Behavioral Health Clinician

PURPOSE:

The Cedar Knolls House (Bronx) provides therapeutic and support services to adolescents ages 17 to 21 who are referred through the Administration for Children's Services (ACS) and the juvenile justice system. Residents have experienced significant trauma that may contribute to behavioral, emotional, developmental, and functional challenges. Cedar Knolls House provides a structured, trauma informed residential environment with therapeutic services, independent living skill development, vocational preparation, educational support, recreation, family engagement, and community based services. The program supports youth in strengthening stability, developing skills, increasing healthy supports, and preparing for successful transition to family, a significant adult connection, independent housing, higher education, employment, or another appropriate community based setting.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Behavioral Health Clinician is a key member of the clinical and interdisciplinary team at Cedar Knolls House and provides trauma informed, culturally responsive, and youth centered clinical services to residents with complex behavioral and emotional needs. The Behavioral Health Clinician provides individual, family, and group therapy, clinical assessment, treatment planning, crisis intervention, and ongoing clinical support within the residential milieu. The position works closely with the psychiatrist, Clinical Supervisor, other Behavioral Health Clinicians, case planning staff, program leadership, Direct Support Professionals, and other members of the treatment team to support appropriate diagnosis, treatment interventions, stabilization, and progress toward each youth's individualized treatment goals. The Behavioral Health Clinician also supports implementation of the Integrated Treatment Model (ITM), including participation in the rotation of ITM skill groups and reinforcement of treatment strategies across the program.

KEY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS :

• Provide individual therapy to assigned residents on a consistent basis in accordance with treatment needs, program expectations, and the individualized treatment plan.

• Provide family and group therapy, as clinically indicated, and support engagement of families and significant adult connections in the youth's treatment.
• Complete clinical assessments and contribute to diagnostic formulation and treatment recommendations in collaboration with the psychiatrist and clinical team.
• Develop, implement, review, and update individualized treatment plans based on identified clinical needs, strengths, goals, and progress.
• Provide trauma informed clinical interventions that are culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate, and responsive to the needs of adolescents and young adults.
• Provide clinical support and crisis intervention during periods of emotional or behavioral escalation, including assessment, de-escalation support, safety planning, and coordination with the treatment team as appropriate.
• Collaborate closely with the program psychiatrist regarding psychiatric evaluations, medication related concerns, changes in clinical presentation, risk concerns, and ongoing treatment needs.
• Support the implementation of the Integrated Treatment Model (ITM), including facilitating assigned ITM skill groups as part of the Behavioral Health Clinician rotation and reinforcing ITM skills within individual and milieu based interventions.
• Develop and support appropriate clinical and ITM materials, including group resources, educational materials, and program flyers as needed.
• Coordinate with internal and external providers and stakeholders to promote continuity of clinical care and support youth treatment goals.
• Advocate for residents, as clinically appropriate, with mental health providers, treatment facilities, schools, community providers, and other members of the youth's treatment network.
• Participate in community based work with residents when clinically or programmatically appropriate.

TEAM PROCESS:

• Participate in weekly treatment team meetings, clinical meetings, supervision, case conferences, and other program meetings as required.
• Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team members to coordinate treatment.
• Provide clinical consultation, psychoeducation, and intervention support to Direct Support Professionals and other program staff to promote consistent trauma informed responses to youth needs.
• Communicate significant changes in a youth's clinical presentation, functioning, risk, or treatment needs to appropriate members of the treatment team in a timely manner.
• Support a coordinated treatment approach by helping staff understand and reinforce individualized clinical interventions, treatment goals, coping strategies, and ITM skills within the milieu.
• Participate in clinical supervision, staff development, and required agency and regulatory trainings.
• Provide crisis intervention and clinical support as needed within the scope of the position.
• Other duties as assigned consistent with the scope and responsibilities of the position.

