Director of Counseling and Health & Wellness

Summary and Purpose:

The Director will have a positive impact on the mental health, wellbeing, and academic success of all our students by providing an array of high quality services. The center will provide short‐term, solution‐oriented counseling for students experiencing developmental difficulties, mental health concerns, relational issues, academic challenges, and/or behavioral problems as well as psychological testing and evaluation in support of mental health and educational accommodations. The Director will also effectively manage and supervise the Counseling Center staff, clinical operations (e.g., staff caseload, outreach/consultation programs, referral processes and procedures, clinical records, etc.), budgets, and daily operations. It will be vital to contribute and collaborate with professionals within and outside of the Student Affairs Division in developing programs for the prevention of psychological and behavioral problems, and that promote strengths and capacities to optimize healthy student development.

Responsibilities/Duties/Tasks/Essential Functions:

• Engages in personal counseling with student clients (with an emphasis on solution focused brief therapy) to help them in meeting their academic, personal, and career goals and cope with the stresses associated with campus life.

• Manages crisis situations involving mental health needs or concerns. Coordinates with Campus Safety Officers and Residential Life regarding difficult student client issues and referrals.

• Participates in on-call crisis response and evaluation.

• Performs post-mental health incident evaluation and wellness planning with student clients.

• Refers students, faculty, and staff as needed for mental health support and services.

• Establishes, updates, maintains, and implements Counseling, Health & Wellness policies and procedures.

• Oversees and monitors counseling, health, and wellness services programming.

• Adheres to state, local, and national laws as well as the ethical standards of The ACA.

• Develops, analyzes, and maintains a yearly budget.

• Evaluates, administers, and maintains operational technical assistance.

• Provides supervision and training for master’s level interns.

• Documents, tracks, and analyzes administrative data (reporting services and activities, etc.).

• Maintains current knowledge through regular professional development activities in accordance with legal and ethical professional standards.

• Other duties as assigned.
  

Knowledge, Skills and Education Requirements

• Minimum master’s degree in counseling or related mental health field

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

• Skilled in crisis management

• Teaching skills

• Possess budgetary skills

• Experience with and ability to work with diverse populations (age, race, socioeconomic class, gender, culture, religion, disabilities)

• Able to adhere to professional boundaries related to staff, faculty, and students

• Clinical experience with individual/group counseling

• Licensed driver and/or must have reliable transportation

• At least three years’ experience in a college/university counseling setting (must be at least 2 years post receiving LPC)

• Demonstration of leadership in management of personnel and programs

• Experience in an academic environment

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Actively monitoring on-call cell phone

• Potential threat from aggressive clients

• Must be willing to participate in on-call for after hours emergencies

• Ability to occasionally lift or exert force on items up to ten pounds

• Employee occasionally stands or walks across campus and frequently sits

MISSION, VISION, VALUES:

Aquinas College, an inclusive educational community rooted in the Catholic and Dominican traditions, provides a liberal arts education with a global perspective, emphasizes career preparation focused on leadership and service to others, and fosters a commitment to lifelong learning dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the common good.

Aquinas College is recognized as the exceptional Catholic liberal arts college that prepares individuals for careers of leadership and service in developing a sustainable and just global community.  Aquinas College is recognized by its values: Faith, Service, Learning and Community.

Aquinas College prides itself as a leader in sustainability, and this requires the participation of every member of the college community.  In this regard, employees and their supervisors are expected to engage in the process of “appreciative inquiry” to identify ways that each position can advance sustainability in the employment experience.

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties, all employees are expected to conform to the Aquinas College Service Statement:

The College serves our community with excellence and respect through an institutional commitment to quality, accountability, cooperation, professionalism and responsiveness.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Aquinas College is an equal opportunity employer and an inclusive educational community rooted in the Catholic Dominican tradition. Aquinas College provides a liberal arts education with a global perspective, emphasizes career preparation focused on leadership and service to others, and fosters a commitment to lifelong learning dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the common good. Aquinas College values: Faith, Learning, Service and Community.

Aquinas College offers an excellent benefits package that includes affordable medical, dental, and vision plans, generous paid vacation each year, 16 paid holidays, paid sick time and short-term disability, and college-paid life and AD&D insurance. Additionally, Aquinas employees and their dependents are eligible for free tuition at Aquinas after one year of full-time employment.