Director, University Counseling Center

Position Summary:
The Director of the University Counseling Center (UCC) will have direct oversight for counseling staff and services, as well as for facilitation of the institution’s clinical referral partnership with VUMC and other community partners. The Director will oversee UCC program design and assessment, policies and procedures, fiscal management, and staff professional development and training. In addition, the Director will develop and maintain strong, integrated relationships with the Student Care Network (UCC, Center for Student Wellbeing, Student Care Coordination, and Student Health Center) and campus wellness partners in order to promote mental health throughout a culturally rich and diverse student population. The Director will serve on university committees as an institutional mental health expert and participate in crisis intervention and response
The Director will be the lead mental health administrator for the undergraduate, graduate, and professional student populations across Vanderbilt University’s ten colleges and schools. The Director of the UCC reports to the Associate Dean for Community Standards and Support within Student Affairs.

About the Work Unit :
The University Counseling Center (UCC) supports the mental health needs of Vanderbilt students, encouraging their work toward their academic and personal goals. Our highly skilled and multidisciplinary staff develop evidence-based treatment plans tailored to each individual’s unique background and needs by working together with students, campus partners, and community providers. The UCC also emphasizes prevention and education through collaboration and consultation focused on the development of the skills and self-awareness needed to excel in a challenging educational environment. We offer culturally responsive services in a safe and affirming space and are committed to engaging in an ongoing dialogue that provides our team with opportunities to grow in the context of their own cultural identity development. The UCC is committed to understanding the role of diverse experiences and backgrounds in order to best promote mental health and wellbeing in the lives of individuals and in our community. The UCC staff includes a combination of over 50 therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and administrative support.

About Student Care Network:
The Student Care Network (SCN) is comprised of the Center for Student Wellbeing, Student Care Coordination, the UCC, and the Student Health Center. The SCN is a holistic network of services and resources pertaining to health and wellness available to all Vanderbilt University students who have paid the Student Health Fee. As such, staff within the offices comprising the SCN work collaboratively to create integrated processes, referrals, and treatment plans to better serve the entire student.

About Student Affairs at Vanderbilt:
Student Affairs serves a central role in student learning and development at Vanderbilt, advancing the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service. Student Affairs at Vanderbilt cultivates vibrant, inclusive communities that foster a student’s sense of belonging and wellbeing through collaborative partnerships, transformative learning experiences, and an accessible and holistic network of resources. We value connection, belonging, compassion, development, and innovation. Our staff are committed to continued growth in knowledge, awareness, skills, and experience engaging with these priorities in a higher education environment.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:
Strategic Vision and Leadership

• Lead six associate directors responsible for counseling, psychiatry, sport psychology, specialty services, and administrative units to develop and implement highly collaborative care for students, strengthen and support clinical and non-clinical professionals, and execute a vision for a comprehensive campus-based clinic.
• Develop and implement policies, procedures, and processes in order to successfully operationalize the UCC within the University, including facilitating the clinical referral partnership with VUMC and other community partners to provide seamless holistic services for students.
• Provide ongoing strong leadership, vision, and strategic planning for the UCC in order to effectively address the current and emerging mental health needs of the student population and support students and the Vanderbilt community.
• Work closely with the Student Care Network in order to provide the appropriate level of care to match the needs of the student and integrate those services into a holistic wellbeing model for campus.
• Develop strong relationships with the leadership of the institution’s ten schools in order to ensure that the concerns of all students (undergraduate, graduate, professional) are included in the work of the UCC and utilize both systemic and targeted interventions to increase access to resources and support for the diverse student population.
• Champion health equity by ensuring all students receive appropriate, culturally-relevant care in a supportive environment that cultivates the positive wellbeing aspects of belonging.

Personnel Management

• Recruit, hire, supervise, evaluate, and oversee the training of the UCC staff to ensure ethical, clinically competent, and high-quality evidence-based services for students from varied social and economic backgrounds.
• Promote a healthy and productive work environment to promote retention of high-quality staff and delivery of high-quality clinical care.
• Ensure robust professional development opportunities to maintain a high level of staff excellence and proficiency with industry standards and best practices to offer high quality services and outcomes for students who come to the UCC.
• Work directly with the associate director team leads to address performance management and development in compliance with university policy, track licensure, and create a culture of professionalism and respect.

Operations

• Direct and oversee the overall operations of the UCC, including fiscal management and personnel to support productivity and manage resources wisely and effectively.
• Develop and maintain proper protocols and program assessment systems that meet University expectations as well as appropriate accreditation standards to support high quality clinical practice and evolution of practice based on emerging goals and desired outcomes.
• Implement evaluation metrics for the UCC that allow for continuous quality improvement in systems and care outcomes, and to support the collection of data to facilitate reporting to accreditation and other appropriate organizations.
• Leverage advances in technology to create efficiencies and improve UCC operations to support UCC services, goals and outcomes.

