Therapist

Join Our Team

Are you passionate about caring for disadvantaged youth? Do you have a heart for ministry and a love for children? Do you want your efforts to contribute to a greater purpose? Our vision is to develop young men and women who, because of the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, are able to face the future with a sense of direction, ability, and hope. Come join our team today!

Therapist Position

The therapist provides clinical and/or behavioral therapy for youth and/or families served by the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches as well as serving as the primary liaison to the community based care representatives assigned to each child. This position has access to and administers over-the-counter and controlled substances (prescription medication) to youth in the program. The position is directly responsible to the clinical director and/or director of clinical services. This position will be assigned a caseload, based upon the needs of the program. This position is not eligible for overtime pay.

Education and Experience Requirements

A master's degree from an accredited university or college in the field of counseling, social work, psychology, nursing, rehabilitation, special education, health education, or in a related human services field and two years of experience working with children who are troubled and disadvantaged. Must have a valid Florida driver license and be able to maintain a safe driving record consistent with agency policy. If hired after July 1, 2014, the employee must have completed graduate level coursework in at least four of the following thirteen content areas: human growth and development, diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology, human sexuality, counseling theories and techniques, group theories and practice, dynamics of marriage and family systems, individual evaluation and assessment, career and lifestyle assessment, research and program evaluation, personality theories, social and cultural foundations, counseling in community settings, or substance abuse.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties and responsibilities are the various types of work performed in this position. Other duties and responsibilities may also be assigned.

• Maintains an ongoing individual therapy relationship with assigned youth being alert to symptoms of social, behavioral, learning, and emotional problems. Provides individual and group therapy as deemed appropriate in the youth individualized treatment plan. May also provide family therapy specific to the family's case plan.
• Develops and maintains case record documentation including individual treatment plans and reviews, progress notes, discharge and aftercare planning, and reports.
• Attends all clinical team meetings and case staffing for assigned youth and works as an integral part of the clinical team providing clinical findings and recommendations on an ongoing basis.
• Implements and oversees individualized behavior management programs as approved by supervisor.
• Attends treatment team meetings for assigned youth in cooperation with agency staff, i.e., unit directors, direct care staff, and school personnel.
• Completes required assessments of independent living skills youth, maintains accurate records of behavioral baselines and clinical concerns, monitors the overall course of treatment services; and trains, observes, and documents direct care staff's implementation of the youth's individualized treatment plan.
• Maintains high productivity in providing billable service for Medicaid or other third party billing and flexibility adapting to billing charge requirements, and documents Medicaid billing on a weekly basis.
• Acts as youth's advocate at treatment team and other planning meetings and serves as liaison with CBC worker and/or youth's family. May also transport and participate in court proceedings such as judicial reviews as well as other events as needed.
• Provides services for cottage youth, including coverage in the cottage and observation of youth in the cottage setting as directed; as well as discharge planning, advocacy, and service planning, in cooperation with the youth's CBC case manager, guardian ad litem, and other professionals directly involved in the case.
• Informs program director, supervisor, unit director, and/or program nurse of social, behavioral, learning, and emotional problems involving assigned youth and family.
• Makes appropriate referrals to service providers and establishes a link between providers and youth in all discharge planning.

Completes 40 hours of training on vocational professional development annually, participates in a minimum of 4 clinical supervision hours per month to develop and enhance clinical skills, and participates in COA and Medicaid mandated training for staff. Maintains current first aid, CPR, and non-crisis intervention certification.

Job type: Full-time

Pay: $53,000 annually

Benefits

• 401(k) with up to 4% company match
• Annual leave and sick leave
• 11 paid holidays
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company paid long term disability, and life insurance 2x annual salary
• Health savings account, supplemental life insurance, short term disability, and Aflac products available
• Employee assistance program
• Eligible for public service student loan forgiveness program

We are an equal opportunity employer and a drug-free workplace. We have a very extensive and strict background screening process. Background screening requirement employment in this position is contingent upon successful completion of a level 2 background screening through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse, as required by Florida law. Pursuant to House Bill 531 (2025), applicants are encouraged to review the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse Education and Awareness information available at: