Pro Bono Mental Health Program

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Position Title: Pro Bono Mental Health Volunteer - Private Practice Model

Purpose: To provide mental health services to low income Coloradans in a private practice setting. Spark the Change Colorado provides referrals to volunteers who have signed on to offer free individual and family counseling in the privacy of their professional office.

Key Responsibilities:

• Complete the following aspects of the volunteer intake process:

• Volunteer Application (including proof of license and insurance, a liability form, and copy of resume)

• Background Check (via Verified Volunteers)
• New Volunteer Orientation Attendance
• Private Practice Letter of Agreement

• Provide a minimum of 4 hours of mental health services per month for a 1+ years
• Respond to program communications that require responses within 48 hours

• Receive client referrals based on availability, client geographic restrictions, and volunteer restrictions
• Determine, based on information provided in the client intake form, if the client is an appropriate fit for the mental health services you are able to provide and notify program staff if referral is appropriate for next steps
• Respond to client request for counseling within 48 hours of receiving an email or phone call to set up an initial meeting
• Provide mutually agreed upon services at your professional private practice location, unless alternate location is approved by the Pro Bono Mental Health Program Manager in advance and sign and send to the program staff the Private Practice Letter of Agreement
• Handle all interactions with clients in a professional and ethical manner, including initiating and managing all legal documents per the guidelines of your licensing body

• Determine what information is considered privileged and confidential (under guidelines of your licensing body) and apply those standards to your pro bono work
• Submit monthly hours reports, supervision forms, and program evaluations upon request
• Communicate any issues or significant challenges to the Pro Bono Program Manager and if client drops out of therapy, misses multiple sessions, or if other concerns arise that necessitate program staff involvement
• Demonstrate flexibility and understanding concerning clients’ schedule challenges due to economic barriers
• Track one’s own CEU’s pertaining to pro bono supervision, presentations, counseling, and attendance of educational events

Qualifications:

• Licensed mental health provider in the state of CO
• Must possess minimum of $1M in malpractice insurance per client for private practice
• Experience and/or passion working with low income and marginalized communities preferred

• Flexibility and desire to assist a budding program as it develops in areas of greatest need
• If on path to licensure, must be post graduate and work under supervision of qualified supervisor

Benefits:

• Opportunity to enhance counseling skills with a diverse population pool
• Opportunity to contribute to the well being of the most marginalized populations in Colorado
• Opportunity to serve a high-impact and growing community mental health program
• Access to learning from and presenting at continuing education opportunity events
• Access to social networking opportunities among other volunteers and staff at our partnership organizations

• Opportunity to influence change in mental health access /awareness in our state
• Access to supervision (if licensure candidate)
• Access to bi-monthly newsletter with events and resources relevant to the mental health landscape in CO

Position Title: Pro Bono Mental Health Volunteer - Host Site Model

Purpose: To provide mental health services to low income Coloradans in a host site setting. Services include, but are not limited to, assessments, counseling and support at partnering community agencies and organizations (host sites), such as homeless shelters, domestic violence programs, schools, and community health clinics. Volunteers in host sites may be licensed professionals as well as masters and PhD level candidates for licensure in the state of Colorado.

Key Responsibilities:

• Complete the following aspects of the volunteer intake process:

• Volunteer Application (including proof of license and insurance and copy of resume)

• Background Check (via Verified Volunteers)
• New Volunteer Orientation Attendance
• Volunteer Letter of Agreement Form (upon matching of Host Site)

• Provide a minimum of 4 hours of mental health services per month for 1+ years
• Provide services at a time that is mutually agreed upon by you and the Host Site Liaison

• Provide services at the host site location, unless alternate location is approved by the Pro Bono Mental Health Program Manager in advance
• Handle all interactions with clients and host site staff in a professional and ethical manner, including initiating and managing all legal documents per the guidelines of your licensing body
• Determine what information is considered privileged and confidential (under guidelines of your licensing body) and apply those standards to your pro bono work
• Submit monthly hours reports, supervision forms, and program evaluations upon request
• Communicate any issues or significant challenges to the Pro Bono Program Manager and if client drops out of therapy, misses multiple sessions, or if other concerns arise that necessitate program staff involvement

• Demonstrate flexibility and understanding concerning clients’ schedule challenges due to economic barriers
• Track supervision requirements, i.e. how many supervision hours per clinical hours are required of volunteer and plan to meet with supervisor accordingly
• Track CEU completed through our program pertaining to pro bono supervision, presentations, counseling, and attendance of educational events

Qualifications:

• Licensed mental health provider in the state of CO or candidate for licensure
• Must possess minimum of $1M in malpractice insurance for pro bono work at host sites

• Experience working with low income and marginalized communities preferred
• Flexibility and desire to assist a budding program as it develops in areas of greatest need
• If on path to licensure, must be under supervision of qualified supervisor

Benefits:

• Opportunity to enhance counseling skills with a diverse population pool and gain agency/organizational experience
• Opportunity to contribute to the well being of the most marginalized populations in Colorado
• Opportunity to serve a high-impact and growing community mental health program
• Access to learning from and presenting at continuing education opportunity events
• Access to social networking opportunities among other volunteers and staff at our partnership organizations

• Opportunity to influence change in mental health access /awareness in our state
• Access to supervision (if licensure candidate)
• Access to bi-monthly newsletter with events and resources relevant to the mental health landscape in CO