Job Title: Therapist Transition Classroom

FLSA: Exempt

Reports To: Team Leader or Supervisor

Department: Transition

SUMMARY

Clinical Masters level staff member who provides consultation with staff and therapeutic services to students in elementary, middle or high school educational settings. The Transition Classroom Therapist delivers individual and group therapy to clients and completesassessments on identified students, and may provide consultation and professional development programs to staff. This position will be full-time. 

In addition to the details and requirements for the employee listed below,Laurel Life/Laurel Life expects the employee be committed to incorporating principles of trauma informed care in all areas of service delivery.? Commitment to these principles in trauma treatment will be required through attendance in trainings and use of identified evidence based practices.? Trauma informed care includes cultural sensitivity and emphasizes a safe and respectful environment for all clients and staff.? 

DUTIES AND RESONSBILITIES

• All staff working in a school year work agreement will be available on a full-time schedule beginning the second week of August for training, for the full school year, and ending after the completion of organizational trainings.

• A full day is a minimum of 7.5 hours per day. Each staff person working in a school year work agreement is expected to report to the work site no later than, and depart no sooner than, the same times as required of all other agency and District staff at that site. Start and end times for the employee may vary based upon the specific program. These times are established by the Director and approved by the COO.

• The full school year is defined as every day that school is in session at the particular site. If school is in session, the employee on a school year work agreement is expected to be at work. If a district makes changes in the schedule such as scheduling a snow make up day to occur during a day previously identified as a day off, then the employee is expected to be at work. 

• Staff development is very important and all school year work agreement staff are required to attend trainings, which occur at the beginning, at selected times during, and after the end of school year. During the school year, required trainings may be scheduled on minor holidays such as Columbus Day or President's day or others.

• Staff will be available for staff meetings, preparing classrooms for instruction, additional training, and/or interviewing program students during the days after the organizational week of training in August and prior to the beginning of the school year. Staff will be available for clean up, preparing the classroom and/or facility for summer, for completing written reports, and for attending professional training at the end of the school year. 

• Special staff meetings or staff training held during the summer months or when school is not in session are counted as part of your work agreement.

• If your total days are not completed within the agreement period, a correction will be made to the last paycheck of the agreement year for the non-completed days.

• Staff working under a school year work agreement is entitled to receive a maximum of two days of personal leave which must be taken within the agreement period and which are counted as agreement days. 

• Personal leave may not be carried over to another year and if not used within the agreement period will be forfeited. 

• Holidays will not be counted as agreement days.

• Absences from work for illness are addressed in procedures documented in the employee handbook.

• Additional absences from work are considered to be unpaid leave. Salary adjustment or termination may result for school-year work agreement staff who miss work beyond the approved leave mentioned above.

• Employees are expected to comply with all conditions and requirements of the Employee Handbook and any amendments thereto shall remain in effect.

• Administer behavioral interventions and assessments to identified students, such as; Trauma Screening and Assessment Tool (TSAT) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

• Provide information regarding a student's identified risk and protective factors and appropriate intervention strategies to school personnel, family members and other interested parties regarding treatment of students;

• Conduct classroom observations and provide feedback to educational staff and the administration on the student's behavior;

• Provide counseling to individual students;

• Facilitate specialized treatment groups for students within the school setting;

• Facilitate social skills groups;

• Create treatment goals, contribute, where appropriate, in the writing of Individualized Service Plans and/or IEP's, prepare behavior contracts, monitor student's progress, and write progress reports;

• Complete required written reports such as: progress notes and summaries.

• Consult with school personnel on strategies for working with students including behavioral and resiliency based interventions;

• May facilitate learning experiences for school staff members on trauma and resiliency, behavior and classroom management, specialized treatment topics, or other learning needs as identified by school personnel;

• Attend court hearings if necessary and prepare court summaries.

• Schedule and maintain home visits with parents of students throughout the school year.

• Candidate will have to successfully complete and maintain certification of ESPI training. ESPI techniques are only used in compliance with Laurel Life policy and procedure and within guidelines established by third-party experts in the proper and legal use of ESPI.

• May perform other special projects or duties as requested by the Team Leader, Clinical Leader, Supervisor, Regional Director, Managing Director, Chief Operations Officer or Chief Executive Officer.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree in a clinical area that contains coursework required by Chapter 41 PA Code. 

• Licensure is preferred and required in some areas; i.e.Licensed Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Certified Addictions Counselor.

• Specialized learning in Resiliency & Trauma.

• Specialized learning in behavior interventions.

• Specialized learning in early intervention for younger children when services are requested.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Minimum of three years of experience working with children, adolescents and their families in a clinical setting. 

SKILLS

Good interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to develop effective and meaningful relationships with clients. Must be able to remain calm in a crisis situation, identify underlying causes of problem situations, resolve conflicts, and de-escalate potentially explosive situations. Must be a team player.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work setting is a school building. Clientele may at times be verbally or physically abusive.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required or personnel so classified.

This job description is not intended to be a contract of employment with the employee. The employee covered by this job description is an at-will employee of Laurel Life.