Emergency and Crisis Response and Intervention

• Coordinate the UCC’s urgent care and crisis response efforts. The Director is expected to work with other campus partners and actively participate in crisis response efforts to ensure rapid, nimble, and high-quality mental health intervention and support for students and the Vanderbilt community.
• Serve on the University’s CARE team, which includes supporting behavioral intervention and threat assessment efforts.

Training

• Assist the associate director for specialty services in the process of recruitment, & retention of a diverse pool of qualified trainees at all levels to promote selection of high-quality applicants.
• Provide assistance with the APA accreditation process for doctoral internship and APPIC membership for post-doctoral fellowship to meet appropriate accreditation standards.

Mental Health Programming

• In collaboration with the Student Care Network, plan and implement preventative and educational programs and workshops related to mental health which promote knowledge, skills and awareness to students and the Vanderbilt community.
• Build assessment of outreach initiatives to maximize impact of non-direct service efforts.

Oversee the professional, short-term mental health services provided to students

• Work closely with the associate directors for counseling, psychiatry, sport psychology, and specialty services to provide an integrated assessment of students presenting for counseling to include the influence of bio-psycho-social variables on treatment and to effectively guide subsequent treatment planning.
• In consultation with partners and clinicians develop appropriate treatment plans to target the needs of the student within a multidisciplinary and multimodal system of care and collaborate effectively with other treatment resources for the benefit of students.
• Participate in development of effective and innovative intervention and skill development programs for students based on knowledge and awareness of emergent campus mental health trends and needs.
• Develop effective working relationships with the Vanderbilt community, including Student Care Network entities, academic deans, faculty, residential staff, Student Affairs departments, Vanderbilt University Police Department, and other relevant campus partners, to ensure a collaborative support network on campus to respond to student needs and optimize support and safety for Vanderbilt students.
• Provide outreach and educational programming to campus community to support campus and individual mental health, wellness, and skill development.
• Maintain appropriate and timely documentation for recordkeeping and communication with other service providers based on ethical and legal standards and requirements to enhance care for students.

Collaboration

• Collaborate with internal campus wellness partners to facilitate inclusive wellbeing outreach to all students focused on emerging needs and trends within the college population.
• Establish collaborative relationships with campus wellness partners to promote a synergistic mental health and wellness model that supports students and the Vanderbilt community.
• Collaborate with administration and faculty to ensure that the specific needs of the students in the different schools and programs, as well as at the various levels of academic study, are addressed and supported.

University Service

• Serve on university committees as an authority on mental health to integrate mental health into the university’s approach to academic and co-curricular activities.
• Serve on divisional committees and working groups to enrich the experience and resources available to staff across the division.
• Participate in division-wide events, as needed, to support colleagues and ensure these events run smoothly.
• Learn and comply with financial policies and procedures related to travel, procurement, and expense reporting in order to be a good steward of university funds.
• Engage in professional development, including presentations at pertinent conferences and workshops, to expand upon and bring back skills and knowledge to the greater UCC team.
Perform other duties necessary to enhance the student experience and/or facilitate the success of the University, division, or department.

Supervisory Relationships:
This position has direct supervisory responsibility for six (6) UCC Associate Directors; the position reports to the Associate Dean for Community Standards & Student Support in Student Affairs.

Education and Certifications:

• Master’s degree in a clinical mental health discipline, or a related degree is necessary. A Doctorate in Clinical, Counseling, Educational Psychology, Psychiatry or related field is preferred
• Licensed, or eligible for licensure, as a mental health care provider by the State of Tennessee is preferred. If not currently licensed in Tennessee, must obtain a license within one year of appointment if providing clinical care.
• A minimum of seven years of post-master’s degree experience as a licensed clinician or administration of a counseling center or similar clinic is necessary,
5 years of post-master’s experience in a university or college counseling environment is preferred.

Experience and Skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge of the developmental counseling model and crisis response leadership is necessary.
• Demonstrated experience working with a multidisciplinary team and collaborating with other professionals (for example, in this context, Student Affairs, Residential Life, health care providers, campus religious leaders) to support clients is preferred.
• Seven to ten years of progressively responsible administrative experience, including supervisory and budgetary experience, in a leadership capacity, preferably some or all of that experience at a university or college counseling center is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience designing assessment methods to evaluate ongoing programs and services is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interact with patients/ clients from diverse backgrounds is preferred.
• Effective interpersonal skills to form and maintain meaningful relationships with students, colleagues, and all stakeholders preferred.
• Experience working in a higher education setting is preferred.
• Demonstrated skill in written and oral communication, including public speaking and group meeting facilitation is preferred.
• Ability to function in an acute care model for assessment and management of clinical emergencies is preferred.
• Understanding of the culture of a largely residential college or university through work or other experience is preferred.
• Understanding of the culture of a Research I institution, and the challenges faced by graduate students in that environment is preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the mental health concerns of university students, student development theory, and university or college counseling best practices on a residential college campus is preferred.