Primary Therapist

Forward Recovery; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Paid time off

Licensure supervision toward hours

CEU/professional development support

Manageable caseloads with case管理

Job summary

Forward Recovery, an outpatient mental health and substance use treatment center in California, seeks a Primary Therapist to manage a dual-diagnosis caseload and lead treatment from intake to discharge. The role emphasizes timely assessments, collaborative care, and evidence-based interventions.

You will maintain detailed documentation in the EMR, participate in treatment teams, and deliver CBT/DBT-informed care with a focus on recovery and safety planning.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant field and active California licensure or registration (LCSW/LMFT/LPCC/PsyD/PhD or ASW/AMFT/APCC in good standing with BBS).
• Experience treating co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• Knowledge of ASAM criteria and DSM-5-TR diagnoses; strong treatment planning documentation.

Responsibilities

• Complete biopsychosocial assessments within 24 hours of admission.
• Carry a primary caseload of 10–20 clients with at least one weekly individual session per client.
• Develop, review, and update individualized treatment plans with measurable objectives.
• Facilitate 5–10 process and curriculum-based groups per week (90 minutes each).
• Provide crisis intervention, risk assessment, safety planning, and escalation per policy.
• Document all sessions and updates in the EMR accurately and timely.
• Coordinate intake handoffs, level-of-care changes, and discharge/aftercare planning.

Skills

Licensed clinician

EMR documentation

HIPAA & confidentiality

Bilingual (Spanish/English) a plus

Education

Master's degree in Social Work / Counseling / MFT / Psychology

Tools

Kipu EMR

Job description

About Forward Recovery

Forward Recovery is an outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment center serving adults with co-occurring (dual diagnosis) presentations. Our PHP/IOP/OP tracks combine individual therapy, process and skills-based groups, case management, and behavioral health technician support so clients get a coordinated level of care rather than isolated services. We run daytime and evening tracks with both in-person and virtual group options.

Position Summary

The Primary Therapist carries a caseload of dual-diagnosis outpatient clients and is the clinical owner of each assigned client's course of treatment—from biopsychosocial assessment through individualized treatment planning, weekly individual therapy, group facilitation, coordination with the treatment team, and discharge/aftercare planning. This is a hands-on clinical role in a fast-moving program where documentation timeliness and team communication matter as much as strong therapeutic skill.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical care

• Complete comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments (BPS) for newly admitted clients, generally within 24 hours of admission.
• Carry a primary caseload of 10-20 clients, providing a minimum of one individual therapy session per client per week.
• Develop, review, and update individualized treatment plans with measurable objectives; complete required updates on schedule and with client participation.
• Facilitate approximately 5-10 process and curriculum-based groups per week (90 minutes each), across in-person and virtual tracks.
  
• Provide crisis intervention, risk assessment, and safety planning; elevate to the Clinical Director per policy.
• Deliver evidence-based, co-occurring-competent interventions: CBT, DBT skills, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, trauma-informed care, and harm-reduction-informed approaches.

Coordination and documentation

• Serve as the clinical point of contact for assigned clients, coordinating with case managers, behavioral health technicians, prescribers/medical staff, and utilization review.
• Participate in treatment team meetings, daily standups, and clinical supervision.
• Document all sessions, groups, assessments, and contacts in the EMR [Kipu] accurately and within required timeframes.
• Support intake handoffs, level-of-care changes, discharge summaries, and aftercare/continuing care plans.
• Coordinate collateral contacts, family sessions, and outside provider communication with appropriate consent.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology, or a closely related field.
• Active California license or registration: LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, or PsyD/PhD — or registered associate (ASW, AMFT, APCC) in good standing with the BBS.
• Demonstrated experience treating co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• Working knowledge of ASAM criteria, DSM-5-TR diagnosis, treatment planning, and medical necessity documentation.
• Strong clinical documentation skills and comfort working in an electronic medical record.
• Understanding of HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 confidentiality requirements.
• Ability to pass a background check and meet health screening requirements; [CPR/First Aid] certification or willingness to obtain.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2+ years in a PHP/IOP/outpatient behavioral health setting.
• Group facilitation experience with adult dual diagnosis populations.
• Formal training in DBT, CBT, EMDR, Seeking Safety, or MI.
• Experience with Kipu or a comparable behavioral health EMR.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) a plus.

What We Offer

• Health coverage
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Clinical supervision toward licensure hours for registered associates at no cost
• CEU/professional development support
• Manageable caseloads with dedicated case management and BHT support so therapists can focus on clinical work
• A collaborative treatment team with clear operational structure and defined role boundaries

Forward Recovery is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities.

Pay transparency: the posted range reflects the good‑faith salary range for this position at the time of posting, as required by California law.