Therapist (53389)

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Therapist provides trauma-informed, evidence-based mental health services to children in foster care and their parents and families. This position conducts behavioral health assessments, develops individualized treatment plans, and provides individual, family, and group therapy, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Seeking Safety. The Therapist also facilitates the Nurturing Parenting Program and therapeutic visitation to strengthen parent-child relationships and support safe reunification and permanency, working with child welfare, schools, healthcare providers, and community partners to deliver coordinated, culturally responsive care.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Conduct comprehensive behavioral health and trauma assessments and develop individualized treatment plans with children, parents, and caregivers.

- Provide individual, family, and group therapy using TF-CBT and other trauma-informed interventions.

- Provide Seeking Safety, individually or in groups, for adolescents and parents affected by trauma and substance use.

- Provide therapeutic visitation, using family time to strengthen parent-child relationships and support safe reunification.

- Facilitate the Nurturing Parenting Program and other caregiver education activities.

- Provide psychoeducation to children, parents, and caregivers on trauma and its effects.

- Provide crisis intervention and safety planning as needed.

- Monitor progress toward treatment goals and complete clinical measures at required intervals.

- Coordinate care with child welfare case managers, the Case Manager/Referral Specialist, schools, healthcare providers, and community partners.

- Participate in clinical supervision, case staffings, and team meetings, and provide clinical updates as requested.

- Document all services in CDS and/or CCWIS within required timeframes.

- Collect data for grant reporting and program evaluation.

- Report suspected abuse or neglect and maintain confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2.

- Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

- Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology, or a related behavioral health field required.

LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION:

- Registered Intern or Florida licensure as an LCSW, LMHC, or LMFT preferred. Preference would be given to candidates who are currently licensed.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

- Work is primarily performed in a treatment setting or out in the field.

- Travel throughout and around the community.

EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES:

- Bilingual is preferred.

- Physical required prior to hire; paid by agency.

- Knowledge of the Florida Child Welfare Practice Model and the child welfare electronic system of record (FSFN or CCWIS).

- Experience providing mental health counseling to children, adolescents, and families preferred.

- Experience facilitating the Nurturing Parenting Program or willingness to become certified preferred.

- Training in TF-CBT and Seeking Safety preferred, or willingness to complete training.

- Knowledge of childhood trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, and family systems.

- Possess a current Background Clearance Screening Letter as required by DCF.

- Valid Florida driver's license and ability to obtain and maintain WestCare's vehicle insurance is required.

- The ability to identify and evaluate an individual's strengths, barriers, problems, and needs for the development of a Wellness and Recovery Plan.

- The ability to write assessments, progress notes, discharge summaries, and other consumer related data.

- Knowledge of the inter-relationship among substance use, mental health, and primary care disorders.

- Knowledge and application of developmental theories.

- The ability to evaluate the impact of substance use and mental health problems on the consumer's functioning in major life areas.

- The ability to coordinate and integrate multiple services, as well as interface and communicate with internal and external providers.

- The ability to provide information to individuals and families concerning alcohol or other drug abuse, mental health problems, and the available services and resources.

- The ability to identify the needs of a consumer that cannot be met by the counselor or agency and to assist the consumer/family to utilize the support systems and community resources available.

- The ability to identify crises when they surface; mitigate or resolve the immediate problem; and de-escalate the situation, including the ability to develop Safety Plans, as needed.

- The ability to assess the individual's growth and development relative to normative development for his/her chronological age, including physical, emotional, cognitive, educational, and social development.

- Understanding of the relationship among mental health, substance use, physical health, and medication use on daily functioning.

- Understanding and application of federal, state, local and agency confidentiality rules and professional standards of conduct.

- Understanding of family dynamics, family roles, and family structure.

- Understanding of professional ethics, consumer rights, and professional responsibilities.

- Ability to communicate appropriately and effectively with members of a multidisciplinary team.

- Ability to organize, interpret, and communicate data in a comprehensive and effective manner.

