Therapist – Youth Residential Services

Position Function: To support and serve clients and their families by providing and coordinating quality therapeutic services, case management, crisis management, transition planning and supportive aftercare services. The Therapist conducts comprehensive assessments and actively collaborates with the treatment team and program staff to develop quality assessments, service plans, safety plans, behavior management plans, group and individual counseling, family counseling, and provide therapeutic services that stabilize behavior, promote healing, and support a timely transition to permanence. The job requires sensitivity to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.

Requirements:

Education: A Master’s degree with course work in the behavioral sciences or education.  Must have and maintain appropriate licensure of LPC, LMFT, or LCSW. Certification in TF-CBT, Family Systems, and EMDR preferred.

Experience: Three years of treatment services in a foster care, residential treatment, or behavioral health setting. Previous experience providing therapy in a residential treatment environment preferred.

Functional:

• Requirements include providing ongoing assessment, service planning, counseling, case management, transition planning and aftercare services for all assigned clients
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of services and submit required reports and statistical data according to associated deadlines
• Follow policies and procedures of ACH and represent the agency in a positive and professional manner
• Coordinate the collaboration of referral agencies, family members, and other support systems to meet the needs of clients

Additional Functional Requirements:

• Demonstrate strong people and interpersonal skills and an ability to collaborate with diverse clients, families, collaborating agencies, outside professionals and ACH Child and Family Services staff for optimal services
• Demonstrate good judgment, the ability to work independently
• Demonstrate an ability to continue learning through supervision, continuing education, and experience
• Ability to recognize differences in sound, such as voices/noises that are loud and playful instead of angry and combative; and ability to differentiate tones and volumes in conversations
• Must be able to handle a high degree of emotional stress related to client issues
• Must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to prepare and submit quality documentation in a timely manner without errors
• Must have strong organizational and time management skills
• Must possess a valid Texas driver’s license and have a driving record, which is within guidelines of the insurance underwriter
• Must not have been convicted of a felony or criminal offense against a child
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule and provide on-call coverage for the Youth Emergency Shelter as scheduled.
• Must be able to think globally, solve problems, and make good decisions with critical thinking skills

Working Conditions: Exposure to children with behavior problems, including possible physical aggression. Exposure to illness and blood. Some travel to support program activities or for training. Residential programs are in operation 24/7. This position provides emergency crisis intervention and on-call clinical services when needed. Must have reliable transportation.

Exposure to Confidential Information: The Therapist will have access to confidential records including client files and parent information. Must maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel and client records.

Key Expectations/Responsibilities:

Programming:

• Manage admissions through screening and assessment of referrals, facilitation of placement and completion of intake and admission documentation within required timeframes
• Provide ongoing counseling and skills training to assigned clients and families
• Facilitate the creation of collaborative service plans for assigned clients
• Document and assess progress of each assigned client and maintain up-to-date client records that accurately reflect that progress, including timely documentation of client incidents, behavior issues and concerns in accordance with agency and licensing standards
• Implement group programming to address the social and emotional needs of clients relating to achievement of individual goals
• Provide case management services; coordination with TDFPS caseworkers, families, community and mainstream support resources
• Develop discharge and aftercare plans and follow-up referrals
• Provide supportive aftercare services to clients and families as assigned
• Provide crisis intervention and stabilization to clients who are in psychological distress
• Provide Clinical Manager, Program Manager and other members of the treatment team with regular updates on client progress and treatment needs
• Provide emergency crisis intervention and on-call clinical services as scheduled

Community Relations

• Coordinate the collaborative relationships and services to referral agencies
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with local human and youth services agencies
• Represent ACH in a professional and positive manner

Documentation and Reporting

• Maintain up-to-date case records
• Develop and document initial assessment, preliminary and initial plans of service
• Provide regular case management services for each assigned client
• Documentation of case progress notes
• Communication and coordination of needs for each client
• Communication of goals and service plan with the direct care team
• Assist in development of program related forms and measurement tools
• Developing, reviewing and updating of service plans
• Completing a discharge and after care plan for each client

Work Behaviors

• Support and uphold the policies and procedures of ACH
• Maintain a positive morale
• Ensure that quality services are provided, and professional standards maintained
• Maintain an attitude of client and family advocacy
• Work harmoniously with co-workers to generate a productive and constructive environment
• Ensure that work time is utilized fully and effectively to maximize productivity
• Adapt to changing assignments/priorities as needed to support clients, families, and the agency

Other Duties Assigned

• Facilitate and attend team staffing meetings
• Attend designated agency or community meetings or trainings
• Complete trainings and certifications as required by licensing standards
• Assist with other agency program’s activities as assigned
• Assist with fund raising or other agency functions as needed
• Other applicable duties as assigned by supervisor

Core Competencies

• Professionalism (including, but not limited to, consistent and reliable job performance, awareness and use of professional ethics to guide practice)
• Implement Program with application of positive youth development approach and developmental practice methods. (including, but not limited to, skills to develop a PYD plan and identifying the client’s strengths in order to best apply a PYD framework utilizing methods focused on genuine relationships, intervention planning while meeting the health and safety needs of each client)
• Cultural and human diversity (including, but not limited to, gaining knowledge and skills to meet the needs of clients of a different race, ethnicity, nationality, religion/spirituality, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation)
• Applied human development (including, but not limited to, understanding the developmental needs of those at risk and with special needs)
• Relationship and communication (including, but not limited to, working with clients in a collaborative manner)
• Trauma-Informed Care (including, but not limited to, understanding trauma and the capacity to implement the most effective and current trauma informed interventions within assigned programs)

Please apply online at https://achservices.org/en/about-ach/join-the-team/