Position Summary:

The Psychologist for CARE (Campus Assessment, Response, and Evaluation) and Clinical Intervention (CARE Psychologist) at the University Counseling Center (UCC) is a mid-level clinical staff position that will perform comprehensive mental health and consultation services for Vanderbilt University’s diverse student population. The CARE Psychologist is one of five mental health providers on the Clinical Intervention & CARE team that focuses on urgent care and higher acuity services. Typical duties include, but are not limited to, providing clinical assessment and individual and group counseling and crisis intervention services to Vanderbilt University undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, the development of treatment plans, and the conceptualization of clinical presentations that take into account unique aspects of identity.

This position will spend a portion of their clinical time (approximately 15-20 clinical hours per week) providing urgent care during daytime operating hours. This position will also perform community outreach, consultation, serve as clinical supervisor for unlicensed and newly licensed staff as well as graduate trainees, and liaison activities including some limited evening hours as needed to support satellite and/or outreach services. Specific events and scenarios may also require after hours consultation and/or postvention work. Multicultural awareness and responsiveness are important components of all clinical and community outreach-oriented work.

About the Work Unit:
The University Counseling Center (UCC) supports the mental health needs of Vanderbilt students, encouraging their work toward their academic and personal goals. Our highly skilled and multidisciplinary staff develop evidence-based treatment plans tailored to each individual’s unique background and needs by working together with students, campus partners, and community providers. The UCC also emphasizes prevention and education through collaboration and consultation focused on the development of the skills and self-awareness needed to excel in a challenging educational environment. We offer culturally responsive services in a safe and affirming space and are committed to engaging in an ongoing dialogue that provides our team with opportunities to grow in the context of their own cultural identity development. The UCC is committed to understanding the role of diverse experiences and backgrounds in order to best promote mental health and wellbeing in the lives of individuals and in our community.

About the Student Care Network:
The Student Care Network (SCN) is comprised of the Center for Student Wellbeing, Student Care Coordination, the University Counseling Center, and the Student Health Center. The SCN is a holistic network of services and resources pertaining to health and wellness available to all Vanderbilt University students who have paid the Student Health Fee. As such, staff within the offices comprising the SCN work collaboratively to create integrated processes, referrals, and treatment plans to better serve the entire student.

About Student Affairs at Vanderbilt:
Student Affairs serves a central role in student learning and development at Vanderbilt, advancing the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service. Student Affairs at Vanderbilt cultivates vibrant, inclusive communities that foster a student’s sense of belonging and wellbeing through collaborative partnerships, transformative learning experiences, and an accessible and holistic network of resources. We value connection, belonging, compassion, development, and innovation. Our staff are committed to continued growth in knowledge, awareness, skills, and experience engaging with these priorities in a higher education environment.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

Provide professional mental health services to students:

• Provide an integrated assessment of students presenting for counseling to include the influence of bio-psycho-social variables on treatment and to effectively guide subsequent treatment planning.
• Develop appropriate treatment plans to target the needs of the student within a multidisciplinary, and multimodal system of care and collaborate effectively with other treatment resources for the benefit of students. Retain students as clients until safe to terminate or refer to a higher or lower-level care with transition of care completed.
• Participate in the planning of effective and innovative intervention and skill development programs for students based on knowledge and awareness of emergent campus mental health trends and needs.
• Perform formal psychological screenings and psychodiagnostics assessment and testing with students to evaluate the appropriateness of accommodations and specialized learning support and assist in treatment planning.
• Maintain the expectations of Individual Service Plan, which includes a 60% caseload of direct service, groups, and outreach (no less than 1% and no more than 2% of total) throughout the academic year.
• Develop effective working relationships with the Vanderbilt community, including Student Care Network entities, academic deans, faculty, residential staff, Student Affairs departments, Vanderbilt University Police Department, and other relevant campus partners, to ensure a collaborative support network on campus to respond to student needs and optimize support and safety for Vanderbilt students.
• Provide outreach and educational programming to campus community to support an ethos of care, resilience, wellness, and skill development.
• Maintain appropriate and timely documentation for recordkeeping and communication with other service providers based on ethical and legal standards and requirements to enhance care for students.
• Engage in ongoing, consistent professional development and clinical education related to trauma, psychosis, persistent suicidal ideation, eating disorders, alcohol and other drug dependency, and other acuity issues impacting college students to provide informed care.