DOCUMENTATION:

• Complete timely, accurate, and clinically appropriate progress notes for services provided in the agency's internal electronic health record system and other required systems.
• Develop, review, and update treatment plans and related clinical documentation within required timeframes.
• Complete and update clinical documentation in CONNECTIONS, as applicable to the clinician's role and assigned responsibilities.
• Complete Long Term Stay Reviews (LSRs) and related clinical documentation supporting continued placement and treatment needs, as assigned.
• Complete or contribute to incident reports through the agency's incident reporting system when involved in or clinically responding to an incident, in accordance with agency requirements.
• Maintain documentation related to ITM groups, clinical groups, and other assigned therapeutic programming.
• Ensure clinical records are complete, accurate, timely, and consistent with agency, regulatory, and applicable payer requirements.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Demonstrates commitment to trauma informed, recovery oriented, youth centered, and family driven practice.
• Ability to engage adolescents and young adults with complex trauma histories and behavioral and emotional needs.
• Strong clinical assessment, treatment planning, crisis intervention, and therapeutic engagement skills.
• Demonstrates sound clinical judgment and the ability to identify and appropriately communicate safety and risk concerns.
• Works effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team and promotes collaboration across clinical, case planning, medical, psychiatric, and milieu services.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and ability to build professional relationships with youth, families, colleagues, and community partners.
• Demonstrates initiative, accountability, organization, and effective time management.
• Uses clinical information and available data to inform treatment planning, interventions, and practice.
• Demonstrates cultural humility and the ability to provide culturally responsive services to diverse youth and families.
• Values professional development and actively participates in clinical supervision, training, and ongoing skill development.
• Ability to remain calm, responsive, and clinically focused in a crisis driven residential environment.
• Maintains professional boundaries, confidentiality, and ethical standards.

EDUCATIONAL/TRAINING REQUIREMENTS/ LANGUAGE PREFERENCE:

• Master's degree in Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Mental Health Counseling, Creative Arts Therapy, or another related clinical discipline from an accredited program.
• Current New York State LMSW, LMFT, LMHC, LCAT, or other applicable professional clinical license preferred. Candidates who hold an applicable New York State limited permit, or who are permit eligible at the time of hire, may be considered with the expectation of obtaining and maintaining licensure in accordance with the requirements and timeframe established at hire.
• Relevant clinical experience working with adolescents, young adults, families, foster care, residential care, juvenile justice, behavioral health, or a similar population preferred.
• Experience providing trauma informed clinical services and crisis intervention preferred.
• Valid Driver's License preferred.
• Bilingual preferred.

COMPUTER SKILLS REQUIREMENTS:

• Knowledge of CONNECTIONS and documenting clinical services in electronic health record systems.
• preferred.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook and Word.
• Experience using artificial intelligence (AI) assisted workplace tools and an understanding of responsible use of AI in accordance with agency confidentiality, privacy, data security, and professional standards.
• Experience with tele-mental health or virtual service platforms is a plus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL EFFORT:

• Work is primarily performed within a residential foster care setting and may include work in the community.
• Travel in the community with residents may be required, including use of an agency vehicle when authorized.
• Engage in program and recreational activities with youth as appropriate.
• Ability to walk up and down stairs and move throughout the residence as needed to provide clinical support.
• Ability to respond to youth and program needs within a dynamic and at times crisis driven residential environment.

VISUAL AND MANUAL DEXTERITY:

• The candidate should be able to read paper and electronic documents and perform significant data entry into various computer programs.

If you join us, you'll have these great benefits:

• Generous paid time off in addition to paid agency holidays and 15 sick days
• Affordable and high-quality medical/dental/vision plans
• Tuition assistance and educational loan forgiveness
• Free continuing education opportunities
• 403(b) retirement benefits and a pension
• Flexible spending accounts for health and transportation
• 27/7 Accessible Employee Assistance Program
• Life and disability insurance

Who we are:

The Jewish Board delivers innovative, high-quality, and compassionate mental health and social services to over 45,000 New Yorkers each year. We are unique in serving everyone from infants and their families to children, teens, and adults. We are proud to employ and serve people of all religions, races, cultural backgrounds, gender expressions, and sexual orientations. We are committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive teams to help support our mission, and we strongly encourage candidates from historically marginalized backgrounds to apply to work with us.

More on Equal Opportunity:

We are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.