Director of Counseling and Health Services

Director of Counseling and Health Services

The Director of Counseling and Health Services at the University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR) plays a crucial role in promoting and enhancing the overall mental health of students within the university community. This position is responsible for providing mental health counseling services and community health resource referrals and support to the student population. This includes providing mental health counseling in the individual and group setting, the development, implementation and evaluation of policies, procedures, and programs, as well as consulting with faculty, staff, and administration over mental health topics. In addition, the Director will develop relationships with community organizations and develop an understanding of outside resources available to our students, particularly those who need access to basic needs resources. The Director will also participate in developing proactive mental health programming for the UMR student population and will collaborate closely with the Director of Student Engagement and Wellbeing.

The Director of Counseling and Health Services is a crucial member of our UMR Student Life team and reports directly to the Associate Vice Chancellor who reports directly to the Chancellor. The Director also maintains a positive relationship with our contract partners and advocates for services that best support our students. In addition this position directly supervises the counselors and the Disabilities Resources Team. The Director represents UMR at University of Minnesota system-wide meetings for student mental health professionals, leveraging resources, sharing innovations, and ensuring campus awareness and compliance with System policies.

UMR seeks an equity-minded and culturally attentive mental health professional who understands the complexities of college student life. This professional is expected to pursue relational and solution-focused methods that attend to the developmental, identity-related, learning and mental health concerns of students. UMR is committed to fostering a community of wellbeing and providing services that help students meet their physical and mental health needs from a holistic perspective, with a focus on education for lifelong learning and optimum health.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Provide intake assessments as needed and individual counseling and group counseling for UMR students - 55%

• Oversee the provisions of counseling services to students through the UMR Counseling Office
• Services may include assessment, evaluation, treatment planning, individual and group counseling, as well as crisis intervention. Services are often provided via a counseling model, rather than being restricted to a mental illness treatment model, as we aim to provide support to any enrolled student who requests support, not only those who have a diagnosed mental illness
• Develop policies and practices to enhance the efficacy of the Counseling Center, prioritize mental health, and normalize help-seeking behavior, and an interest in health sustaining habits and growth-oriented behavior, both for students and across the University in general
• Support the demand for counseling services by maintaining a caseload of students and providing individual or group counseling as needed
• Coordinate with on-boarding of Titanium to meet contractual obligations for services agreed upon
• Lead assessment efforts in the Counseling Center and Disability Resources, using best practices in learning/program development
• Collect and analyze data, create reports, and implement changes to improve student wellness and student use of services
• Remain relevant on best practices in student mental health, student physical health, and accessibility through professional association affiliation and involvement
• Facilitate outreach programs, presentations, workshops, and other educational opportunities for the campus community
• Manage departmental budgets and effectively allocate resources
• Ensure culturally-informed care is provided, with special focus regarding individual and group counseling within a flexible, but generally short-term model
• Provide confidential documentation of all clinical contacts according to state and university requirements
• Conduct intake assessments if needed and refer to appropriate resources as needed
• In coordination with the AVC develop a strong partnership with Olmsted Medical Center
• Provide oversight for the Health Service partnership with Olmsted Medical Center for student health care including a contracted mental health counselor, nurse practitioner, and other medical staff who provide care in the skyway clinic. Collaborate with the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Boynton Health Service for the student comprehensive health benefit plan and university protocols.

Serve as a key functional role on the UMR Care Team and consult with faculty/staff and outside constituents regarding student mental health/care concerns and supports - 15%

• Facilitate UMR Care Team when Care Team leadership is not available
• Create awareness of the UMR Care Team function and process across the campus community
• Serve as member of system mental health task force and other system committees
• Work closely with the Student Life team, including the Director of Engagement and Wellbeing, and Care Team members to collaborate on appropriate strategies, response and support for students struggling with mental health, health, and accessibility issues
• Build effective relationships with community responders. Ensure effective communication and aftercare for student health related emergencies. Working with appropriate agencies, coordinate the offering of on-campus mental health support groups (e.g. NAMI, Al-Anon, AA, NA).

Provide crisis intervention - 10%

• Serve as a point person for UMR students who are in crisis, when an outside mental health agency is involved
• Provide resources to students regarding various available mental health resources within diverse communities and work closely with services and resources available within diverse communities when needed
• Consult with colleagues to determine course of action for behavior intervention
• Provide consultation for the On-Call Emergency Response team for matters related to student mental health
• Primary contact and liaison for 3rd Party Crisis Response Call Service (Protocol)

Provide campus education on mental health issues - 10%

• In coordination with the Director of Student Wellbeing provide preventative education regarding mental health issues to students, and outreach to the broader UMR community
• Provide training opportunities to UMR staff and students on crisis intervention and basic counseling skills
• Support and provide oversight for student peer programs as needed

Professional Staff and Student Staff Hiring, Training, and Supervision - 10%

• Mental Health Counselors (Supervision, Training, Evaluation)
• Student employees (Supervision, Training, Evaluation)
• Disability Resources Staff (2)

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work or Counseling/Clinical Psychology or related field with appropriate licensure (LICSW, LPC, LPCC, LP, PSYD, LMFT, or equivalent) plus 5 years of experience in a mental health setting, or
• Terminal degree in Social Work or Counseling/Clinical Psychology or related field with appropriate licensure (LICSW, LPC, LPCC, LP, PSYD, LMFT, or equivalent) plus 2 years of experience in a mental health setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with college counseling services
• Generalist skills in working with depression, anxiety, identity development, gender and sexual orientation and family of origin issues
• A student-centered leader with a deep passion for student life and associated best practices in the context of higher education.
• Experience in providing trauma-informed care
• Experience with culturally diverse student populations and familiarity with cultural identity development theories
• Demonstrated strong commitment to the University's goal of creating a community of wellbeing and inclusive campus climate
• Experience with mental health diagnostic interviews
• Experience working with resources available within diverse communities

Pay Range: $75,000 - $85,000 annually, depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment Category: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will have the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume. A resume is required for consideration and a cover letter is highly recommended.

Active review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applications must be submitted online and may be accessed at https://r.umn.edu/about-umr/employment-opportunities. Applicants must attach a resume or curriculum vitae to the online application and may also be requested to submit: (1) a cover letter, and (2) a statement of applicant's commitment to supporting diversity and inclusion. For more information, e-mail umrhr@r.umn.edu.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR)

At the University of Minnesota Rochester, our vision is to transform higher education through innovations that empower graduates to solve the grand health challenges of the twenty-first century. UMR prepares students for a broad spectrum of career pathways including pre-med and patient care; psychology and mental health; business and leadership; health technology; public policy and global health; and research, discovery, and cures.

The campus community serves almost 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students in the heart of downtown Rochester and continues to grow in size and influence through creative partnerships. At UMR, relationships and research drive student success. Learn more about UMR.

The University of Minnesota is proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022-24).