Aftercare Clinician

Exciting opportunity at Elmcrest Children’s Center! We welcome you to join Elmcrest’s Aftercare Program and help continue to make a difference in our youth’s lives as they transition out of our programs and return into the community setting. The Aftercare Clinician will help youth and their families/discharge resource become integrated and engaged in their community as they are being discharged from Elmcrest’s Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) and provide therapy services in the community/home setting.

CFTSS (Children and Family Treatment and Support Services) offers opportunities to better meet the behavioral health needs at earlier junctures in a child/youth’s life to prevent the onset or progression of behavioral health condition. CFTSS is a set of services designed to help youth and their families gain the necessary tools to be successful in their homes and communities. This is done through goal driven supports and solution based interventions.

Other Licensed Practitioners (OLP) are Licensed Practitioners of the Healing Arts which includes LMSW, LCSW, LMHC, LMFT, and/or LCAT clinicians. The Aftercare Clinician/OLP will operate under the CFTSS umbrella of services to provide clinical and rehabilitative services in the home or other community-based setting in accordance with a treatment plan based on the youth and family’s specific needs. In addition the Aftercare Clinician/OLP will meet the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Aftercare Services requirements.  The Aftercare Clinician/OLP offers greater flexibility to the youth and family which is expected to engage more effectively those who may have difficulty engaging in a traditional clinic-based setting. The Aftercare Clinician/OLP will deliver rehabilitative interventions using a variety of counseling modalities and approaches to promote functional improvement in daily living, interpersonal relationships and community integration, and avoid and manage crises. OLP services are provided using trauma informed, culturally and linguistically competent manner.

Work Location: Need to travel to various counties in Upstate New York at least two to three times per month per case, on-site in Aftercare Program (Syracuse, NY) and some tele-health/work from home option depending on case.

Responsibilities:

• Licensed Evaluation/Assessment: Identify the youth and family strengths and challenges, identify service needs through a comprehensive assessment and observation of the youth.
• Treatment Planning: OLP’s will develop the initial treatment plan for the youth that specify the amount, duration and scope of services developed in collaboration with the youth, family and additional service providers.
• Psychotherapy: Provide weekly individual, family and group psychotherapy as prescribed per the treatment plan. Serve as the clinical lead in providing and coordinating the therapeutic services needed by youth and families by traveling to and from their home and/or community setting. Psychotherapy will be provided as a way of alleviating symptoms of the behavioral health diagnosis and work towards adjusting maladaptive behaviors and encouraging personal growth and development.
• Crisis Intervention: Provide crisis intervention services that are immediate and designed to diffuse or resolve the precipitating stress -in-person or by telephone and with follow-up. Promote crisis avoidance and management counseling to prevent or reduce an active crisis and promote stability after the episode.
• The Aftercare Clinician is responsible for aftercare services/therapy and ensuring the youth and family/discharge resource’s needs are being met.
• Permanency Planning Team Meetings: Responsible for attending meetings regarding youth’s success/barriers post discharge from the residential setting. Aftercare Clinician/OLP will collaborate with other members of the Permanency Planning Team to promote success.
• Availability: Flexibility to create your own schedule depending on client availability but must have availability to provide services during after-school/evenings if needed.
• Documentation: Complete required documentation for Medicaid billing within prescribed timeframes. All case notes and casework contacts must documented in OCFS CONNECTIONS database and HER.
• Report to Aftercare Coordinator/Clinical Supervisor for regularly scheduled supervision to review cases, youth and family needs and service progress and/or barriers.
• Collaborate with various service providers which will included but not limited to; LDSS County Case Workers, other QRTP Agencies, Schools, Community Based Providers, etc.  The Aftercare Clinician will work alongside the Aftercare DSP- making additional referrals in the community based on the youth and family/discharge resources needs.

• Master's degree
• Must be licensed eligible or have active LMSW, LCSW, LMHC, LMFT or LCAT and be knowledgeable regarding trauma informed care.
• Must have good written and oral communication skills.
• Must have positive attitude and engaging personality.
• Must have training, and experience to provide direct services related to the treatment of mental illness.
• Must be reliable and able to work independently and understand the importance of maintaining confidentiality/communication with the multidisciplinary team.
• Must be cleared by the NYS Justice Center through fingerprinting for a Criminal History Records search.
• Must be cleared by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services for instances of child abuse and/or neglect.
• Must have experience working with seriously emotional disturbed (SED) youth or children/ job related or volunteer experience reflected on the resume.
• Valid Driver’s License, own vehicle and proof of Auto Insurance.
• Acceptable clearance checks for State Central Register, Driver license and fingerprinting as required by the program.

Salary : $68,000 - $72,000