Youth Justice Therapist - Term Limited

Huckleberry Youth Programs•San Francisco, CA

49d•$76,000•Onsite

About The Position

The primary responsibility of this position will be to provide individual and/or family therapy, clinical case management and linkage to services for youth (ages 12-24) who are victims/survivors of a crime, directly impacted by the juvenile justice system or are experiencing school pushout. The therapist may also be utilized to provide basic needs, crisis support & intervention for youth at the point of arrest and clinical consultation to the justice team staff in collaboration with the Justice Division leadership. Young people are referred through the SF District Attorney’s Office: Victim Services Division, HYP Justice Division staff and the HYP Clinical Director. Huckleberry provides services to youth ages 12-24 and their families with four main service areas of HEALTH, SAFETY, JUSTICE and EDUCATION. Within the Justice Division there are currently two main programs: the San Francisco Community Assessment and Referral Center (CARC) and SEEDS of Change. CARC is California’s only assessment center which functions as a single point of entry for assessment, arrest, and crisis intervention, service integration, justice system navigation and individualized referrals to community-based organizations for youth ages 12-18yrs who are arrested in San Francisco. CARC is San Francisco’s community-based diversion program and supports youth who are cited but return back to their community and youth who are detained at the Juvenile Justice Center. CARC makes referrals to agencies funded by the Department of Children, Youth, and their Families (DCYF) to serve as Justice Services Care Coordinators(JSCC). The JSCC CBO partnerships include: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR); Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ); Mission Neighborhood Centers (MNC); Sunset Youth Services (SYS); and Young Community Developers (YCD). CARC also subcontracts with Instituto Familiar de la Raza (IFR) and Community Youth Center (CYC) for additional culturally responsive services. SEEDS of Change, a program within the San Francisco Youth Justice Initiative (SFYJI) is dedicated to disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline by empowering middle school students and their families to reconnect with school, ensuring a smooth transition to high school, and providing the necessary tools for a successful path toward graduation while avoiding involvement in the juvenile legal system. SEEDS has four main program components: Individualized Case Management, Academic Assistance, Social and Emotional Learning/Development and Mental Health Services, Caregiver Education & School-system Navigation Support. This initiative includes a collaborative partnership with Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, Young Community Developers (YCD), Legal Services for Children, Disability Rights California, and Youth Law Center.

Requirements

A master’s degree in social work or counseling
A clinical license or registered with BBS in pursuit of license
At least 2 years of experience providing individual therapy and/or youth development services to youth ages 12-18 and/or Transitional Age Youth & Adults (TAYA)
Willing & able to work & partner with law enforcement representatives on a regular basis
Excellent critical thinking, problem solving, oral and written communication skills, & organization
TB clearance
Valid CA driver’s license, clear DMV record, and reliable transportation
Two years driving experience
Fully vaccinated for COVID-19
Must pass the DOJ/FBI background check.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual capability in Spanish, Cantonese or other San Francisco Threshold languages is strongly preferred; stipend provided
Thorough knowledge of community-based organizations serving adolescents in the San Francisco Bay Area
Ability to work in a mobile, crisis, fast-paced and collaborative environment. Committed to managing multiple projects/tasks, working independently as well as being able to work cohesively in a culturally diverse team environment
Experience with Medi-Cal documentation, especially use of EPIC
Experience, awareness and knowledge of cultures of San Francisco youth and families and demonstration of cultural sensitivity and responsiveness
Experience with telehealth and/or other non-traditional modalities

Responsibilities

Provide individual and/or family therapy and/or clinical case management to young people (ages 12-24)
Receive direct referrals from the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office Victim Services Division
Conduct assessments with youth, including the CANS and the TESI to ensure youth are linked to additional supportive services as appropriate. This may include psychiatric care, substance use disorder treatment, case management, and primary medical care
Ensure youth feedback is obtained by utilizing the PCOMS (Partners for Change Outcome Rating Scale) at the beginning & end of each session, and giving youth surveys (SF County BHS & funders)
Utilize healing-centered, trauma-informed practices, restorative justice, harm reduction, holistic and youth development practices
Seek to reduce barriers to accessing mental health services, by demonstrating flexibility in approach and location of service delivery. Location of services can include but are not limited to the Justice Division site, other HYP program sites, school partner sites, the Juvenile Justice Center or in the community
Provide consultation and/or training to Justice Division staff, including in moments of crisis at the center
Attend & participate in all program & embedded therapist specific and agency required meetings that may be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually This includes clinical & program specific supervision & support
Maintain a fluid caseload and consistent, accurate, thorough and timely electronic documentation of contacts with youth, their families and other service providers within EPIC and Salesforce data entry systems
Demonstrate appropriate knowledge and skill in conducting biopsychosocial assessments, evaluating and responding to clinical risks, creating diagnostic formulations, developing treatment/goal plans and choosing and applying effective interventions to bring about therapeutic change
Develop rapport, engagement and retention of youth in services in a manner that demonstrates awareness of the impact of sociocultural factors on experiences, values, learning and counseling needs
Demonstrate thorough knowledge of legal and ethical issues and apply this vigilantly to clinical practice; consistently maintain appropriate boundaries with clients and staff
Consistently work to advance clinical skills and knowledge of self and the clinical team by actively engaging in group and individual supervision, pursuing training opportunities and sharing knowledge
Co-facilitate behavioral health groups like Parent’s Turn or presentations as directed
Manage clear and timely communication with system and community partners such as but not limited to Instituto Familiar de la Raza (IFR), Community Youth Center (CYC), Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, Young Community Developers (YCD), Legal Services for Children, SFUSD, SF Victim Services Division, & the SF Juvenile Probation Department
Participate & engage in personal & professional development trainings focused on best practices in the school to prison pipeline, diversion, therapeutic modalities, youth development and more.
Support the team with administrative responsibilities as needed such as reception, filing, organizing supplies, office cleaning, etc.
Other assigned duties as needed to run effective youth justice programming

Benefits

Weekly individual clinical supervision
Group clinical supervision (3x/month + team meeting)
BBS hours if needed
Ongoing training and support in a genuine learning environment
Agency commitment to addressing compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma
The opportunity to work with a wide range of clinical issues within a diverse client population

Stand Out From the Crowd

Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.

Upload and Match Resume