Youth Therapist I
POSITION LOCATION IS LIGNUM, VA making differences in every Child!
Position Summary:
The Primary Therapist conducts individual, group and family therapy with clients assigned to personal caseload. Provide the appropriate application of all clinical interventions, treatment programming and clinical care for assigned cases. Conducts initial assessments, treatment planning, ongoing case management, discharge planning and aftercare development on cases assigned. Documents treatment interventions and results in medical record on a timely basis. Assist with the appropriate and ongoing training of direct care staff working with assigned team(s). Participates in the multi-disciplinary case conference meetings and coordinates ongoing treatment on assigned teams. Attend to clients, families, and referral source concerns as well as providing timely reports on treatment obstacles and progress.
This position does not have direct reports.
Essential Functions
• Responsible for all primary therapist duties and responsibilities for a caseload of assigned children. Specific clinical responsibilities for each case assigned including but not limited to the following:
o Initial treatment assessments and formulations (psycho-social assessments; interviews with patient, parents and significant others to obtain data on the patient's personal, social, developmental, and emotional history; timely completion of the ITP and MTP, etc.).
o Therapy delivery (individual, family and group therapy weekly).
o Case Management (treatment interventions, therapeutic visits, case coordination with other disciplines, etc.).
o Communication with clients (Referral sources, parents/guardians, school officials, etc.).
o Timeliness of all necessary documentation (session progress notes, contact calls, monthly summaries, discharge summaries, special notes, orders, etc.).
o Participation in the implementation of all clinical aspects of the therapy program.
• Completes all necessary documentation in medical record, including monthly summaries, discharge summaries, therapy session notes, special notes and contact calls in a timely thorough and professional manner according to the following deadlines:
o Initial Treatment Plan - 24 hours from the time of admission
o Psychosocial Assessment - 5 days from the time of admission
o Diagnostic Summary Sections - 14 days from the time of admission
o Master Treatment Plan - 14 days from the time of admission
o Therapy Session Progress Notes – Day of service
o Special Notes – Day of service
o Contact Calls – Due day of service
o Group Therapy Session Notes – Due day of service
o Weekly Family Engagement – Due day of service
• Facilitate weekly group therapy sessions for assigned treatment groups.
• Attend weekly supervision to discuss case conceptualization, to review treatment goals, to discuss problems or obstacles to progress, to exchange ideas for intervention strategies, to provide clinical training, and to assist with difficult or problem families/cases.
• Attend multi-disciplinary case conference meetings on assigned cases, review treatment coordination of treatment interventions for teams/individuals. Attend Pass committee meeting and advocate for off grounds visits as appropriate. Be responsive and insure that clients, families, and/or referral sources are helped with problems arising over the course of treatment.
• Provide regular progress reports and timely notification of problems that arise to referral source(s) on assigned cases as well as soliciting their assistance when needed.
• Assist with clinical certifications and reviews for re-certifications with Utilization Review Staff for the ongoing funding of treatment of each assigned patient.
• Assist with assigned families when necessary in initiating court proceedings necessary for continuation of treatment for the patient.
• Consistently exercise sound, independent judgment and adequate emotional stability in evaluating situations and making decisions despite the pressures of deadlines or the occurrence of unexpected stressful events.
• Participate on committees and in professional meetings and staffing as necessary for the overall development and function of the program.
• Assures consistency in dealing in a tactful and harmonious fashion with staff, clients, and the public and to adhere to and follow all policies and procedures as designated and defined by the Executive Director
Requirements
Education/Experience/Knowledge/Understanding
• Possess a Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Psychology, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy or related field
• 2 years of work experience providing mental health counseling services to children, adolescents, and their families
• Must be licensed by the State of Tennessee as an LCSW, LMFT or LPC or license eligible working toward licensure; disturbed children and adolescents;
• Possess a valid driver’s license
Skills
• Excellent verbal, written, and listening communication skills to include communicating clearly, effectively, tactfully, and patiently to a diverse population
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and demeanor with the ability to build rapport and garner trust with others
• Strong organizational, planning and time management skills
• Proficient in the use of a PC; in a Windows environment; in the use of the Internet; and in the use of MS Office Applications such as Outlook, Word and Excel; and in the use of service request/ticketing systems
Abilities
• Ability to pass fingerprint background screening through the Department of Justice, FBI and Child Abuse Index
• Ability to effectively engage with children from various backgrounds and circumstances.
• Ability to demonstrate dependability and flexibility.
• Ability to understand and solve problems by applying intermediate analytical skills to include collecting all the relevant information and data needed to address the problem; organizing, classifying and synthesizing the data into fundamental issues; from the information, identifying the most probable causes of the problem; reducing the information down into manageable components; identifying the logical outcomes from the analyses of the data collected; and, identifying the options and solutions for addressing the problems analyzed.
• Ability to deliver high level of professionalism and service.
• Willingness and ability to embody Childhelp’s core values of Acting with Honor and Character, Being Open and Receptive, Caring About and Relating to Others; Nurturing Diverse Relationships; Performance Excellence; and Inspirational Leading & Managing.
Physical Demands
• Ability to frequently stand, see, hear, speak, and be physically flexible; occasionally sits walk, stoop, lift up to 50 lbs., carry, run and drive; and at times may bend, climb, squat, kneel, push/pull.
• Employees will be exposed to children who may ask inappropriate personal questions, display socially unacceptable personal behaviors, insult your physical appearance, age, sex, and race, use profanity, sexually explicit phrases, exhibit defiance, dishonesty, threats, accusations, and theft, assaultive behaviors, and destructive behaviors
Preferences
• Preference for post-Master’s experience and training in child abuse, treatment of complex trauma, PTSD, forensics, and criminal justice system procedures