What are the responsibilities and job description for the Child Welfare Therapist Lawrence position at DCCCA?
Full-Time
Essential Functions
Essential Functions
- Responds promptly to crisis situations, documents critical incidents and is available, as needed, to clients
- Provides at least 60 hours of in-home therapy per calendar month or a number of hours as determined by contract needs
- Facilitates an initial meeting with the client and the referral source, as appropriate, within the required time frames
- Engages and works in partnership with the client to complete the initial comprehensive assessment, including a mental status exam, resulting diagnosis based on the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
- Develops treatment plan goals and objectives in conjunction with the client
- Provides individual, family and/or group counseling as appropriate to client need
- Functions as a client advocate and liaison with other community services
- Monitors client progress and service provision using the established tools, and updates treatment plans based on those assessments
- Maintains the client case record, documenting all client and collateral contacts in a timely manner in the electronic medical record
- Completes discharge summaries and aftercare contacts according to agency policy
- Provides written and verbal progress reports to referring entities within required time frames
- Works cooperatively with other program staff to ensure seamless, effective services
- Participates in regular clinical supervision
- Travel to home-based therapy may require the employee to be able to regularly drive to various DCCCA locations and other business locations throughout the day including early morning or evening hours
- Decisions are made on guidelines provided by the supervisor, program standard procedures and policies, evidence-based practice model and DCCCA organizational policies
- Meets DCF timelines to connect with the family within 24 hours of referral; facilitates initial family meeting within 48 hours of referral; completes assessment-based case plan within in 20 days of referral and case closure within 4-6 weeks of referral
- Completes and analyzes initial and on-going family assessments related to safety, stability and well-being, including mental health, substance abuse, education, emotional, social and physical well-being, parenting and parent-child relationships
- Utilizes assessments to develop the case plan in partnership with child/ren and family; makes community referrals as necessary
- Builds therapeutic relationships for conflictual relationships, including domestic violence and parent child conflicts, crisis intervention and stabilization
- Provides education, and/or intervention, related to sexual abuse, domestic violence, and substance abuse prevention
- Assesses child safety and risk, initially and ongoing, assisting the family in developing a behaviorally specific safety plan and monitoring for child safety
- Meets with the family, in the home, at least two to three times per week
- Meets monthly with each child individually
- Available to assigned families 24 hours per day, 7 days per week to mitigate immediate child safety concerns and stabilize family crisis and assess the family's needs
- Documents case information, including court reports, emails and activities weekly
- Completes and submits timely court reports
- Appears and testifies in court as required
- Promotes and practices teamwork in all activities
- Fosters and maintains professional relationships with families, community partners and peers
- Completes evidence-based practices activities as appropriate
- A Master's degree in human services or related field is required
- Requires two years of child welfare and/or family services experience
- Requires licensure by the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board at the master's level. Clinical licensure is preferred.
- Must possess a valid state Driver's License, in force automobile liability insurance, and maintain a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) that meets organization's insurability standard as defined by DCCCA policy. Availability of reliable transportation is required for this position.