About the Position

Under the supervision of the Licensed Clinical Director: Special Programs and the Lead Mental Health Clinician of the Wellness/Rehab program, the Wellness Coach is responsible for providing support services in the community to children and youth. This is a wonderful

opportunity to impart positive changes in the lives of children and youth in the region.

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Full Time: 32 to 40 hours per week

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About the Agency

Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance (PVPSA) is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the lives of children, youth, and families in Pajaro Valley. Founded in 1991, PVPSA provides a range of services aimed at promoting student success and community well-being. Its mission includes providing health education, mental health support, and substance use services, while advocating for public policies that protect community health. PVPSA works closely with local schools, including the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, the County Office of Education (COE), local government, state agencies, and partnering nonprofits to deliver its programs. These collaborations help create a supportive environment that addresses the diverse needs of students and their families.

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Duties and Responsibilities

• Deliver group or classroom programing pertaining to wellness promotion and education

• Support youth completing behavioral health screenings, identify behavioral health needs, and refer youth to appropriate services

• Conduct care coordination and case management

• Provide services to individual youth including wellness education, goal setting, planning, life skills, and emotional regulation

• Deliver small group programming to enhance wellness and life skills

• Identify potential risk and signs of crisis and engage in warm handoffs to appropriate qualified behavioral health providers

 

Employment Standards

• Wellness Education and Promotion Skills: The ability to deliver group or classroom programming that addresses various aspects of wellness, such as building positive relationships, bullying prevention, nutrition, and exercise in relation to behavioral health;

the ability to teach about mental health literacy, such as understanding symptoms, strategies for seeking help, and how to offer support; the ability to teach life skills, such as stress management, time management, and problem-solving; the ability to deliver

programming focused on coping skills, such as behavior activation, overcoming maladaptive thinking patterns, distraction strategies, and emotional regulation.

• Universal Screening Skills: The ability to support youth during behavioral health screenings by clinical professionals, such as answering questions and assisting in handing off screenings to behavioral health professionals; the ability to coordinate and assist with universal

screening programs in schools or community-based organizations, following SAMHSA guidelines, under the direction of qualified professionals.

• Care Coordination and Navigation Skills: The ability to connect individuals to both internal and external behavioral health resources, such as local, regional, or national organizations, school resources, outpatient providers, and crisis response resources; the ability to

communicate with other professionals to ensure cohesive support and care; the ability to offer behavioral health-related administrative activities.

• Crisis Referral Skills: The ability to identify potential risks and appropriately refer to clinical professionals; the ability to provide emotional support and warm handoffs with the behavioral health providers for youth awaiting crisis services.

• Individual Support: The ability to conduct brief check-ins and scheduled meetings that focus on offering emotional support, following manualized curriculum designed to enhance wellness such as wellness education, nutrition, exercise, goal setting and planning for

improving lifestyle, and life skills; the ability to support individuals with behavior activation, overcoming maladaptive thinking patterns, distraction strategies, and emotional regulation.

• Group Support: The ability to deliver programming to small groups that focus on enhancing wellness and life skills, such as social-emotional skills, stress management, time management, organization, and problem-solving; the ability to deliver small group

programming to enhance awareness of the most common behavioral health conditions to enhance understanding, reduce stigma, and foster a more informed and empathetic community.

• Evidence-Based Documentation Skills: The ability to record information systematically and objectively, relying on credible evidence to support the documentation.

• Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred

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Educational and Professional Experience

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Human Services, or Addiction Studies and 800 hours (applicants accepted with 300 hours) of field experience (providing direct pre-clinical behavioral health services to children and youth through age 25 in school-linked/school-based organizations, non-profits, community organizations, and/or health centers/clinics)

within the past six years;

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Or

 

Any Bachelor’s degree and 2700 hours of field experience (providing direct pre-clinical behavioral health services to children and youth through age 25 in school-linked/school-based organizations, non-profits, community organizations, and/or health centers/clinics) within the

past six years

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Additional Requirements

Valid California driver's license and clearance for agency vehicle insurance coverage.

Negative fingerprint screening and tuberculosis skin test/x-ray.

 

Benefits

PVPSA offers employer-sponsored, competitive health benefits for employees and their families, including medical, dental, and vision coverage. Employer-sponsored retirement plan and life insurance plan; flexible spending account available, along with other benefits.

13 paid holidays, plus 8-day paid winter break. In addition to company wide Holidays, employees are eligible for one Mental Health/birthday Floating Holiday, prorated to employees’ work hours.

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Salary Range

$26.46 - $32.16 per hour depending on experience.

+$2.50 per hour bilingual (English/Spanish) differential.Benefits

 

How to Apply

If interested, please submit your resume and a cover letter via email to: 

 

PVPSA Human Resources

Email: adminhr@pvpsa.org  OR

mail: 240 East Lake Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076

For questions, please contact HR at 831-722-2416

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PVPSA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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