Program Therapist

Ridgeview Institute Monroe•Monroe, GA

3d•$45,000 - $50,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Program Therapist performs social services functions to include assisting patients in meeting their bio psychosocial needs while enabling them to access through therapeutic treatment skills to achieve their optimal level of emotional health, including providing basic consultation, teaching, complete specialized clinical social work services for patients/families receiving care, crisis intervention, short-term and long-term family therapy, and providing information and referrals as needed. STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE THIS POSITION WILL BE EVALUATED BASED UPON SOCIAL SERVICES PRACTICE/COMPETENCIES, AS WELL AS THERAPEUTIC PRACTICES COMPETENCIES AS LISTED BELOW. Social Services Practices/Competencies Performance 1. Formulate and conduct educational, therapeutic, and/or support groups. 2. Communicate effectively with patients, families, health care team members and community providers regarding patient status and progress. 3. Interact and communicate with community agencies in assessment of and service to patients. 4. Provide liaison and referral services to community agencies and appears in court when requested or subpoenaed. 5. Maintain confidentiality in compliance with professional ethics according to professional and facility standards. 6. Identify opportunities for the program and participate in Performance Improvement projects and activities. 7. Continue professional development in individual, family, and group therapy and maintain professional development in personnel file. 8. Assist in the orientation of new colleagues and supervising student interns. Intervention 1. Conduct individual/couples/family counseling on scheduled time tables. 2. Develop an effective working relationship with patient and/or family (engagement, collaboration, advocacy, problem solving). 3. Evaluate and document effectiveness of interventions and patient responses. 4. Comply with required standards for medical/legal reporting situations (i.e. child abuse, dependent adult abuse, psychiatric commitment). 5. Represent the facility at legal hearings as requested, submits paperwork for legal holds in a timely fashion, act as liaison with conservator’s office. Assessment 1. Assess and identify psychosocial, educational, developmental and behavioral functioning of the patient/family system through established case finding mechanisms. 2. Document assessment update when there are significant changes in patient’s condition or readmission in the last thirty days. 3. Consult with families on emotional, social and financial aspects of care. Milieu 1. Respond to requests for social work services in a timely manner. 2. Meet the social work needs of the patient population being serviced. 3. Contribute to the effective functioning of the patient’s program and other facility-wide activities. 4. Report unsafe conditions to appropriate personnel. 5. Assure that patient’s rights are upheld. Treatment Planning 1. Demonstrate knowledge of bio psychosocial factors and DSM-IV related to the ages of the patients served, and incorporate the knowledge base into the treatment plan. 2. Participate in, and effectively contributes to, patient care conferences, treatment planning meetings and/or treatment planning rounds. Professional Competencies 1. Demonstrate a professional attitude and supports the objectives of the facility’s business development/marketing and guest relations philosophy through internal and external communications and interactions with all levels of staff, patients, family members, guests, community and referral sources. Therapeutic Services/Competencies Intervention 1. Utilize a variety of techniques to assist in the resolution of patient problems. 2. Effectively employ principles of communication, interviewing techniques, problem solving and crisis intervention when performing psychotherapeutic interventions. 3. Ensure interventions are carried out in the patient’s plan of care. 4. Utilize appropriate interventions in psychiatric emergencies. 5. Document and report infections to the Infection Control Nurse. 6. Assist with reviewing all new admissions to ensure completion of essential paperwork. Milieu 1. Utilizes universal precautions when caring for a patient. 2. Assures patients are adequately oriented to the program. 3. Monitor program activities and encourage patient participation. 4. Uses self as a role model to promote health communication. 5. Develop and facilitate groups for patients and/or significant others as appropriate. Treatment Planning 1. Participate in the development of an interdisciplinary treatment plan based on patient assessment/needs in compliance with facility time frames. 2. Ensure that the treatment plan has specific measurable goals, objectives and interventions defining actions unique to each patient’s needs. 3. As appropriate, when goals/objectives are met, participate in revision and update. 4. Assigns and directs other personnel in the implementation of the nursing care plans and verifies this care through direct observation and review of the chart. Teaching 1. Provide education to patients and families based on their identified needs and limitations in learning. 2. Promote learning experiences and provide educational materials to patients and their families. 3. Evaluate and document effectiveness of all patient teaching. 4. Provide opportunities for patient and families to questions, discuss and explore their feelings about prescribed therapies/interventions/diagnosis.

