School-Based Mental Health Wellness Coach (Atascadero)

About the role: The Mental Health Coach at Effective School Solutions provides comprehensive behavioral health services to K-12 students, including wellness promotion, behavioral health screening, individual and group support, care coordination, and crisis referral. This role focuses on serving vulnerable populations in a school-based setting, employing strategies to recognize and mitigate implicit biases for equitable and inclusive support. It requires understanding and respecting diverse cultural backgrounds, exhibiting professionalism and ethical behavior, and adhering to legal and organizational standards. The ability to operate effectively in diverse environments is essential. Job Responsibilities: Behavioral Health Support: - Provide individual and group support for students with behavioral health concerns. - Facilitate promotion and prevention programming, including health education related to behavioral health. - Perform regular check-ins and scheduled meetings to offer emotional support and promote wellness using structured curriculum materials. Administrative Support: - Document activities related to individual and group behavioral health support. - Arrange appointments related to behavioral health. - Utilize comprehensive behavioral health screening tools and oversee the associated database management. Care Coordination: - Connect individuals to behavioral health support resources like outpatient therapy, support groups, and social services. - Coordinate with other behavioral health professionals, specifically for students who have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Wellness Education: - Deliver wellness education encompassing topics such as fundamental behavioral health symptoms, nutrition, and exercise. - Support students in setting and planning goals, including areas such as improving physical activity and sleep habits. - Instruct on essential life skills such as stress management, time management, and problem-solving. Coping Skills Development: - Provide guidance on coping skills for youth, including behavior activation, recognizing thinking patterns, using distraction strategies, and regulating emotions. Group Programming: - Facilitate small group sessions aimed at improving wellness and life skills, with a focus on social-emotional skills, stress management, time management, organization, and problem-solving. - Raise awareness of prevalent behavioral health conditions through organized group curricula. Risk Response: - Follow established protocols when addressing risk within the school or broader organizational setting. - Identify potential risks and refer to on-site behavioral health providers, such as PPS professionals. - Provide emotional support and facilitate warm handoffs to on-site behavioral health providers for students waiting to be seen for crisis services. - Recognize potential risks and refer individuals to on-site behavioral health providers. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or a related field. - 2+ years of experience working in a school, health, or community settings, preferably with children and adolescents ages 5-18. - Experience working with students and families, as well as community health and social services agencies. - Strong understanding of adolescent development and behavioral health issues. - Effective problem solving and communication skills. - Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. - Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team environment. - Strong organizational and time-management skills. Certification: California Certified Wellness Coach: Effective School Solutions will cover the costs associated with obtaining certification. Additional Requirements: - Valid State ID. - An official transcript demonstrating the completion of an associate's, bachelor's, or higher degree in a behavioral health field. - Experience in fieldwork or professional practice. - A completed bachelor's degree or higher with at least 2,000 hours of field or work experience in the same period, is required. - Experience in mental health, substance use/addiction, social work, child welfare, or related fields in educational settings, non-profit organizations, community organizations, clinics, or health centers. - Verification statements from former field supervisors, employers, or volunteer supervisors. Why join Effective School Solutions? - ESS is focused on addressing one of the biggest challenges our country is facing - - the mental health of our youth. - ESS is a dynamic organization with a strong record of accomplishment of innovation and growth. - ESS provides staff with excellent career growth opportunities. - ESS provides extensive time off tied to the school calendar, with limited summer hours. ESS prioritizes and gives value to a clinician’s work-life balance. - ESS offers staff competitive compensation and benefits offerings. - ESS values clinician voice and perspective and has multiple methods to give feedback and input on company decisions. Effective School Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We respect and seek to empower each individual and support the diverse cultures, perspectives, skills and experiences within our workforce.