FFSP Child Counselor

Navy Region Southwest Fleet and Family Readiness (FFR); San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Navy Region Southwest Fleet and Family Readiness (FFR) is seeking a Clinical Counselor to assess and counsel children referred to the Family Advocacy Program (FAP) within CNIC and FFSP. The role emphasizes trauma-informed evaluation and diverse therapeutic approaches to support military families.

The successful candidate will perform FAP assessments, provide crisis intervention and safety planning, and coordinate with DoD/Navy partners to ensure services meet child development and safety needs.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or doctorate in Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Counseling or Clinical Psychology.
• Current and valid state clinical license to practice independently.
• Experience with child abuse/neglect or domestic abuse cases.
• Familiarity with DSM-based assessment and risk assessment practices.

Responsibilities

• Conduct FAP assessments and treat children with trauma-related concerns.
• Provide crisis intervention and safety planning.
• Deliver individual and family therapy using CBT, play therapy and family approaches.
• Coordinate with DoD/Navy partners and community services for child-focused care.
• Maintain case records, documentation and scheduling as required.

Skills

Child abuse/neglect expertise

Family violence dynamics

Counseling approaches (CBT/play/family

Risk assessment

Safety planning

Verbal/written communication

Education

Master's degree or doctorate in Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Counseling or Clinical Psychology

Tools

Case management systems

Navy/DoD information systems

Job description

Summary Serve as a Clinical Counselor for children within Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC); Family Readiness Division (N91), Fleet and Family Support Program (FFSP) (N914). The primary purpose of the position is to assess and counsel children in families referred to the Family Advocacy Program (FAP).

