Mental Health Counselors

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise other counselors, social service staff, assistants, or graduate students.
• Discuss with individual patients their plans for life after leaving therapy.
• Assess patients for risk of suicide attempts.
• Counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting clients or patients.
• Refer patients, clients, or family members to community resources or to specialists as necessary.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs on clients' progress in resolving identified problems and moving towards defined objectives.
• Plan or conduct programs to prevent substance abuse or improve community health or counseling services.
• Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping them to develop insight into themselves or their relationships.
• Act as client advocates to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.
• Collaborate with mental health professionals and other staff members to perform clinical assessments or develop treatment plans.
• Gather information about community mental health needs or resources that could be used in conjunction with therapy.
• Coordinate or direct employee workshops, courses, or training about mental health issues.
• Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge.
• Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.
• Plan, organize, or lead structured programs of counseling, work, study, recreation, or social activities for clients.
• Fill out and maintain client-related paperwork, including federal- and state-mandated forms, client diagnostic records, and progress notes.
• Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.
• Perform crisis interventions with clients.
• Evaluate clients' physical or mental condition, based on review of client information.
• Learn about new developments in counseling by reading professional literature, attending courses and seminars, or establishing and maintaining contact with other social service agencies.
• Modify treatment activities or approaches as needed to comply with changes in clients' status.
• Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports.
• Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems.
• Collect information about clients through interviews, observation, or tests.
• Monitor clients' use of medications.
• Meet with families, probation officers, police, or other interested parties to exchange necessary information during the treatment process.
• Perform crisis interventions to help ensure the safety of the patients and others.