PRIMARY THERAPIST - CORE- KS

Subject:  Position Description

Job Title: Primary Therapist

Department: KC PHP

Programs:  Adult PHP, PHP

Supervisor:  KC Program Director

FLSA:  Salary, Exempt

Date Revised: September 2022

Summary of Major Functions: 

Primarily responsible for the direction of care of PHP Adult patients as part of an interdisciplinary team. Provides individual therapy, case management, group therapy, and treatment planning. Ensures implementation of the treatment plan in all aspects of programming and plans for a smooth transition and discharge from treatment.  Responsible to document all treatment processes

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Demonstrates ability to provide comprehensive and ongoing assessment resulting in appropriate treatment and discharge recommendations (BioPsychoSocial assessment completed in patient’s chart within 2 sessions, assessing and identifying current diagnoses, etc.)
2. Creates an individualized treatment plan with appropriate PHP goals and objectives (completed within 3 sessions) and continually monitors progress and re-evaluates appropriateness of goals.
3. Demonstrates knowledge and practice of clinical interviewing/counseling skills.
4. Ensure that patients are seen for individual therapy as clinically indicated (twice weekly for PHP).
5. Demonstrates knowledge and skill in working with Adults and groups within the eating disorder population.
6. Demonstrates ability to build therapeutic rapport.
7. Provide case management for each assigned case: demonstrate ability to facilitate and/or ensure the whole of patient care, integrate all aspects of care and ease the process of treatment for the patient.
8. Facilitate meals with expertise as needed: demonstrate ability to challenge behaviors and support recovery.
9. Facilitate meals with patients as needed in a fashion consistent with current policies and procedures; eat with patients and model appropriate eating behaviors during assigned mealtimes with patients.
10. Demonstrates competency in providing individual and family therapy.
11. Coordinate with family therapist to facilitate communication with family members as appropriate given individual therapeutic work with the Adult patient.
12. Facilitates groups with expertise, demonstrating the ability to engage, set limits and monitor the group process.
13. Maintains and enforces clinical program structure and policies of EDCare (e.g., attendance, autobiography, daily check-ins, group participation, etc).
14. In collaboration with the Program Director, participates in multi-family programming including group therapy and family meal therapy resulting in increased support and awareness by families.
15. Is creative in therapeutic interventions to include homework assignments, community resources, etc.
16. Is present and available for patient requests and needs; provide outreach to patients when necessary.
17. Attends weekly staffing, conveying pertinent clinical information and formulating goals for the following week.  Effectively communicates with members of the treatment team.
18. Timely completion and accuracy of clinical paperwork: treatment plan, progress notes, etc.
19. Provides clinical referrals when clinically indicated and provides effective and consistent communication to all collaborative providers.
20. Ongoing attention to discharge plan evidenced by development of aftercare plan, coordination with OP providers and referrals sources, and secures patient’s knowledge of available resources.
21. Completion of thorough discharge summaries reflecting the course of treatment and ongoing clinical recommendations.  Completed within 7 days of discharge and sent to patient’s outpatient provider. 
22. Maintains a patient case load of 6 PHP patients.
23. Other job duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Master’s degree in behavioral health field required; PhD or PsyD in behavioral health field preferred.
2. License eligible required.
3. Adult experience preferred.
4. Clinical conceptualization of the treatment of eating disorders and dual diagnoses required.
5. Experience working individually and in groups with Adult eating disordered patients preferred.
6. Good oral and written communication skills preferred.

Computer Skills:

1. Minimum of beginner skills in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.  Intermediate skills are required with Microsoft Outlook.
2. Must be able to effectively maneuver within an office scheduling system.
3. Must be able to efficiently learn and effectively work within an electronic medical records system.

Physical Demands and Environment:

Physical demands of this job include but are NOT limited to:

Sitting frequently, standing occasionally, walking occasionally, talking frequently, hearing frequently, seeing constantly, reaching with arms and hands occasionally, crouching occasionally and using fingers intricately.  This position requires lifting/carrying up to 10 pounds occasionally.

Environmental conditions of this job include but are NOT limited to:

95% inside, 99% normal temperature and 99% normal noise as expected in a medical office environment.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.