Mental Health Therapist

Positions Summary:
This position is responsible for providing individual family and group therapy to adolescent sexual offenders and their families and to youth who have been identified with potentially sexually aggressive behaviors.  Duties include participation in the clinical team, assist in treatment planning, and implementation and record keeping for each youth and family served. Responsibilities also include participation in the day-to-day operations of the residential program and its activities.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Master’s degree in psychology, social work or counseling
• At least 2 years direct experience in a mental health setting providing therapy to adolescents and families, at least 1 year of which directly relates to providing services to adolescent sex offenders and their families.
• Experience working with adolescents in a residential setting preferred.
• Experience utilizing (or knowledge of) Positive Peer Culture preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Genuine concern for young people and the ability to treat all people with dignity and respect, and openness to learning and implementing a Positive Youth Development approach to youth work.
• Ability to work effectively within: culturally diverse populations; team dependent models; crisis management; strength-based theoretical orientation; adolescent development; and family reunification.  
• Knowledge of stages of change and trauma informed care.
• Understanding of and ability to use DSM IV Diagnostic categories
• Knowledge or experience with the therapeutic issues surrounding sexual abuse and how it affects family systems.
• Strong active listening and critical thinking skills. 
• Ability to utilize complex problem solving, skill building, and goal setting within a multi-disciplinary team approach.  
• A commitment to on-going training and a willingness to receive and act upon feedback.
• Ability to accurately read, record, and interpret information and complete written documentation that meets contract and program guidelines.
• Ability to provide visual and auditory supervision of program and youth.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with a broad variety of people, including youth, families, staff, supervisors, and community partners.
• Ability to stay calm and emotionally available in an environment serving young people who require a high level of supervision and redirection from staff.
• Ability to exercise independent discretion and judgment within program guidelines.
• Ability to work effectively in a team-dependent environment and to act on the agenda of the program.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries working with youth and in handling confidential information. 
• Ability to climb and descend at least two flights of stairs.
• Ability to escort and supervise clients in the community which may require standing and walking up to an hour at one time.
• Ability to stay awake and alert throughout entire assigned shift and to perform routine dorm checks and facility walk-throughs.
• Ability to effectively monitor safety and demonstrate group management skills and effectively de-escalate potentially chaotic or volatile situations.
• Ability to regularly attend scheduled shift, be punctual for scheduled shift and meetings, and be in a condition suitable for assuming responsibilities of position.
• Manual dexterity allowing performance of routine office tasks such as writing, phone use, filing, copying, and use of computer keyboard.
• Manual/physical capability to bend, stoop, kneel, and reach, as well as occasionally lifting up to 20lbs (including overhead) in order to perform functions such as accepting donations or unpacking groceries.
• Ability to perform and/or supervise routine household tasks such as cleaning, cooking, washing and folding laundry, emptying trash, sweeping/mopping, etc. 

Other Requirements:

• Personal transportation allowing for timely travel within the Portland metropolitan area. All employees who drive for work purposes must have and maintain a valid driver’s license for state of residency, have a driving record that permits coverage under the corporate auto liability policy, and complete the agency’s driving approval process before driving for work. If driving a personal vehicle for work purposes drivers must also have personal auto liability coverage ($100,000/$300,000 levels strongly recommended). Employees are not to drive for work purposes until they have received written authorization to do so.
• Bloodborne Pathogens training is required on first day of employment and annually thereafter.
• Must complete Mandatory Abuse Training within the first 30 days of employment and annually thereafter.
• Provides emergency first-aid, as needed, and must have and maintain standard first-aid/CPR certification.
• Must pass criminal history background check.
• Food Handler's Certification required within two weeks of hire.
• Must obtain National Provider Identification Number through the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System within 5 days of hire.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide direct treatment to children and their families.
  
  • Conduct and write initial assessments and comprehensive assessments according to State contracting and licensing requirements and organization format in specified time frame.
  • Develop and implement, within specified time frame, individual goal-oriented treatment plans for children and their families coordinating input from the child and family and the multi-disciplinary team. Treatment plans must include discharge goals stated in clear, objective, measurable terms.
  • Co-facilitate 90-day treatment reviews with clients, their families, and their OYA caseworker.
  • Whenever possible, ensure family involvement in all aspects of child’s treatment including initial orientation to program, family participation in treatment planning and review, and schedule on-going family counseling.
  • Maintain current problem – oriented clinical records (i.e. progress notes) in accordance with OAR 309-16-080 and Agency policy.
  • Assist Cordero Team Supervisor with case coordination with community resources including DHS/OYA, schools juvenile justice, physicians, psychologist, psychiatrists, and other agencies or professionals as necessary.
  • Confer with consulting psychiatrist regarding medication as needed.
  • Provide specialized group therapy.
• Provide clinical support for individual skills trainer including defining expectations and minimal performance standards, supervise their implementation of the individualized treatment plan on a regular basis.
• Provide crisis intervention services and follow-up, as needed.
• Participate in treatment – team activities including weekly treatment planning and assessment conferences. Participation is expected in peer/group supervision and quality assurance reviews, when needed.
• Provides emergency fist aid on an as – need basis and maintains standard fist-aid certification. 
• Model and encourage direct, professional communication among staff members and facilities development of a positive staff support network.
• Initiate and maintain facilitative working relationship with local community support groups. 
• Perform other program-related duties as assigned by Program Director or Executive Director.

Working Conditions:

• May involve exposure to communicable diseases, including a variety of illnesses and infections such as the common cold, TB, Hepatitis, flu, meningitis, and HIV.
• May involve exposure to upset, angry, severely traumatized or emotionally disturbed children, adolescents, adults, and families.
• May involve time in excess of routine schedule and/or overtime, including evening/overnight, weekend hours, and/or holidays.
• May involve exposure to information that graphically describes physical, sexual and emotion abuse of children and may experience vicarious trauma. 
• May require working and providing services at locations other than program site (i.e., schools, café’, clinics, etc.,) and may, therefore, be exposed to environments not under agency control (i.e., second-hand smoke, varying hygiene practices, etc.).

This position description is intended to give the reader a general idea of the overall purpose and the main activities and responsibilities that are intrinsic to this position. While this description is intended to be representative, it is not intended to be limiting.