School Based Student Assistance Counselor-Master's Level Social Worker

2022, 2023 and 2024 PBN Best Places to Work in Rhode Island!

RHODE ISLAND STUDENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES PROVIDING SCHOOL-BASED SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO RI TEENS SINCE 1987

Position Summary:

Student Assistance Counselors provide prevention, early identification, assessment, intervention and referral of substance misuse and mental health problems in school setting; provide group services to children and teens who use substances, children of parents with substance use disorder and other vulnerable youth; provide school-wide awareness and outreach activities to students and families

Current Openings include:

Providence

Central Falls

Burrillville

East Providence

Chariho

Woonsocket

We are seeking a dedicated School Counselor to join our team in Rhode Island. This role is pivotal in supporting the mental well-being of students while promoting healthy behaviors and providing guidance. The School Counselor will play an integral part in our mission to enhance the educational experience for youth in secondary schools.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct the Prevention Education Series- A 4 topic alcohol, tobacco, and other classroom-based drug pro-gram to help students identify and resist pressures to use substances, correct misperceptions about the prevalence and acceptability of substance use and understand the consequences of substance use.
  
• Problem Identification/brief intervention- Conduct time-limited individual and group sessions
  
• School-Wide Awareness Activities -Conduct monthly activities with student participation to increase the perception of the harm of substance use, positively change social norms about substance use, and in-crease enforcement of and compliance with school policies and community laws.
  
• Parent/Community Programs- Informational meetings, parent education, resources specially for parents on substance use and mental health issues.
  
• Referral and Follow-Up- Students and parents who require more intensive counseling, treatment, or other services are referred to appropriate agencies or practitioners in the community.
  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

• Learn the priorities, policies, procedures, of Project SUCCESS, RISAS and the school.
  
• Introduce and develop Project Success in the assigned school setting as described in Project SUCCESS Program Manual and 3-day Project Success training.
  
• Generate referrals of target groups through visibility at school events and student activities, classroom presentations, faculty and parent presentations and other activities as required.
  
• Provide substance use training and consultation to school staff on where and how to refer to Student Assistance Program, and how to identify a student who is in class under the influence of alcohol/drugs.
  
• Conduct a comprehensive psychosocial assessment, including substance use, on every student referred.
  
• Hold meetings with key administrative, faculty and pupil personnel staff on substance use-related issues.
  
• Make all necessary contact with parents via telephone and after school sessions.
  
• Provide thorough substance abuse screening and assessment on all students referred.
  
• Provide intervention services to substance-using students and their families.
  
• Provide a range of prevention and early intervention services to children of substance-abusing caregivers.
  
• Keep up to date on relevant community substance abuse and mental health resources.
  
• Make all appropriate contact, via telephone, to facilitate referrals to community substance abuse agencies and private practitioners.
  
• Initiate and participate in substance abuse prevention activities for school and community.
  
• Handle substance use-related crises.
  
• Keep up to date on all required reports and data entry.
  
• Maintain confidentiality, as specified in state and federal guidelines.
  
• Attend all supervisory and training sessions.
  

Join our awesome team! Rhode Island Student Assistance Services (RISAS), a division of Coastline EAP, brings a 30+year history of providing school -based mental health promotion, substance use prevention, education and early intervention, case management and referral services to middle and high school youth in Rhode Island. We are currently serving 75 schools in 32 districts. Our employees love their jobs-just ask them!

Bi-lingual Spanish +$2,500 Stipend (if hired at a qualifying school*).

LICSW/LMHC/LMFT +$2,500 Stipend

Work schedule is the school calendar year.

Summer and school vacations off!

Professional Development.

Requirements

Master’s degree in behavioral health specialty: Social Work, Counseling or Psychology.

A minimum of 1-2 years supervised counseling experience with teens.

Knowledge of adolescent and child development.

Knowledge of alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other drugs.

Ability to engage adolescents in individual, group, and classroom sessions.

Professional verbal, written, and presentation skills.

Ability to exercise sound professional judgment.

Computer competence using the Internet, Word, Excel.

Ability to learn electronic data collections systems required by funding sources.

RISAS is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $53,526.63 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
  
• 401(k) matching
  
• Continuing education credits
  
• Dental insurance
  
• Employee assistance program
  
• Flexible spending account
  
• Health insurance
  
• Health savings account
  
• Life insurance
  
• Paid time off
  
• Professional development assistance
  
• Referral program
  
• Retirement plan
  
• Vision insurance
  

Education:

• Master's (Required)
  

Experience:

• Mental health counseling: 1 year (Preferred)
  
• working with middle or high school aged students: 1 year (Preferred)
  

License/Certification:

• LMFT, LMHC, LICSW, or LCDP (Preferred)
  

Work Location: In person