FFT Therapist

Overview

Rising Ground provides caring support and proven paths to positive change, helping children, adults, and families rise above adversity, and each year, Rising Ground is a positive force in the lives of more than 25,000 individuals. We do this through 50 programs in 70 locations throughout New York City and Westchester. Our strong belief and commitment to diversity shows not just through our work with supported persons, but is integral to the building of a strong staff that reflects the communities we serve.

Functional Family Therapist  is an evidence-based model which is home-based, intensive, family therapy. Although, with the current status of COVID-19 in New York City, we are offering both virtual and in-person sessions with families. This is a hybrid position, combining remote, office and community-based work. The FFT Therapist participates in all FFT training and consultation activities, and program reviews.  In addition to providing Family Therapy, the FFT Therapist will collaborate with other service providers, including but not limited to the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) and New York City Criminal Justice Agency (CJA). The FFT Therapist is required to complete all FFT documentation requirements, including meeting appropriate therapeutic and engagement requirements and assessing for family safety and risk.

The FFT Therapist provides FFT (Functional Family Therapy) virtually, to a maximum of 10 voluntarily participating families at a time who reside in NYC. The target population of young adults (16-25 years old), who are referred to us after an arrest. Rising Ground is participating in a pilot program to offer FFT to families and young people who might otherwise find themselves incarcerated without this alternative.

Responsibilities

Flexible schedule including some nights and weekends, depending on needs of the client. Looking for candidates with strong interpersonal and communication skills and desire to work on a supportive team with constructive oversight.

• Provide virtual and/or home-based clinical treatment with adherence to the Functional Family Therapy (FFT) model. 
• Participate in engagement efforts for referred families. 
• Conduct assessment including review of referral information, identifying and engaging key participants, identifying systemic strengths and weaknesses, and developing an analysis of the fit problem behaviors within the ecological context. 
• Engage youth, primary caregiver and other key participants in active change-oriented treatment by identifying and overcoming barriers to engagement. 
• Implement a problem conceptualization, treatment planning, intervention implementation, outcome review and strategy revision procedure using the FFT model’s Analytic Process. 
• Maintain clear and concise documentation of treatment efforts that promote peer and supervisory review and feedback, and that demonstrate compliance with FFT model Analytic Process. Complete all progress notes, opening and closing of cases and any other reporting/case management requirements in a timely and accurate fashion. When required, submit progress reports to the court or other stakeholders. 
• Collaborate with all relevant systems and key participants within each system to ensure their buy-in and cooperation throughout treatment. This could include regular meeting and reports to stakeholders.   
• Participate in all agency and FFT model program training, individual supervision and group consultation activities. 

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree from an accredited university in a field that has professional licensure. The field includes the following disciplines: Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, or related degree.
• Experience working with adolescents and knowledge of the juvenile justice and criminal justice systems.
• Preferred experience and skills with the concept and practices of family therapy and behavior management techniques, mental health treatment, as well as knowledge of and experience providing treatment for domestic violence issues and substance abuse issues.  

Full-time job with competitive benefits, including tuition reimbursement and free clinical supervision hours

Annual Salary 75,000

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