Overview
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Children’s National offers psychiatric evaluation and assessment, diagnosis, and care for children and teens with behavioral symptoms, emotional and developmental disorders.
Responsibilities
Diagnostic Assessment
- Formulates diagnoses for patients with acute or chronic mental health disorders; interprets data from psychological tests, social histories, and interviews; provides risk assessments for danger to self and others.
Individual Psychotherapy
- Provides crisis stabilization and crisis management.
- Forms therapeutic alliances with patients from diverse backgrounds.
- Uses a variety of evidence‑based treatment modalities.
- Monitors and reports psychotropic medication effects to the treatment team psychiatrist.
- Completes required electronic documentation promptly and accurately.
- Continuously updates professional knowledge through seminars, continuing education courses, and workshops.
Family Psychotherapy
- Utilizes a theoretical framework for family intervention.
- Encourages positive communication among family members.
- Recognizes progress and obstacles toward treatment goals and intervenes appropriately.
Group Psychotherapy
- Screens potential group members for suitability.
- Expresses group goals clearly.
- Applies a theoretical framework for group dynamics.
- Recognizes individuals’ progress or lack thereof and intervenes as needed.
Crisis/Linkage Services
- Provides crisis intervention skills to highly distressed children and families.
- Assesses safety concerns.
- Identifies community resources and supports to aid treatment goal attainment.
Organizational Commitment / Identification
- Anticipates and responds to client needs; follows up until needs are met.
Teamwork / Communication
- Demonstrates collaborative and respectful behavior.
- Partners with all team members to achieve goals.
- Is receptive to others’ ideas and opinions.
Performance Improvement / Problem‑solving
- Contributes to a positive work environment.
- Shows flexibility and willingness to change.
- Identifies opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes.
- Makes appropriate decisions using sound judgment.
Cost Management / Financial Responsibility
- Uses resources efficiently.
- Searches for less costly solutions.
Safety
- Speaks up when unsafe behavior or performance is observed.
- Continuously verifies information needed for decision making or documentation.
- Stops in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation.
- Demonstrates accurate, clear, and timely verbal and written communication.
- Actively promotes safety for patients, families, visitors, and coworkers.
- Practices Stop, Think, Act, and Review to self‑check behavior and performance.
Qualifications
- Education: Master’s Degree (required).
- Experience: Minimum of 3 years (required).
- Licenses and Certifications: Independent Clinical Social Worker (required).
- Skills/Knowledge: Ability to diagnose and provide evidence‑based interventions to children, adolescents, and parents.
Benefits
- Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, prescription, infertility, and transgender health services.
- Generous paid time off—vacation accrual from day one, sick leave, holidays, and a personal day.
- Financial wellness support, including a 401(k) plan and healthcare and dependent‑care spending accounts.
- Employer‑paid life, AD&D, and long‑term disability coverage, with optional supplemental plans.
- Additional perks such as tuition assistance, fitness resources, employee assistance, commuter benefits, and more.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
Children’s National Hospital is an equal‑opportunity employer that evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other characteristics protected by law.
Drug‑Free Workplace Policy
Children’s National Hospital maintains a drug‑free workplace. All staff are prohibited from the illegal use, possession, or distribution of controlled substances. Recreational or medical marijuana, while legal in the District of Columbia, is not permitted in the workplace under this policy.