Mental Health Specialist - LCSW

Summary/Objective:

The Mental Health Specialist is an integral part of our team to support campers with mental, emotional, and social health. The Mental Health Specialist must be able to address behavioral challenges quickly and effectively with emotional constancy to help build and support proactive strategies with campers and staff. Mental Health Specialist role includes modeling, social skills building, de-escalation, and problem solving. The Mental Health Specialist will oversee and support mental, emotional, and social health concerns across our 4 camps with the onsite support of the Camp Health Supervisors.

Reports to: Senior Outdoor Program Manager

FLSA Status: Seasonal- May 20th, 2024- August 2nd, 2024

Travel Percentage: 80% onsite support and 20% office/hybrid work.

Essential Functions:

• Works to provide support and care for high-need camper situations.
• Support staff with camper concerns at camp such as:
  1. Anxiety
  2. Self-harming
  3. Coping with stress
  4. Gender identity/expression
  5. DEIRJ
• Can quickly walk into and assess any behavior situation, take over from staff, and manage the situation.
• Makes decisions with staff about longer-term strategies and behavior interventions.
• Maintains participant confidential medical files in accordance with applicable laws.
• Sets up individual behavior plans and positive behavior incentive systems.
• Speaks on behalf of directors to parents about participants and is involved if participant exits early as a result of behavioral or emotional concerns.
• Develop behavior strategies alongside the onsite Camp Director for all campers to be successful and safe at camp.
• Work with other healthcare providers engaged by the camp in a collaborative manner.
• Monitor camp groups for behavior trends.
• Help to create a nurturing environment and build community with all campers and staff.

Required Education and Experience:

• Undergrad degree in social work, psychology, human services, or related field.
• Requires Arizona Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)[1] license.
• Has experience in any of the following: inclusion specialist, 1-to-1 aide, specialty caregiver, group home/residential staff, or camp staff member with behavior and leadership experience.
• Strongly recommend that this person has behavioral crisis response training; at the very least has strong verbal de-escalation skills and personal safety training.

Additional Eligibility Qualifications:

• Ability to interact, support, and communicate clearly with children and adults.
• Organized, caring, proactive, creative, flexible problem-solver with the desire and passion to help.
• Behavioral support, training, and experience working with students in a school or recreational setting.
• Is at least 21 years or older.
• Ability to address camp-wide behavior management issues.
• Coach and model for staff effective strategies to minimize common behavior problems.
• Ability to implement a range of positive behavioral intervention strategies.

Physical Demands:

• Prolonged standing, some bending, stooping, walking long distances, hiking, climbing, and stretching.
• Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to record, prepare, and communicate appropriate camper activities and programs.
• The ability to be exposed to the sun, heat, and animals such as bugs, snakes, bats, etc.