Provide specialized crisis intervention and follow-up services:

• CARE leadership team to ensure coverage. Additional expectations for onsite work during inclement weather and, on occasion, administrative closures when the UCC would otherwise be remote or closed to ensure Urgent Care coverage.
• Specific events and scenarios may also require after hours consultation and/or postvention work.
• Provide clinical assessments of students in a mental health crisis demonstrating effective diagnostic skills and effective treatment planning for a variety of mental health concerns and conditions, with varying levels of severity.
• Respond to mental health emergencies in a culturally responsive manner to support students in a framework and manner that acknowledges their unique and intersecting personal and cultural identities.
• Identify appropriate interventions for students in crisis, working effectively with the staff of the UCC and Student Care Network to access appropriate resources, and engaging campus partners effectively to develop an effective plan for supporting students.
• Confer with counterparts on the UCC’s continuity counseling team to determine if referral due to stabilization is appropriate or more appropriate to be maintained on the CARE team.
• Communicate with campus partners supporting students in crisis and develop intervention strategies to ensure student safety and support.
• Collaborate with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Emergency Department, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, the Partial Hospital Program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and other community providers, as appropriate, to ensure positive student outcomes, a smooth transition to outside care, and/or a seamless discharge/transition back to campus for students.

Provide consultation for staff and trainees:

• Participate in training activities including case conferences, small group supervision, and seminars/workshops to support trainee development and progress within the UCC’s accredited training program.
• Co-facilitate therapy and skill-based groups/works with trainees to provide effective treatment and coping skill development for students as well as learning and role modeling for trainee co-facilitators.
• Provide clinical and administrative supervision to practicum trainees as assigned.

Perform other administrative functions:

• Serve on divisional committees and working groups to enrich the experience and resources available to staff across the division.
• Participate in division-wide events (Move-In Day, Rites of Spring, Diverse ‘Dores Day, MLK Day, etc.), as needed, to support colleagues and ensure these events run smoothly.
• Learn and comply with financial policies and procedures related to travel, procurement, and expense reporting in order to be a good steward of university funds.
• Engage in professional development, including presentations at pertinent conferences and workshops, to expand upon and bring back skills and knowledge to the greater UCC team.
Perform other duties necessary to enhance the student experience and/or facilitate the success of the University, division, or department.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position does not currently have any supervisory responsibility; the position reports administratively and functionally to a UCC Counseling Manager on the Clinical Intervention & CARE team.

Education and Certifications:

• A Doctoral degree from an accredited institution of higher education in Psychology, counseling, social work or other mental health-related field is necessary.
• Completion of an APA approved doctoral program is required.
• Completion of APA accredited internship is preferred.
• Licensure as a Psychologist with HSP designation in Tennessee, or current licensure in another state with the ability to obtain licensure within one year of employment is required. Current licensure in Tennessee or another state is preferred.
• Specialty training in suicide ideation, homicide ideation, psychosis, eating disorder, AOD, trauma, or other needs is required.
Certification in at least one trauma treatment (EMDR, Brain Spotting, Hakomi, etc.) is required at time of hire or within one year of hire date.

Experience and Skills:

• 4+ years of clinical experience is required.
• 2+ years working with high acuity patients is required.
• Training and experience working with students/clients with complex or acute diagnoses such as trauma, psychosis, persistent suicidal ideation, eating disorders, alcohol and other drug dependency, and similar concerns is required.
• Demonstrated ability to both provide appropriate care to students with complex diagnoses and/or significant psychiatric histories and appropriately terminate or refer those students when appropriate with oversight or supervision is required.
• Experienced in crisis care evaluation and intervention is required.
• Training in trauma informed practices is required.
• Experience with young adult population is required.
• Experience working in a higher education setting is preferred.
• Demonstrated team orientation in style and philosophy is required.
• Ability to function in an acute care model for assessment and management of clinical emergencies is required.
• Effective interpersonal skills to form and maintain meaningful relationships with students, colleagues, and all stakeholders is required.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively interact with patients/ clients from diverse backgrounds is required.
• Demonstrated ability in the intersectional work of identity development and trauma is required.
• Specific knowledge, experience, and skills in providing services to a diverse student population including APIDA, international, Latinx, African-American, LGBTQI, military, first-generation, low-income, and/or rural is preferred.
• Evident language fluency in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, Bengali or other Asian languages is preferred.
• Demonstrated skill in written and oral communication, including public speaking and group meeting facilitation is preferred.