Therapist

PURPOSE:
Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) supports families with children aged 0-5, helping them strengthen relationships, improve behavior, and foster secure attachments. This program creates a nurturing, loving, and safe home environment while guiding family members in managing stress, expressing emotions, and navigating challenges. Parenting an infant or young child can be difficult, and at times, overwhelming—even when filled with love and the best intentions. CPP is a year-long program where a licensed therapist conducts weekly home visits, incorporating play-based activities to encourage communication between parent and child. These interactive sessions empower children to actively participate in their own healing and development.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Therapist works with families to assess their needs, develop intervention plans, and deliver therapy sessions that are tailored to the family's unique circumstances. They collaborate with other service providers to ensure a comprehensive approach to family care. The therapist also plays a crucial role in monitoring the family's progress, adjusting treatment plans as necessary, and working towards successful case closure.
The Therapist is a key figure in helping families overcome challenges, strengthen relationships, and create a safe and nurturing environment for children within the child welfare system. The Therapist provides all services in a client’s home and community.

KEY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provide Child Welfare Preventive Services exclusively or primarily within the client’s home and community
• Learn and implement the CPP model
• Improve caregiver-child relationships to restore the child’s functioning
• Integrate case management services with an assigned evidence base model to help families meet their basic needs to promote stability and reduce stress
• Collaborate and coordinate services with all providers working with the family to ensure the family’s needs are adequately addressed
• Identify and evaluate risk
• Conduct assessments including review of referral information, identify and engage key participants, identify strengths and weaknesses and collaboratively develop goals.
• Engage caregivers and other key participants in active change-oriented treatment by identifying and overcoming barriers to engagement.
• Provide services exclusively or primarily within the client’s home and community.
• Adhere to the fidelity of the model. Work within the model’s structure, regarding length of treatment, case contacts, interventions, supervision, and documentation.
• Participate in consultations with the model developer. Audio/video record sessions for training and supervision purposes.
• Maintain clear and concise documentation in CNNX case record including progress notes of treatment efforts and Family Services Assessment Plans, enter data into PROMIS; prepare reports to Probation if required
• Work a hybrid schedule based on Supervisor Approval and program needs
• Comfortable with group supervision and commitment to work on professional development goals to improve adherence
• Work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of families
• Outreach to generate referrals for the program
• Work with a team to meet client, program, and division needs
• Additional tasks as assigned

CORE COMPETENCIES for the position include:

• Basic social work knowledge and understanding of stages of change
• Ability to provide in-house therapy and child welfare services
• Ability to establish a strong therapeutic relationship with families.
• Understanding of the use of family therapy principles to provide services
• Understanding of early childhood development and related theories and models of practice
• Strong Assessment skills to evaluate dynamics and interactions within the family
• Ability to Implement strategies to improve family communication and support

EDUCATIONAL/TRAINING REQUIRED:
Master’s degree in social work, Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Creative Arts Therapy or a related subject area.
Licensed preferred but not required.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED/LANGUAGE PREFERENCE:

• Bilingual/Bicultural preferred
• Experience working in the client’s home.
• Experience and /or knowledge of Evidence-Based Models, Motivational Interviewing and Solution- Focused work.
• Experience of working within diverse communities.
• Direct practice with families

COMPUTER SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Knowledge of Microsoft office required
• Knowledge and experience with the Connections system preferred

WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL EFFORT

• To perform the essential functions of this job the candidate must be able to travel within New York City carrying equipment such as a notebook, forms, laptop, mobile hotspot and cell phone weighing up to approximately 10 pounds.
• Risks/hazards associated with the position are those which may be encountered travelling around New York City and interfacing with clients experiencing an acute mental health crisis or serious emotional disturbance.
• Position is currently hybrid but can become 100% in person based on program need.

We are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.