ANSEP Mental Health Counselor

Come join an award winning program at ANSEP. We are recruiting for an ANSEP Mental Health Counselor to support our Acceleration Academy programming.

The Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) Acceleration Academy is a program for students of minor age ranging from the 8th grade to 12th grade in high school where students can attend college courses on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. During the Fall and Spring semesters, students attend classes daily and return home after school hours. In addition to college coursework, students are required to attend recitations for most classes and are involved in a variety of academy components that include the following: hands‐on modules covering a wide cross-section of STEM topics, team building exercises, social activities, field trips, and exposure to Alaska Native cultures. Students involved in the Acceleration Academy have opportunities to network with STEM and other professionals, and experience mentoring conducted by Student Success Coordinators and Youth Peer Mentors, as well as career exploration and professional networking.

Under the guidance and direction of the ANSEP Directors and collaboration with the Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC), the Mental Health Counselor plays a key role in ensuring student mental health needs are addressed to prevent further escalation and managed as a preventable measure to maintain overall student wellbeing. Operationally, the position resides in ANSEP with close support from SHCC who offers regular peer consultation and access to clinical practice tools to maintain compliance with state and federal regulations, as well as appropriate documentation within the provided electronic health record. The counselor will identify and assess more complex mental health issues presented by students that have not reached the age of majority. The primary focus will require handling of student mental health needs via short-term counseling and supporting students' care transfer to community providers for long-term counseling. Some external partnerships may be new working relationships. The counselor has knowledge and skill in brief counseling approaches and techniques and an ability to assess student situations and make decisions on appropriate care/treatment. Specialization in the care of minors is necessary to support both residential and non-residential pre-college programs. Occasionally, the Mental Health Counselor will be available to work on-call hours as part of the directors response team. The Mental Health Counselor will serve as the lead contact and consultant in response to student mental health needs for all ANSEP system wide components only on an emergency basis or as determined to be outside of the capability of a member of staff. The Mental Health Counselor will have a demonstrated ability to adhere to state and federal regulations and statutes and maintain ethical principles and practices to deliver the highest standard of care.

The Mental Health Counselor will create and deliver training to students, faculty and staff using a comprehensive curriculum of psychoeducation topics. Training topics should include coping skills to help student minors manage stress, depression, and anxiety. Training to faculty and staff includes signs to look for with a student in distress. Additionally, the Mental Health Counselor will provide education and preventative information for topics in substance abuse, suicide risk, and unresolved trauma for students and staff.

To excel in this role, the candidate should have master’s degree level experience in Counseling, Psychology, Social Work or other related field from an accredited program and three years relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Training in specialized area of knowledge required. Appropriate state licensure and certification in specialized training is required. The candidate should have experience working with Alaska Native, American Indian, and rural students and cultures. Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.

Successful candidates will have a master’s degree or higher and demonstrated experience providing individual clinical mental health care to people ranging from adolescence to young adulthood and strong crisis response skills. Specialized training in child and adolescent mental health care is required.

Candidates will have a demonstrated ability to manage a full caseload while following federal regulations and statutes (e.g., HIPAA, FERPA) including maintaining appropriate documentation within the provided electronic health record. The ideal candidate will have experience working with Alaska Native, American Indian, and rural students and cultures as well as strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.

Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s degree in related field and three years relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Must be Licensed Mental Health Counselor approved by the Alaska Board of Professional Counselors. Licensed will be validated if hired.

Master's degree from an accredited institution in counseling, psychology, social work or other behavioral-health related field and eligibility to obtain a State of Alaska professional mental health license to practice independently is required. The ability to be occasionally available for and responsive to crisis needs, as part of the Director’s response team, is required. Professional license will be validated if hired.

Position Details:

This position is located on the UAA campus in Anchorage. This is a full-time, term-funded, exempt (non-hourly) staff position complete with both a competitive salary and full employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. New hires will be placed on the UA Staff Salary Schedule, Grade 80, based on education and experience.

*This position may require some night and weekend shifts due to an on call nature of the work.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until a successful candidate is identified.

Review of application materials will begin immediately. Search and selection procedures will be closed when a sufficient and viable number of qualified candidates have been identified.

Please attach a resume, cover letter, and the names and contact information for three (3) professional references with your application.

*To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.  Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.

This position is a term-funded position and is reviewed annually for contract renewal at the University's discretion.

The University of Alaska (UA) is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact UA Human Resources by phone at 907-450-8200.

UA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, educational institution and provider and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination.

The successful applicant is required to complete a background check. Any offer of employment is contingent on the background check.

Your application for employment with the University of Alaska is subject to public disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act.

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Cate Weist, ANSEP HR Manager, at caweist@alaska.edu.

All employees at the University of Alaska are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism when conducting or engaged in university business.

*Each university within the University of Alaska system publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the University will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Noncampus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.  The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.  

Access to the reports is available at:

UAA: (Addresses Anchorage campus, Aviation Technology Complex, JBER - Elmendorf Extension, JBER - Richardson Extension, Kenai Peninsula College - Kachemak Bay campus, Kenai Peninsula College - Kenai River campus, Kodiak College, Kodiak High School Extension, Matanuska-Susitna College, Prince William Sound College, and Prince William Sound College - Cordova Extension) Online: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/safety. Request a paper copy in person: UAA Police Department Office at Room 114 of Eugene Short Hall on the Anchorage campus / UAA Dean of Students Office at Room 122 of Rasmuson Hall on the Anchorage campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-786-1120 or police@uaa.alaska.edu / 907-786-1214 or uaa_deanofstudents@alaska.edu. 

UAF: (Addresses Fairbanks Campus, Bristol Bay Campus, Chukchi Campus, Community and Technical College, Kasitsna Bay Campus, Seward Marine Center, Tok Campus, Kuskokwim Campus, and Northwest Campus) Online: https://www.uaf.edu/orca/files/ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability on the 3rd Floor of Constitution Hall. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-474-7300 or uaf-orca@alaska.edu.

UAS: (Addresses the Juneau Auke Bay Campus, Juneau Technical Education Center, Sitka Campus, & Ketchikan Campus) Online: https://uas.alaska.edu/equity-and-compliance/docs/clery/UAS_ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: Hendrickson Building, Suite 202 on the Juneau campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-796-6371 or emailing uas.clery@alaska.edu.