Assistant Director of Academic Embedded and Graduate Student Counseling / Clinical Instructor or Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC seeks an Assistant Director of Academic Embedded and Graduate Student Counseling at Counseling and Mental Health (CMH) within USC Student Health to join a diverse and dynamic multidisciplinary team who are strongly committed to providing excellent multiculturally and trauma-informed clinical treatment, training, advocacy, prevention, and outreach services. We are seeking candidates who have strong leadership skills/experience/potential and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, diverse, collegial, professional environment.

Position Description (Purpose and Scope)

Under the direction of the Director of CMH and in close collaboration with the Senior Associate Director, the Assistant Director of Academic Embedded and Graduate Student Counseling will oversee CMH’s Academic Embedded program, which embeds therapists in multiple academic units throughout the university, as well as counseling services to the university’s graduate students at the Eric Cohen Student Health Center located at the Health Sciences Campus. The position will aid in developing and implementing strategies to increase access to and quality of services to students in academic-embedded units and to graduate students.

This is a full-time faculty position with an academic appointment in the Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and clinical service assignment as the Assistant Director of Academic Embedded and Graduate Student Counseling in CMH. Salary is competitive and contingent on experience. A generous benefits package includes: Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term care, disability, malpractice coverage, significant retirement benefits (USC makes a 10% contribution when you contribute 5%); tuition assistance for you and your family; paid professional days and parental leave; access to free continuing education credits through our Grand Rounds lecture series; and generous paid time off.  Information about benefits can be found here. The schedule for this position will reflect a hybrid of virtual/remote and in-person functions (this is not a fully remote position).

Description of USC Student Health, Counseling and Mental Health (CMH)

USC Student Health provides a comprehensive campus health program including mental health services, medical services, prevention and health promotion, health communications, the student health insurance plan, and public health services to improve the health of the USC population. Mental Health services support students so that they may achieve their academic and personal goals through the Department of Psychiatry’s Counseling and Mental Health Division (CMH). CMH services include: individual, couples and group counseling; assessment and referral to other professionals and institutions; crisis intervention (including some after-hours coverage); biofeedback; psychiatric evaluations and medication follow-up; consultation; outreach and prevention; and training and supervision. 

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the direction of the CMH Director, the Assistant Director of Academic Embedded and Graduate Student Counseling will:

• Work closely with academic deans, faculty, and staff through consulting, developing mental health programming, coordinating of services, and program review for specific academic units.
• Assist in evaluating, supervising, and engaging in the recruitment of the clinicians at the embedded locations and Eric Cohen Student Health Center.
• Coordinate with the AD of Outreach & Prevention for outreach services provided to the academic units and coordinate with the AD of Crisis Services in crisis policies, procedures, and support of crisis situations that may arise in embedded locations.
• Work with the CMH Director of Operations and other Student Health staff in ensuring embedded spaces are equipped with technology, furniture, office supplies, and other equipment needed as outlined in MOU agreements.
• Serve on the CMH Directors Team; serve as a “Director-of-the-Day (DOD)” once per week; attend weekly CMH Directors Team and Clinical Operations meetings.
• Provide/conduct individual assessment and diagnostic sessions, short term counseling/ treatment, group therapy, routine and urgent intake, crisis intervention, referral, triage, case consultation, third party consultation, and after-hours coverage to USC students.
• Collaborate and consult with other mental health providers, service providers, and campus and community partners.
• Cover on-call emergencies, serve on a backup coverage rotation, being the second on call to the Proto-Call service.
• Supervise a group of senior faculty clinicians; hold weekly small group meetings; provide clinical consultation; review and approve time off and continuing education requests.
• Attend weekly multidisciplinary faculty and staff meetings.
• Attend and contribute to various CMH, Student Health, Psychiatry Department and campus meetings, fostering educational objectives and a consultative collegial environment.
• Participate in yearly merit review and performance evaluations, peer review, and other unit, departmental, and division teams and committees.
• May supervise interns and practicum students; present didactic training in seminars for social work, marriage & family therapy, and psychology practicum interns on theories, interventions, or diagnoses; and provide psycho-educational workshops to USC faculty, staff, and students.
• Attend Psychiatry Department Grand Rounds, Social Justice Forums, and Department Matters meetings; as well as Student Health all-staff meetings.
• Serve on committees, as desired/assigned.
• Perform other duties as necessary or assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s or higher degree in social work, marriage & family therapy, counseling, psychology, or related fieldLicensed or immediately license-eligible in the state of California.Multicultural competency in working with students of color, students from all economic classes, first generation students, LGBTQ+ students, and international students. Must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills. 3-5 years of experience coordinating/overseeing clinical services Supervision experience of trainees, student workers, graduate assistants, faculty, and/or staff. Significant clinical experience and/or crisis intervention experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

5 or more years of experience coordinating/overseeing clinical services or college student services program. Strong appreciation and skills for interacting with young adults (e.g., college students, graduate students, international students, etc.) including work experience on a college campus. Resilient, self-aware, and can thrive in a fast paced, demanding environment Ability to balance autonomy, accountability, and collaboration

Application Deadline: Until position is filled.

Starting Date: Negotiable

The annual base salary range for this position is $105,000$145,000.  When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

The Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences is committed to attracting and nurturing a diverse community dedicated to providing culturally informed, high-quality behavioral healthcare to a multicultural population. Both in our work environment and clinical practice, we embrace diversity across multiple dimensions. We aim to provide a safe, inclusive environment for our faculty, staff, residents, fellows, trainees, volunteers, patients, colleagues, and the multitude of stakeholders with whom we work. Through our clinical services, educational programs, research studies, and policy initiatives, we are committed to addressing health care disparities for historically underserved groups; to combating racism and anti-Blackness at all levels; and to promoting and ensuring social justice.

USC strongly values diversity, equity, and inclusion and is committed to equal opportunity in employment. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. All genders, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, veterans, bicultural/multicultural and bilingual/multilingual individuals are encouraged to apply.

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the "Trojan Family," which is comprised of the faculty, students and staff that make the university what it is.

To apply, please submit CV/resume, cover letter expressing interest in and fit with the minimum and preferred qualifications, and 3 letters of recommendation.