CHILDREN & FAMILIES COUNSELOR

JOB SUMMARY

Children and Family Counselor  plays a critical role in providing direct clinical services to adult families impacted by substance use disorder within Hope Haven's Family Program. This position is responsible for conducting clinical assessments, developing and implementing individualized treatment plans, and delivering individual, family, and group therapy to support family stability, child development, and long-term recovery. The clinician will work closely with families, the multidisciplinary treatment team, schools, and community providers to ensure that children and their families receive clinically sound, evidence-based care.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Design, execute, and manage family- and child-centric programs and services.
• Collaborate with local agencies, schools, and community organizations to achieve program objectives.
• Provide individual, family, and group therapy to residents and their children within the Family Program using evidence-based, trauma-informed treatment approaches.
• Conduct clinical assessments and develop individualized, measurable treatment plans for families.
• Collaborate with the multidisciplinary treatment team, including case managers, medical staff, and Recovery Court partners, to coordinate clinical care for families.
• Assess and document clinical risk, including safety planning and crisis intervention for children and families as needed.
• Conduct clinical needs assessments to identify and address the specific therapeutic needs of families and children.
• Facilitate psychoeducational groups and family therapy sessions addressing the impact of substance use disorder on family systems.
• Provide clinical interventions that support positive child development and address the developmental impact of parental substance use disorder.
• Partner with schools, pediatric providers, and childcare staff to coordinate clinical care and educational support for children in the program.
• Develop and provide clinically sound psychoeducational materials and resources for families in treatment.
• Cultivate clinical referral relationships with community stakeholders, including healthcare providers, schools, and behavioral health agencies.
• Participate in treatment team meetings and case consultations to represent the clinical needs of children and families in the Family Program.
• Advocate for the clinical and developmental needs of the families within the treatment planning process.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and Medicaid-compliant clinical documentation, including progress notes, treatment plans, and discharge summaries.
• Prepare clinical documentation and reports as required for funding sources, auditors, and internal quality assurance.
• Ensure all clinical services comply with NC Medicaid Clinical Coverage Policies, applicable licensure board standards, and Hope Haven policies.
• Provide crisis intervention support, including immediate clinical assessment, safety planning, and strategic long-term treatment planning.

Qualifications:

Education/Experience:

• Master's degree in social work, clinical mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, or a closely related clinical field.
• Provisional, associate, or under-supervision licensure required (e.g., LCSWA, LCMHCA, LMFTA) Full, independent clinical licensure in North Carolina is preferred (e.g., LCSW, LCMHC, LMFT, or LCAS).
• At least 2 years of post-licensure clinical experience providing direct treatment services to children and families, ideally within a substance use disorder or residential treatment setting.

Skills:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong clinical assessment, diagnostic, and treatment planning skills.
• Knowledge of family systems, child development, and trauma-informed, evidence-based treatment approaches.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills.
• Solid understanding of applicable local, state, and federal regulations and available resources.

Physical Requirements:

• Keyboarding
• Walking/Sitting
• Lifting

Salary : $50,000 - $55,000