Family Based Mental Health Therapist

Blair Family Solutions; Altoona (PA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Blair Family Solutions in Altoona, PA seeks a FBMH Therapist to lead intensive case management for families, assess needs, coordinate services, and ensure continuity of care in collaboration with schools, agencies, and treatment providers. The role emphasizes clinical leadership in intake assessments, treatment plan development, and monthly progress updates, with on-call crisis support and involvement in discharge planning.

A graduate degree in a relevant field plus CASSP experience is required.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in psychiatry, psychology, social work, nursing, education, rehabilitation or related field.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in a CASSP system program.
• PA driver’s license, auto insurance, reliable transportation.
• Must meet confidentiality and privacy requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide Intensive Case Management to help families access resources for basic needs.
• Collaborate with other agencies involved with clients at least once a month.
• Provide monthly progress updates to referral agencies with consent.
• Complete drug and alcohol assessment forms and referrals to treatment facilities.
• Participate in discharge planning and aftercare referrals.

Skills

Communication

Active listening

Organization

Problem solving

Confidentiality

Education

Master's degree in social work

Graduate degree in psychology or related field

Tools

Driver's license

Job description

Intensive Case Management Duties:

• FBMH Therapist will provide ICM service to help families’ access resources to meet basic needs.
  Examples would include contacting agencies for financial help to pay rent, making a referral to
  OVR to help family members’ access job training, or providing transportation as needed to
  meetings and appointments.
• FBMH Therapist will collaborate with other agencies that are involved with the client and/or family regarding issues pertinent to treatment a minimum of one time per month. Examples would include collaborating with a parent’s therapist or having a team meeting to include a school teacher, a CYS caseworker, or a Blended Case Manager. FBMH Therapist will make additional referrals throughout treatment when necessary, for specified cases.
• FBMH Therapist will be responsible for providing updates to referral agencies regarding progress of the
  case. Progress reports will be provided on a monthly basis and as needed. Updates will reflect all
  confidentiality standards and will be done with the expressed written consent of the consumer.
• FBMH Therapist will be responsible for completing all drug and alcohol assessment forms and
  make necessary referrals to local treatment facilities as needed. FBMH Therapist will provide
  ongoing agency collaboration with the drug and alcohol treatment facility in order to ensure
  continuity of care for our consumers and their families.
• FBMH Therapist will be a part of the Discharge planning meeting with the family to decide and
  make necessary referrals for aftercare.

Treatment:

• FBMH Therapist will provide clinical leadership in the assessment of the family’s struggles through
  the completion of an intake, timeline and genogram. Assessment will focus on families’ strengths
  as well as struggles.
• FBMH Therapist will provide clinical leadership in formulating and writing treatment plans with the
  family. Plans will be reviewed on a monthly basis and updated. FBMH Therapist is responsible for
  reviewing and signing off on any treatment plan that is done by the FBMH Worker. The first
  treatment plan will be due five days after the treatment service begins. The following treatment
  plans are due every 30 days from the date signed.
• FBMH Therapist will co-facilitate structural family therapy sessions with the FBMH Worker. FBMH Therapist will be responsible for the clinical focus of the treatment session.
• FBMH Therapist will conduct individual and family treatment sessions focusing on pertinent issues
  impacting the family that are related to the treatment plan and theme of treatment. These issues
  may be, but are not limited to systemic issues, trauma, attachment, anxiety, depression, power and
  control, abuse, neglect and oppositional defiance, co-occurring disorder issues and any additional
  issue pertinent to the family.
• FBMH Therapist will demonstrate the ability to engage families in the treatment process through
  the use of reflective listening, collaboration, empathy and setting goals that are relevant to the
  family.
• FBMH Therapist will demonstrate the ability to use interventions learned through attending the
  FBMH trainings or within the FB program. Interventions may be enactments, family sculpture,
  challenging, etc…
• FBMH Therapist must provide weekly consultation with the BHT if a BHT is assigned to the child.
  This may take place in the home, school and/or community. Focus of consultation will be specific
  interventions that are designed to implement the treatment plan. It is the FBHMH Therapist
  responsibility to lead and conduct these supervisions for their team.
• FBMH Therapist will provide the clinical lead with the FBMH Worker and family in the development
  of a 24 hour crisis plan that includes any informal or formal supports the family can utilize to defuse
  a crisis. The FBMH Therapist will provide 24 hour crisis availability to be determined on an on-call
  rotation. The FB Therapist will be available to provide over the phone crisis counseling and if
  needed will go to the home or hospital to provide crisis assistance.
• If a decision is made that the child needs inpatient hospitalization, then the FBMH Therapist will
  accompany the family to the crisis center and complete the necessary paperwork and phone calls
  to access inpatient care for the client.
• The FBMH team must have a minimum of 2 sessions (individual, parent, family) per consumer
  family per week unless discussed with the supervisor. Contacts are to be regularly scheduled and
  accommodate the family’s scheduling needs. Thus some of the service delivery hours will include
  evenings and some weekends.
• It is the expectation of the program that the FBMH Therapist and the FBMH Worker will work
  collaboratively on all aspects of service provision. In general, the team will rely on the FBMH
  Therapist to provide leadership in that the therapist will provide clinical direction and identify skills
  that the family members need to develop.
• The FBMH Therapist will provide drug and alcohol assessment, therapy, referrals and case
  consultations to all clients and family members involved in the program. Drug and alcohol
  assessments will be completed to determine appropriate level of care for treatment regarding all
  children over the age of 10 who are identified as having a possible drug and alcohol problem.
  Adults in the home will also be evaluated as necessary in order to identify issues and incorporate
  these concerns into the treatment process.

