Job Description

Make a difference Where It Matters - Join Our School-Based Health Team!

We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate

Mental Health Clinician

(1.0 FTE, 40 hours/week) to join our team at a school-based child and adolescent health center at Shepherd Public Schools, Isabella County. This position offers the opportunity to provide direct counseling and therapy to children and adolescents in a supportive, school-based setting. Requirements include: a Master's-prepared graduate in Social Work, Counseling, or related field. Licensed Clinical Master of Social Work or Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Michigan. Full benefits including, health/life/dental insurances, 12 paid vacation and sick leave days, with additional 3 1/2 days of personal time per year, 12 paid holidays and MERS defined contribution retirement with up to 10% employer contribution.

General Summary:

Working independently and with minimal supervision, provides counseling/therapy services in school-based Child and Adolescent Health Center, assisting adolescents in defining their social, emotional, and environmental needs; and enabling adolescents to recognize and utilize internal and external resources to address issues and problems and resolve needs. Responsible for delivery of care through assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of services. Collaborates and consults with multidisciplinary team to achieve desirable outcomes for adolescents, their families and school community.

Essential Duties:

Conducts comprehensive psychosocial assessment of children and adolescents to identify sources of issues or problems, and determine appropriate paths to optimum mental, emotional and physical health. Works closely with all members of clients health team in developing comprehensive treatment plans to meet identified needs of adolescent clients. Monitors and evaluates client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and core plan. Provides short-term, goal-oriented counseling to address identified needs and to explore available options; involving family members as necessary. Works with child or adolescent, family and other team members in conducting comprehensive needs assessment, which includes gathering and assessing information regarding the client's needs, mental health status, support systems, and available financial, community and governmental resources. Responsible for coordination of mental health counseling/therapy services. Maintains pertinent and timely documentation of assessments, plans and interventions. Collects and maintains information for quality assurance indicators as required. Organizes and provides assigned program-specific social services and supports individuals and/or families, directly or through referrals to appropriate services. Maintains professional working relationships with clients, families, staff members, medical providers and school staff.

Other Duties & Responsibilities:

Performs all other duties and responsibilities as necessary or in response to emergencies, workload, or staffing shortages. Works flexible hours as needed. Maintains professional knowledge, and keeps current on assigned program requirements, regulations, protocols, and practices to ensure continual compliance and quality improvement. Represents agency or clinic at school, community, governmental or public functions and forums as needed. Participates in Agency's Emergency Preparedness Incident Command System (ICS) as assigned. Maintains up-to-date vaccines including flu (influenza,) in accordance with CDC guidelines: Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers, in which you allow CMDHD to access your current immunization status based on Michigan Improvement Care Registry (MCIR).*

Minimum Qualifications:

Masters prepared graduate of an accredited school of social work, counseling, or related program. Licensed Clinical Master of Social Work or Licensed Professional Counselor by State of Michigan and qualified to receive third-party insurance payments for mental health services. Preferred two-three years providing child or adolescent/family social work in a community health setting. Ability to perform role responsibilities with minimal supervision, within scope of practice, and seek guidance from Personal Health Supervisor as needed. Demonstrates considerable knowledge of the principles/practices of child and adolescent psychosocial behavior, and child and adolescent growth and development theory and best practices. Communication skills necessary to interact appropriately with children and adolescents, parents/guardians, co-workers, school staff, and the public through listening, speaking, and understanding. High-level discretion and commitment to comply with established patient confidentiality and health information integrity following policies and procedures. Demonstrates the ability to work as member of a multi-disciplinary team and collaborate with variety of internal and external contacts in developing and implementing comprehensive assessments and plans of care. Emotional and mental maturity necessary for establishing and maintaining good working relationships with clients, families, school personnel and Child and Adolescent Health Center (CACH) team. Current CPR certification required. Knowledge of general computer/office programs. Ability to learn and effectively utilize software applications relative to the program assignment including the electronic health record. Cultural sensitivity and ability to work with diverse communities and families. Excellent written and verbal interpersonal communication skills; and ability to analyze and interpret detailed and complex or nuanced qualitative and quantitative data. Reliable transportation with valid Michigan's driver's license and certificate of insurance to travel to other locations for work, training, or meetings. Completion of National Incident Management System/Incident Command System online and face-to-face training courses based on current Public Health Emergency Preparedness requirements.

Core Competencies:

Professional Public Health Core Competencies required:



Domain 1: Data Analytics and Assessment Skills:


1.1. Describe factors that affect the health of a community. 1.3. Collects quantitative and qualitative data. 1.6. Uses quantitative and qualitative data.


Domain 2: Policy Development and Program Planning Skills:


2.2. Implements policies, programs, and services. 2.4. Improves policies, programs, services, and organizational performance.


Domain 3: Communication Skills:


3.1. Determines communication strategies. 3.2. Communicates with internal and external audiences. 3.4. Facilitates communication among individuals, groups, and organizations.


Domain 4: Health Equity Skills:


4.1. Applies principles of ethics, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. 4.2 Engages in continuous self-reflection about one's biases. 4.3. Recognizes that diversity of individuals and populations. 4.4. Reduces systemic and structural barriers that perpetuate health inequities.


Domain 5: Community Partnership Skills:


5.1. Describes conditions, systems, and policies affecting community health and resilience. 5.2. Establishes relationships to improve community health and resilience. 5.3. Maintains relationships that improve community health and resilience. 5.4. Collaborates with community members and organizations. 5.5. Shares power and ownership with community members and others.


Domain 6: Public Health Sciences and Skills:


6.1. Describe systems, policies, and events impacting public health. 6.2. Applies public health sciences in delivering the 10 Essential Public Health Services. 6.3. Uses evidence in developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving polices, programs, and services. 6.4. Contributes to the evidence base for improving health.


Doman 7: Management and Finance Skill:


7.4. Engages in professional development. 7.7. Implements organization policies, programs, and services to achieve diversity, equity, and justice. 7.10. Applies critical thinking in decision making. 7.12. Facilitates collaboration amount individuals, groups, and organizations.


Doman 8: Leadership and System Thinking Skills:


8.1. Creates opportunities to achieve cross-sector alignment. 8.3. Addresses facilitators and barriers impacting delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services. 8.4. Creates opportunities for creativity and innovation. 8.5. Responds to emerging needs. 8.8. Advocates for public health.

Demonstrates Core Values: integrity, positive attitude, communications, customer service, responsibility and accountability

Environment & Effort:

Works in clinic settings which may lead to exposure to odors. Some exposure to adverse weather conditions when traveling to other locations. General working conditions. Physical effort necessary to move about office and clinic; lean and bend to administer treatments or do close inspections; and occasionally lift or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds. Visual effort regularly required in reading and reviewing records and reports; close inspection or examination; preparing and analyzing data; viewing computer screens; reading scales, thermometers, and gauges; and performing close contact procedures such as drawing blood, dispensing medications, or administering treatments. Mental effort and strain from continual review and analysis of data and information, multi-tasking, and pressure of ensuring high degree of accuracy under tight deadlines or time constraints. * Exposure Control - Category A. At higher risk for occupational percutaneous or mucosal exposure to blood or body fluids. Per OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard requirements, CMDHD protects the employee by an established exposure control plan which includes but is not limited to use of universal precautions, engineering controls, work practice controls, personal protective equipment, and worker training.