Clinical Support Specialist

Clinical Support Specialist

Winthrop House Therapeutic Program

Position Summary


The Clinical Support Specialist (CSS) is a school-based social work position within the Winthrop House Therapeutic Program, located at Michael Driscoll elementary school and Brookline High School. This role is designed to provide targeted clinical, attendance, home-based and transition support for students with significant social-emotional, mental health, and school engagement needs.


The Clinical Support Specialist will work collaboratively with students, families, sending districts, educators, administrators, and related service providers to develop and implement individualized plans that promote successful school engagement, attendance, community engagement and transition into the Winthrop House program. In addition, the CSS will provide direct counseling services, facilitate social skills groups, and coordinate tiered attendance interventions across the program.

Essential Responsibilities

Student Transition and Reintegration Support

• Coordinate and facilitate transitions for students entering the Winthrop House program.
• Develop and implement individualized transition support plans in collaboration with students, families, sending districts, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Monitor student adjustment during transition periods and provide ongoing support to promote successful integration into the program.
• Serve as a liaison among families, sending districts, and school personnel to ensure continuity of services and communication.

Attendance and School Engagement

• Oversee attendance monitoring and data collection for all students within the Winthrop House program.
• Analyze attendance trends and identify students at risk for chronic absenteeism, school avoidance, or school refusal.
• Design and implement Tier 1 and Tier 2 attendance interventions to increase student engagement and school participation.
• Provide home-based services as needed to address school attendance and engagement with students and families.
• Coordinate and facilitate attendance-focused meetings with families and school teams to identify and address barriers to attendance.
• Collaborate with administrators, counselors, and clinical staff to develop proactive attendance support plans.

Clinical Services

• Provide individual counseling services to a caseload of students with social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs.
• Conduct social-emotional assessments and contribute to treatment and intervention planning.
• Facilitate social skills, coping skills, and therapeutic groups aligned with student needs.
• Support crisis intervention and safety planning as needed.
• Provide parent education and family support as needed.
• Collaborate with community-based providers and agencies to coordinate services and support continuity of care.

Consultation and Collaboration

• Participate as an active member of multidisciplinary student support teams.
• Consult with teachers, administrators, and support staff regarding student mental health, engagement, and attendance concerns.
• Support the development of school-wide strategies that promote attendance, engagement, and positive school climate.
• Maintain timely and accurate documentation in accordance with district, state, and professional standards.

Qualifications

Required

• Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from an accredited program
• Clinical licensure (LICSW or eligibility for licensure).
• Safety Care Certification
• Experience working in therapeutic educational settings with adolescents experiencing social-emotional, behavioral, and/or mental health challenges.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed practices, restorative approaches, and evidence-based interventions.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.

Preferred

• Experience supporting students with chronic absenteeism, school avoidance, and school refusal.
• Experience facilitating groups and coordinating transitions for students with complex educational and mental health needs.

Core Competencies

• Relationship building and family engagement
• Clinical assessment and intervention
• Attendance and engagement planning
• Data analysis and progress monitoring
• Collaborative problem-solving
• Crisis response and de-escalation
• Cultural responsiveness and equity-centered practice