Mental Health Counselor (West Hempstead)

For over 30 years, Gersh Autism has empowered students on the autism spectrum to reach their full potential. Serving individuals aged 5-21 across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, our network of K-12 schools provides personalized education tailored to each student’s unique learning style. We offer comprehensive therapeutic services - speech, physical, occupational therapy, and more - along with vocational training for older students. Our dedicated team collaborates with families to ensure academic, social, and emotional growth, preparing students for success beyond the classroom.

At Gersh Autism, we are committed to helping individuals on the autism spectrum lead fulfilling, independent lives.

We are seeking an energetic, nurturing, and confident Mental Health Counselor for our students. This individual will conduct mental health assessments, develop individualized treatment plans, lead individual or group therapy sessions, run preventative mental wellness classes or workshops and make treatment referrals. The ideal candidate will be able to contribute to the development of a healthy, safe, and caring environment by providing emotional and social support to young adults.

Mental Health Counselor Duties and responsibilities

• Counsel students to understand and articulate their feelings clearly and accurately
• Guide students to understand the causes and effects of behaviors
• Counsel students to develop insight into themselves and their relationships.
• Encourage students to identify and utilize appropriate coping strategies for negative feelings
• Counsel students on how to proceed and/or maintain focus through ambiguity, uncertainty and change
• Collect information about students through interviews, observation, or tests to gather information about their backgrounds, needs, or progress.
• Guide students in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems.
• Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge.
• Monitor students' use of medications.
• Perform crisis interventions with students.
• Act as student advocate to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.
• Modify treatment activities or approaches as needed to comply with changes in students' status.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs on students' progress in resolving identified problems and moving towards defined objectives.
• Meet with families, other mental health and health care providers, or other interested parties to exchange necessary information during treatment.
• Conducts assessments and evaluations in accordance with student goals
• Develop long-term and short-term intervention plans consistent with curriculum; students’ needs, strengths, diversity and life experiences; and social and emotional factors.
• Counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting students or patients.
• Learn about new developments in counseling by reading professional literature, attending courses and seminars, or establishing and maintaining contact with other social service agencies.
• Gather information about community mental health needs or resources that could be used in conjunction with therapy and refer students and family members to community resources or to specialists as necessary.
• Coordinate or direct employee workshops, courses, or training about mental health issues.
• Maintain confidentiality of records relating to students' treatment.
• Complete and maintain student-related paperwork, including federal- and state-mandated forms, student diagnostic records, and progress notes

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to keep students safe from themselves and others and, in some cases, may need to implement CPI (therapeutic holds) procedures.
• Must be able to remove oneself from potentially harmful situations and, in some cases, be able to lift a child.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, and move throughout the workday
• Ability to lift (at least 50-65 pounds), assist, and/or physically support students, which may include lifting or guiding students of varying sizes
• Ability to physically intervene when required to ensure safety (per CPI training)
• Ability to remove oneself and/or others from unsafe situations quickly
• Ability to maintain attention and focus in a dynamic, high-stimulation environment
• Ability to multi-task and shift priorities quickly
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and decision-making, particularly in high-pressure or safety-sensitive situations
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and maintain professional relationships
• Ability to perform duties under stress, including during behavioral escalations

Mental Health Counselor Qualifications

• Minimum of one year of relevant experience required
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Mental Health Counselor; (LSMW, LMHC)
• Extensive knowledge of therapeutic treatment techniques and interventions
• Experience in therapeutic modalities related to young adults/adults including assessment and treatment of trauma
• Experience working with adults and/or young adults on the autism spectrum
• Must have both strong verbal and written communication skills

Employees

• 8:00AM-3:30PM (and once a week until 4 for a team meeting)

Benefits for Full Time Employees

Gersh Autism offers a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive health and retirement benefits, professional development opportunities, and a supportive work environment committed to your personal and professional growth.

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k matching)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Training & Development