ACT Forensic Clinician

Job Title

Community Treatment Teams (CTT) is mandated to provide service to those individuals within the mental health system who present the greatest degree of severity of symptoms as evidenced by their multiple physical, psychiatric and legal conditions; extensive use of services and lack of follow through with treatment. These individuals measure at the highest level of medical necessity as defined by the state Adult Environmental Matrix.

The ACT Teams are specialized teams that provide multidisciplinary clinical review and assessment of individuals who may be young adults, heavy users of services or actively involved in the criminal justice system and often have co-occurring behavioral health diagnoses of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

The ACT Clinician provides a comprehensive assessment that offers treatment recommendations. The ACT Clinician provides the appropriate evidence-based therapy to participants on their case load; including but not limited to: Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Dialectic Behavior Therapy. The Clinician, as needed, uses a Harm Reduction, Motivational Interviewing and Individual Integrated Dual Diagnosed approach to engage and work with participants still active in their substance abuse. These services are required to address issues that might present a barrier to participant remaining in the community. The Clinician is also responsible for ensuring that the mission, goals and philosophy of the CTT are operationalized within the team. ACT team staff provides case management supports consistent with the Community Support Program of Philadelphia.

One of the ACT Clinicians may be assigned as the Forensic Clinician to act as the liaison with the Courts and Probation office; visit, as required, participants who are incarcerated or on probation, coordinate their discharge and provide treatment as is appropriate.

The incumbent encourages a strengths-oriented treatment/service planning that addresses the individual's principal needs, ensures continuity of care and enhancement of individual's understanding, acquisition and maintenance of independent living skills in the areas of (a) compliance with behavioral health treatment (b) interpersonal skills and social support/network building (c) acceptance of personal responsibility in recovery and (d) accountability in fulfilling their legal obligations in order to remain in the community.

Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Provides comprehensive assessments for assigned individuals, including writing comprehensive reports
• Participates in daily multidisciplinary team meetings to review progress on cases in order to ensure communication and a comprehensive approach to treatment, including collaborating with external teams to ensure coordination between systems; participates in group clinical supervision with the CTT Clinical Coordinator for skills enhancement
• Provides input in case reviews to court/other authorities as deemed necessary and appropriate
• Provides 80% of available time in individual and/or group treatment to address clinical issues of the individuals, using evidence-based practices and approaches such as: CBT, DBT, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, IDDT and Harm Reduction
• Views individuals from a strengths-approach in preparation of treatment plans; with a focus on recovery principles
• Monitors service delivery to individuals to ensure appropriate level of service given need as defined by Environmental Matrix score
• Establishes networks and liaises with community service providers to resolve problems and overcome barriers to service; including attending linkage and treatment team meetings, as needed; provides advocacy mechanism to ensure that individual needs are met
• Maintains and updates community resource file, particularly around behavioral and forensic resources, substance abuse and young adult population treatment resources and provides information and shares with team and CTT community
• Completes all required reports and other documentation in a timely manner
• Maintains compliance with all applicable behavioral health treatment standards as set by state and county funding authorities and ensures that agency standards, policy and procedures are adhered to by team members
• Participates in Clinical Care, Open Forum and other required agency and external meetings; attends in-service and other training in order to meet mandated training hours
• Plans and assists individuals to increase community tenure, enhance quality of life and attain highest level of independent functioning
• Provides after hours work including: a) participation in weekly on call rotation schedule to permit 24 hour/7 day a week access to service; b) and participation in evening and weekend shift work schedules required for delivery of services to CTT's caseload
• If assigned as Forensic Clinician, will act as liaison with the Courts and Probation Office. Visit participants that are incarcerated; as required. Coordinate discharge and provide treatment as required

Skills Required include:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work well with people
• Good, creative problem solving skills
• Excellent clinical skills including assessment, individual and group therapy
• Knowledge of behavioral health and criminal justice systems, community resources
• Computers skills
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• Flexible and adaptive in handling changing priorities in a fast paced work environment
• Ability to work extended hours as may be required to complete projects

Education and Experience include:

• Master's degree in generally recognized clinical discipline including, but not limited to, Psychiatry, Social Work, Psychology, Nursing, Rehabilitation, Counseling, or Activity Therapies with at least two (2) years of experience in clinical assessment and therapeutic work
• Expertise preferred in various therapeutic treatment modalities and one or more of the following areas: Criminal Justice, substance abuse or geriatric issues

Essential Functions include:

• Must have a valid driver's license, auto insurance and use of a vehicle for work and on-call
• Ability to work in a team environment and share office space
• Ability to work evenings and weekends in meeting responsibilities

Equal Opportunity Employment:

PMHCC, Inc. is committed to equal opportunity. It is our policy to support equal employment for all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual preferences, age, national origin, disability, behavioral health status, military status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Americans with Disabilities Act:

Employees as well as applicants who are currently, or become disabled, must be able to perform the functions of the job with either reasonable accommodation or unaided. PMHCC, Inc. will examine reasonable accommodations on a case by case basis in accordance with the law.