Therapist, School-Based 9 Month (West Mobile Academy)

AltaPointe Health Systems; Mobile (AL); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

AltaPointe Health Systems is seeking a School Year Therapist to provide comprehensive mental health services in Mobile schools. The role covers administration, clinical assessment, therapy delivery, and outreach to families to support students with severe emotional disturbances.

Responsibilities include forming treatment plans with families, collaborating with school staff, and ensuring documentation and discharge planning meet AltaPointe policies and standards.

Qualifications

• Must have a master's degree in a mental health discipline.
• Provides clinical and administrative services in school settings.
• Performs clinical assessments and forms DSM IV-TR diagnoses.
• Develops treatment plans based on CANS with clients and families.
• Delivers individual, group, family and play therapy as needed.
• Engages in outreach to clients and families.
• Maintains crisis de-escalation skills and safety.
• Collaborates with treatment teams, school staff and external sources.
• Completes treatment plan reviews and discharge planning.

Responsibilities

• Provides administrative, clinical and consultative mental health services in one or more school settings.
• Assesses consumers clinically and documents findings.
• Uses CANS data to inform DSM IV-TR diagnoses and treatment planning.
• Formulates treatment plans with consumer and family/guardian input.
• Delivers therapy (individual, group, family, play) aligned to client needs.
• Provides outreach to consumers and families.
• Recognizes crisis states and de-escalates when needed.
• Collaborates with team members and school personnel.
• Assesses discharge needs and plans accordingly.
• Supervises clinically as directed and adheres to ethics.

Skills

Clinical assessment

DSM IV-TR usage

CANS-based planning

Crisis de-escalation

Team collaboration

Documentation

Education

Master's degree in mental health

Tools

CANS assessment tool

DSM IV-TR framework

Job description

The West Mobile Academy is a classroom and day treatment program, housed at BayPointe Hospital, developed to meet the educational and therapeutic needs of severely emotionally disturbed students K-12 who are unable to maintain appropriate behaviors in a Mobile County Public School setting.
A child/adolescent must manifest a combination of at least three criteria whose severity could prevent treatment in a less restrictive environment.
A School Year Therapist works in the Public School System to provide all administrative, clinical and mental health services for the consumers. They provide individual, group, family, and play therapy. They also provide outreach services to the consumers and family members.

Essential Functions

• Provides all administrative, clinical and consultative mental health services within one or more school settings
• Provides effective clinical assessment of the consumer
• Utilizes assessment data to support a DSM IV- TR diagnosis
• Formulates appropriate treatment plan, based on CANS, along with consumer and family/guardian, as indicated
• Provides individual, group, family and play therapy mode, utilizing basic therapeutic models and theories according to consumer needs as stated in the treatment plan
• Provides outreach services to consumers and their families according to their needs
• Demonstrates the ability to recognize the elements of a crisis state and knows how to deescalate or resolve the situation
• Effectively collaborates with the treatment team members, school personnel and outside sources in the delivery of clinical services
• Evaluates the consumer for discharge planning
• Completes treatment plan reviews
• Provides clinical supervision as directed
• Adheres to professional code of ethics
• Effectively demonstrates the application of child/adolescent specific competencies
• Seeks clinical supervision and consultation as needed
• Accepts and employs suggestions for improvement
• Actively works to enhance clinical skills
• Documents in a timely fashion per AltaPointe policy
• Documents appropriate, complete, and clinically comprehensive mental health assessments
• Documents measurable and specific goals in the treatment plan
• Documents in a clear and concise manner, types of consumer problems, treatment goals addressed, services, and techniques used
• Documents case disposition, case closings, follow-up and referrals
• Effectively manages caseload based on consumer needs
• Meets AltaPointe productivity standards(at least an average of 110 hours of billable services monthly)
• Treats consumers with care, dignity and compassion
• Respects consumer's privacy and confidentiality
• Is pleasant and cooperative with others
• Assists consumers and visitors as needed
• Personal values don't inhibit ability to relate and care for others
• Is sensitive to the consumer's needs, expectations and individual differences
• Adopts a team work approach with coworkers
• Actively participates in Performance Improvement activities
• Actively participates in AltaPointe committees as required
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner
• Accesses appropriate community resources according to consumer needs
• Follows AltaPointe policies and procedures
• Maintains current license and requirements for renewals (i.e. CEU's), if applicable, and attends regular workshops and in-services
  

Master's degree in a mental health discipline.