Clinician, Child First

CLIFFORD BEERS COMMUNITY CARE CENTER•New Haven, CT

7d•$50,000 - $70,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Clifford Beers Community Care Center (CBCCC) is a mental health clinic serving children and families. Our mission is to provide integrated services addressing mental, physical, and social determinants in order to improve health, resiliency and quality of life for children, families and communities. The Child First Licensed Clinician works closely with infants and young children, their caregivers, and community partners to provide comprehensive, relationship-based behavioral health services. Under general supervision, this position is responsible for delivering therapeutic services, completing comprehensive clinical assessments, coordinating services and resources, and working collaboratively with the Child First Care Coordinator to address the needs of children and families. Services are primarily delivered in homes and community-based settings. The position requires flexibility to accommodate family availability and program needs, including regularly scheduled evening hours. DCF Child First Program Differential: Employees assigned to the DCF Child First Associate Clinician position are eligible to receive a DCF Child First Program differential of $9,600 annually, paid in equal biweekly installments. Eligibility for this differential begins upon assignment to the position and is contingent upon continued funding for the DCF Child First program.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in a Mental Health Discipline (LMSW if MSW)
Minimum of two (2) years of post-graduate clinical experience providing behavioral health services to infants, young children, and families preferred.
Experience conducting comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments, mental health evaluations, and developing individualized clinical formulations and treatment plans.
Experience providing evidence-based individual, family, and dyadic psychotherapy to young children and their caregivers, including experience with Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) or other attachment-based therapeutic models preferred.
Experience working with children and families impacted by trauma, abuse, neglect, domestic violence, caregiver mental health concerns, substance use disorders, developmental delays, and other complex psychosocial needs.
Experience providing home-based, community-based, or outpatient behavioral health services to children and families.
Experience assessing clinical risk, managing crises, and making appropriate referrals to higher levels of care when clinically indicated.
Experience providing care coordination, case management, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, medical providers, early childhood programs, schools, child welfare agencies, and other community partners.
Experience utilizing trauma-informed, culturally responsive, relationship-based, and family-centered approaches to treatment.
Experience working with diverse populations while demonstrating cultural humility and a commitment to equitable and inclusive care.
Experience maintaining accurate, timely, and comprehensive clinical documentation in an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) in accordance with regulatory, payer, billing, reimbursement, and organizational requirements.
Experience working within productivity, service delivery, and billing expectations in a behavioral health setting preferred.
Experience participating in reflective supervision, interdisciplinary case consultation, and continuous professional development.
Experience supporting infant and early childhood mental health, attachment, caregiver-child relationships, and healthy social-emotional development preferred.
Bilingual English/Spanish clinical experience is preferred for positions designated as bilingual.
Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the ability to travel throughout the service area to provide home- and community-based services are required.
Current, unrestricted Connecticut clinical license required, including one of the following: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy.D.), if applicable
Must maintain licensure in good standing throughout employment.
Demonstrated ability to provide developmentally appropriate, family-centered, and relationship-based behavioral health services in accordance with the Child First model, Changent requirements, and program expectations.
Proficiency in completing timely, accurate, and comprehensive clinical documentation within an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system.
Ability to conduct comprehensive clinical assessments, screenings, and evaluations and formulate diagnoses in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
Ability to develop individualized, measurable clinical formulations and treatment plans in collaboration with children, caregivers, and interdisciplinary team members.
Ability to provide evidence-based individual, family, and dyadic psychotherapy utilizing Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and other clinically appropriate interventions.
Strong clinical assessment and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to identify risk factors, assess safety concerns, and triage psychiatric or behavioral health crises to the appropriate level of care.
Ability to provide case management, care coordination, advocacy, and referrals to community resources that support the needs of children and families.
Knowledge of and ability to implement evidence-based, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, relationship-based, and family-centered treatment approaches while maintaining fidelity to the Child First model.