Requirements

Master's Degree from an accredited college or university, in Social Work or a clinical related mental health field is preferred.
A minimum of two (2) years’ experience in a psychiatric health care facility, with direct experience in family and group therapies, crisis intervention, and treatment skills; and have strong clinical assessment skills preferred.
Georgia State license in social work or clinical related mental health field is preferred.
CPR & CPI certification and management of aggressive behavior training within 90 days of employment prior to assisting in a restraining procedure.
Must be able to pass a competency exam for the area upon hire.
May be required to work flexible hours and overtime.

Responsibilities

Formulate and conduct educational, therapeutic, and/or support groups.
Communicate effectively with patients, families, health care team members and community providers regarding patient status and progress.
Interact and communicate with community agencies in assessment of and service to patients.
Provide liaison and referral services to community agencies and appears in court when requested or subpoenaed.
Maintain confidentiality in compliance with professional ethics according to professional and facility standards.
Identify opportunities for the program and participate in Performance Improvement projects and activities.
Continue professional development in individual, family, and group therapy and maintain professional development in personnel file.
Assist in the orientation of new colleagues and supervising student interns.
Conduct individual/couples/family counseling on scheduled time tables.
Develop an effective working relationship with patient and/or family (engagement, collaboration, advocacy, problem solving).
Evaluate and document effectiveness of interventions and patient responses.
Comply with required standards for medical/legal reporting situations (i.e. child abuse, dependent adult abuse, psychiatric commitment).
Represent the facility at legal hearings as requested, submits paperwork for legal holds in a timely fashion, act as liaison with conservator’s office.
Assess and identify psychosocial, educational, developmental and behavioral functioning of the patient/family system through established case finding mechanisms.
Document assessment update when there are significant changes in patient’s condition or readmission in the last thirty days.
Consult with families on emotional, social and financial aspects of care.
Respond to requests for social work services in a timely manner.
Meet the social work needs of the patient population being serviced.
Contribute to the effective functioning of the patient’s program and other facility-wide activities.
Report unsafe conditions to appropriate personnel.
Assure that patient’s rights are upheld.
Demonstrate knowledge of bio psychosocial factors and DSM-IV related to the ages of the patients served, and incorporate the knowledge base into the treatment plan.
Participate in, and effectively contributes to, patient care conferences, treatment planning meetings and/or treatment planning rounds.
Demonstrate a professional attitude and supports the objectives of the facility’s business development/marketing and guest relations philosophy through internal and external communications and interactions with all levels of staff, patients, family members, guests, community and referral sources.
Utilize a variety of techniques to assist in the resolution of patient problems.
Effectively employ principles of communication, interviewing techniques, problem solving and crisis intervention when performing psychotherapeutic interventions.
Ensure interventions are carried out in the patient’s plan of care.
Utilize appropriate interventions in psychiatric emergencies.
Document and report infections to the Infection Control Nurse.
Assist with reviewing all new admissions to ensure completion of essential paperwork.
Utilizes universal precautions when caring for a patient.
Assures patients are adequately oriented to the program.
Monitor program activities and encourage patient participation.
Uses self as a role model to promote health communication.
Develop and facilitate groups for patients and/or significant others as appropriate.
Participate in the development of an interdisciplinary treatment plan based on patient assessment/needs in compliance with facility time frames.
Ensure that the treatment plan has specific measurable goals, objectives and interventions defining actions unique to each patient’s needs.
As appropriate, when goals/objectives are met, participate in revision and update.
Assigns and directs other personnel in the implementation of the nursing care plans and verifies this care through direct observation and review of the chart.
Provide education to patients and families based on their identified needs and limitations in learning.
Promote learning experiences and provide educational materials to patients and their families.
Evaluate and document effectiveness of all patient teaching.
Provide opportunities for patient and families to questions, discuss and explore their feelings about prescribed therapies/interventions/diagnosis.