Child Counselor

Summary

Serve as a Clinical Counselor within Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC), Fleet and Family Readiness Department (N9), Family Readiness Division (N91), Fleet and Family Support Program (FFSP). The primary purpose of this position is to provide short-term, non-medical clinical counseling for separation, grief, deployment, relocation, relationship issues, parent-child interactions, interpersonal issues and other challenges.

Duties

Performs FAP Case Management duties, which include receiving initial reports of suspected child and spouse abuse from military and civilian representatives and taking all steps required under the FAP. Serves as designated case manager and primary FAP point of contact for spouse and child abuse cases ensuring all actions are in compliance with DoD and Navy directives and civilian reporting requirements. Receive reports of problematic sexual behaviors in children and youth (PSB-CY) from military and civilian representatives and take appropriate action per FAP PSB-CY requirements. Provide or coordinate clinical services access with other FAP providers or with community clinical providers for exhibiting children, youth, and their families, including psychoeducational support, assessment, and clinical intervention. Prepares case summary reports and maintains ongoing contact with the Family Advocacy Representative for all child sexual abuse cases involving alleged active duty offenders. Assess all reports of alleged child and domestic abuse, to include interview of alleged offenders, victims, children, and other witnesses. Develops appropriate, risk-focused treatment and interventions for victims and perpetrators of child and domestic abuse in accordance with Navy Certification standards. Coordinates FAP training and ongoing communication to inform active-duty military and their families of the problems of family violence, FAP requirements and the services available to them. Provide direct non-medical, short term solution focused counseling services to eligible children, parents, families and groups using psychotherapeutic services, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based therapies, acceptance and commitment therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, family systems therapy, expressive therapies, etc. Assess client's needs and the nature and scope of their problem(s) and behavior, explore basic personality structure in relation to behavior patterns, mechanisms and symptoms, and analyze information collected to develop a diagnostic impression and treatment plan, and/or provide treatment referrals, as appropriate, to other clinical agencies. Recognize symptoms in clients with diagnosable disorders falling outside of the authorized scope of practice such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, substance use disorders, major depression or other symptoms requiring specialized medical/psychiatric intervention and/or longer-term treatment. Assist individuals and families with finding satisfactory ways of coping with commonly occurring life stresses (. career change, work-related stress), family dynamics (. divorce, communication problems), parenting, crisis response (. physical, sexual or emotional abuse), or other stressors. Identify crisis situations (., suicide or homicide risk, danger of physical or sexual abuse to family members, increased risk of interfamilial or extra familial violence) when conducting clinical assessments, and provide immediate crisis intervention, conduct risk assessment, and prepare and/or coordinate safety planning IAW best practices in the mental health community. Educate military, civilians and families on suicide intervention and at-risk behavior. Comply with reporting protocols involving high-risk case when reporting risk of suicide, homicide, domestic abuse or child abuse, and high-visibility cases. Inform military and civilian agencies on scope of practice, how to engage in services, available counseling services (., couples, individual, and children/family), and clinical issues and treatment related to children and adolescence; and train on clinical areas of interest (., sleep hygiene, healthy communication, upon request and if availability allows. Consult and coordinate with other military and civilian service agencies on specific client cases (., military treatment facility behavioral health, civilian military health providers, CPS, , on an ad-hoc basis. Collaborate with civilian community service boards and organizations regarding issues unique to military children. Performs other duties as assigned.

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