Mental Health Therapist

Overview

POSITION TITLE: Mental Health Therapist/IDDT Therapist

RESPONSIBLE TO: SCCMHA / BABHA Therapist Supervisor

DEPARTMENT/SITE: SCCMHA / Saginaw or BABHA / Bay City

STATUS: Exempt; Manage your income with generous pay rates and bonuses

All the criteria-based duties and standards within this document will be performed according to established policies, procedures, and guidelines within the department/site and SPSI.

JOB SUMMARY

The mental health therapist is the principal provider of direct care clinical service at Saginaw Psychological Services. It is the responsibility of the mental health therapist to provide initial and ongoing assessment of each consumer to determine the most effective and useful counseling. The mental health therapist works in the agency’s mental health counseling center and may have a caseload of consumers with varying diagnosis which none will be discriminated against.

The task of behavioral therapist focuses on treating consumer with various conditions and in different age groups starting from childhood. Among the conditions that a behavioral therapist can treat include addictions, mood disorders, anxiety, and phobias. In addition, depression, developmental disabilities, and attention deficit disorders are also included in the scope of care and treatment of the therapist.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

1.     Effectively manage counter-transference issues and feelings that might threaten to interfere with treatment.

2.     Maintain confidentiality of records relating to consumers’ treatment.

3.     Encourage consumers to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping them to develop insight into themselves or their relationships.

4.     Assess consumer for risk of suicide.

5.     Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports.

6.     Guide consumers in the development of skills or strategies.

7.     Perform crisis interventions with consumers.

8.     Act as consumer advocates to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations (take answering services calls after hours if needed).

9.     Meet with families, probation officers, police, or other interested parties to exchange necessary information during the treatment process.

10.  Discuss with individual consumer their plans for life after leaving therapy.

11.  Monitor consumers’ use of medications and report to their family doctor or psychiatrist any issues seen.

12.  Learn about new developments in counseling by reading professional literature, attending courses and seminars, or establishing and maintaining contact with other colleagues.

13.  Refer consumer, or family members to community resources or to specialists as necessary or when other levels of care are needed beyond the therapist scope.

14.  Work to continually improve skills seeking training in areas where needs/goals have been identified.

15.  Document progress notes, treatment plans, assessments, evaluations and all other required paperwork in a timely fashion according to policy and procedure.

16.  Maintain your credentials and required trainings to satisfy your licensure and/or insurance.

17.  Other duties assigned as needed.

FAMILY/COUPLE THERAPY

1.     Identify the key relationships in which our consumers are involved.

2.     Invite and engage relevant family of choice members who are significant to the treatment process as indicated and approved by the consumer.

3.     Seek written consent to talk to family of choice members and invite them to services as

appropriate and approved by the consumer.

4.     Provide couples or family therapy as indicated by the treatment assessment and plan.

5.     Demonstrate skill in relational development between family members and couples.

6.     Teach communication and conflict resolution where appropriate.

GROUP THERAPY

1.     Demonstrate group facilitation skills in the delivery of group services.

2.     Follow approved curriculum and treatment models for the delivery of services.

3.     Work in conjunction with the primary therapist or outside provider to assure that group services

support any other treatment service being utilized by the consumer.

4.     Teach communication and conflict resolution skills.

5.     Demonstrate skill in using group process to assist consumers.

6.     Create group norms and safety for all group members.

IDDT JOB DUTIES

1.     Active participation in SUD program related meetings and trainings.

2.     Advocate for SUD clients and services to promote equality and reduce the stigma of mental health/substance use within and outside of the agency.

3.     Must possess an awareness and understanding of community stigma and personal biases related to serving the SUD population, and be willing to challenge all aspects of these barriers to promote effective intervention.

4.     Work closely with SUD consumers to develop and individualized case management plans and ensure that all plans are uploaded in the EMR system.

5.     Complete cross training on case management scheduling and facilitation, SCCMHA data entry, screening and access, and all case management tasks within SPSI SUD programs (outpatient, WS, and recovery housing).

6.     Maintain a level of knowledge in all areas of the substance use disorder case management department suitable to cover any assigned duties as needed when requested. A manual for case management guidance, as well as EMR system (SCCMHA) help information is readily available.

7.     Coordinate with different professionals and agencies as a team to ensure the persons’ served plans are up to date and meeting their needs.

8.     Assists each client receiving mental health/SUD treatment in becoming involved with self-help support groups and developing and maintaining social support networks.

MARGINAL JOB DUTIES

1.     Participate in interview process as needed.

2.     Assists with training new employees as needed including training CMH therapy team on EHR usage.

3.     Establish and maintain relationships with other agencies and organizations in community to meet community needs and to ensure that services are not duplicated.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Must have master’s degree or doctoral degree equivalent in related field areas such as, psychology, professional counselor, social work, CAADC/CADC.

LICENSURE: Valid driver’s license, master level social work license or master level professional counselor license.

EXPERIENCE: A minimum of one to three years’ experience in a mental health or substance use disorder (SUD) setting required. Familiar with assessments, treatment plans, crisis interventions and CBT and/or other treatment modalities.

SKILLS

1.       Self-motivated and the ability to handle unforeseen problems. Does not wait to be told what to do, can work independently.
2.      Aptitude in resolving issues and conflicts.
3.      Excellent knowledge and familiarity with current DSM V criteria.

4.      Familiar with using electronic health record, Microsoft, excel, and other applications.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

1.     Must possess effective communication skills and act as a representative of SPSI and adhering to its mission, vision, and values. This includes external representation of local agencies.

2.     Speak to consumers in a respectful and calming manner, even if consumers are agitated. Identify and resolve consumer conflicts/dissatisfaction issues as needed.

3.     Engages and develops trusting relationships with consumers to enhance successful mental health/substance use outcomes.

4.     Continually strives for effective relationships with staff, consumers and management.

5.      Expect self and co-workers to maintain the highest standards of professional ethics.
6.     Work as a team member to improve the various services offered by the agency, sharing information about cutting edge practices or identifying gaps and needs in service.

PHYSICAL EFFORTS: Medium; must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.

HOURS OF WORK: Full-time or part-time, flexible and varied. Schedule may vary from Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

FEE-FOR-SERVICE UNITS: Units are based on face-to-face/ individual sessions with clients. Paperwork cannot be billed under the unit rate. The fee for service rate reflects compensation for any documents that are required per session.

TRAVEL: Reliable transportation is required. Local travel throughout service area is required with possible occasional travel between SPSI locations. Some out of service area travel may also be required. Reimbursement in accordance with SPSI policy.