Mental Health Professional

Description

The Mental Health Professional oversees all matters related to mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health in camp. This can include one on one sessions, facilitated group discussions, programs to promote mental health awareness, staff training, and more. The MHP will work with people from age 7-25, with the majority of the work with tweens, teens, and young adults. This role is a seasonal summer position, with some pre-summer work to be completed before the start date. Specific work hours at camp are hard to define due to the nature of the job. There should be a reasonable expectation of work during the days and evenings without it overloading the workload.

Responsible to: Camp Director

Specific Responsibilities of the Mental Health Professional include, but are not limited to:
● Playing a leadership role in the planning and implementation of staff training and ongoing staff learning related to mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health (MESSH)
● Creating and implementing programming for small groups of campers focused on wellness and social-emotional learning; programs such as nightly bunk activities
● Creating and implementing proactive mental health programming promoting things such as, but not limited to, emotional awareness, resilience, and processing
● Serving as a resource to staff members throughout the summer in facing mental, emotional and social health challenges, and creating environments where campers can thrive
● Creating evaluation systems to understand the impact of the Yedid Nefesh grant, staff training, and camper programs
● Communicating and managing relationships with parents/caregivers in regards to camper needs
● Preparing reports, in conjunction with the Camp Director, to funding agencies in relationship to mental emotional and social health of CYJ Texas and its campers, including sharing high-level understandings of interactions and interventions taking place throughout the summer
● Participate in Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Community of Practice as part of our camp’s place in the Yedid Nefesh program, including two or three virtual gatherings and one in-person gathering per year with other Jewish camp mental health professionals.
● Be an active presence, living on-site at camp as a part of the community for the summer session
● Work with Directors on updating evaluation forms, along with weekly check-in forms for tracking wellness
● Respecting a high level of confidentiality on all camp business
● The nature of overnight camp involves unforeseen situations and quick adjustments. The listed duties encompass the bulk of the work. Some duties may be reassigned and other duties may be assigned as needed
● Comfort living in a Jewish community and living with Jewish customs and culture

The ideal candidate is interested in being in this role for the full summer, and while CYJ Texas participates in the Yedid Nefesh program. This relationship will be reviewed on a yearly basis with the hope that the relationship can continue beyond the grant program period.

Ideal Dates: June 8 – August 5. Flexible dates.

Compensation

$Varies

Requirements

Desired Qualifications:
● Graduate-level or higher degree in a mental health field. Including, but not limited to: social work, mental health counseling, psychology, youth psychiatry, family therapy, etc.
● Prior camp experience in working with young children is preferred
● Exceptional skill and capacity for engagement and relationship building with both children and their parents
● Proven ability to plan, originate, and organize programs
● Proven ability to provide emotional support to a wide range of ages
● Strong understanding of, and a willingness to be creative with, strategies to ensure campers of varying needs can be part of a mainstreamed program
● Be a leader, self-starter, and strong collaborator
● Ability to accept guidance, constructive feedback, and support from teammates.
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills and comfort in communication with children and young adults
● The inclination to be a caring, empathetic, patient, hardworking, and diligent professional who takes initiative and is creative, enthusiastic, open-minded, and high-energy
● Strong abilities to function both independently and as part of a team

How to Apply

To inquire about this role, please send an email and resume to Mac Lindner, Camp Director, at mac@cyjtexas.org