Director of Counseling and Lead Mental Health Counselor

Overview

Horizons Greater Washington (HGW) seeks enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to serve as the Director of Counseling and Lead Mental Health Counselor for our five-week Summer Academy. Counselors are essential members of the summer team, responsible for engaging with and supporting students (grades 1-9).

Work Location

3000 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

Norwood School, 8821 River Road, Bethesda, MD 20817

Key Dates

• Planning Period: 2/1/2026-06/21/2026 – Hourly work as needed
• Staff Orientation: 06/22/2026-06/26/2026 – Monday-Friday 9:00 am-3:00 pm
• Summer Program: 06/29/2026-07/31/2026 – 30 hours per week
• Post-Program Planning Period: 08/01/2026-08/31/2026 – Hourly work as needed
• There will be no program on Friday, July 3rd in observance of Independence Day on July 4th.

Organizational Background

Horizons Greater Washington (HGW), an affiliate of Horizons National, is a dedicated leader in advancing educational opportunities by creating long-term partnerships with students, families, communities, and schools to create enriching out-of-school experiences that ignite the joy of learning for our students. HGW supports over 400 students across grades 1–9 with robust year-round programming. Our approach is centered on whole-child development, specifically focusing on building problem-solving skills, fostering a strong sense of community responsibility, and instilling respect for self and others. By maintaining this multi-year commitment from the first to the ninth grade, HGW cultivates meaningful, long-term connections between diverse learners and dedicated, supportive staff. Our program design and staff practices utilize a Positive Youth Development framework, prioritizing engagement, interaction, support, and a safe environment to meet the needs of our youth effectively.

The cornerstone of our work is the five-week Summer Academy, which expertly blends high-quality academics—with a specific focus on math, humanities, literacy, and STEAM—with comprehensive social-emotional learning, arts instruction, swimming, and confidence-building opportunities.

Position Description

The Director of Counseling and Lead Mental Health Counselor will provide immediate, short-term support and crisis intervention for students experiencing emotional distress or behavioral challenges. The counselor works closely with the Site Director and the HGW administrative team. Successful applicants will be flexible and creative in response to students’ interests and needs, passionate about Horizons’ mission and building transformative relationships with youth, and self-driven, demonstrating a commitment to quality and growth.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct brief, individual check-ins with students and small groups of students identified by teachers or staff as needing support (e.g., homesickness, anxiety, conflict resolution).
• Support teachers, as needed, with the Peace of Mind Curriculum implementation and class meetings
• Manage, document, and track all student behavioral health incidents and interventions in compliance with HGW protocols and confidentiality guidelines.
• Consult with parents/guardians to coordinate support plans and provide necessary referrals for ongoing therapeutic services within the community.

Staff Training and Consultation

• Design and facilitate training for summer staff on trauma-informed care, de-escalation techniques, and the HGW behavioral referral process.
• Train and support teachers and staff on the Peace of Mind curriculum, providing practical tools for effective classroom meetings and emotional literacy.
• Provide weekly "office hours" or scheduled consultations for classroom teachers to troubleshoot persistent behavioral challenges or group dynamics.
• Ensure all summer staff are trained in mandated reporting protocols and HGW’s internal safety communication chain.
• Crisis Response Leadership: Brief the HGW administrative team on crisis management protocols, ensuring a seamless connection between the counselor, site leadership, and families.

Program Development and Prevention

• Help integrate SEL strategies into the daily program schedule, ensuring that community-building and emotional literacy are prioritized.
• Collaborate with the academic team to understand and address how social-emotional barriers may impact academic engagement (e.g., in literacy, math, and STEAM, swimming classes).
• Assist in evaluating the program's overall mental health strategy and documentation procedures to provide recommendations for future summer and year-round programming.

Qualifications and Competencies

In addition to having a steadfast commitment to Horizons’ mission, the ideal candidate will possess school experience in working with students in Grades 1-9, behavior management, and intervention. Candidates must also be flexible, organized, and self-driven.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work, Counseling, Psychology, or a related clinical mental health field.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English.
• Current and valid independent or associate clinical license (LICSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC, LMFT, or equivalent) in the District of Columbia or Maryland, or documentation of being a post-graduate Supervisee in Clinical Social Work/Professional Counseling.
• A minimum of one year of post-graduate experience providing behavioral health services to children and adolescents (ages 5-14), particularly with underserved or low-income backgrounds.
• Experience in crisis intervention, de-escalation techniques, and developing short-term behavioral intervention plans.

Preferred Qualifications and Competencies

• Current CPR and First Aid certification.

Compensation

During the planning periods, February 1, 2026- June 21, 2026, and August 1, 2026-August 31, 2026, the position is paid at the hourly rate of $40. The six-week period from June 22 to July 31st is salaried at $7,200.00 based on the same hourly rate and a 30-hour work week.

How to Apply

Please fill out our online application, which will include uploading a current copy of your resume. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, with interviews beginning in February. Final candidates will be subject to a reference check.

Background Check Requirements

All offers of employment to employees 18 or over are contingent on the successful completion of the background checks described below:

• MD Criminal Database Background Check (MD)
• Maryland Child Protective Services Clearance (MD)
• DC Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) Child Protection Registry (CPR) (DC)
• Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Criminal Background Check (DC)
• National Sex Offender Registry (DC)

All offers of employment at Horizons Greater Washington are contingent upon clear results of the above suitability checks. Background checks will be conducted on all final candidates immediately after acceptance of employment offer and on all employees who are promoted, as deemed necessary.

COVID-19

Horizons Greater Washington is committed to providing and maintaining a workplace that is free of known hazards. As such, we strongly encourage our employees to receive the latest COVID vaccination to minimize the risk of infectious disease in our workplace.

Environmental and Physical Conditions

The environmental factors and/or physical requirements of this position include the following: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to have ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations; and the ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of up to 20 pounds. Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard. The employee frequently is required to be in one position for long periods of screen use, reach with hands and arms, and talk and hear both in person and over devices. The employee interacts in close spaces and frequently with children and other staff. May be in situations which require conflict resolution. The employee must have visual, auditory, and physical ability to respond quickly to critical incidents involving students and act in an emergency situation. Work is performed in a school environment with artificial light and air, with occasional trips off-site to parks, museums, etc.

Horizons Greater Washington is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, matriculation, source of income, place of business or residence, pregnancy, homeless status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.