Counselor

Starting Salary: $55,000

Monday-Friday: 7:30am-4:00pm

Summary

At Pace we transform girls’ lives through academic and counseling programs based on a gender-responsive, strength-based and trauma informed framework. Team members create a safe place for girls to learn, grow, and heal.

The counselor role provides prevention services to girls that includes social emotional support, intensive care (case) management, crisis counseling, and psycho-educational groups to girls. This position is aimed at helping girls decrease risk-related behaviors.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree from four-year College or University with a Major in Social Work, Psychology, and Mental Health, Counseling, or a related field

• Minimum three years prior experience

• Knowledge of case management practices.

• Excellent individual, group and family counseling and crisis management skills

• Proficiency in computer skills, database management and/or office software

• Current Florida driver’s license

Preferred

• Master’s Degree; Major in Social Work, Psychology, Mental Health, Counseling or a related field with a minimum of 1-year prior experience

• Knowledge of laws relating to children and families

• Experience working with at-risk youth

• Experience in working in a multidisciplinary team

Roles and Responsibilities

Direct Care Services

• Increase girls’ resiliency and protective factors by improving relationships, increasing self-efficacy, and encouraging self-advocacy

• Assess and address needs and strengths through holistic assessment, goal setting, and care planning

• Utilize the Transtheoretical Model of Change, considering any history of trauma and leveraging girls’ strengths

• Provide bi-weekly counseling services to girls using guidance, support, collaboration, skill acquisition, and psycho-educational services

• Provide psycho-educational groups that are girl-centered, focusing on social-emotional and life skill development

• Provide monthly family support/counseling with caregivers to encourage girl progression in the change process and to work with natural supports

• Provide solution-focused counseling approaches toward the resolution of risk factors for substance abuse following the standards of the Florida Administrative Codes Chapter 65D-30

• Provide crisis intervention as warranted, including family support, peer mediation, classroom support, and the coordination of risk assessments

• Provide care (case) management services, including transportation services when needed, field trips and other extracurricular activities, maintain a safe environment in the program, collaborate with outside entities and community providers involved in girls’ care, make referrals as appropriate, and advocate for needed resources

• Provide strength-based behavior modification and ensure appropriate use of the Growth and Change System, including de-escalation of girls and caregivers when needed

• Partner with the academic team to ensure holistic, cohesive care

Non-Direct Care Services, Care Planning, and Monitoring

• Participate in care review meetings for girls served and provide education to the care planning team using a multidisciplinary framework

• Collaborate with the intake team to support decision-making about program enrollment

• Document progress and complete assessments, screening tools, care plans and transition plans

• Contribute positively toward programmatic outcomes and with the collection of data to support the change process of girls

• Other duties as assigned

This position requires a Level II pre-employment background screening pursuant to Chapters 435, 984, 985 and 943, Florida Statutes, and the Department of Juvenile Justice policy and procedures. Additional information is available through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse Education and Awareness website: