FFSP CHILD COUNSELOR

About the role

The primary purpose of the position is to assess and counsel children in families referred to the Family Advocacy Program (FAP) for child abuse/neglect or domestic abuse allegations; provide Problematic Sexual Behavior in Children and Youth (PSB-CY) case management; and deliver direct clinical services focused on family dynamics, healthy parent-child interaction, effective co-parenting, communication, children's adjustment to the military lifestyle, and non-medical clinical counseling for children and parents.

Responsibilities

• FAP Assessment and Treatment of Children (40%)
  • Serve as an authoritative expert on the emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns of children, including trauma and child abuse and neglect.
  • Conduct clinical and psychosocial assessments of children in families referred to the FAP for child abuse/neglect and/or domestic abuse allegations, including assessing alleged victims, other children in the home, and children who have witnessed domestic abuse.
  • Perform comprehensive and complex clinical assessments to identify crisis situations (e.g., suicide or homicide risk, danger of physical or sexual abuse, increased risk of family violence).
  • Provide crisis intervention and safety planning as required.
  • Employ various therapeutic approaches (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy, play therapy, family therapy) to help children cope with emotional and behavioral issues stemming from trauma.
  • Coordinate assessment findings with the FAP Case Manager, Child Protective Services, and other involved medical or behavioral health providers.
• Problematic Sexual Behavior in Children and Youth (PSB-CY) Case Management (30%)
  • Serve as the designated case manager and primary FAP point of contact for PSB-CY cases, ensuring compliance with Department of Defense (DoD) and Navy instructions and civilian reporting requirements.
  • Receive initial reports of PSB-CY from military and civilian representatives and follow all required steps under the FAP PSB-CY protocol.
  • Complete all required assessments and documentation (clinical notes, collateral contacts, treatment plans, and statistical data) in the DoD Military Community and Family Policy PSB-CY Case Management System.
  • Schedule and account for all PSB-CY appointments and meetings in the Scheduling Module of the automated FFSP management information system.
  • Participate in site/regional quarterly quality assurance procedures to ensure safe and high-quality PSB-CY counseling.
  • Prepare case summary reports and maintain ongoing contact with the FAP Clinical Supervisor for all PSB-CY cases.
• Non-medical Clinical Counseling for Children (20%)
  • Provide assessment and short-term, solution-focused non-medical clinical counseling services to eligible children, parents, and families within the authorized scope of FFSP clinical care.
  • Refer children for behavioral health follow-up for psychological disorders or symptoms requiring longer-term intervention.
  • Manage assigned non-medical counseling cases, consulting with the FAP Clinical Supervisor for highly complex or special-issue cases.
  • Comply with reporting protocols for high-risk and high-visibility cases.
  • Receive and assess referrals from military and civilian agencies.
  • Conduct on-site/regional quarterly quality assurance reviews of cases to ensure safe and high-quality non-medical clinical counseling.
  • Schedule, account for, and document all non-medical clinical counseling appointments in the automated FFSP management information system.
  • Maintain case records and statistics in accordance with Navy policies and regulations.
  • Assess children and family needs, exploring personality structure, behavior patterns, and symptoms, and follow up on cases presenting suicidal or homicidal risk.
  • Initiate, develop, and facilitate group treatment programs for families, parents, children, and adolescent groups.
  • Provide immediate intervention and risk assessment in alignment with best practices in the mental health community.
  • Educate military personnel, civilians, and families on suicide intervention and at-risk behavior.
• Community Liaison (10%)
  • Attend community liaison meetings to establish or strengthen relationships with agencies (e.g., civilian community service boards, child protective services, child advocacy centers) serving the target population.
  • Provide summaries of liaison meetings for supervisor review and recommend additional collaborations to reduce service duplication and expand program offerings for the military population.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of employment.
• Must meet federal suitability requirements, including successful completion of a background investigation.
• A valid State driver’s license is required to operate motor vehicles.
• Must be current in continuing education credits/units.
• Must be state licensed for at least two (2) years.
• May be required to serve in an “on-call” duty status outside of normal work hours.

Qualifications

• A Master’s degree or doctorate in Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Counseling, Clinical Psychology, or a related field from an accredited U.S. institution.
• Current and valid state clinical license permitting independent practice as a health practitioner, fully meeting Tier II or Tier III SECNAVINST 1754.8 requirements.
• Professional knowledge of and skill in working with children, adolescents, parents, and families in situations of child abuse/neglect or domestic abuse.
• Professional knowledge of family violence dynamics and skill in applying the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to identify family violence, conduct risk assessments, and coordinate safety planning.
• Professional knowledge of and skill in applying various counseling approaches and group dynamics to address difficult and serious cases involving at-risk behavior.
• Professional knowledge of patterns of abusive behavior, abuse response, substance abuse, human behavior, human sexuality, attention deficit disorder, and juvenile delinquency to address a wide variety of behaviors and coordinate appropriate treatment plans.
• Professional knowledge of human behavior, research methods, group dynamics, motivational psychology, developmental psychology, and family systems therapy principles to recognize risk factors and use anatomically correct language when discussing behaviors.
• Expert knowledge of and skill in applying professional verbal communication techniques to present sensitive information to diverse groups, interview individuals and families, collaborate with law enforcement and child protective services, and deliver presentations.
• Skill in employing professional written communication methods and using software programs and Navy/DoD information systems to compose correspondence, develop case documentation, reports, training plans, and presentations.
• Knowledge of community resources for PSB-CY and skill in coordinating community response to provide services and referrals for affected children, youth, and families.

Education

• A Master’s degree or doctorate in Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Counseling, Clinical Psychology, or a related field from an accredited U.S. institution.
• Current and valid state clinical license permitting independent practice as a health practitioner, fully meeting Tier II or Tier III SECNAVINST 1754.8 requirements.
• Must maintain continuing education credits/units to retain licensure.

Executive Order 12564 requires a Federal workplace free of illegal drugs. All Federal employees must remain drug-free throughout employment. The use of illegal drugs will result in penalties up to and including removal from Federal Service.

Non-U.S. citizens with fewer than three years of recent residential history in the U.S. may be determined ineligible for employment. Some positions have special requirements, including a one-year probationary period.

Participation in Direct Deposit/Electronic Fund Transfer within the first 30 days of employment is required.

In accordance with the Real ID Act of 2005, candidates or new hires requiring access to a military installation must present either one Acceptable Credential (List A) or a combination of Source Identity Documents (one from List B and one from List C) to establish identity. View acceptable documents here.