Counselor, Urgent Care

The RESET Counselor will spend a portion of their clinical time (approximately 15-20 clinical hours per week) providing urgent during daytime operating hours. This position will also perform community outreach, consultation, and liaison activities including some limited evening hours as needed to support satellite and/or outreach services. Specific events and scenarios may also require after-hour consultation and/or postvention work. Multicultural awareness and responsiveness are important components of all clinical and community outreach-oriented work.

Key Functions and Expected Performance

Provide professional, short-term mental health services to students

• Provide an integrated assessment of students presenting for counseling to include the influence of bio-psycho-social variables on treatment and to effectively guide subsequent treatment planning.
• Develop appropriate treatment plans to target the needs of the student within a short-term, multidisciplinary, and multimodal system of care and collaborate effectively with other treatment resources for the benefit of students.
• Participate in the planning of effective and innovative intervention and skill development programs for students based on knowledge and awareness of emergent campus mental health trends and needs.
• Develop effective working relationships with the Vanderbilt community, including Student Care Network entities, academic deans, faculty, residential staff, Student Affairs departments, Vanderbilt University Police Department, and other relevant campus partners, to ensure a collaborative support network on campus to respond to student needs and optimize support and safety for Vanderbilt students.
• Provide outreach and educational programming to campus community to support an ethos of care, resilience, wellness, and skill development.
• Maintain appropriate and timely documentation for recordkeeping and communication with other service providers based on ethical and legal standards and requirements to enhance care for students.

Provide specialized crisis intervention and follow-up services

• Provide clinical assessments of students in a mental health crisis demonstrating effective diagnostic skills and effective treatment planning for a variety of mental health concerns and conditions, with varying levels of severity.
• Respond to mental health emergencies in a culturally responsive manner to support students in a framework and manner that acknowledges their unique and intersecting personal and cultural identities.
• Identify appropriate interventions for students in crisis, working effectively with the staff of the CAPS and Student Care Network to access appropriate resources, and engaging campus partners effectively to develop an effective plan for supporting students.
• Confer with counterparts on the CAPS' continuity counseling team to determine if referral due to stabilization is appropriate or more appropriate to be maintained on the RESET team.
• Communicate with campus partners supporting students in crisis and develop intervention strategies to ensure student safety and support.
• Collaborate with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Emergency Department, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, the Partial Hospital Program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and other community providers, as appropriate, to ensure positive student outcomes, a smooth transition to outside care, and/or a seamless discharge/transition back to campus for students.

Perform other administrative functions

• Serve on divisional committees and working groups to enrich the experience and resources available to staff across the division.
• Participate in division-wide events (Move-In Day, Rites of Spring, Diverse ‘Dores Day, MLK Day, etc.), as needed, to support colleagues and ensure these events run smoothly.
• Learn and comply with financial policies and procedures related to travel, procurement, and expense reporting in order to be a good steward of university funds.
• Engage in professional development, including presentations at pertinent conferences and workshops, to expand upon and bring back skills and knowledge to the greater CAPS team.
• Perform other duties necessary to enhance the student experience and/or facilitate the success of the University, division, or department.

Supervisory Relationships

This position does not currently have any supervisory responsibility; the position reports administratively and functionally to a CAPS Counseling Manager for the RESET team.

Education and Certifications

• A Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education in counseling, social work or other mental health-related field is necessary.
• Licensed (LPC, LCSW, LMFT) in Tennessee or out of state licensure with eligibility to be licensed in Tennessee within one year of employment is required.
• Certification in at least one trauma treatment (EMDR, Brain Spotting, etc.) is required.
• Specialty training in suicide ideation, homicide ideation, psychosis, eating disorder, AOD, trauma, or other needs is required.

Experience and Skills

• 5+ years of clinical experience is required.
• 3+ years working with high acuity patients is required.
• Experienced in crisis care evaluation and intervention is required.
• Training in trauma informed practices is required.
• Experience with young adult population is required.
• Experience working in a higher education setting is preferred.
• Demonstrated team orientation in style and philosophy is required.
• Ability to function in an acute care model for assessment and management of clinical emergencies is required.
• Effective interpersonal skills to form and maintain meaningful relationships with students, colleagues, and all stakeholders is required.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interact with patients/ clients from diverse backgrounds is required.
• Demonstrated ability in the intersectional work of identity development and trauma is required.
• Specific knowledge, experience, and skills in providing services to a diverse student population including APIDA, international, Latinx, African-American, LGBTQI, military, first-generation, low-income, and/or rural is preferred.
• Evident language fluency in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, Bengali or other Asian languages is preferred.
• Demonstrated skill in written and oral communication, including public speaking and group meeting facilitation is preferred.

About the Department

Counseling and Psychiatry Services (CAPS) supports the mental health needs of Vanderbilt students, encouraging their work toward their academic and personal goals. Our highly skilled and multidisciplinary staff develop evidence-based treatment plans tailored to each individual’s unique background and needs by working together with students, campus partners, and community providers. CAPS also emphasizes prevention and education through collaboration and consultation focused on the development of the skills and self-awareness needed to excel in a challenging educational environment. We offer culturally responsive services in a safe and affirming space and are committed to engaging in an ongoing dialogue that provides our team with opportunities to grow in the context of their own cultural identity development. CAPS is committed to understanding the role of diverse experiences and backgrounds in order to best promote mental health and wellbeing in the lives of individuals and in our community.

About the Student Care Network

The Student Care Network (SCN) is comprised of the Center for Student Wellbeing, Student Care Coordination, the University Counseling Center, and the Student Health Center. The SCN is a holistic network of services and resources pertaining to health and wellness available to all Vanderbilt University students who have paid the Student Health Fee. As such, staff within the offices comprising the SCN work collaboratively to create integrated processes, referrals, and treatment plans to better serve the entire student.

About Student Affairs at Vanderbilt

Student Affairs serves a central role in student learning and development at Vanderbilt, advancing the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service. Student Affairs at Vanderbilt cultivates vibrant, inclusive communities that foster a student’s sense of belonging and wellbeing through collaborative partnerships, transformative learning experiences, and an accessible and holistic network of resources. We value connection, belonging, compassion, development, and innovation. Our staff are committed to continued growth in knowledge, awareness, skills, and experience engaging with these priorities in a higher education environment.