Summary Serve as a Clinical Counselor for children within Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC); Family Readiness Division (N91), Fleet and Family Support Program (FFSP) (N914). The primary purpose of the position is to assess and counsel children in families referred to the Family Advocacy Program (FAP).
Duties
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I. 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, and as an authority on evaluating a child's emotional and mental health needs through use of various assessments. Conduct clinical and psychosocial assessments of children in families referred to the FAP for child abuse/neglect and/ or domestic abuse allegations; which may include assessing children who are alleged victims of child abuse/neglect, other children in the home, and children who have witnessed domestic abuse. Conduct comprehensive and complex clinical assessments to identify crisis situation. Provide crisis intervention and safety planning, as required. Employ various forms of therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, play therapy, and family therapy to help children cope with their emotional and behavioral issues stemming from trauma. Coordinate assessment findings. Collaborate with other professionals on treatment planning for child and parenting issues. Present case information at Clinical Case Staff Meeting (CCSM), including safety risk(s), and safety planning to ensure children's issues are addressed.Coordinate with military offices (BUMED, CYP, DoDEA), community services, and specialized community clinical providers on providing accessible and tailored services to children and families that meet their child development and other special needs. Consult with other providers on the selection or development of group treatment curriculum for children and parents. Coordinate and/or provide in-service training on child abuse, neglect, and trauma to other FFSC staff. Conduct on-site/regional quarterly quality assurance (QA) reviews of cases, per supervisor.
II. Problematic Sexual Behavior in Children and Youth Case Management (30%) Serve as designated case manager and primary FAP point of contact for PSB-CY cases, ensuring all actions comply with Department of Defense (DoD) and Navy instructions and civilian reporting requirements. Receive initial reports of problematic sexual behaviors in children and youth (PSB-CY). Provide or coordinate clinical services access with other FAP providers or with community clinical providers to include psychoeducational support, assessment, and clinical intervention for exhibiting children, youth, and their families. Complete all required assessments and documentation (clinical notes, collateral contacts, treatment plans, and required statistical data) in the DoD Military Community and Family Policy PSB-CY Case Management System, as required. 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. Prepare case summary reports and maintains ongoing contact for all PSB-CY cases. Facilitate FAP training and education services to ensure active-duty military and their families are aware of the continuum of sexual behaviors, risk pathways, indicators and impact of problematic sexual behaviors in children and youth and the services available to them. Promote public awareness, prevention and collaborate with the Public Affairs Office to distribute information, plan community activities, or work with commands to brief units.
III. 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 child behavioral health follow-up for any psychological disorders or symptoms requiring longer-term and/or behavioral health intervention. Conduct on-site/regional quarterly QA reviews of cases, per supervisor, to ensure that all non-medical clinical counseling provided is safe and of good quality. Schedule, account for and document all non-medical clinical counseling appointments and meetings in the Scheduling and Clinical Case Record modules within the automated FFSP management information system. Maintain case records and statistics in accordance with Navy policies and regulations.
IV. Community Liaison (10%) Attend community liaison meetings to establish or strengthen relationships with other agencies serving the target population. Educate and provide case-specific consultation to Navy military and civilian agencies. Use forms and automated systems to maintain complete and timely records and workload statistics of community liaison activities. Testify at juvenile court, family court, and any military legal hearing regarding children, as appropriate. Perform other related duties as assigned.
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Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• Must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or U.S. National.
• A valid State driver's license is required to operate motor vehicles.
• 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 background investigation and obtain/maintain a Secret Security Clearance (T3).
• A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any scheduled appointments.
• Must be current in continuing education credits/units.
• Applicant 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 or Clinical Psychology or related field from an accredited institution from any US State. Have and maintain a current and valid state clinical license that permits the incumbent to function as an independent health practitioner and fully meet and maintain the Tier II or Tier III SECNAVINST 1754.8 requirements. Are current in continuing education credits/units to maintain license.
• 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 situations of family violence, conduct risk assessments and coordinate safety planning.
• Professional knowledge of and skill in applying various counseling approaches and knowledge of group dynamics to work difficult and serious cases involving individuals and families who engage in at‑risk behavior.
• Professional knowledge of patterns of abusive behavior, abuse response, substance abuse, human behavior, human sexuality, attention deficit disorder, and juvenile delinquency within families to accurately address a wide variety of behaviors and provide or coordinate the appropriate treatment plan for addressing clients specific needs.
• Professional knowledge of human behavior, research methods, group dynamics, motivational psychology, developmental psychology, and family systems therapy principles and processes to recognize risk factors associated with child vulnerability, family adversity, modeling of coercion, modeling of sexuality; and use anatomically correct language when discussing the body or behaviors.
• Expert knowledge of and skill in applying professional verbal communication techniques and methods to present sensitive and potentially controversial information to various groups; effectively interview FAP involved individuals and family members; effectively collaborate with law enforcement, child protective services, and medical treatment facilities; and deliver presentations.
• Skill in employing professional written communication methods and techniques, and knowledge of and skill in using various software programs and Navy/DoD information systems to compose correspondence; develop case management/treatment case documentation, reports, training plans, multi‑media presentations; and document and account for FAP and PSB‑CY requirements and services provided.
• Knowledge of community resources for PSB‑CY and skill in coordinating community response to provide services and referral to children, youth and families affected by PSB‑CY and coordinate community response for PSB‑CY cases.

Education
Have and maintain a current and valid state clinical license that permits the incumbent to function as an independent health practitioner and fully meet and maintain the Tier II or Tier III SECNAVINST 1754.8 requirements. Are current in continuing education credits/units to maintain license.
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. Selectee may be required to complete a one (1) 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, if a candidate or new hire requires access to a military installation and does not have a REAL ID, identity will need to be established. Identity is established by presenting either one (1) Acceptable Credential or by presenting an acceptable combination of Source Identify Documents. Acceptable Credentials are listed in List A and Acceptable Source Identity Documents are listed in Lists B and C in the link below (page 3). https://www.oni.navy.mil/Portals/12/Vistors/Base%20Access%20Form.pdf?ver=2017-08-28-065204-693
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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