Therapist

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: The employee in this position is responsible for providing individual, group, couples, marital and family therapy to Center clients as assigned. The essential functions include but are not limited to; intake assessments, clinical diagnosis, obtaining authorization, developing treatment plans, advocating and referring consumers to appropriate resources, documentation, participating in staff meetings, and presenting to community groups. Accurate, timely, and professional documentation is key to this position.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The Therapist shall, without limitation, perform the following responsibilities:

• Conduct intake assessment interviews with clients to obtain individual and family histories, assimilating pertinent information regarding the client’s experiences and levels of past and present psychosocial functioning.
• Provide a clinical diagnosis based on the assessment information.
• Obtain appropriate authorization as needed for communication with external sources as well as with client’s significant others/family.
• Obtain pertinent information from collateral sources as needed (school, medical, DCF, GAL, legal system, outside provider, etc.).
• Collaborate with the client to develop a formal treatment plan as a guide for the course of treatment (goals, objectives, and projective time frames of treatment, interventions of treatment to be used and the criteria to be used to evaluate the success of treatment) based on the assessment and diagnosis.
• Provide therapy as indicated and coordinate other activities as necessary to ensure that the treatment plan goals and objectives are met.
• Provide advocacy and referral services for clients when appropriate, both internally and externally.
• Explain test results and diagnostic issues to clients when utilized as part of treatment.
• Document in session contact as well as client telephone contact, noting client progress or lack of progress toward fulfillment of treatment plan goals and objectives.
• Maintain Center records in accordance with stated policies and procedures, including compliance with Medicaid standards.
• Participate in staff meetings and formal records review (peer review) functions as necessary or required.
• Offer presentations to community groups, and participate in staff in-service training programs as the need arises and as assigned by the Program Supervisor or Program Manager.
• Perform such duties, responsibilities, and special projects as may be assigned from time to time by the Program Supervisor or Program Manager.

KNOWLEDGE AND JOB SKILLS:     Clinical skills and abilities in the areas of assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning and management, psychotherapy and discharge planning. Effective and efficient documentation skills.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

1. Age Specific: Assessment, Developmental Stages, Diagnoses, Treatment Planning, Psychosocial and Psychotherapy Interventions, Enhancement of Family Involvement, Medication Issues 
2. Basic Job Readiness: Courtesy, Flexibility, Reliability, Responsiveness 
3. Personal Effectiveness: Communication Skills, Interpersonal Skills, Self-Management, Critical Thinking Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Customer Focus, Empowerment/Advocacy 
4. Organizational/Management: Compliance, CQI, Commitment, Leadership, Linking/Networking, Management of Information, Organizational Participation, Safety 

JUDGMENT: Able to make independent sound clinical decisions based on best practice standards which demonstrate client centered values.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Education: Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in psychology, social work or counseling. Licensed or license eligible under F.S. 490 or 491, or Registered Intern.
• Experience: Minimum of two graduate level practicums/internships, or equivalent job experience. 
• Personal Qualities: A person in this position must have the ability to work independently, must be flexible with regards to work hours, and should be comfortable providing services outside an office environment (home, school and community locations). An awareness and tolerance of individual and family resistance to mandated treatment is required.
• Supervisory Responsibilities: None
• Special Factors: Persistence with regards to engaging reluctant consumers and caregivers is critical.  
• Staff Development: Completes all administrative and competency requirements as identified in his/her Individual Training Plan.