School Based Therapist

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

Provide trauma informed therapy services to children ages 4-18 and their caregivers through individual, family, or group therapy provided in the Learning Center.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Culture:  Promote the organization’s culture within the Learning Center.

Indicators:

• Clearly and consistently communicate the organization’s vision, mission, and purpose.
• Model collaboration and cooperation with other parts of the organization, and promote effective problem solving when conflicts arise.
• Display behaviors that reflect trauma-informed care.
• Encourage client and family participation in treatment.
• Treat everyone with dignity and respect.
• Practice and encourage good communication among staff and between staff and clients. 
• Incorporate trauma-informed care principles into clinical service areas and role model the same.

2. Service Delivery: Ensure services are delivered in accordance with all agency expectations and standards.

Indicators:

• Provide individual, family, and group therapy based on client need and agency standards.
• Provide follow-up to re-engage students and/or their caregivers who fail to appear for appointments or drop out of treatment.
• Act as liaison between home and school in collaboration with others to address concerns, progress, and barriers to meeting treatment and/or academic goals.
• Administer baseline and follow up therapeutic outcome measures necessary for program standards.
• Integrate cultural considerations within service delivery.

3. ???????Communication: Display and role model excellent communication skills.

Indicators:

• Demonstrate ability to write in a clear, concise, and easily understood style.
• Efficient verbal communicator. Able to explain thoughts and concepts in easily understood manner.  Is able to communicate clearly using verbal skills.
• Communicate the treatment plan with other team members and facilitate the implementation of the treatment plan.

4. Leadership: Act as a resource to give input to other professionals about the best course of action in difficult client situations.

Indicators:

• Take initiative to implement good practice and meet contractual, licensing and accreditation standards.
• Assume a leadership role in processing a crisis.
• Assess needs in crisis situations quickly, calmly, and accurately.
• Interact and professionally collaborate cooperatively with other parts of the agency (i.e. Human Resources, Operations, etc.).
• Conduct team meetings with other professionals as the need arises.

5. Record Keeping:  Ensure all record keeping responsibilities are completed within established timeframes and maintained in accordance with agency expectations.

Indicators:

• Ensure timely completion of any provider enrollment forms and reports needed for third party payers or other outside entities.
• Ensure services provided are reflected in documentation that meets the standards for the Learning Center and the student’s IEP.
• Ensure timely completion of all required documentation in the agency’s Electronic Health Record. 
• Maintain documentation of supervision with clinical supervisor/supervising practitioner, as applicable. 
• Participate in clinical file reviews as applicable

6. Professionalism: Is Mission Driven and committed to the vision of the Organization. Demonstrate aptitude and commitment in continuous learning and excelling in one’s job.  Champion development and growth for self and others. Strive to implement “best practices” within the Organization.

Indicators:

• Participate in regular supervision sessions for the purpose of reviewing cases, discussing treatment strategy, and monitoring client progress.
• Continue personal and professional growth and development through reading, research, workshops, seminars, and other strategies that will broaden knowledge on therapeutic approaches and techniques.
• Follow agency policies and procedures.
• Ensure confidentiality is maintained
• Ensure that all office and record security procedures are followed.
• Report to meetings, and training on time. 
• Actively participate in a constructive manner.
• Follow agency procedures in requesting the use of leave time.
• Represent themselves and the agency in a positive way.
• Use good telephone skills.
• Use direct communication.
• Demonstrate good problem-solving/conflict resolution skills.
• Work toward team and agency goals.
• Dress appropriately for the activity being performed.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Other duties as directed by the supervisor.

Indicators:

• Complete assignments in a timely and accurate manner.
• Is willing to take on additional responsibility in a positive manner.

2. Completes training necessary to perform position consistent with program and agency staff development plans.

Indicators:

• Identify training appropriate to this position.
• Take responsibility for scheduling and attending appropriate training. (minimum of 40 hours per year)

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Knowledge of the stages of growth and development.
• Master’s Degree in Social Work or other related Mental Health or Human Services.
• Currently licensed or ability to gain license in Iowa to facilitate individual and family therapy.  (Prefer licensed)
• Experience or knowledge of working with trauma and attachment difficulties is required.
• The ideal candidate will be trained and certified or certified ready in at least one of the following Evidenced Based Treatment Models, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), or Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). 
•  Must be able to demonstrate overall knowledge of families and youth, the child welfare system, family dynamics and the change process. 
• Demonstrate ability to express concepts and ideas orally and in writing.
• Possess a strong desire to grow, learn and change, and to serve as a role model for children in care, families, and other team members.
• Demonstrate ability and willingness to travel and to utilize flexible scheduling is required.
• Demonstrate good interpersonal skills, strong listening skills, and the ability to establish relationships with a wide range of individuals.
• Demonstrate ability to appropriately handle confidential information.
• Demonstrate ability to interact with clients and children with sensitivity and responsiveness to cultural and socioeconomic characteristics in the service population.
• Demonstrate ability to use Word, Outlook, spreadsheets, database programs, and video conferencing computer applications.