What are the responsibilities and job description for the Mental Health Counselor position at Distinctive Schools?
Title: Mental Health Counselor K-8
Location: CICS Bucktown- 2235 N Hamilton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Reports To: Director of Clinical Services
Salary: Starting at $70k, commensurate with experience
Employee Type: Regular Full Time (Grant-Funded, SY27)
Start Date: August 2026
End Date: June 2027
This is a grant-funded position for the 2026–2027 school year only; continued employment beyond that period is contingent upon the availability of future grant funding and is not guaranteed.
Company Mission
Distinctive Schools creates diverse, joyful, welcoming communities rooted in social justice and rigorous learning. We support all learners to be engaged, curious, and to achieve their full potential. Our students become confident advocates, creative problem-solvers, and collaborative leaders.
Position Overview
The Mental Health Counselor will serve as a specialized clinician within the school's student support system and Distinctive Schools Clinical Services team. This role is dedicated to providing direct, trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health services that promote student well-being, engagement, and success. Operating within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, the Mental Health Counselor works collaboratively with students, families, educators, administrators, community partners, and other stakeholders to identify and address social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs that may impact a student's ability to thrive in school.
The Mental Health Counselor provides comprehensive prevention, intervention, and treatment services, including individual counseling, group counseling, crisis response, consultation, and care coordination. Unlike traditional school counseling roles that focus on academic advising, scheduling, and career planning, this position centers on clinical mental health support and the reduction of barriers to learning. The Mental Health Counselor collaborates with school teams to support student attendance, emotional regulation, behavioral health, school connectedness, and overall wellness while helping to build the mental health capacity of families and staff through education, consultation, and resource linkage.
Responsibilities
Tier 2 & Tier 3 Clinical Interventions & Therapy
Education
Master’s Degree in a clinical mental health discipline (Counseling, Social Work, or Psychology)
Qualifications
Since no job description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder's responsibility.
EEO
Distinctive Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other personal characteristic protected by applicable law.
Distinctive Schools is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with our commitment, Distinctive Schools will take the steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the position, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact talent@distinctiveschools.org or call 773.828.4191
Location: CICS Bucktown- 2235 N Hamilton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Reports To: Director of Clinical Services
Salary: Starting at $70k, commensurate with experience
Employee Type: Regular Full Time (Grant-Funded, SY27)
Start Date: August 2026
End Date: June 2027
This is a grant-funded position for the 2026–2027 school year only; continued employment beyond that period is contingent upon the availability of future grant funding and is not guaranteed.
Company Mission
Distinctive Schools creates diverse, joyful, welcoming communities rooted in social justice and rigorous learning. We support all learners to be engaged, curious, and to achieve their full potential. Our students become confident advocates, creative problem-solvers, and collaborative leaders.
Position Overview
The Mental Health Counselor will serve as a specialized clinician within the school's student support system and Distinctive Schools Clinical Services team. This role is dedicated to providing direct, trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health services that promote student well-being, engagement, and success. Operating within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, the Mental Health Counselor works collaboratively with students, families, educators, administrators, community partners, and other stakeholders to identify and address social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs that may impact a student's ability to thrive in school.
The Mental Health Counselor provides comprehensive prevention, intervention, and treatment services, including individual counseling, group counseling, crisis response, consultation, and care coordination. Unlike traditional school counseling roles that focus on academic advising, scheduling, and career planning, this position centers on clinical mental health support and the reduction of barriers to learning. The Mental Health Counselor collaborates with school teams to support student attendance, emotional regulation, behavioral health, school connectedness, and overall wellness while helping to build the mental health capacity of families and staff through education, consultation, and resource linkage.
Responsibilities
Tier 2 & Tier 3 Clinical Interventions & Therapy
- Manage a dedicated clinical caseload of high-need students, delivering structured, evidence-based, and trauma-informed one-on-one therapy tailored to diagnosed mental health needs.
- Design and facilitate clinical group therapy and skill-building sessions for students navigating shared challenges, such as anxiety, stress, self-regulation, and peer conflict.
- Executing formal student risk assessments and handling clinical crises, working under the direct supervision of the Director of Clinical Services.
- Design and deliver professional development and training sessions for teachers and school staff on mental health literacy, helping them identify early warning signs of distress and effectively support student wellness in the classroom.
- Lead educational workshops and outreach initiatives for parents and caregivers to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and reinforce behavioral interventions at home.
- Partner with instructional staff and Deans to weave foundational SEL concepts (self-management, emotional regulation, and responsible decision-making) into universal school culture.
- Utilize student information platforms to identify students experiencing chronic absenteeism driven by mental health factors and deploy targeted clinical interventions to promote school re-engagement.
- Implement clinical monitoring metrics to evaluate individual student milestones and behavioral skill development.
- Work with the Director of Clinical Services to track, analyze, and report on program performance metrics.
- Fulfill role of the Mandated Reporter and report all incidents of suspected child abuse and neglect to Department of Family and Child Services
- Assist in Crisis Intervention/Prevention practices within each school which includes preventative measures such as mental health screenings for possible social-emotional or behavioral issues and following the network protocol in cases of emergencies (i.e. school violence, deaths, and suicidal ideation).
- Participate in school meetings, student support teams, and professional development activities
- Serve as a liaison between the school and community organizations
- Other duties as assigned
Education
Master’s Degree in a clinical mental health discipline (Counseling, Social Work, or Psychology)
Qualifications
- Valid Illinois state licensure corresponding to a clinical field (e.g., LCPC, LCSW, LPC, LSW, MFT, or PEL with an applicable clinical endorsement).
- Experience working with youth populations in trauma-informed environments. Strong familiarity with urban education systems and the unique systemic barriers impacting BIPOC families is highly preferred.
- Technology demands:
- Proficient in cloud based software solutions - GoogleSuite
- Travel to campuses and professional trainings as needed
- Majority of work is performed in a general office environment. Position requires availability for extended hours plus non-traditional hours required to perform job duties. Also requires participation and attendance at organization-sponsored events and meetings.
- Generally, the job requires 30% sitting, 50% walking, and 20% standing.
- 25 Paid holidays & 10 days PTO annually (in addition to summer break for educators/campus positions)
- 12 weeks family paid leave
- Comprehensive Healthcare (Medical, Dental, Vision)
- 403b match
- Fully match up to 3%
- 50% match up to 5%
- Professional development including tuition reimbursement
- Gym and wellness discounts
- And more
Since no job description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder's responsibility.
EEO
Distinctive Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other personal characteristic protected by applicable law.
Distinctive Schools is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with our commitment, Distinctive Schools will take the steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the position, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact talent@distinctiveschools.org or call 773.828.4191
Salary : $70,000