Psychotherapist - SAGE

DESC•Seattle, WA

1d•$84,337 - $93,115•Hybrid

About The Position

The SAGE Psychotherapist is a member of a multi-disciplinary team serving adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. The position’s primary role is to provide short-term individual and group therapy to enrolled clients. Many of our consumers are homeless or formerly homeless, many have co-occurring disorders, one half are minority group members, and most are male. Minority applicants are encouraged to apply. Spanish speaking is a plus. DESC is recognized nationally as an innovator and leader in developing solutions to homelessness. DESC is a social services organization, supportive housing operator, and licensed behavioral health treatment provider focused on meeting the needs of people experiencing long-term homelessness and living with complex behavioral health and other medical conditions. Approximately 3,000 people are actively receiving services from DESC at any given point in time. Our vision is a community where all people are shown compassion, treated with dignity, and everyone has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home. DESC operates five shelter/emergency housing programs, 19 permanent supportive housing facilities with over 1,750 units, several hundred additional scattered site apartments, and a range of behavioral health services including outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment, residential crisis stabilization, street outreach, mobile crisis response, and treatment for opioid use disorder.

Requirements

Eligible for a Licensed AAC credential or any other superseding credential that meets RCW 71.05.020 requirements to act as a Mental Health Professional whose scope of practice includes independently conducting mental health assessments and making mental health diagnoses.
Master's degree in social work, psychology or other relevant behavioral science.
Ability to drive an agency or personal vehicle to conduct agency related business. A current Washington State driver's license and insurable driving record are required.
Understand the tenets of cognitive behavioral therapy and possess competency in delivering psychotherapy services.
Interest or experience in working with consumers who are difficult to engage and maintain in traditional mental health programs.
Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds.
Subscribe to the philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for consumers.

Nice To Haves

At least 2 years’ experience working with homeless or formerly homeless adults challenged by severe mental illness and/or Substance Use Disorder.
Prior 1:1 and/or group counseling experience.
Licensed Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in State of Washington or actively pursuing one of these credentials.
Bilingual (Spanish/English).
Bicultural background/experience and/or Qualified Minority Mental Health Specialist designation.

Responsibilities

Provide brief (e.g. 6 month) individual counseling to enrolled clients. Cognitive behavioral therapy will be the primary approach used, within the context of a recovery model, including client strengths and expectations of progress toward client recovery.
Facilitate group counseling with enrolled clients, in collaboration with other agency staff. Treatment group topics can vary but may be identified by SAGE leadership with input from staff and other programs within DESC to compliment and support the services offered here.
Develop measurable individualized therapy goals and objectives.
Document services provided in a timely manner.
Work in a highly collaboratively manner with other care team members including case managers and other service providers, within and outside of DESC. Assist in the development of individualized service plans.
Provide outreach and engagement services to assigned clients, to initially engage clients and maintain working relationships.
Conduct psychosocial assessments and monthly Less Restrictive Alternative reviews as needed
Provide crisis intervention and risk assessment; tolerate unusual or unpleasant behavior.
Support your clients with achieving and maintaining healthy living conditions. This can include but is not limited to attending care conferences related to living conditions, outreaching and supporting clients in their residential units with tools and skills to maintain their units, coordinating with housing staff, participating in cleaning out clients’ units, and documenting barriers to maintaining healthy living conditions.
Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings and in-service trainings; participate in clinical reviews and case conferences for consumers on caseload.
Comply with the agency's clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain current and complete clinical and administrative records; participate in quality assurance reviews when assigned.
Comply with applicable program research and evaluation procedures.
Other duties as assigned.