Student Care Counselor for Mental Health and Wellness

Job Description:

The Office of Student Care (OSC), part of the Division of Student Affairs, plays a vital role in promoting student wellbeing. We are seeking a Student Care Counselor for Mental Health and Wellness to join our team and support students through a holistic, compassionate approach to care. The Student Care Counselor collaborates with students navigating personal, emotional, medical, or related concerns and helps connect them to appropriate wellness supports on campus and in the broader community.

This is an 11-month position , offering a built-in month away from work each year, providing additional work-life balance while allowing for continuity of care during the academic year. The role also requires some flexibility, including occasional evening and weekend hours, which may be appealing to candidates who prefer a schedule with varied engagement opportunities throughout the semester. The ideal start date is on or around July 1, 2026 .

The Division of Student Affairs is committed to ensuring every student's SUNY Oneonta experience is positive, safe, healthy, and meaningful. We provide students with the tools and support they need to thrive both during their time on campus and beyond graduation.

To learn more about the University and the department, please visit or Office of Student Care and Well-Being.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Consulting with the Associate Director as needed on acute cases.
• Providing crisis intervention, suicide-prevention support, and brief supportive counseling to students in emotional distress.
• Connecting students with appropriate on- and off-campus support services to help them navigate personal, emotional, or medical challenges.
• Collaborating with campus partners to provide coordinated and holistic support for students.
• Developing and delivering educational programs and workshops on alcohol and drug awareness, prevention, and harm-reduction strategies to promote responsible behavior.
• Establishing and maintaining partnerships with community providers offering addiction-recovery services to ensure comprehensive support for students facing substance-related challenges.
• Creating and implementing wellness programs, mental health education, and campus-wide outreach to promote awareness, stress management, and overall wellbeing.
• Offering alternative mental health activities (e.g., mindfulness, movement, art therapy), facilitating mindfulness workshops, and fostering a calming, inclusive environment for students.
• Partnering with departments such as Health Services, the Counseling Center, and Residence Life to ensure integrated support.
• Staying current with best practices and trends in mental health counseling, expressive arts therapy, mindfulness, and health education through ongoing professional development.
• Planning, organizing, and implementing educational and outreach events, including tabling, orientation presentations, and student-club engagement, to raise awareness of available services.
• Serving as co-advisor to the Mental Health RAs.
• Assisting with developing and implementing a wellness strategy that aligns with The Forward Momentum Agenda and SUNY Oneonta's holistic approach to student wellbeing.
• Developing and supervising student staff (Empire Service Corps), providing guidance and training to support wellness initiatives.
• Tracking departmental efforts that support the 8 Pillars of Wellness and a bio-psycho-social model.
• Tracking and reporting data to support assessment, evaluation, and continuous program improvement.

Salary: $53,500. SUNY Oneonta is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualifying employer. Information on SUNY's comprehensive benefits offerings can be found at Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.



Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree.
• Experience in student support, crisis intervention, behavioral intervention, or related experience.
• Ability to work effectively with students from diverse backgrounds.

Additional Qualifications:

• Experience supervising a team.
• Demonstrated knowledge of case management, intake/assessment, and/or counseling techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to problem-solve complex issues while functioning as an independent decision-maker.

Preferred:

• A master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, or related mental health field.
• Possession of an appropriate professional license (i.e., LMSW, LCSW, NCC, LPC, LMFT) or case management certification.
• Experience formulating and implementing care or behavioral intervention plans to support student wellbeing.
• Knowledge of principles and procedures involved in risk assessment.

Additional Information:

SUNY Oneonta enrolls about 5,500 students who pursue bachelor's or master's degrees or certificates in one of 70-plus academic programs. Known as an exemplary residential campus that values inclusion, service and sustainability, SUNY Oneonta is a nurturing community where students grow intellectually, thrive socially, and live purposefully.

The university is located in the City of Oneonta, nestled in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains about a four-hour drive from New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia. With a population just shy of 14,000, Oneonta is one of the 20 Most Picturesque Small Towns in America, according to Microsoft News. The natural beauty of the region is breathtaking year-round. Each season offers outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, boating, swimming, and skiing. Employees give SUNY Oneonta high marks for work/life balance, management, and culture. The university's indeed.com rating is 4.4, with one recent review noting that the people are what make SUNY Oneonta so special.

SUNY Oneonta values a diverse university community. Please visit our website on diversity at: Moreover, the University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, persons of color, persons with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. "At SUNY Oneonta, we believe that diversity is an asset and a source of strength that energizes our collective growth and innovation." - President Alberto Cardelle.

Application Instructions:

To apply online go to: Please upload a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references (required).

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