate professional development opportunities for parents and staff.
10. Provide Youth Mental Health Training to all staff as outlined in state statute.
11. Accurately complete and maintain all components of required case documentation on all clinical records for student seen in counseling.
12. Make home visits to discuss students’ issues with parents, offer counseling where appropriate, and develop plans with parent and school staff.
13. Monitor Concern of Harms and work collaboratively with Student Services professional in coordinating services.
14. *Provide and coordinate informational sessions for students, families and community members on the topic of Mental Health. 15. Perform other related duties as assigned by the Coordinator, Student and Government Relations.
