Foster Care- IAFT Therapist

Job Title:  IAFT Therapist -Licensed Professional Therapist

Status: Fulltime

Classification: Exempt

Management: No

Department:  Clinical

Reports To:  Foster Care Director

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Responsible for providing psychotherapy to clients in an individual, family, or group setting to help reduce and manage symptoms.  Provide direct clinical care, service planning and implementation. Delivery of services requires flexibility and ability to develop interventions that draw upon strengths, capacities and resources available in Northeastern NC. Must have the following Knowledge/Skills: Thorough knowledge of Social work, Psychology, diagnostic classification and the dynamics of outpatient therapy and mental health concepts. Normal and abnormal psychology; Evaluation and various forms of psychotherapy; intervention and patient counseling processes, techniques, and method. Mental health care facility programs and procedures. Addiction and dynamics of abuse; crisis intervention and suicide assessment methods. Considerable knowledge of treatment involving psychotropic medications. Ability to perform under adverse crisis situations. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing. Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with multi-disciplinary treatment teams, executives, professionals, administrators, and the general public Strong psycho educational and individual, group, and family counseling skills, Strong diagnostic and assessment skills, Strong family/caregivers training and consultation skills, strong service planning and implementation skills.  Excellent problem-solving skills.

WORK DUTIES AND TASKS

Clinical Work: Essential Function, 60% of time

Administers any specialized mental health programs for IFS consumers and provides initial diagnostic assessments and formulates a wide variety of treatment plans based on the sound integration of theory and practice.

Directly assigned to provide therapeutic services to Intensive Alternative Family Treatment clients.

Provides a range of psychotherapeutic services including crisis intervention counseling, and individual, couples, family and group psychotherapy to clients diagnosed with mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disability disorders.

Provides resources assistance to patients in acquiring assistance through community and state resources.

Adheres to all federal, state and local ethical and legal guidelines for the therapist licensure and in accordance with program standards.

Conducts assessments and writes evaluative reports.

Conducts psycho educational and psychotherapeutic groups

Provide psychotherapy services for patients with co-occurring disorders

Works directly with clients, parents or other care givers on functional problems that occur in natural settings.  Focuses on assisting the client in preventing, overcoming or managing functional deficits in school, home or in a assisting the primary caregiver in acquiring the skills needed to assist the client in all functional domains:  vocational, educational, personal care domestic, psychosocial, communication, problem solving, adaptive, etc.

Co-facilitates multi-disciplinary treatment team, interviews patients and facilitates discussion around diagnosis and treatment planning.

Monitors patient behaviors and reaction to medication as needed to avoid adverse side effects, makes reports to the staff psychiatrist.

Prepares mental status reports.

Provide clinical supervision to the Foster Care Director and other members of the Intensive Alternative Family Treatment Team in regard to therapeutic care for the foster care children served within the agency.

Other duties as assigned

Administrative Duties: Essential Function, 30% of time

Performs various administrative functions related to client and program records; documents service hours; develops and updates assessments, treatment plans, and reviews and progress notes.

Completes all administrative requirements in timely and efficient manner.

Adheres to all clinical policies and operating procedures.

Signs all treatment record notes as required and in a timely and efficient manner.

Ensures compliance with uniform documentation and charting guidelines.

Other duties as assigned.

Professional Activities: Essential Function, 10% of time

Attends meetings related to role.

Provides education and training to community groups as assigned.

Coordinates professional development topics and presentations as appropriate.

Attends continuing education per licensing requirements and as relevant to job duties. 

Attends a minimum of 2 hours of cultural competency continuing education per year.

Completes annual adult CPR and First Aid certification courses.

Completes annual TB tests and any other required competencies as outlined by the Human Resource Department for all staff.

Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

At least a Master's Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Criminal Justice, Psychology or a related field. 

An individual who holds an unrestricted license (full or provisional), certificate, registration, issued by the board regulating the professional in question, in the following discipline:  PhD Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Licensed Professional Counselor. 

No criminal convictions of child abuse or violent crimes.

Must be able to pass criminal background and MVR and Healthcare Registry Check.

Must possess a valid driver's license.

Must be able to keep strict confidentiality and work with diverse populations

CORE COMPETENCIES

To perform effectively in this position, the individual should demonstrate the following competencies. These core competencies represent effective administration of Integrated Family Services, PLLC and its programs fulfilling the IFS mission.

Job Knowledge: Understands the clinical aspect of providing psychotherapy to all populations. Clearly understands the mission of the organization and continuously works to promote IFS and achieve its goals.

Initiative in fulfilling the goals of the organization: Form interactions with staff and the mental health sector, the therapist recognizes and brings to the clinical director issues that affect the organization, and implements plans to reach organizational goals as determined by the management team. Displays initiative in developing action plans and resolving problems as they occur, in consultation with the clinical director.

Communication: Communicates effectively with multiple audiences using variety of formats. Examples include: electronic and/or written communications that clearly outline the situation and action items; verbal presentations and briefings to the departmental managers, the management team and other parties; advocating on behalf of IFS at local meetings and to outside groups regarding a variety of issues affecting IFS.

Dependability: Seeks increased responsibility while remaining conscientious, thorough, accurate, and reliable with respect to achieving the organization's goals, and the needs of the IFS consumers and fellow staff. This includes being available and responsive to issues and concerns as they arise

PHYSICAL DEMANDS, WORK ENVIRONMENT, TRAVEL AND MISCELLANEOUS:

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, speak and hear.  The position requires extensive computer use so the employee must have sufficient hand dexterity to use a computer keyboard and be capable of reading a computer screen.  The employee must rarely lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment

The work environment is a small, busy office or and area of location may vary or may be a remote work.  The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.  Reasonable accommodations in the work environment may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Travel

The employee must be able to travel to all clinical sites, attend conferences, training and other events as required to acquire and maintain proficiency in fulfilling the responsibilities of the position.

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This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as determined to meet the on-going needs of the organization. Acknowledgement of this document is in receipt of this job description and does not create a contract of, or specify terms, conditions or a specific period of employment.

All employment relationships with Integrated Family Services, PLLC are at-will and may be terminated at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice by either the employee or employer.

I acknowledge that I have received a copy of this job description and it has been reviewed with me and I understand the duties and requirements of the job.  I also acknowledge and understand that if I have any questions pertaining to the duties and requirements of my job that I may ask my immediate supervisor, departmental management or Human Resources.