Mental Health Therapist

Under Article 29-I, the mental health therapist is responsible for providing skill building services, psychiatric support services, and working within a multi-disciplinary team model to ensure youth in care and their families have their overall health care needs met. The Mental health Therapist will develop and implement behavioral health plans to improve targeted areas of need (skill building). The Mental Health Therapist will work directly with foster youth and their caregiver to address emotional, behavioral and social challenges that youth present in the home/community by providing counseling or engaging in specific skill building activities with the youth utilizing a strength’s based and trauma informed perspective.

• Providing behavioral health supports which may include:
  Individual counseling and treatment, substance abuse screening and counseling, family and group counseling, and transitional counseling
• Psychoeducation and wellness education with youth and their families
• Communicate with the family, Foster Care department, Health Services department, and Health Home Care Management department to enhance client compliance and integration of services.
• Performs all annual and necessary assessments as per Article 29-I guidelines.
• Provides referrals for additional support as needed including CFTSS and HCBS services.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary team meetings to establish treatment goals and provide mental health updates as well as educational updates on youth in care.
• Assist youth to develop skills as defined in treatment goals.
• Utilize evidence based psychotherapeutic interventions to target maladaptive or poor coping behaviors.
• Regularly assesses the safety and well-being of all youth and families being served.
• Ensures quality assurance and excellence in service provision.
• Provide crisis intervention services as needed.
• Performs other duties/responsibilities as assigned within the scope of the position.
• Able to assess for substance/alcohol abuse.

• Master’s Degree in one of the following fields’:
  Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Mental Health Counseling or Psychology
• Must be NYS Licensed Professional
• Must have at least three yearsof clinical experience working with children.
• Master or Advanced Credential Substance Abuse and Alcoholism Counselor (CASAC or CASAC-T) (optional)

While performing the duties for this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate clearly and effectively. The employee is occasionally required to sit and stoop, kneel, crouch, or climb stairs. Must be able to travel unassisted and to use a computer.