School Summary

Florida Connections Academy (FCA) is a tuition-free, online public charter school serving students in grades K-12. FCA is authorized by Hillsborough County Public Schools and is governed by an independent Board of Directors. The school is accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, the Northwest Accreditation Commission, and the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), which are accrediting divisions of Cognia.

Position Summary and Responsibilities

Working from your home in Florida, the K-12 Mental Health School Counselor will work closely with the administrative team including school counseling and special education team to coordinate, facilitate, and implement mental health support services in a virtual format to students in K-12.  This position will ensure compliance of the school’s mental health counseling plan.

The K-12 Mental Health Counselor will be responsible for the successful completion of the following tasks:

Provide individual mental health counseling for students who have this service on 504/ IEP. Provide mental health assessments, counseling, referrals, and intervention services Provide education (prevention and awareness via classes/presentation on topics such as anger/stress management, cyber safety, etc.) Develop youth leadership and empowerment skills Facilitate restorative justice and conflict resolution Provide crisis assistance (i.e. family death) Provide truancy intervention Liaison to/for community resources; next steps involving short term and/or long term therapy or intervention; advocacy Provide small group mental health counseling (i.e. anger/stress management, girl/boy issues, self-esteem, grief, relationships, etc.) to students in the MTSS process for behavioral/mental health concerns. Address mental health and mental illness school-wide as part of School’s Mental Health plan in a tiered intervention support model. Maintain and track documentation of mental health support for students Member of the School Threat Assessment Team Participate in the development of crisis prevention and management plans for the school and serve as a key member of the Student Support Team (SST); Report and refer critical incidents that jeopardize student well-being as obligated by law, administrative regulations, or ethical standards.  Stay abreast of all state regulations relating to incident reporting and documentation; Support professional development activities for teachers and school staff members; Other duties as assigned. 

Requirements

Licensed mental health counselor within the state of Florida as defined in Chapter 491, F.S. and a valid Florida driver license. FL Department of Health LMHC licensure is required. Florida Professional Teaching Certification in School Counseling At least 3 years counseling experience is preferred Experience in the counseling process with school age children Strong facilitation, coaching, conflict resolution and problem solving skills Experience in the use of technology Demonstrated leadership skills Demonstrated skills in written and verbal communication Demonstrated understanding and appreciation of diversity Knowledge of and experience with mediation and conflict resolution Ability to promote and follow Board of Education policies, Superintendent policies and other district department procedures A high level of organizational skills and initiative Strong communication skills Experience and training in mental health support within a learning or school environment Travel across the state is required for state testing administration and may require overnight stays Ability to work some occasional evening hours, as needed to support some families Must be able to use a personal electronic device and email address for 2-step authentication

Florida Connections Academy strives to create an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the diversity of the people we serve. We foster fairness, equity, and inclusion to create a workplace environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity.