Outreach Counselor

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About Westfield State University:

In 1839, Westfield State University was founded on the ideals of Horace Mann who sought to improve society through education. We were the first public education institution without barrier to race, gender or economic class. The spirit of innovative thinking and social responsibility is forged in a curriculum of liberal arts and professional studies contributing to the development of knowledge, skills, and character essential for students to become responsible leaders and engaged citizens.

Westfield State is a highly residential campus with approximately 55% of our 3,100 full-time undergraduate students living on campus. The campus is ideally situated on the edge of the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts just 30 minutes from the thriving cultural centers of Springfield, Northampton, and Amherst with a selection of museums, theater, collegiate and minor league sports, hiking trails, and restaurants. The University is within 1.5 hours of Boston and Albany and within 3 hours of New York City and the Green Mountain range of Vermont.

Thank You for Your Interest in Becoming a Westfield State Community Member

You are welcome here. You can advance your career and make a difference here. We invite you to bring your whole self and talents to Westfield State University. The University seeks applicants whose record of teaching, student advising, research, and administration positions them to contribute to the everyday practice of our institutional values.

Our Values

Westfield State commits to values that strengthen a common bond among all members of our community and promotes a rich campus environment.

• Embrace Diversity - We treat all members of our community with dignity and respect.
• Maintain Excellence and Integrity - We maintain excellence and integrity in all that we do.
• Collaborate with Each Other - We make decisions in a transparent and collaborative manner.
• Provide Accessible Education - We commit to providing an accessible, affordable public higher education for all.
• Build a Strong Community - We are inclusive and ensure equity, supporting the personal development of all community members, and embracing multiple perspectives.
• Engage the Outside Community - We support civic engagement in local, regional, and global initiatives.

Job Description:

Campus Title: Outreach Counselor
State Job Title: Staff Associate
Department: Counseling Center
Job Code: HA5300
FLSA Status: Exempt
Funding: 7115-0100
Bargaining Unit: APA
Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Timeframe: 52 Weeks
Shift: Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm (some nights and weekends required)
Regular Days Off: Saturday and Sunday
Supervision Received: The Outreach Counselor is supervised by the Counseling Center Director.
Supervision Exercised: The Outreach Counselor may temporarily supervise the Counseling Center administrative assistant in the absence of more senior administrative departmental staff. The Outreach Counselor may also supervise graduate clinical interns and both graduate and undergraduate outreach interns.
Salary: $63,200 to $68,200 annually (salary commensurate with education and experience)

General Statement of Duties:

The Outreach Counselor is a full-time twelve-month position, which involves a combination of providing direct clinical service to students and educational outreach to the campus community.

The mission of the Outreach Counselor is to develop ongoing efforts to foster a campus atmosphere that encourages prevention, self-care, and appropriate help-seeking behavior. Since community and social connectedness are vital, the Outreach Counselor will enlist the support of faculty, staff, and students in these efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Duties include but not limited to:
Essential:

Clinical:

• Provide individual psychological evaluation, short-term psychotherapy, appropriate referral, and case management.
• Participate in the staff rotation for assigned triage and after-hours crisis intervention services.
• Provide consultation to University personnel, students, and students' families as appropriate.
• Adhere to ethical guidelines of the appropriate professional association (e.g., NASW, ACA, or APA) and maintain professional standards for providers of psychological services.
• Remain current with therapeutic theory, intervention, and practice.

Outreach:

• Conduct assessments to better understand the needs of students relative to wellness education.
• Based upon the assessment results, research and develop outreach services targeting at-risk groups and groups that may experience barriers to accessing counseling.
• Provide training and programming in the classroom, residence halls and faculty/staff forums, focusing on a variety of topics including, but not limited to: suicide prevention, sexual violence prevention, substance abuse education and prevention, strategies to reduce depression and anxiety, eating disorders, and overall health and wellness.
• Work collaboratively with Residential Life, Student Health, Athletics, Student Government, and other campus constituencies to enhance outreach and prevention services on campus.
• Educate and train faculty and staff on how to identify and assist at-risk students.
• Develop a campus suicide awareness and prevention program based upon research and models utilized at other campuses.
• Promote knowledge and awareness of Counseling Center services and activities.

Requirements:

Qualifications:

• Master's or doctorate degree in social work, counseling, or psychology. Social work preferred.
• Licensed, or license eligible, as a social worker or other mental health professional in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Clinical and theoretical knowledge of psychotherapy, ability to assess psychopathology, and provide competent crisis intervention.
• Ability to implement evidence-based prevention services for college students in general and specifically for diverse populations.
• Ability and knowledge base to build successful partnerships in fostering education and prevention on campus.
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule which would include some evening hours and some weekends.
• A good understanding of the challenges and concerns of college students at a public residential campus.

Qualities and Characteristics:

• Experience promoting and enhancing social justice.
• Knowledge and skill in addressing race and racism.
• Ability to work with diverse groups/populations.
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work autonomously, take initiative, and use sound judgment.
• Ability to work collaboratively with others and to lead programs and initiatives that include a wide range of constituent groups.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrate flexibility and the ability to handle multiple priorities.
• High degree of professionalism and ability to accurately maintain confidential information and records.
• Open and responsive to direction and feedback, and able to communicate employment needs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with counseling and outreach in a college counseling center.
• Clinical experience in a college counseling center.
• Proficiency in Spanish.
• Clinical Social Worker

Additional Information:

Salary:

Salaries for current Westfield State University employees and individuals currently working for the state of Massachusetts must be calculated individually in accordance with collective bargaining agreements as well as state policies. State job specifications may be found on the Department of Higher Education's webpage .

Employee Benefits:

Benefits are an important component of an employee's total compensation package.

• Health Insurance: Westfield State offers a variety of HMO, POS, and PPO-type health insurance plans for eligible employees. Coverage is effective on the 1st of the month following the date of hire. Exceptions to employees hired on the 1st of the month, coverage is effective immediately.
• Retirement: the MA State Employee Retirement System provides eligible employees with a retirement pension following a 10-year vesting period. In lieu of the retirement pension, eligible employees may select the Optional Retirement Plan with a maximum 5% employer matching contribution.
• Tuition Waivers & Discounts: eligible employees, including spouses and dependent children, receive reduced tuition at MA state colleges, community colleges, and universities.
• Paid Time Off: employees receive 12 paid holidays and generous vacation, personal, and sick leave benefits.
• Additional information regarding employee benefits is available on the University's Benefits & Wellness webpage .

Disability Accommodations

Westfield State University is committed to the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities and will ensure the availability of reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact Human Resources at (413) 572-8809 or visit us in the Horace Mann Building, 1st floor.

Background Check

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion and review of a background check. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration.


Application Instructions:

An on-line application is required. The successful candidate must submit an official transcript at the time of hire. Interested candidates should electronically attach the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Contact information for three references *
• Copy of unofficial transcript of highest degree

* Provide the contact information for reference providers in the reference section of the online application.

Deadline: The job posting will be open a minimum of ten days and, if needed, will remain open until finalists have been selected.

Please Note :
Each newly posted position includes a 90-day interval between the posting date and the anticipated start date. This allows time for the full recruitment process, including application review, interviews, and final hiring approvals.

Additionally, if you need assistance completing your application please contact our online Help Desk . The link to the help desk can be found at the top of the page via Contact Us.
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