Student Care Counselor for Mental Health and Wellness Position Available In Otsego, New York

Location:

Oneonta, NY Category:

Professional Posted On:

Wed Jun 18 2025

Job Description:

The Division of Student Affairs is committed to ensuring every student’s SUNY Oneonta experience is positive, safe, healthy, and meaningful. We provide students with the tools and support they need to thrive both during their time on campus and beyond graduation. The Office of Student Care (OSC), part of the Division of Student Affairs, plays a vital role in promoting student wellbeing. We are seeking a Student Care Counselor for Mental Health and Wellness to join our team and support students through a holistic, compassionate approach to care. This 11-month position reports to the Associate Director of OSC and involves regular engagement with students, campus partners, and community resources. The Student Care Counselor collaborates with students navigating personal, emotional, medical, or related concerns and helps connect them to appropriate wellness supports on campus and in the broader community. The role requires flexibility, including occasional evening and weekend hours. To learn more about the University and the department, please visit https://suny.oneonta.edu/ or Office of Student Care and Well-Being (https://suny.oneonta.edu/about-oneonta/university-offices/student-care-and-well-being) Duties include but are not limited to: + Consult with the Associate Director as needed on acute cases. + Provide crisis intervention, suicide prevention support, and brief supportive counseling to students in emotional distress. + Connect students with appropriate on- and off-campus support services to help them effectively navigate personal, emotional, or medical challenges. + Collaborate with campus partners to provide coordinated and holistic support for students. + Develop and deliver educational programs and workshops on alcohol and drug awareness, prevention, and harm reduction strategies to promote responsible behavior. + Establish and maintain partnerships with community providers offering addiction recovery services to ensure comprehensive support for students facing substance-related challenges. + Create and implement wellness programs, mental health education, and campus-wide outreach to promote awareness, stress management, and overall wellbeing. + Offer alternative mental health activities (e.g., mindfulness, movement, art therapy), facilitate mindfulness workshops, and foster a calming, inclusive environment for students. + Partner with departments such as Health Services, the Counseling Center, and Residence Life to ensure integrated support. + Stay current with best practices and trends in mental health counseling, expressive arts therapy, mindfulness, and health education through ongoing professional development. + Plan, organize, and implement educational and outreach events, including tabling, orientation presentations, and student club engagement, to raise awareness of available services. + Serve as co-advisor to the Mental Health RAs. + Assist with developing and implementing a wellness strategy that aligns with The Forward Momentum Agenda and SUNY Oneonta’s holistic approach to student well-being. + Develop and supervise student staff (Empire Service Corp, providing them with guidance and training to support wellness initiatives. + Tracking departmental efforts to support the 8 Pillars of Wellness and a Bio-Psycho-Social Model + Track and report data to support assessment, evaluation, and continuous program improvement.

Salary:

$53,500. SUNY Oneonta is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualifying employer. Information on SUNY’s comprehensive benefits offerings can be found at https://www.suny.edu/benefits/

Job Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

+ Bachelor’s degree + Three years of related experience in student support, crisis intervention, or behavioral intervention. + Knowledge of case management, intake/assessment, and/or counseling techniques. + Experience supervising a team. + Demonstrated ability to problem-solve complex issues while functioning as an independent decision-maker. + Ability to work effectively with students from diverse backgrounds.

Preferred:

+ A master’s degree in social work, Counseling, or related mental health field is preferred. + Possession of, or eligibility to obtain, an appropriate license (i.e., LMSW, LCSW, NCC, LPC, LMFT) or case management certification. + Experience working with students in crisis and creating behavioral intervention plans and/or care coordination is preferred. + Knowledge of principles and procedures involved in risk assessment.

Additional Information:

SUNY Oneonta enrolls about 5,500 students who pursue bachelor’s or master’s degrees or certificates in one of 70-plus academic programs. Known as an exemplary residential campus that values inclusion, service and sustainability, SUNY Oneonta is a nurturing community where students grow intellectually, thrive socially, and live purposefully. The university is located in the City of Oneonta, nestled in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains about a four-hour drive from New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia. With a population just shy of 14,000, Oneonta is one of the 20 Most Picturesque Small Towns in America, according to Microsoft News. The natural beauty of the region is breathtaking year-round. Each season offers outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, boating, swimming, and skiing. Employees give SUNY Oneonta high marks for work/life balance, management, and culture. The university’s indeed.com rating is 4.4, with one recent review noting that the people are what make SUNY Oneonta so special. SUNY Oneonta values a diverse university community. Please visit our website on diversity at: https://suny.oneonta.edu/diversity Moreover, the University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, persons of color, persons with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. “At SUNY Oneonta, we believe that diversity is an asset and a source of strength that energizes our collective growth and innovation.” – President Alberto Cardelle.