Child Welfare Therapist

About the Role

This position involves providing in-home therapy and crisis intervention for clients, with a focus on mental health, substance abuse, and family stability. The role requires significant travel to various locations, including client homes, and availability for on-call duties to address immediate safety concerns.

Responsibilities

• Respond promptly to crisis situations, document critical incidents, and be available as needed for clients.
• Provide at least 60 hours of in-home therapy per calendar month or as determined by contract needs.
• Facilitate an initial meeting with the client and referral source within required time frames.
• Engage and partner with the client to complete an initial comprehensive assessment, including a mental status exam and diagnosis based on the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
• Develop treatment plan goals and objectives in conjunction with the client.
• Provide individual, family, and/or group counseling as appropriate to client needs.
• Act as a client advocate and liaison with other community services.
• Monitor client progress and update treatment plans using established tools.
• Maintain client case records, documenting all contacts in the electronic medical record in a timely manner.
• Complete discharge summaries and aftercare contacts according to agency policy.
• Provide written and verbal progress reports to referring entities within required time frames.
• Work cooperatively with other program staff to ensure seamless, effective services.
• Participate in regular clinical supervision.
• Travel to home-based therapy locations, including early morning or evening hours.
• Adhere to DCF timelines: connect with the family within 24 hours of referral, facilitate initial family meeting within 48 hours, complete assessment-based case plan within 20 days, and case closure within 4-6 weeks.
• Complete and analyze initial and ongoing family assessments related to safety, stability, and well-being, including mental health, substance abuse, education, emotional, social, and physical well-being, parenting, and parent-child relationships.
• Utilize assessments to develop case plans in partnership with the child/ren and family; make community referrals as necessary.
• Build therapeutic relationships for conflictual relationships, including domestic violence and parent-child conflicts, crisis intervention, and stabilization.
• Provide education and/or intervention related to sexual abuse, domestic violence, and substance abuse prevention.
• Assess child safety and risk initially and ongoing; assist the family in developing a behaviorally specific safety plan and monitor for child safety.
• Meet with the family in the home at least two to three times per week.
• Meet monthly with each child individually.
• Be available to assigned families 24 hours per day, 7 days per week to mitigate immediate child safety concerns and stabilize family crises.
• Document case information, including court reports, emails, and activities weekly.
• Complete and submit timely court reports and appear/testify in court as required.
• Promote and practice teamwork in all activities.
• Foster and maintain professional relationships with families, community partners, and peers.
• Complete evidence-based practice activities as appropriate.

Requirements

• Successfully complete pre-employment drug screening, background screening, a fingerprint-based records search, and reference checks.
• Continued employment is contingent upon annual background screening and participation in an ongoing random drug and alcohol testing program.
• Ability to drive regularly to various locations, including client homes.
• Availability for on-call duties, including early morning, evening, and weekend hours.