Mental Health Counselor

About North Park

Founded in 1891, North Park University is a Christian university affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of over 3,200 students from around the country and the world.

North Park University is located in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, one of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in the United States. It is nine miles from downtown Chicago. The North Park campus has often been referred to as an oasis in the heart of the city – a place where students from urban, rural, and suburban backgrounds alike can call home. And all of this within the major metropolitan backdrop of Chicago: one of the world’s largest and most diversified economies, renowned for its museums and music, and voted best large city in the U.S. for four years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler.

Mission

The mission of North Park University is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology.

Vision

Building on our core institutional identity—Christian, city-centered, intercultural—our vision is to create a university of uncommon character and enduring excellence, where faith, learning, and service meet.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Mental Health Counselor addresses the mental health needs of students by providing short-term individual and group counseling to full time and degree-seeking part time undergraduate, graduate, and School of Professional Studies students. The Mental Health Counselor provides education to the campus community on mental health issues relevant to students. The position is full time for 10 months, August through May.

1. Address the emotional and mental health needs of students by:

• Assisting in the management of counseling requests and facilitating clinical assessments
• Providing short-term individual and group mental health counseling. Providing direct clinical services 20-24 hours a week via in-person, telehealth, and hybrid service modalities. Most services will be provided in-person, in-office. When telehealth or hybrid services are appropriate, the Mental Health Counselor will provide services from an inoffice/on-campus location.
• Providing crisis intervention and assessment services as part of on-call counselor duties in response to mental health crisis situations on campus during business hours, for 1-2 weeks per month and as assigned.
• Assisting with the planning and coordination of the group counseling component of counseling services
• Planning and conducting workshops and other psychoeducational activities and presentations on mental health issues, including Mental Health First Aid and/or similar evidenced-based mental health literacy and educational programs.
• Linking students, including those in crisis, to community treatment providers per protocols and engaging in student-centered professional consultation with community providers as appropriate.
• Assisting with the planning and coordination of outreach programming. Providing outreach to underserved student populations.

2. Assist in recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and supporting counseling interns.

3. Document all student and student related counseling interactions and services promptly, following program protocols, in the electronic health records system. Facilitate counseling services to students following all university, local, state, and national ethical and legal mandates and guidelines.

4. Assist in collecting and analyzing counseling data to help program planning to meet students' counseling and mental health needs.

5. Continue professional development by…

• Attending clinical staff meetings and participating in case presentations.
• Completing appropriate continuing education for license maintenance.
• Participating regularly in clinical supervision with the Director.
• Consulting with colleagues as needed.

6. Participate in meetings and events of the University. Participate in local, statewide, and/or national professional organizations focused on the mental health of the college student population.

7. Support the mission and goals of the University and the Division of Student Engagement by assuming other responsibilities as assigned by the university president, the vice president of Student Engagement, dean of students, and the director of counseling.

Requirements

• A master’s degree in counseling, psychology, social work, or a related field.
• A current license to provide mental health counseling services in the State of Illinois (LPC, LCPC, LSW, LCSW, LMFT).
• Demonstrated experience in clinical assessment, therapy, crisis management, and consultation.
• Willingness to work within a team model.
• Knowledge of, and experience in, working with mental health therapy issues affecting post-secondary students.
• A developmental understanding of post-secondary students and a desire to facilitate and encourage this development in a supportive and service-oriented environment.
• Excellent organization, communication (written and verbal), and interpersonal skills. Excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage a fast-paced work environment. The ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with students, administrators, faculty and staff members, and outside constituencies.
• The flexibility to work within a 10-month calendar year (August-May), providing the University the option to expand to a year-round position.
• Possess a clear understanding and personal commitment to North Park University’s mission of Christian higher education.
• Be customer friendly and hospitable.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and with utilizing electronic medical records systems.

Desired:

• Bilingual English/Spanish
• Ability to work independently and with others, and to be proactive.
• Have experience with Enterprise Systems.
• Comfortable with using new technology.