Under the direction of assigned educational administrator, the Mental Health Therapistprovides personal counseling to a diverse student populationto achieve their educational goals. The therapist provides personal short-term and crisis counseling services through direct contact with students individually, in groups and screenings; provide direction for programs and services; deliver instruction; develop student, faculty and staff training/workshops and develop student, faculty and staff educational/resource materials. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, providing counseling services in which the student is assisted in problem resolution, crisis intervention, and assessing, planning and implementing his/her immediate and long-range goals; provide referrals in which the student is empowered to identify and utilize college and community support services; provide personal counseling in which the student is assisted with personal, family or other social concerns. This position will work closely with the student health center staff. This position includes participation in department, division, and college committees. The assignment may be day, evening, weekend, online, at all Cuesta College campus locations and modalities and is subject to change as needed.Incumbents in this position support the Guided Pathways Framework, student learning outcomes, and institutional effectiveness by encouraging and motivating students of diverse backgrounds, learning abilities, and socioeconomic levels to attain the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their educational goals.

Counseling Responsibilities 

• Plan, implement and deliver mental health services, programs and treatment to students in support of wellness, academic success, and retention (e.g. mental health therapy, outreach and emotional wellness programs);
• Provide effective short-term psychological counseling with individual students and groups addressing mental health concerns and emotional wellness;
• Provide crisis counseling to students in distress and conduct crisis interventions and assessments as necessary;
• Develop and maintain confidential counseling records in accordance with applicable standards of practice and federal/state laws and regulations;
• Assist in the evaluation and response to student support referrals;
• Collaborate with the campus community to design innovative programs that promote student mental wellness and support student retention and success;
• Support the department in the development and preparation of planning processes, program review, and documents related to accreditation;
• Work in collaboration with other practitioners in Student Health Services or external parties to coordinate student care;
• Serves as a resource and consultant for staff, faculty, administration and students related to mental health services, which may include committee membership and/or shared governance processes;
• Function as a professional liaison between Cuesta College and community agencies regarding mental health;
• Effectively represent the District in contacts with clients, the public, community organizations, and District staff, and governmental agencies;
• Serve as a member on the campus intervention team to solve student matters and advocate appropriate response for students experiencing mental health concerns;
• Participate in on-going professional development opportunities as it relates to clinical counseling and the role of psychological counselors in the California Community College system;
• Enforce all aspects of confidentiality of client information (FERPA, HIPAA, and state laws);
• Provide appropriate supervision of clinical hours for associates/interns;
• Attend department meetings and periodic division meetings;
• May perform other duties as assigned within the scope of the position;
• Adhere to the regularly established work week as established by the administration and in alignment with the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Assignments may include day, evening, weekend or online services at all Cuesta College campus locations and modalities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to perform effective psychological counseling for individuals and groups, including crisis intervention, short-term psychotherapy, psychological assessment skills, and psycho-educational support groups especially appropriate for community college students;
• Skills in developing and implementing effective treatment/therapy plans. 
• Sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, including those with disabilities;
• Familiarity with mental health resources and organizations for client referrals;
• Knowledge of current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnostic criteria;
• Knowledge of technology, office software such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and/or database software, and Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software for legal documentation;
• Knowledge of applicable Federal laws, State laws, and regulations governing mental health programs and the provision of mental health services in California community colleges; and District policies and procedures;
• Skills in communicating and collaborating effectively with faculty and staff to support student success;
• Ability to maintain the confidentiality of student information;
• Assess and evaluate clients’ individual, social, and behavioral problems, and determine the needs, services, and appropriate treatment methods of clients, to initiate the most effective course of action.
• Ability to establish trust and rapport with clients.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:

Cuesta College and the Student Success and Support Programs value the ability to serve students from a broad range of cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, abilities, and orientations. Cuesta College employees demonstrate understanding the benefits diversity brings, the principles of equity-focused practice, the importance of inclusion to a professional educational community, and the value of equity mindedness. Counselors are individuals committed to collaborating with faculty, classified professionals, administrators, students, and community partners who are also committed to closing equity gaps. An equity minded individual is a person who already does or has demonstrated the desire to:

• Understand the importance of holding oneself accountable for closing equity gaps and engaging in equitable practices;
• Reframe inequities as a problem of practice and view the elimination of inequities as an individual and collective responsibility;
• Encourage positive race-consciousness and embrace human difference;
• Reflect on institutional and teaching practices and aim to make them more culturally responsive;
• Strategically build buy-in and participation among colleagues for equity-related initiatives;
• Knowledge of the policies and regulations of California Community College counseling

ABOUT THE COLLEGE

Where You Will Work
Serving all of San Luis Obispo County, Cuesta College has provided comprehensive associate degree offerings, certificates, and community programs to the region since 1964. The main campus is located along scenic Highway 1, west of San Luis Obispo and east of the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Cuesta College has a North County Campus in Paso Robles, and South County Center, in Arroyo Grande. 

