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TRAILS Coach (Independent Contractor)

Remote - Colorado

THE ORGANIZATION

Founded at the University of Michigan Medical School, TRAILS (Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students) is among the most innovative and rapidly-growing school-based mental health solutions in the country. After a decade in the academic setting, TRAILS spun out from the University in 2022 and became fiscally sponsored by Tides Center with approximately 35 staff. Within a year, our staff size had more than doubled. Today, our growing team is working toward the TRAILS mission of transforming the landscape of youth mental health care delivery by equipping school staff with the training and resources they need to provide evidence-based and culturally responsible programming to their students. 

To date, TRAILS has brought essential skills and resources to more than 14,000 teachers, administrators, and school mental health professionals. Our best-in-class program materials are built specifically for the school setting, and our unique training model is driven by research from the field of implementation science. Our website and library of materials are utilized by educators and clinicians across the United States and in more than 100 countries around the world. While our impact today is greatest in our home state of Michigan, TRAILS is expanding nationally with strong support from education and health sector leaders, public offices, and state policymakers. 

As we work to respond to massive demand for TRAILS programming from schools and districts throughout the United States, our team is guided by a core commitment to equity: The TRAILS growth strategy identifies Title I designated schools as our broadest target population, and we aim specifically to impact students who experience high risk for poor mental health outcomes and disproportionate barriers to quality care. As we grow our team, we seek candidates who share our commitment to equity in health and healthcare access, who practice cultural humility, and who thrive in and contribute to an inclusive working environment.

THE ROLE

TRAILS improves youth access to effective mental health services by connecting school mental health professionals (SMHPs: school counselors, social workers, etc.) with a trained TRAILS Coach for support as they lead CBT and Mindfulness skills groups with their students.  

While TRAILS provides a 6-hour CBT and Mindfulness training for SMHPs, extensive research shows that a one-day training is not enough to help school staff put new clinical skills to use. Using our innovative model, TRAILS Coaches lead weekly virtual learning collaborative sessions to support SMHPs throughout the implementation process (1.5-hour per week time commitment for 10 weeks).

Why become a TRAILS Coach?

  • Free training and consultation in CBT and Mindfulness, with included CEUs/SCECHs/PDHs
  • Opportunity to build and strengthen relationships with schools
  • Networking with other mental health professionals
  • Stipends of up to $2,000 per learning collaborative coaching group

Who can become a TRAILS Coach?

  • Masters- and doctoral-level mental health providers licensed in Colorado
  • Currently employed providing individual clinical mental health services to youth aged 8-18 with at least 2 years of post masters degree experience 
  • Ability to identify and access a consistent practice case from your own caseload for 12 weeks of consultation
  • Ability to protect time and capacity for training and coaching
  • Willing to commit to providing coaching support for at least two consecutive semesters

What is the training process?

  1. Attend 6-hour CBT and Mindfulness training, with included CEUs/SCECHs/PDHs
  2. Complete 12 weeks of consultation (2.5 hours per week), with included CEU/SCECHs/PDHs
  3. Attend 3-hour Coach Protocol Training, if recommended, with included CEU/SCECHs/PDHs

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION 

Addressing inequities in access to evidence-based mental health care is intrinsic to the TRAILS mission. The intentionality behind this approach is woven into everything we do at TRAILS, resulting in a staff-wide commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion for all facets of our program. If this commitment is something to which you could positively contribute, we encourage you to apply, particularly if your voice represents a historically excluded perspective. 

TRAILS, a project of Tides Center, is an “at-will” and equal opportunity employer. Applicants and employees shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy and gender expression) identity, color, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance.

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