Description

JOB SUMMARY

Program Therapists (Therapists) at The Foundation Schools employ appropriate therapeutic strategies and techniques to promote social, emotional, and academic growth with the goal of improving the students’ ability to access curriculum and be available for learning. Therapists must provide related services in accordance with the students’ IEPs. They provide case management for students by collaborating with parents, guardians, and outside agencies. Therapists effectively manage student behavior through implementation of behavior management systems, school rules, policies, and procedures.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

· Employ clinical strategies and techniques to provide appropriate therapeutic interventions to encourage students to be school ready

· Ensure counseling and behavioral support service requirements are met to maintain 100% compliance with students’ IEPs and requirements are rendered as prescribed on the IEP

· Assess the need for emergency petitions; ensure procedures are followed and documentation is completed accurately

· Conduct student functional behavioral assessments (FBAs)

· Provide case management for students by collaborating with parents, guardians, and outside agencies & make appropriate referrals 

· Maintain a safe and therapeutic area that is conducive to counseling

· Participate in the development and monitoring of students’ IEPs, BIPs, and FBAs including completion of required documentation within set guidelines

· Complete required related service notes and billing documentation 

· Provide clinical supervision to the dedicated aides assigned to the students on their caseloads to help the dedicated aides understand the students’ social, emotional, and academic profile; collaborate with these dedicated aides to develop and implement specialized interventions and incentive plans as needed

· Demonstrate an understanding of how our students’ disabilities impact their behavior and ability to learn; display knowledge of students’ diagnoses and adapt intervention strategies accordingly to meet the requirements of the students’ IEPs and BIPs

· Effectively manage student behavior through implementation of behavior management systems, school rules, policies, and procedures; model appropriate behavior for students during the school day

· Proactively identify behaviors among all students that could lead to a crisis, an unsafe situation or disrupt the learning environment; use effective behavior management techniques to address these behaviors in order to limit the severity and length of disruptions

· Proactively provide supervision of students to ensure the safety and security of the school program at all times

· Maintain student confidentiality in accordance with The Foundation Schools Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Statement and student record confidentiality procedures

· Work with other therapists, teachers, school leaders, and other team members to determine the student and/or classroom needs and adjust interventions and practices to best meet those needs; work with team to develop interventions and/or incentive plans when appropriate

· Actively participate in committees, meetings, supervision, and professional development activities

· Consistently model and implement the organization’s core values to drive actions and to guide our students to incorporate 

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, psychiatric nursing or other related field is required
• Current Maryland clinical license is required; LCPC and LCSW-C are preferred
• MSDE School Social Worker certification or eligibility for MSDE School Social Worker certification (LGSW or LCSW-C only)
• Three or more years of successful clinical experience working with children and/or adolescents in a school setting is preferred
• Knowledge of DSM and IDEA and their specific applications to educating students with special education needs and emotional and other disabilities preferred