Leave Replacement - School-Based Mental Health Clinician/Social Worker

Effective School Solutions; Thomaston (CT); On-site; USD 37,000 - 59,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Pay

Light summers

Small caseloads

Ongoing clinical support, and free CEU

Job summary

Effective School Solutions in Thomaston, CT seeks a Leave Replacement Clinician/Social Worker to provide school-based mental health services on a per diem basis. The role supports students who may not have regular access to care, with coverage for a leave of absence in Thomaston, CT.

The position offers flexible scheduling, no weekends, and the opportunity to work with a dedicated ESS team, providing individual and family therapy and collaboration with school staff.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, or a related field.
• Active clinical license in the state (e.g., LCSW, LPC, LMFT).
• 2+ years experience with children/adolescents with behavioral and emotional needs.
• Experience with schools, families, and community-based services (school-based experience preferred).
• Proven ability to maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation.

Responsibilities

• Provide school-based mental health services including individual, group, and family therapy.
• Partner with families and facilitate parent support programming.
• Conduct risk assessments and crisis intervention; coordinate referrals to higher levels of care as needed.
• Develop and implement individualized, evidence-based treatment plans for students’ emotional, behavioral, and academic needs.
• Oversee day-to-day clinical operations of the assigned school-based program.

Skills

School-based mental health

Crisis intervention

Family therapy

Education

Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, or related field

Tools

EMR

Microsoft Office

Job description

Leave Replacement - School-Based Mental Health Clinician/Social Worker

Thomaston, CT

We are seeking a Per Diem Clinician to provide coverage for a leave of absence in Thomaston, CT. Availability five days per week for the duration of the leave is preferred; however, candidates with more limited availability are also encouraged to apply.

About Effective School Solutions

Effective School Solutions (ESS) is a leading provider of school-based mental health services, serving 6,000+ K–12 students across 12 states.

We deliver the level of clinical care typically found in private practice, out-of-district placements, or higher levels of care directly within public schools- providing a full continuum of clinical programming, professional development, and district consultation.

This is a per diem position and may be eligible for benefits pending hours worked. Per diem clinicians support ESS on an as-needed basis, including coverage for leave assignments (e.g., medical or maternity leave).

Clinicians in this role have flexibility in their level of commitment. They may choose to pick up occasional shifts, work a few days per week on an ongoing basis, or take on a temporary full-time schedule when covering a longer-term leave assignment. Per diem clinicians can accept or decline assignments based on their availability.

This role does not follow a consistent full-time schedule; however, full-time hours may be required on a temporary basis when covering extended leave assignments.

Why This Role Matters

You’ll provide critical mental health support to students who may not otherwise have access to care—helping them succeed academically, build resilience, and thrive.

At ESS, clinicians are trusted partners in shaping supportive school environments.

Responsibilities

Direct Clinical Care & Family Support

• Provide comprehensive, school-based mental health services, including individual, group, and family therapy, as well as intake, diagnostic, and clinical assessments
• Partner with families and facilitate parent support programming
• Conduct risk assessments and crisis intervention, ensuring student safety and coordinating referrals to appropriate levels of care when needed
• Develop and implement individualized, evidence-based treatment plans that support students’ emotional, behavioral, and academic success
• Oversee the day-to-day clinical operations of the assigned school-based program
• Serve as the primary clinical point of contact for school partners, providing expert guidance, ensuring alignment on student support strategies, and fostering strong, collaborative relationships.
• Facilitate weekly consultation sessions to ensure alignment on student goals and documentation standards
• Collaborate with families, school staff, and interdisciplinary teams to deliver coordinated care, and provide consultation, coaching, and training on mental health and trauma-informed practices
• Participate in team meetings, supervision, and ongoing professional development

Documentation, Compliance & Professional Expectations

• Maintain timely, accurate clinical documentation in accordance with regulatory, ethical, and organizational standards
• Uphold professional standards by maintaining active licensure, ethical practice, reliability, and a strong professional presence
• Monitor program performance and ensure alignment with ESS clinical and operational standards
• Support clinician performance through feedback, coaching, and evaluations

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, or a related field
• Preferred: active clinical license (e.g., LCSW, LPC, LMFT) in the state where services are provided
• 2+ years of experience working with children and/or adolescents with behavioral and emotional needs
• Experience providing training and coaching to educational professionals and parents/caregivers on student mental health issues.
• Experience working with schools, families, and community-based services (school-based experience preferred)
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain trusting relationships with students, families, and school staff
• Commitment to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care and advocating for best practices
• Proven ability to positively influence, motivate, and elevate team members and stakeholders
• Ability to make confident, sound decisions in ambiguous or evolving situations
• Proficient in clinical documentation and use of electronic systems (e.g., EMR, Microsoft Office), with the ability to maintain accurate and timely records

Why Clinicians Choose ESS

• School-day schedule — No weekends; occasional evening hours as needed to support family engagement
• Light summers
• Small caseloads
• Ongoing clinical support, and free CEUs
• Competitive Pay
• Clinical leadership at the heart of our company

Make a meaningful impact on student mental health.

Equal Opportunity Employer
ESS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, veteran status, disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Effective School Solutions’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.