- Ability to handle multiple tasks and effectively prioritize.

- Ability to network with internal and external departments and agencies.

- Developing Wellness and Recovery Plans, and providing services.

- Ability to use trauma informed care principles including ensuring consumer safety, preventing/avoiding re-traumatization, maximizing trustworthiness, enhancing consumer choice, maximizing collaboration, and emphasizing empowerment.

- Ability to identify and describe key signs, symptoms, impact and manifestations of trauma.

- Aware of the differences between trauma informed and trauma-specific services.

- Understands the bidirectional relationships among substance use and mental disorders and trauma.

- Understands the differences among various kinds of abuse and trauma.

- Knowledge of WestCare Mission, goals and values.

- Knowledge of Incident Reporting.

- Knowledge of HIPAA, Professional Ethics, Consumer Rights and Confidentiality.

- Familiarity with WestCare services and programs.

- Demonstrates a high degree of dependability.

Maintains a good attendance record.

- Observes working hours.

- Shows flexibility and is responsive to requests from supervisor.

- Works independently with minimal supervision.

- Exhibits characteristics of good workmanship, and integrity on the job.

- Work time is always productive.

- Demonstrates ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with consumers, co-workers, external partners, and regulatory agencies.

Is courteous to consumers, staff, and all others.

- Demonstrates tact at the appropriate time.

- Cooperates with others both within and outside WestCare.

- Works well with supervisor; accepts direction and supervision.

- Maintains a positive attitude toward work.

- Ensures and maintains a safe working environment.

Work area is clean and orderly.

- Verbalizes, understands and adheres to agency safety procedures.

- Demonstrates appropriate use of Unusual Incident Reports, in accordance with the Center's reporting procedures.

- Presents a positive personal image.

- Dresses and maintains a professional demeanor.

- CPR Certification, First Aid Certification and an annual Tuberculosis test.

- Ability to utilize Microsoft Office Software Suite.

- Ability to provide an Affidavit of Good Moral Character.

- Clearance in Pre-Employment Drug Testing and Criminal Records Checks, as required.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB:

The employee must be able to perform the following essential duties and activities with or without accommodation:

Physical Demands:

- Requires mobility and physical activity: Having an adequate range of body motion and mobility to work in an office, residential, or outdoor environment including standing and walking (even and uneven surfaces), sitting for extended periods of time, bending, twisting, reaching, balancing, occasional lifting and carrying of up to 50 pounds. Use of computer and telephone systems is required which includes coordination of eye and hand, and fine manipulation by the hands (typing, writing, and working with files). Requires the ability to defend oneself and clients in physically abusive situations through the use of approved physical de-escalation techniques.

- Requires talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Talking is required to impart oral information to employees, clients, patients, and the public, and in those activities in which the employee is required to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly.

- Requires hearing: Hearing is required to receive and communicate detailed information through oral communication.

- Requires seeing: Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less and at distance. This factor is required to complete paperwork for many of the employee's essential job functions and to observe client behavior and activities in and out of the facility.

- The normal work routine involves no exposure to human blood, body fluids or tissues. However, exposure or potential exposure may be required as a condition of employment. Appropriate personal protective equipment will be readily available to every employee.

Mental Demands:

- Requires the ability to collect and analyze complex numerical and written data and verbal information to reach logical conclusions.

- Requires the ability to work and cooperate with clients, co-workers, managers, the public and employees at all levels in order to exchange ideas, information, instructions and opinions.

- Requires the ability to work under stress and in emotionally charged settings.

- The ability to defend oneself and clients in mentally/verbally abusive situations through the use of approved mental/verbal de-escalation techniques.

I acknowledge receipt of this position description, and understand I am responsible for understanding its contents, and to ask for clarification if I have any questions. I further understand this description is intended to describe the essential job functions and qualifications for this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and requirements of a person so classified. Other functions may be assigned, and management retains the right to add or change the duties at any time.