Strong understanding of infant and early childhood development, attachment theory, caregiver-child relationships, early childhood mental health, and relationship-based and psychodynamic interventions.
Knowledge of the effects of trauma, violence exposure, caregiver mental illness, substance use disorders, developmental delays, and adverse childhood experiences on child development and family functioning.
Understanding of community-level risk factors and social determinants of health, including poverty, housing instability, food insecurity, and limited access to healthcare, and the ability to connect families with appropriate supports.
Ability to establish effective therapeutic relationships with children, caregivers, multidisciplinary teams, and community partners.
Understanding of the relationship between timely and accurate clinical documentation, service authorization, billing, reimbursement, and program sustainability.
Ability to meet established productivity, service delivery, documentation, and billing expectations while maintaining high standards of clinical care and Child First model fidelity.
Ability to identify and address documentation or service-related issues that may result in delayed or denied reimbursement.
Strong verbal, written, organizational, time management, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high-quality clinical care.
Ability to effectively participate in reflective supervision, incorporate clinical feedback, and contribute to a collaborative learning environment.
Ability to participate in required Child First training, consultation, fidelity activities, and Clinical Supervisors’ meetings with Changent, as applicable.
Ability and willingness to maintain a flexible schedule that includes required evening hours to accommodate family availability and program needs.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with caregivers experiencing mental health conditions, substance use disorders, cognitive challenges, and complex psychosocial stressors is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with the Child First Care Coordinator and family to complete a comprehensive family assessment through interviews, observations of caregiver-child interactions and play, review of records, collateral contacts, and standardized assessment tools.
Integrate assessment findings to develop comprehensive clinical formulations and individualized Child and Family Plans of Care in partnership with the family and interdisciplinary team.
Provide evidence-based, home-based mental health services to infants, young children, and their caregivers utilizing the Child First model, including Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), relational and dyadic interventions, and other clinically appropriate therapeutic modalities.
Support caregivers in developing insight into their personal experiences, including trauma history, their relationship with their child, and parenting practices to strengthen attachment and promote healthy child development.
Conduct developmental and mental health assessments and provide consultation within early childhood education and care settings, as appropriate.
Utilize video recording, when appropriate and in accordance with consent requirements and program standards, to enhance clinical practice, support caregiver reflection, and promote professional growth through reflective supervision.
Participate in weekly individual, team, and group reflective supervision with the Clinical Director and actively incorporate feedback into clinical practice.
Engage fully in all required Child First learning and professional development activities, including in-person trainings, virtual learning opportunities, specialty trainings, ongoing fidelity activities, and other training and consultation requirements established by Changent.
Participate in required Clinical Supervisors’ meetings with Changent, as applicable to the role and program requirements.
Maintain accurate, timely, complete, and clinically appropriate documentation in accordance with organizational standards, regulatory requirements, payer guidelines, billing requirements, and reimbursement expectations.
Meet established productivity and service delivery expectations and ensure that all billable services are accurately documented and completed within required timeframes to support timely and accurate billing and reimbursement.
Work collaboratively with administrative and billing staff to resolve documentation, authorization, coding, or other service-related issues that may affect billing and reimbursement.
Collaborate closely with internal staff, community providers, medical providers, early childhood programs, schools, child welfare agencies, and referral partners to ensure coordinated and integrated care for children and families.
Assess clinical risk, respond appropriately to safety concerns and behavioral health crises, and facilitate referrals to the appropriate level of care when clinically indicated.
Maintain compliance with Child First model fidelity, Changent requirements, organizational policies and procedures, licensing requirements, payer requirements, and applicable state and federal regulations.
Provide services during scheduled daytime and evening hours based on family availability, program needs, and agency scheduling expectations.
Flex work hours to offer 3 late nights for families who require services after 5pm
Perform additional clinical, administrative, billing-related, quality improvement, and program responsibilities as assigned to support the mission and goals of the Child First program.