Counselor

Starting Salary: $55,000

 Summary

At Pace we transform girls’ lives through academic and counseling programs based on a gender-responsive, strength-based and trauma informed framework. Team members create a safe place for girls to learn, grow, and heal.

The counselor role provides prevention services to girls that includes social emotional support, intensive care (case) management, crisis counseling, and psycho-educational groups to girls. This position is aimed at helping girls decrease risk-related behaviors.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree from four-year College or University with a Major in Social Work, Psychology, and Mental Health, Counseling, or a related field 

• Minimum three years prior experience

• Knowledge of case management practices.

• Excellent individual, group and family counseling and crisis management skills

• Proficiency in computer skills, database management and/or office software

• Current Florida driver’s license

Preferred

• Master’s Degree; Major in Social Work, Psychology, Mental Health, Counseling or a related field with a minimum of 1-year prior experience

• Knowledge of laws relating to children and families

• Experience working with at-risk youth

• Experience in working in a multidisciplinary team

Roles and Responsibilities

Direct Care Services

• Increase girls’ resiliency and protective factors by improving relationships, increasing self-efficacy, and encouraging self-advocacy

• Assess and address needs and strengths through holistic assessment, goal setting, and care planning

• Utilize the Transtheoretical Model of Change, considering any history of trauma and leveraging girls’ strengths

• Provide bi-weekly counseling services to girls using guidance, support, collaboration, skill acquisition, and psycho-educational services

• Provide psycho-educational groups that are girl-centered, focusing on social-emotional and life skill development

• Provide monthly family support/counseling with caregivers to encourage girl progression in the change process and to work with natural supports

• Provide solution-focused counseling approaches toward the resolution of risk factors for substance abuse following the standards of the Florida Administrative Codes Chapter 65D-30

• Provide crisis intervention as warranted, including family support, peer mediation, classroom support, and the coordination of risk assessments

• Provide care (case) management services, including transportation services when needed, field trips and other extracurricular activities, maintain a safe environment in the program, collaborate with outside entities and community providers involved in girls’ care, make referrals as appropriate, and advocate for needed resources

• Provide strength-based behavior modification and ensure appropriate use of the Growth and Change System, including de-escalation of girls and caregivers when needed

• Partner with the academic team to ensure holistic, cohesive care

Non-Direct Care Services, Care Planning, and Monitoring

• Participate in care review meetings for girls served and provide education to the care planning team using a multidisciplinary framework

• Collaborate with the intake team to support decision-making about program enrollment

• Document progress and complete assessments, screening tools, care plans and transition plans

• Contribute positively toward programmatic outcomes and with the collection of data to support the change process of girls

• Other duties as assigned

Other

• Must adhere to the Pace Center for Girls Values and Guiding Principles and upholds the ethical standards of the Agency

• Follows mission, values and principles, policies and procedures of the Pace Center for Girls

• Availability to work evenings and weekends as required to fulfill workload requirements

• Must be able to travel by automobile, plane, train, etc.; occasional overnight travel may be required

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics can be stressful, is fast-paced and requires alertness and  flexibility. The noise level is usually quiet; however, noise can accelerate to moderate and high levels.