Senior Therapist / Therapist Trainee - Youth Substance Use

City of Alexandria (VA)•Alexandria, VA

47d

About The Position

The Senior Therapist and Therapist Trainee provides psychotherapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups with emotional, behavioral, psychological and/or substance use disorders. An employee in this class maintains a large caseload of individuals or families, many of whom are dually diagnosed with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders. The incumbent engages fully and actively with individuals or families in assisting them to address their feelings, behaviors, fears, and anxieties related to their mental health and/or substance use challenges, and to assist with problem solving. Employees in this class provide diagnostic evaluations which provide therapeutic information and guide the therapist's interventions, and the need to make referrals to additional treatment services, vocational or job opportunities, medical treatment, and other community referral sources, as needed. The therapist generally conducts these tasks during regular working hours, but they may be called upon to work evenings or weekends in response to individual or family needs. The work is performed in a variety of human services settings. A Senior Therapist is distinguished from a Therapist Trainee by the greater independence of action allowed in completing work assignments and the requirement for licensure in providing psychotherapy for consumers. The incumbents in this class may serve as clinical supervisor for practicum/intern students, as well as for co-workers seeking licensure. The work is performed under the general supervision of a program or team leader.

Requirements

Senior Therapists (Licensed) - To qualify for a Licensed Senior therapist position, all candidates must have possession of Master's degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, Education or related field; at least two years of post-graduate work experience in providing direct clinical services to consumers having one or more substance abuse, psychiatric, and emotional disorders; and licensure or license eligible (has completed all required education and supervision as required by applicable board) as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner (LSATP) or Clinical Psychologist in the Commonwealth of Virginia at the time of appointment; if license eligible, the employee must obtain Virginia licensure at the first available opportunity, but no later than one year after appointment; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Employees must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of their residence if they are in a position with driving responsibilities.
Therapist Trainees (Non-Licensed) - To qualify for a Non-Licensed Therapist Trainee position, you must have possession of Master's degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, Education or related field; working toward licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner (LSATP), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Clinical Psychologist in the Commonwealth of Virginia to be completed within three years of hire. Employees must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of their residence if they are in a position with driving responsibilities.

Nice To Haves

At least two years of post-master's experience engaging adolescents and/or young adults with substance use disorders and their families in trauma-informed evidence-based behavioral health treatment services
At least one year experience providing behavioral health services in a school setting
At least two years of experience providing family therapy
Certification or training in Motivational Interviewing with youth and families
At least one year of experience with electronic medical records.

Responsibilities

Engage youth with substance use and mental health challenges and their families in evidence based, youth led, and family driven individual, family and group therapy, early intervention, case management, crisis intervention and clinical assessment and screening
Develop and monitor treatment plans with youth and their families based on their strengths, needs, preferences, and goals
Support linkage to young adult and adult behavioral health services
Provide consultation and ensure close collaboration and coordination with school and other system partners, i.e., child welfare, juvenile court system, child advocacy center, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Guardians Ad Litem, police, etc.
Participate in multi-disciplinary workgroups, treatment planning meetings, court hearings, and relevant training, conferences and workshops
Provide presentations on behavioral health topics
Supervise graduate level interns or externs
Collect outcome, research and satisfaction data with persons served
Prepare a variety of written reports including progress notes, treatment plans, quarterly updates, clinical/mental health evaluations, status reports and reports to referral agencies
Maintain medical records in accordance with accreditation body, Department policies, licensing and Medicaid regulations
Follow department policies and procedures, including those related to productivity expectations, client payment issues, training and clinical licensure
Perform all other relevant duties as assigned
Provides clinical assessments, assessing strengths, needs and history, and makes referrals to meet identified needs
Develops treatment plans; Implements intensive case management services
Determines appropriate disposition and diagnosis
Provides crisis intervention and evaluations for higher levels of care
Provides individual and group psychotherapy with children, adolescents, adults, families or a geriatric population with mental health, substance use, or co-occurring disorders, based on treatment plan developed in collaboration with individual or family in accordance with their strengths, preferences, needs, and potential to address identified needs
Provides supportive counseling, early intervention, and clinical recovery coaching services
Maintains clinical records in accordance with State, City, Departmental and Federal compliance requirements
Coordinates and testifies as representative of CSB in Civil Commitment Hearings and coordinates outpatient treatment for client's committed to Mandatory Outpatient Treatment
Performs related work as required.