What are the responsibilities and job description for the Mental Health Specialist - Tomball High School - 2025-2026 School Year position at Tomball Independent School District?
Primary Purpose:
The Mental Health Specialist (MHS) will serve as a support for students and families by providing services that identify and address the social-environmental and mental health issues that interfere with the educational process. In collaboration with the School Counselors, the MHS will work with parents/guardians, teachers, school principal/principal's designee, and community based resources in implementing strategies that promote students' positive school and social adjustment.
Quali?cations:
Education/Certification:
Master’s in Social Work, Counseling/Psychology or related field
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Essential Roles and Responsibilities:
- Assist school counselors with coordinating interventions with students, acting as intervention specialist
- Provide clinical assessments and interventions for students and families
- Provide individual, group, and family therapy, based on need (severe anxiety, depression, grief etc.) and maintain a full caseload based on mental health standards and ethics
- Provide follow-up and reintegration plan and services for students returning to school from hospitalizations or other facility stays; and comprehensive follow up to all clients served
- Utilize appropriate assessment tools in order to identify and work with student who exhibit problems stemming from homelessness, disaster recovery, and other traumas
- Assist Lead Counselor and Director of Guidance and Counseling with connecting students and families to TISD’s Wrap Around services to ensure that families’ needs are met holistically
- Make home visits upon request and/or as appropriate, based on collaboration with campus/district staff and in accordance with department guidelines
- Provide staff consultation on behavioral-emotional-environmental issues affecting student participation in the learning process
- Serve on campus, district and community committees such as Student Intervention Teams (SIT), Campus Culture, and Attendance Committees to address educational issues, adjustment problems, safety issues, and program development for students
- Attend School Counselor and other relevant district meetings for professional development
- Assist campuses in identifying and verifying the status of McKinney-Vento students, foster-care families and unaccompanied youth to confirm eligibility for services and to provide McKinney-Vento rights; advise families of available services as needed
- Enhance awareness of mental health needs, services; and to promote community understanding of mental health and to enhance community response to mental health problems
- Maintain data on students served
- Foster effective communication with students, parents, and other staff members
Special Knowledge/Skills:
- Knowledge of social, psychological, and educational development of children
- Maintain professional and effective therapeutic relationships with students and families served
- Ability to interface with community agencies
- Ability to collaborate effectively with district staff and multiple campuses’ staff, students, and parents
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of cultural competence in working with diverse populations
Experience:
Three years’ experience counseling children and families
Working Conditions:
Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:
Maintain emotional control under stress.
Wage/Hour Status: Contract
Reports to: Director of Guidance and Counseling
Days: 207