Who We AreEquity, diversity, and inclusion are essential to our culture and the work we do. Cuesta College is proud to be a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) committed to racial and socio-economic diversity as it reflects our communities and student populations. We actively seek to attract candidates who share this commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. As part of the Cuesta College team, you can expect to be part of a collaborative community of faculty, classified professionals, administrators, students, and community partners advancing educational excellence with intentional support services leading to student success and completion.

 Additional information about the college can be found at https://www.cuesta.edu/about/index.html The college planning documents can be found athttps://www.cuesta.edu/about/collegeplans/index.html Our Student Equity Action Plan can be found athttps://www.cuesta.edu/about/info/student-equity-initiatives/equity/index.html We offer comprehensive benefit options. Information about benefits can be found athttps://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/benefits-insurance/index.htmlRequired:
-Master’s in marriage and family therapy or marriage, family and child counseling, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, counseling, social work, guidance counseling, educational counseling, career development, rehabilitation counseling from an accredited institution;
OR
-A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in one of the listed degrees AND a license as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT);OR
-The equivalent. (Candidates applying on the basis of equivalency must submit all materials requested for an equivalency judgment. For directions on what is an acceptable equivalency argument please review the requirements listed on the HR Website or see further information on Equivalency Petition Process Information below.).
OR
-A valid Community College credential in the discipline (If received prior to 1990, as the credential is no longer being issued).Also Required:
-Sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.
Preferred:
-Possession of current and valid licensure as one of the following:

1. California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT);
2. California Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW);
3. California Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC);
4. California Licensed Psychologist; 

-Mental health counseling experience in an educational setting, preferably involving college students, transitional age youth, and individuals with disabilities;
-Demonstrated ability to develop and employ culturally relevant techniques and effective practices for engaging students who are diverse and/or from historically underrepresented groups;
-At least two years post-licensure experience with increasing responsibility in a clinical setting all of which must have been within the last five (5) years;
-Eligibility to provide supervision to associates or trainees; OR willingness to obtain eligibility within 6 months of hire;
-Bilingual English/Spanish;
-Awareness of the philosophy and objectives of California Community Colleges.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO APPLY
Candidates will be required to submit all documents listed below when applying for this position. When uploading documents, PDF documents are preferred.

• Cover Letter. See further document instructions below;
• Resume;
• Professional Reference List. See further document instructions below;
• Unofficial Transcripts; and 
• Counseling Philosophy/Diversity statement. See further document instructions below.

Cover Letter Instructions:

Consider the following when addressing the committee in your cover letter: 

• Provide a concise summary of your relevant qualifications, including your degree(s) in counseling or related field, any certificate(s) or licenses you hold, and the number of years and work experience relevant to the essential job functions of the position. 
• Describe your interest and motivation for contributing to the community college setting and how your experiences align with the position.

Counseling Philosophy/Diversity Statement Instructions:

Write a reflective essay (500 words or less) detailing your approach to counseling and your commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. Consider how your therapeutic approach and personal values align with the principles of Cuesta College Mission Statement. Additionally, discuss specific strategies and best practices you would employ when counseling students that includes racially-minoritized and underserved individuals. How do you envision contributing to Cuesta College’s mission and goals related to equity and inclusion?

Professional Reference List:

Your reference list must include three professional references, their contact information, and their relationship to you.

Equivalency Petition Process Information: Faculty shall meet the minimum qualifications established by the Board of Governors, or shall possess qualifications that are at least equivalent to the minimum qualifications set out in the regulations of the Board of Governors. If a candidate does not directly meet minimum qualifications, they can submit a Petition for Equivalency form in order to apply for equivalency. For more information on the process, please review the links below for more information. 

Equivalency Process (AP 7211)

Petition for Equivalency Form

Completed online applications and all supporting documents must be submitted by the closing date for this position. LATE, INCOMPLETE, FAXED, MAILED OR EMAILED APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Please contact HR to ensure all documents have been uploaded and your file is complete up until 72 hours before the closing date. 

SALARY SCHEDULE

Salary is determined by education and experience. More information regarding our current salary schedules can be found on the following link:https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/humanresources/salary_schedules.html

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Cuesta College will not sponsor any visa applications. San Luis Obispo County Community College District ("Cuesta College") is an equal opportunity employer committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), age, disability (physical and mental), genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal and state law in admission and access to, or treatment in employment, educational programs or activities at any of its campuses. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Cuesta College also prohibits harassment on any of these bases, including sexual harassment, as well as sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. In compliance with California law, all prospective staff and students are entitled to read the Annual Security Report, published each October by the Cuesta College Department of Public Safety. This report contains information about our emergency and crime reporting procedures, as well as crime statistics for the past 3 years. You may request a copy of this report at one of our two Public Safety Offices: on SLO campus at Building 6600A or on North County Campus at building N1021, during campus business hours. You may also access the complete text of this report at the following website address: https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/publicsafety/clery_act

Cuesta College uses E-Verify as part of the I-9 process to verify the work eligibility of all new hires. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9 to data from U.S Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records. For further information, visit:https://www.cuesta.edu/about/depts/humanresources/Job_Opportunities.html

Selected applicants will be invited to a first-round interview via Zoom on Wednesday, June 12, 2024.

Second interviews will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.