Child and Family Therapist

Child And Family Therapist

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1978, is a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human, housing, educational and cultural services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos in Washington State. Sea Mar proudly serves all persons without regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation, and regardless of ability to pay for services. Sea Mar's network of services includes more than 90 medical, dental, and behavioral health clinics and a wide variety of nutritional, social, and educational services.

Position Summary

The Child and Family Therapist provides diagnostic assessments, referrals for psychiatric services, case management in coordination with other teams or parties involved in the treatment of children and families. In addition, the Child and Family Therapist provides evidence-based individual and family counseling, crisis stabilization, suicide risk assessment, treatment plans, and leads groups in office, school, and/or community settings. Assistance to the Director in program development, policy and procedure development, compliance with WACS and RCWS, and other administrative tasks performed are as directed. This job description does not suggest or imply that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. The person in this position will be required to follow other instructions and to perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a mission-driven organization, the core values of, and the services offered at Sea Mar are based on the belief that everyone deserves to be respectfully treated in a way that preserves dignity and enhances self-worth. Sea Mar is an advocate for its clients and aims to achieve industry-leading, client-centered, culturally-aware services.

Sea Mar employees serve as an extension of this mission and demonstrate their commitment to an excellent client experience by:

• Understanding and empathizing with client needs
• Surpassing client expectations
• Demonstrating a high level of integrity
• Exhibiting compassion and commitment
• Advocating for social justice
• Taking pride in individual work as well as that of the team
• Continually learning to stay current with industry standards, best practices and technology

As a Sea Mar employee, the individual in this position commits to adherence to these values to their utmost ability and endeavors to strengthen and embody this mission daily.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Assists in insuring agency compliance with WAC's, RCW's, and other pertinent laws, regulations, and contracts.
• Assists in developing and implementing policies and procedures as directed by the Program Director.
• Educates staff regarding the process for mental health service referrals and regarding "psycho educational topics" (suicide risk assessment, behavior modification, etc.) as directed by the Program Manager.
• Maintains documentation of mental health services, and follow through in patient charts.

• Provide developmentally and culturally appropriate formal and informal diagnostic assessments for each patient during the program. Document outcomes, justify diagnoses, and communicate with the collaborative partners regarding outcomes and recommendations. It is suggested that this individual communicate with the Primary Care Physicians, Substance Abuse Counselors, schools, case workers, or others involved in the care of the patient.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served, specifically children and families.
• Provide information about assessments and involve family members as active participants in the assessment process and in treatment planning, where appropriate.
• Collaborate with other professionals in conducting family-centered assessments and treatment planning, when appropriate.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span.
• Able to identify and categorize each patient's age-specific grouping of needs, such as those for infant, adolescent, adult or geriatric patients.
• Refer patients to psychiatric and medication management services as appropriate. Gather record materials and background information as needed by the community mental health center (See Policies and Procedures). Actively collaborate with the psychiatric service provider to insure accuracy of presentation and that identified needs are addressed. Provide monitoring regarding the effects of medications, and feedback to the psychiatrist regarding effects/side effects.
• Provide individual and/or family counseling, in coordination with other system as needed.
• Provide suicide risk assessment and develop treatment plans to address suicidal ideation or gestures. Use case management as needed to provide follow through and build community support as follow through. Provide other crisis stabilization as needed.
• Gather information regarding past mental health services to be used in the individual's treatment plan development. Provide mental health services referrals to patients prior to or following admission, and exchange information with outside service providers.
• Support other staff regarding mental health needs of staff or patients. Maintain confidentiality, prevent splitting between staff and patients, and offer concrete ideas on handling challenging situations.

Productivity Standard

Produce a minimum of 80 encounters that will equal at least 80 hours of face-to-face contact.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• An understanding of the Behavioral Health Organization, County, and/or MCO contracts with the ability to tier clients in a managed care system. The ability to work effectively with all persons and groups with an open mind towards cultural differences and knowledge of cultures.
• The ability to accurately diagnose mental health issues and develop treatment plans based upon diagnoses. The ability to NOT diagnose behavioral problems as mental illnesses unless appropriate.
• An understanding of chemical dependency treatment and an ability to coordinate mental health services with chemical dependency treatment providers if necessary.
• Must complete an annual clinical competency test as a mental health therapist.
• The Child and Family Clinical Therapist must sign a permanent oath of confidentiality covering all patient related information.
• This person must pass a background check.

Language Skills

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Mathematical Skills

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Education and Experience, Certificates, Licenses, Registrations, and Medical Screening

Education and Experience

• A Master's degree from an accredited college or university in psychology, counseling, or social work which includes course-work in psychological diagnostics. Must meet criteria of a Mental Health Professional (MHP). Must possess a Child Mental Health Specialist credential or be working towards credential. Must hold and maintain an active Washington State Agency Affiliated Counselor License (may be pending for up to 60 days if applied for within 7 days of being offered employment) or mental health Associate License (includes Marriage and Family Therapist, Mental Health Counselor, and Clinical Social Worker).

Additional Requirements

• This position must obtain Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR within 90 days of hire date and is required to maintain current BLS CPR throughout employment.
• Must take a TB test annually and at time of hire.
• Annual influenza vaccine required. Only exception is for employees with a medical or religious exemption approved by Administration. Employees with an approved medical or religious exemption must wear a mask at all time during the flu season.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job, including work within office, school and community settings. Counselors are required to commute between clinics and schools to which they are assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions