Unlicensed Marriage and Family Therapist - Eating Disorders - Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital - Per Diem - Day Shift

Sharp HealthCare•San Diego, CA

About The Position

At Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital, the Unlicensed Marriage and Family Therapist assists patients and families with behavioral health and environmental resources to support the highest possible level of functioning during the current episode of care. The role conducts behavioral health psychosocial assessments and clinical interventions, including individual, group, and family therapy. In collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team and under clinical supervision, the therapist coordinates patient care and provides case management for assigned patients. The position contributes to treatment planning, patient and family education, crisis intervention, and discharge planning. It also supports continuity of care through referrals and follow-up arrangements, completes clinical documentation, advocates for patient rights, and communicates safety concerns in accordance with applicable laws and Sharp HealthCare policies.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work, or Psychology from an accredited graduate program.
One year of experience in a behavioral health setting, or completion of an internship or student rotation in a related field.
American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Professionals certification.
California Board of Behavioral Sciences Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) credential or California BBS MFT Intern status.
AMFT applicants must provide evidence of their California BBS AMFT application upon hire; the AMFT credential is required within 90 days of hire.
Ability to perform the role under clinical supervision and comply with applicable professional, facility, regulatory, and patient-safety requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience in an acute or psychiatric hospital.
Group therapy experience.
Discharge planning or case management experience.

Responsibilities

Conduct psychosocial, suicide/homicide risk, safety, and discharge-planning assessments, and document patient and family needs.
Formulate plans of care and develop and implement treatment goals based on clinical assessments.
Provide individual, group, and family therapy and other therapeutic interventions appropriate to the patient’s diagnosis, age, development, culture, and needs.
Coordinate patient care and provide case management for assigned patients in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team and under clinical supervision.
Participate in treatment team meetings, clinical supervision, staff meetings, in-services, and case presentations as assigned.
Communicate patient status and follow-up needs to multidisciplinary team members, supervisors, and appropriate external parties; consult with team members on treatment plans.
Arrange and facilitate patient care conferences for difficult or high-risk psychosocial cases.
Consult, coordinate, and intervene in crisis situations; support de-escalation and facilitate Code Green events and critical-incident debriefings.
Use appropriate community resources and develop timely discharge plans based on the patient’s mental health, legal, and insurance status.
Educate patients and families about discharge options and provide referrals for ongoing community services and support.
Schedule a follow-up appointment with a psychiatric provider within seven days of discharge and provide discharge information to the next level of care.
Complete safety planning with patients and families, including gun removal when appropriate.
Complete timely, accurate, legible, and concise documentation in accordance with professional, facility, regulatory, and third-party payer requirements.
Report patient safety concerns and mandatory protective concerns, including suspected abuse, domestic violence, Tarasoff situations, suicidality, and clinical or ethical concerns, as required by law and policy.
Advocate for patient rights and encourage patient and family participation in care decisions.
Educate, support, and evaluate patient and family responses to therapeutic interventions, and revise care plans as needed.
Identify bioethical dilemmas and initiate an appropriate response.
Develop interdisciplinary education to increase staff knowledge.
Seek and accept feedback, build clinical competencies and technical skills, and participate as a lifelong learner.