Parent-Child Clinician

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Parent-Child Clinician 

** Note: The Salary range varies and will be determined during the offer process based on education, licensure, and skills (e.g., bachelor’s, master’s, unlicensed, independent license, bilingual language capacity.

Program/Department: A-BRIGHT Approach

Position Type: Exempt, Full-Time 40 hours/ week – Hybrid Position (remote and on-site)

Location: Boston

Reports to: Director of Early Childhood Trauma Services & A BRIGHT Approach

About IHR : The Institute for Health and Recovery (IHR) is a statewide service, research, policy, program development and capacity building agency. IHR designs its services based on an understanding of the impact of trauma. IHR’s CARF accredited treatment programs provide holistic interventions for hard to reach and high-risk individuals and families. IHR’s mission, since our founding in 1990, has been to develop and support a comprehensive continuum of care for families, individuals, youth, and pregnant and parenting people affected by alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, violence/trauma, mental health challenges and other health issues, while advancing principles of health equity and social justice. Our work is focused on addressing and eradicating inequities in our health care, economic, and justice systems, especially as they disproportionately affect women and people of color. We are committed to providing services and creating communities that mitigate the effects of substance use, mental illness, and trauma. 

Summary Statement:  The Parent-Child Clinician in collaboration with Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW) and the Supporting our Families through Addiction and Recovery (SOFAR) clinic at Boston Medical Center (BMC), will provide support and address the needs of young children birth to 6 years old who are facing early relationship challenges related to trauma exposure as a result of parental substance use. The treatment will focus on issues of maternal self-efficacy, mood and affect regulation and will support positive dyadic interactions and promote healthy infant and healthy child development.

Essential Functions:

• Provide direct evidence-based and/or evidence-informed trauma treatment and services, including screening, diagnostic assessment, community-based engagement/outreach strategies, and care management to children 0-6 years old and their parents who may be from diverse racial and ethnic communities.
• Promote parental capacities for understanding and addressing the impact of trauma in their own and their children’s lives.
• Enhance the quality of the parent-child relationship through supporting positive, pleasurable Interactions and capacities for play.
• Build collaborative relationships with community providers including child-serving systems (e.g., child welfare, law enforcement and courts, juvenile justice system, schools, faith-based entities, primary care, etc.) to promote relationship-based practice and promote best practices for addressing trauma in young children impacted by parental substance use at the local and/or regional levels. 
• Participate in all program trainings including Attachment Self-Regulation and Competence (ARC) GROW, Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), Attachment Vitamins (AV) and the Nurturing Program (NP).
• Build rapport with clients to supportively challenge negative beliefs and promote positive change, using Motivational Interviewing Techniques
• Attend weekly supervision with Program Director and meet regularly with other Child Clinicians, Clinical Consultant and SOFAR staff
• Maintain accurate record keeping in accordance with the program guidelines, including data entry into the electronic health records of agency.
• Participate in collecting evaluation data for further assessment and/or services as needed.
• Use cloud-based systems for communication with IHR’s site office, including shared calendars, timesheets, and supervisor check-ins. 
• Attend team and agency staff meetings. 

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Master’s degree in social work, counselling, psychology, or related field, required.
• Professional clinical license is strongly preferred (LICSW, LMHC).
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working with young children and/or parent-child dyads. 
• Experience with Child-Parent Psychotherapy, Attachment Self-Regulation and Competence (ARC) GROW, Attachment Vitamins and/or the Nurturing Program (NP)or willingness to be trained.
• Strong understanding of child development and attachment, in children birth to 6 years.
• Previous experience working in multi-cultural environments and/or in a medical setting.
• Individuals with first-hand experience in substance use disorders are encouraged to apply.
• Demonstrated oral and written communication skills.

Other Requirements: (If Applicable)

• Valid driver’s license, good driving record, and regular access to a reliable vehicle; Travel between sites (reimbursed).
• Business Class Rider on Motor Vehicle Insurance if transporting clients. (Reimbursable; required within one month of start of job).

Competencies:

• Clear and effective communication 
• Strong organizational skills 
• Ability to work effectively in teams 
• Self-motivated and independent 
• Problem-solving skills 
• Adaptability and flexibility 
• Commitment to ongoing development and learning 
• Dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice

Physical Requirements:  The physical demands of this position include talking, hearing, sitting, standing, walking, lifting, and using hands for activities such as grasping, handling, and reaching. These physical and mental demands are essential for the successful execution of job responsibilities. Reasonable accommodation will be made for qualified individuals with disabilities. 

IHR seeks to create welcoming, inclusive and accessible environments for our staff and the people we serve. We welcome and celebrate the diverse social identities of our staff. We recognize the importance of having staff who reflect the identities of the diverse communities that we serve, and we make efforts to hire from within these communities. We are proud to offer an inclusive, recovery friendly, and supportive work environment, and we welcome, and value lived experience of recovery.