DCS MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER - 65928

Executive Service

DCS MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER

Department of Children's Services

Mental Health Division

Columbia, TN

Salary: Monthly $5,050.00 - $6,310.00

Closing Date: 03/17/2025

Background Check:

This position requires a criminal background check. Therefore, you may be required to provide information about your criminal history in order to be considered for this position.

Job Overview:

Our licensed mental health clinicians serve in one of the six geographic regions of the Tennessee Department of Children's Services. This is a combination of direct service and consultative work. The position may involve direct service provision of mental health services to include mental health diagnostic intakes, treatment planning, individual and group therapy, crisis assessment and related direct mental health services to children and youth in DCS custody.

• The clinician will consult with fellow DCS team members on the mental health needs of youth in custody.
• This position serves as the clinical expert for the region and would be called upon to provide recommendations regarding treatment needs including acuity of service.
• The position will also consult on youth with problem sexual behavior. Basic training on the guidelines for the assessment and treatment of youth with problem sexual behavior will be provided.
• The position will involve some training of case managers and more training opportunities if desired or as needed.
• May interface with the juvenile court system at times. This licensed mental health clinician will have the opportunity to work on statewide projects at times.
• Applicants need to have strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Applicants should also have flexibility, good time management and good documentation skills.
• License is required and salary is to be determined.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provides support to regional staff in accessing rapid mental health intake assessments.
• Provides consultation regarding the mental and behavioral health of all youth in the region and provides recommendations on mental health treatment needs, including level of care.
• Reviews youth for appropriateness for admission to Sex Offender Residential Treatment and participates in High Risk Review Team meetings.
• Reviews and responds to incident reports relevant to behavior support and management and mental health crises.
• Acts as a liaison to the Centers of Excellence and to acute psychiatric hospitals.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a mental health related field. Licensure from the appropriate state licensing board with the State of Tennessee is required at the time of employment. Examples of appropriate licensure include LCSW and LPC-HSP.

Pursuant to the State of Tennessee's Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State's policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person's race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.