Supervision/Training:

• FBMH Therapist will attend all scheduled supervisions as this is vital to providing quality service to
  the families being served. Supervisions are held weekly with their team (1.5 hours) and The Group
  (1.5 hours). Informal supervision will also be available in that the FBMH Therapist can discuss
  concerns with the Program Director or Clinical Supervisor at times other than those scheduled.
• FBMH Therapist will attend all trainings provided by the Center for Family Based Training as this
  will enhance the FBMH Therapist’s skills and understanding of the therapeutic process. Preapproval by the Family Based
  Program Director or Clinical Supervisor is needed if a FBMH Therapist is not able to attend training.
• FBMH Therapist will also videotape sessions at least 2 times per family during treatment period to
  present at supervisions and clinical trainings to enhance skills and treatment. Treatment adherence
  scales to be completed with each video tape.
• FBMH Therapist will put together clinical case presentations with the collaboration of the FBMH
  Worker. The presentations will be for supervision within the program and also for trainings
  provided by Center for Family Based Training. A clinical case presentation will contain a timeline,
  genogram and a clinical assessment of systemic issues. A videotape will also be required.

Administrative:

• FBMH Therapist will document all contacts with consumers and other agencies on a progress note.
  The progress note will be completed within 48 hours of contact. The Progress note will reflect the
  DAP format and be related to the treatment plan. All sections of the progress note must be
  completed before turning them in for billing. Progress notes to be submitted with billing every
  Monday by 9am. FBMH Therapist is responsible for signing off on all billing prior to turning it in to
  Administrative Assistant. Any errors are expected to be corrected immediately.
• FBMH Therapist, as part of the team, will be responsible for maintaining productivity requirements
  of 125 units per week with a team percentage averaging 60% (minimum of 63 team, 62 individual).
• Family Based Therapist, as part of the team, will have encounter forms (which is the top of the
  progress note ) signed for every contact. This is a shared responsibility with the FBMH Worker.
• FBMH Therapist will work collaboratively with the FBMH Worker to complete all required treatment
  plans in a timely fashion. These treatment plans and reviews are to be completed on time via
  requirements through Managed Care/OMHSAS.
• FBMH Therapist will work collaboratively with the FBMH Worker to schedule and attend all ISPT
  Meetings related to their individual caseload. Documentation will be kept on these meetings via
  requirements through Managed Care/OMHSAS. All documentation will be faxed/submitted to
  appropriate MCO in a timely fashion.
• FBMH Therapist is responsible for making sure all documentation is in the chart for their specified
  cases. Periodic audits will be done to ensure that all documentation is filed in a timely fashion.
• FBMH Therapist will work collaboratively with the FBMH Worker. The team will work to resolve any
  internal conflict between them utilizing direct open communication. If the conflict is not resolved,
  together, both will approach the FB Director or Clinical Supervisor for supervision regarding this
  matter. Intentional team building will be utilized throughout team supervisions to work on effective
  collaboration.

Requirements:

• A graduate degree in psychiatry, psychology, social work, nursing, education, rehabilitation or a graduate degree in the field of human services plus 2 years’ experience in a CASSP system program
• Be a licensed registered nurse (RN) with 5 years of experience including 2 years of experience in a CASSP system program plus have certification by the Department’s Office of Mental Health (OMH) as a mental health family based worker.
• FBMH Therapist will attend all trainings provided by The Center for Family Based Training and actively progress through the levels of training, working toward the completion of Level I, Level II, and then the completion of the Certified Family Based Therapist Exam given through the State of PA. Pre-approval by the Family Based Program Director or Clinical Supervisor is needed if a FBMH Therapist is not able to attend training.
• Flexible schedule, including evening hours
• Valid PA driver’s license, auto insurance, and reliable transportation
• May not be employed in another mental health program at Blair Family Solutions or elsewhere.

Other Qualifications:

• All necessary child abuse clearances (PA Criminal Record Check, PA Child Abuse Clearance, and Federal Criminal History Clearance)
• Valid driver’s license
• Auto insurance

General Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Communication Skills – Transmits information clearly, in writing and/or verbally; Clearly and consistently communicates with clients, supervisors, and families
• Customer Service Skills – always puts the client first
• Problem Solving Skills – Demonstrates sound judgement and decision-making
• Organizational Skills – uses an organized approach to job responsibilities
• Active Listening Skills – Consistently uses good active listening skills
• Professionalism – acts with professionalism and integrity in all work environments
• Initiative – takes initiative and is proactive
• Responsive – attentive/responsive to needs of internal and/or external clients
• Patience – able to maintain patience in all situations
• Consistency – able to handle all situations and treat all people with consistency
• Ability to work closely with others
• Ability to manage time and meet frequent deadlines
• Ability to maintain accurate paperwork
• Ability to analyze information and apply standard practices
• Ability to work with interruptions
• Ability to utilize creativity to problem solve
• Ability to follow and maintain confidentiality and safety policies

Working Conditions:

• Work will be completed in a variety of conditions and settings, such as the client’s home.