Graduate Level Professional/Mobile Therapist

Job Description

Job Description

Description of Services

The Graduate Level Professional(GLP)l/Mobile Therapist(MT) will be responsible for providing and supervising mental health treatment and crisis intervention for children and families through the Community and School Based Behavioral Health model.  This position also includes providing intensive case management service to children and families, and providing consultation and training to supervisees as well as teachers and school personnel to support the overall mental health goals of the child’s treatment plan.

The GLP/MT Services are intended to provide intensive, therapeutic services to a child and family in the family’s home, school and community settings. Services provided by the GLP/MT are intended to be strengths-based, child-centered, family-focused, and eco-systemic in nature.  The GLP/MT will provide individual and family psychotherapy, with a strong emphasis on goals agreed upon by the family and treatment team.  The MT will use a myriad of therapy techniques and will have consistent sessions with the child individually, the family, other community resources, and any subsystem of the family, as clinically indicated by the prescriber.

Specific Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Design and provide direct mental health and behavioral services and interventions. This will include psychosocial assessment, individual/group therapy, and crisis intervention to identified children and families within the school system as well as in the home and community.
• Develop a partnership and collaborative relationship with the clent/parent/guardian demonstrated by the ability to actively engage the client and family into sessions with use of active listening, asking questions, and using a strength-based approach. 
• Engage the family in the development of a genogram, timeline, and comprehensive treatment plan along with treatment plan reviews and updates.
• Conduct family therapy sessions focused on helping the family with relationship-based issues. The MT will use a variety of treatment models to assist with family treatment. This may include any sub-system of the family and/or community supports or resources.
• Participate in the collection of mental health information and child assessments and child outcomes for each client to be used for monitoring the overall performance and effectiveness of the services provided.
• Provide psychotherapy groups to clients and/or parents and family members as deemed appropriate.
• Develop individualized crisis plans for each client and work with the treatment team to implement and monitor crisis plans. The crisis plans include de-escalation and clinical restraint planning that is clearly defined in partnership with the family.  This plan will include any informal or formal supports that the family can access for assistance to defuse a situation that may lead to a crisis. The crisis plan should be updated at regular intervals.
• Monitor and participate in on-call crisis intervention triage as needed during evenings, nights, and weekends. Assist in debriefing of crisis situations to develop more effective plans for families served.
• Supervise bachelor-level staff and monitor the receipt of their services. Provide curriculum and materials for staff to work with clients.
• Supervise bachelor-level staff through group supervision. Review and sign off on all case records required and in compliance with all Federal and State regulations.
• Attend all training and workshops as required for professional development.
• Provide and/or supervise the delivery of Structural Family Therapy for children and families on a weekly basis.
• Coordinate and supervise behavioral health interventions/schedules of services for children in the school setting on a daily basis.

Case Management Responsibilities:

• Provide intensive case management to children and families that include addressing needs that negatively impact the family’s level of functioning.
• Participate as a member in Student Assistance Meetings to assess appropriate services for children referred to SAP program as appropriate and allowed by the school.
• Facilitate interagency meetings for newly identified children and facilitate review meetings for clients at least every six months.
• Participate in Individualized Educational Plans for clients as necessary.
• Work in collaboration with child’s psychiatrist to access, monitor, and attend to psychiatric needs. This may include attending psychiatric appointments, and coordinating transportation.
• Monitor psychotropic medication within the scope of practice.
• Complete required reports to Child line and other agencies involved, as necessary.
• Work in collaboration with Program Director, Clinical Consultant, Administrative Staff, Quality Assurance Department, and the billing department to assist in the process of monitoring quality assurance and other protocols necessary to effectively manage programmatic aspects.
• Maintain high quality records sufficient to meet State and Federal clinical documentation requirements that include all funding sources.

C onsultation and Training Responsibilities:

• Facilitate client-centered case consultation with teachers and other school personnel.
• Provide consultation to teachers and other school personnel to address behavioral classroom management.
• Train program staff, teachers, and school personnel as necessary in treatment protocols and evidenced based interventions. Train program staff, teachers, and school personnel on clinical intervention strategies, treatment planning, and assist in monitoring and implementing strategies and treatment plans.
• Provide behavioral/mental health consultation, including the development of educational materials, to the program staff, teachers, school personnel, and other treatment providers through group training or to individual staff.

Education Requirements

One of the following education requirements must be met.

• Be licensed in this Commonwealth as a psychologist, professional counselor, marriage and family therapist or clinical social worker.
• Be licensed in this Commonwealth as a social worker or a behavior specialist and have a graduate degree that required a clinical or mental health direct service practicum from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or have an equivalent degree from a foreign college or university that has been evaluated by the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. or the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. The Department will accept a general equivalency report from the listed evaluator agencies to verify a foreign degree or its equivalency.
• Have a minimum of 1 year of full-time experience in providing mental health direct services to children, youth or young adults and a graduate degree with at least nine credits specific to clinical practice in psychology, social work or counseling from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or an equivalent degree from a foreign college or university that has been evaluated by the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. or the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. The Department will accept a general equivalency report from the listed evaluator agencies to verify a foreign degree or its equivalency.
• Completed a clinical or mental health direct service practicum and have a graduate degree with a least nine credits specific to clinical practice in psychology, social work, education, counseling or a related field from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or have an equivalent degree from a foreign college or university that has been evaluated by the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. or the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. The Department will accept a general equivalency report from the listed evaluator agencies to verify a foreign degree or its equivalency.

Other Qualifications

• All necessary child abuse clearances (PA Criminal Record Check, PA Child Abuse Clearance, and Federal Criminal History Clearance)
• Valid driver’s license
• Auto insurance

General Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

• Ability to manage multiple projects and tasks
• Ability to adapt to a changing work environment
• Ability to provide close attention to detail
• Ability to travel
• Ability to work under high pressure for results
• Ability to work closely with others
• Ability to manage time and ensure tasks are completed prior to deadlines
• Ability to analyze information and apply standard practices to resolve conflicts
• Ability to work with interruptions
• Ability to utilize creativity to problem solve
• Ability to follow and maintain confidentiality and safety policies
• Ability to effectively use computer, email, and software programs
• Ability to follow-through on assigned tasks and follow instructions
• Ability to provide clear directions to clients. BHT’s, families, and supervisors, both written and verbally
• Knowledge of HIPAA compliance
• Strong knowledge of therapeutic interventions
• Communication Skills – Clearly and consistently communicate with employees, managers, and clients
• Listening Skills – Consistently uses good active listening skills
• Solid social and interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Patience

Working Conditions

• Work will be completed in a variety of conditions and settings, such as the client’s home, school, or other social setting