Child and Family Mental Health Clinician - NCSH

Job Overview

This is a union position.     

North County Serenity House, A Program of HealthRIGHT 360 was founded in 1966 to provide substance use disorder services in the community. North County Serenity House provides a gender-responsive and trauma-informed environment, using evidence-based and best practices that recognize and account for the role that trauma frequently plays in substance use and criminal histories of women. For clients with co-occurring mental illness, we provide integrated substance use and mental health services which treat both conditions as primary. Our residential facility serves up to 120 women (with capacity for up to 20 children under 5 years of age) seeking recovery from substance use disorders.

The primary responsibilities of the Child and Family Mental Health Clinician include providing direct participant care in a manner that exemplifies HealthRIGHT 360’s philosophy, goals, policies, mission and vision. The Child and Family Mental Health Clinician is responsible for providing assessment, direct clinical intervention, and supportive services to children, caregivers, and families presenting with various emotional and behavioral problems related to a participant’s addiction and potential co-occurring disorder. S/he acts as a liaison between the agency and outside organizations, linking participants with the appropriate resources to meet their health, mental health, and human service needs. S/he provides trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate services that promote resiliency and the ability function in the community and crisis intervention services as required. They will demonstrate the ability to obtain and interpret information in terms of the participant’s needs, document knowledge of client’s growth and progress, and demonstrate an understanding of the range of treatment needed by participants served. Must enjoy working as a member of a diverse team in a cooperative effort and be able to exercise creative and independent judgment to solve problems. May also be assigned to assist in signing off on treatment plans of other staff.

Key Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of the Child and Family Mental Health Clinician include providing direct participant care in a manner that exemplifies HealthRIGHT 360’s philosophy, goals, policies, mission and vision. The Child and Family Mental Health Clinician is responsible for providing assessment, direct clinical intervention, and supportive services to children, caregivers, and families presenting with various emotional and behavioral problems related to a participant’s addiction and potential co-occurring disorder. S/he acts as a liaison between the agency and outside organizations, linking participants with the appropriate resources to meet their health, mental health, and human service needs. S/he provides trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate services that promote resiliency and the ability function in the community and crisis intervention services as required. They will demonstrate the ability to obtain and interpret information in terms of the participant’s needs, document knowledge of client’s growth and progress, and demonstrate an understanding of the range of treatment needed by participants served. Must enjoy working as a member of a diverse team in a cooperative effort and be able to exercise creative and independent judgment to solve problems. May also be assigned to assist in signing off on treatment plans of other staff.

• Assist participants with substance abuse and behavioral needs as assigned which may include individual therapy, family and couple sessions, mental health assessment, evaluations, crisis intervention, group therapy, and psycho educational groups.
• Maintain appropriate, ethical boundaries with all participants and families served.
• Act as a liaison between other programs and referring agencies and and serves as the point of contact and coordinates referrals and follow-ups with health agencies.
• Conduct mental health assessments, identify treatment needs, recommend plans based on assessment, ensure participants meet all requirements and monitors participant conduct, record participant activity, and inform treatment team of potential problems.
• Handle crisis interventions including when a participant may exhibit psychiatric symptoms that present a threat to the participant or others assessing situations for further needs.
• Assists in conducting intakes and determining appropriate level of care based on ASAM criteria and able to document effectively how participant meets medical/service necessity for that level of care.
• Works as an active team member and closely collaborates with internal and external team members, able to review and discuss other treatment team members’ intakes and ongoing updates to determine current ASAM criteria, level of care, and justify medical/service necessity.
• Participates in team meetings to provide information and make recommendations for treatment, discharge planning, and participant management.
• Have experience working with children and adolescents affected by trauma and be comfortable intervening on a family level. Provide evidence-based therapeutic services that include individual, family, and group modalities to both child and adult family members.
• Maintain strict confidentiality guidelines regarding all participants, conversations and referrals. Follows legal guidelines in mandatory reporting.

Education and Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Required:

• Must be a MSW, MFT, PCC or Psychologist from a regionally accredited graduate program in the field of Psychology or Counseling Psychology.
• Masters level candidates must be registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences and possess a valid registration number.
• Minimum of two years of experience in a substance abuse treatment or community mental health setting.
• Must have experience working with children and adolescents with an emphasis on ages 0-5.
• Experience in working with people with co-occurring disorders.
• Experience working with the criminal justice population.
• Familiarity with trauma informed therapy models, cognitive behavioral therapy, brief psychotherapy and psycho-educational approaches.
• Familiarity with working with psychotic and other severe mental health presentations.
• First Aid certified within 60 days of employment.
• CPR certified within 60 days of employment.
• A valid California driver’s license and current automobile insurance.
• Must not be on active parole or probation, clear with OIG database.
• Culturally competent and able to work with a diverse population.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, specifically Word Outlook and internet applications.
• Experience working successfully with issues of substance abuse, mental health, criminal background, and other potential barriers to economic self sufficiency.
• Must possess a basic understanding of all ages of development, child abuse, substance abuse issues, impact of trauma, and self-sufficiency issues.
• Experience with motivational interviewing techniques.
• Ability to understand, and interpret information, and can manage a consistent workflow.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to work effectively with people in a constructive manner.
• Must be able to demonstrate strong boundaries.
• Ability to enter data into various electronic systems while maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the data.
• Professionalism, punctuality, flexibility and reliability are imperative.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills.
• Integrity to handle sensitive information in a confidential manner.
• Action oriented.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organization skills and ability to multitask and juggle multiple priorities.
• Outstanding ability to follow-through with tasks.
• Ability to work cooperatively and effectively as part of interdisciplinary team and independently assume responsibility.
• Strong initiative and enthusiasm and willingness to pitch in whenever needed.
• Able to communicate well at all levels of the organization including working with organization leadership and high-level representatives of partner organizations.
• Able to work within a frequently changing project scope while maintaining overall direction and structured priorities.

Desired:

• Licensed MFT or LCSW, LPCC, Psychologist.
• Bilingual English/Spanish.
• Knowledge of trauma, co-occurring disorders and substance abuse treatment.
• Knowledge of Clinical documentation (treatment plans, progress notes etc.).

In compliance with the California Department of Public Health's mandate, all employees must be able to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Medical and religious exemptions are available.

Tag: IND100.