Military and Family Life Counselor - Temporary Backfill

Magellan Federal; Augusta (GA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Magellan Federal is seeking an Assignment Ready Counselor (ARC) to provide short-term behavioral health services to service members and their families near Fort Gordon. The role requires current state licensure in Georgia (LCSW, LMFT, or LPC) and flexibility for on-demand assignments, including weekends and surge backfills.

The ARC delivers non-medical, short-term counseling and brief therapy, offers health and wellness resources, and coordinates with installation points of contact.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in a mental health field or social work.
• Advanced knowledge of brief therapy and solution-focused counseling methods.
• Strong ability to build rapport with service members and families.

Responsibilities

• Quickly builds rapport with service personnel, family members, and community.
• Adapts to varying working conditions and locations on military installations.
• Works with minimal instruction and guidance.
• Listens carefully to instructions and participates in trainings/Quality Improvement activities.
• Engages with military members, spouses, and children to accomplish job functions and respond to emergencies.
• Complies with site-specific requirements and records as needed.

Skills

Brief therapy

Solution-focused counseling

Rapport building

Education

Master's Degree in a mental health field or social work

Job description

Candidates must reside near Fort Gordon or be willing to make themselves local and must be independently licensed to practice as a Social Worker (LCSW), Therapist (LMFT), or Mental Health Counselor (LPC) in Georgia. Candidates must be available Monday-Friday (and occasional weekend assignments) of varying durations, such as on-demands (1-2 days), or surges and backfills (ranging from one week to 30 days), with the possibility of longer assignments based on program needs.

The Assignment Ready Counselor (ARC) will provide coverage in short-term, surge and on demand situations resulting from the Military needs such as a post-deployment event or to cover an existing assignment for counselors who are absent. The Summer ARC counselor position covers assignments during the May 15th through September 15th time period, coinciding with the school summer break. With minimal guidance and oversight, provides the full breadth of Adult or Child and Youth Behavioral (CYB) counseling services to military service members and their families at military installations. These services may include non- medical counseling, training/health and wellness presentations, consultation with parents, personnel at child daycare centers and schools, and consultation to installation command regarding behavioral health issues affecting military personnel and their family members. ARC CYB counselors may be assigned to DoDEA schools and community schools and will need to have experience working in a school setting to qualify for ARC role in backing up a school position. CYB counselors may also be assigned to youth programs, summer camps, and on demand assignments. ARC adult counselors may be assigned to support MFLC services in a variety of military community and readiness centers, as well as on-demand and surge assignments. The counselors work closely with the installation and military branch Points of Contact (POC) to assure that the program is provided within scope and meets the needs of the installation. Provides non-medical, short term, solution focused, counseling directly to adults, children, and youth of service members. Services include assessment, brief counseling and consultation, action planning, referral to resources (assuring linkage as appropriate), and follow-up as indicated.

CYB counselors will also have a focus on supporting the staff and personnel of CDCs, DoDEA and community schools, youth programs and summer camps as well as providing parent training and guidance.

Provides training and health and wellness presentations, participate in health fairs and other base/installation activities.

Enters counselor activity data daily through smart phone or web application assure that reporting is accurate from assigned installation while maintaining confidentiality and anonymity of service / family member.

The job duties listed above are representative and not intended to be all-inclusive of what may be expected of an employee assigned to this job. A leader may assign additional or other duties which would align with the intent of this job, without revision to the job description.

Other Job Requirements

Responsibilities

• Master's Degree from an accredited graduate program in a mental health related field, or social work.
• With short notice, willing to accept assignments of undefined periods to include weekends.
• Can cover, on a full-time basis, assignments of varying length from a weekend to two weeks.
• Quickly builds rapport with service personnel clients, family members, students, parents and co-workers.
• Adaptable to new working conditions, varying location rules, etc.; adjusts working style to align with each work environment.
• Able to work effectively with minimal instruction and guidance.
• Listen carefully to instructions provided.
• With minimal notice, participates in regular in-services/training, Quality Improvement committees or other contract activities as assigned.
• Requires ability to quickly engage and communicate with military members, spouses or children as assigned, in order to accomplish job functions, and to respond quickly to emergent situations in any physical location on a military installation and/or within a school setting, which includes the need to traverse short and/or long distances within the base to both indoor and outdoor locations, to maneuver through rugged, outdoor or uneven locations (e.g., steep inclines, stairs, grass), and work in outdoor weather and other military base conditions.
• Due to the nature of working on military installations or related worksites, counselors may need to comply with various site-specific requirements to work at designated locations. For example, for some assignments, counselors will need to have certain current immunizations or vaccinations and provide record of receipt.
• Ability to prove US Citizenship and must be fluent in English.
• Advanced knowledge of brief therapy and solution-focused counseling methods.
• Prior military service/military family member and/or strong famili