LDA Clinical Care Manager - Student Counseling Center - UTK

Provides clinically informed care coordination services to support students connecting to community-based specialty or long-term mental health resources. Responsibilities include continuity of care planning, referral coordination, brief clinical support, crisis follow-up, and collaboration with campus and community providers. Serves as a liaison between the Student Counseling Center (SCC), students, and external treatment systems to facilitate successful connection to appropriate levels of care and reduce barriers to treatment engagement.

Approximately 40% of the workload involves coordinating referrals to community mental health, psychiatry, specialty care, intensive outpatient (IOP), partial hospitalization (PHP), residential, and other behavioral health services. This includes helping students connect with providers and navigate barriers such as scheduling, insurance, transportation, and treatment engagement. The role supports continuity of care during transitions between levels of care, including hospitalization and higher-acuity settings, and monitors referral follow-through while maintaining communication with students, SCC clinicians, and external providers. Maintains up-to-date knowledge of relevant referral resources and services for university students.

Approximately 35% of the workload consists of providing direct mental health services, including stabilization-focused interventions, psychoeducation, crisis follow-up, and urgent support. Uses motivational interviewing and student-centered communication strategies to promote engagement and adherence to treatment recommendations, and assists with triage-related coordination as needed.

The remaining 25% focuses on resource development, systems coordination, and administrative responsibilities. Maintains knowledge of levels of care and develops a resource directory of crisis, specialty, and long-term providers. Builds and sustains liaison relationships with campus and community partners to support referral processes and continuity of care. Participates in interdisciplinary meetings, consultations, outreach, trainings, and quality improvement initiatives. Completes timely and accurate documentation, correspondence, referral tracking, care coordination follow-up, and other assigned administrative duties.

Required Qualifications

Education and Experience: Master’s Degree in Counseling, Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, Psychology, or related mental health field. Licensed or license-eligible in the State of Tennessee in a relevant mental health discipline. Pre-licensed professional under supervision is acceptable. 

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

• General knowledge of mental health treatment, behavioral health systems of care, and developmental concerns affecting university students 

• Knowledge of the behavioral health continuum of care, community treatment resources, and case management practices for college populations, including discharge planning and coordination with providers, families, and campus resources 

• Skill in delivering culturally responsive mental health services, including clinical intake and assessment, crisis assessment and intervention, brief interventions, and psychotherapy 

• Proficiency in motivational interviewing, interpersonal communication, and student-centered engagement strategies 

• Ability to coordinate care across multiple systems and providers while managing complex clinical workflows and competing priorities 

• Ability to maintain accurate clinical documentation and effectively manage administrative responsibilities related to care coordination and clinical services

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience: 2 yrs of post-graduate experience providing mental health services and/or experience working with college students, young adults, or higher-acuity populations; Independently licensed at the Master's clinician level in the State of Tennessee; Experience coordinating referrals and community-based behavioral health services preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

• Knowledge of higher levels of care, including intensive outpatient (IOP), partial hospitalization (PHP), residential treatment, and crisis stabilization services 

•  Skill in care coordination, referral management, and continuity-of-care planning 

• Ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with campus and community stakeholders 

• Ability to engage students in treatment recommendations and reduce barriers to accessing care