Functional Family Therapist

Community-Based Violence Prevention Program

Atlas works to prevent violence by meeting people during a crisis, like a recent arrest or open court case and connecting them to a change process that nurtures hope and strengthens relationships. Atlas offers FFT to young people at elevated risk for violence in the community, victimization, or a re-arrest. FFT is an evidence-based intervention for youth and families. This high-quality, strength-focused family counseling model is designed for high-risk youth and young adults who have been referred by the criminal court, juvenile justice, mental health, school, or child welfare systems. Services are short-term and typically offered in the home, though services can be offered in the office or other community settings.

We are hiring a community-based violence prevention program that aims to reduce violent recidivism through intensive and voluntary therapeutic services. This program is part of the Atlas initiative and uses the evidence-based Functional Family Therapy (FFT) model to engage young people and their families in holistic anti-violence services.

Education Preference: Master's degree in social work, counseling, education, or other relevant human service profession preferred; required for site supervisor position.

Preferred Experience:

• Direct use of pragmatic (i.e., structural, strategic, and functional) family therapies
• Individual therapy with youth and adults using cognitive behavioral techniques
• Marital therapy using behaviorally based approaches
• Behavioral therapy targeting school behavior and academic performance
• Implementation of interventions within or between systems in the youth's natural ecology that affect or influence the behavior of youth (i.e., family, peer, school, and neighborhood)

Preferred Knowledge:

• Family systems theory and application
• Social-ecological theory and application
• Behavioral therapies theory and application
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy theory and application
• Pragmatic family therapies theory and application
• Child development research and its application in the treatment
• Social skills assessment and intervention
• Basic counseling and process skills

Preferred Core Competencies:

• Ability to engage clients
• Willingness and ability to be strengths-focused
• Ability to shift to process
• Willingness to advocate for youth and family, belief in the capacity of people to grow and change
• Ability to manage stress and self-care
• Appreciation, respect, and understanding for teamwork and company systems
• Ability to maintain a high level of self-awareness
• Ability to be comfortable with cultural differences; to relate without patronizing
• Willingness to commit to empowering families to solve their own problems
• Ability and willingness to work with families in their own homes
• Willingness to be flexible to work with the families when they are available to meet

Job Responsibilities:

• Carry a caseload as assigned.
• Provide virtual/home-based Functional Family Therapy to adults and their families, adhering to model fidelity requirements. (as post-pandemic working conditions allow)
• Actively participate as part of a therapy team, including attending weekly team and individual supervision meetings.
• Assist families by actively referring them to appropriate services and supports, and with both clinical and concrete services.
• Make case progress notes as required by FFT and regularly report to external stakeholders.
• Participate in all FFT training, supervision, and consultation activities.

Salary: $70,000 to $75,000 Annually

Benefits: 401K, Dental, Medical, Vision