Associate Clinical Therapist at Interfaith Community Services

Description

At Interfaith, we empower individuals and families in need by providing essential resources and services with compassion and integrity. Together, we foster a community of hope, accountability, and dignity. 

Founded in 1979 in direct response to rising rates of hunger and homelessness in North San Diego County, Interfaith Community Services works to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness by Helping People Help Themselves. Interfaith is the most comprehensive nonprofit social services agency in North County, providing both immediate safety net services and long-term, life-changing programs designed to meet the holistic needs of people in crisis. Together, in partnership with 250+ diverse faith communities, more than 650 recurrent volunteers, and a growing staff of over 200, Interfaith provides a safe haven and pathway towards self-sufficiency for more than 17,000 community members annually. 

If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a service-driven environment, we invite you to be part of our mission!

What You'll Do:

In the Associate Clinical Therapist role, you’ll provide professional mental health services, to include case consultation and individual and group psychotherapy, evaluations and assessments, and perform related work as required supporting the mission of Interfaith Community Services. The Recovery and Wellness Center was created with the vision that all individuals should have an opportunity to pursue wellness and recovery and in turn experience an improved quality of life regardless of their ability to pay. Interfaith will provide a recovery-oriented system of care that is designed to support individuals seeking to recover from substance use disorders and/or co-occurring conditions across their lifespan. The RWC treatment center will include withdrawal management (detox), residential and outpatient treatment services.

• Conducts intake assessments; prepares diagnostic evaluations which includes obtaining personal, social, emotional, and substance abuse history; determines the cause, nature, and severity of the client’s current mental status
• Determines medical necessity and level of care placement for Substance Use Disorder treatment services
• Develops, evaluates, and implements goal-oriented treatment plans
• Provides direct treatment services such as individual, family and group therapy to a difficult and complex client population
• Intervenes in crisis situations when a client exhibits acute psychiatric symptoms which present an immediate threat to the client or others
• Provides rehabilitative and socialization services to restore and maintain the best possible functional level of clients with chronic psychological impairments
• Provides consultation to other staff members on a client’s history, mental status, and previous treatment, and on the community resources available for the treatment of a client
• Participates in staff review of a case(s); recommends changes in therapeutic techniques, environment, and/or charting to facilitate client recovery
• Strictly adheres to participant confidentiality as required by County, State, and Federal (42 CFR) regulations
• Assists clients and their families in understanding the nature of their mental or emotional disorder; provides emotional support and information to assist them in identifying external stressors that contribute to the client’s problems
• Prepares case documentation, progress reports, special reports, proposals, manuals, and correspondence
• Performs specialized tasks including involuntary hospitalizations procedures (5150) and Tarasoff assessments
• May provide guidance to volunteers and staff
• Participates in mental health conferences and local area committees
• Services as consultant or trainer for staff on complex client placement, and mental health issues
• Recommends when to terminate professional counseling treatment; develops follow-up and/or revised post treatment techniques and activities
• Performs additional duties as assigned

Requirements

Who You Are:

You're passionate about making a lasting impact, whether supporting individuals directly or enhancing our organizational effectiveness. To thrive in this role, you'll:

• Master’s Degree in Social Work, Behavioral Health, or related field, required
• Must be currently registered with the State of California as Board of Behavioral Sciences  (BBS) as an Associate Marriage Family Therapist (AMFT) or Associate Social Worker  (ASW) or Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) 
• 2+ years of experience working in a social service or counseling-related setting, required
• Experience working with substance abuse disorder, preferred 

SKILLSETS / ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

•  Ability to establish and maintain professional boundaries with clients
•  Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills
•  Experience with ASI and ASAM system and software
•  Demonstrated experience managing multiple deadlines and working effectively under pressure, using independent judgment to produce quality work under time constraints
•  Demonstrated experience working with a collaborative team
•  Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret quantitative information
•  Working Knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook)
•  Ability to communicate effectively among a diverse workforce population and maintain sound working relations with all levels within the organization.
•  Work with spirit of enthusiasm, teamwork, cooperation and a sense of urgency.
•  Maintain a high degree of confidentiality over all matters in the course of business operations including client and employee information.

WORKING CONDITIONS / PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

•  Must be able to perform work in both indoor and outdoor settings
•  Must have the physical ability to sit for long periods of time, stand, walk, bend, kneel and uses hands, arms and legs for dexterity and balance on a frequent basis
•  May be subjected to adverse conditions, including contact from hostile people
•  Low to moderate exposure to contagious diseases (hepatitis, HIV, tuberculosis, etc.)
•  Low to moderate exposure of unpleasant and noxious fumes, odors, dust, temperatures, noise and inclement weather
•  Occasionally lifts, carries and balances objects weighing up to 30 pounds
•  Pulls and pushes such objects as file drawers, computers and similar office equipment and supplies
•  Prioritizes and multi-tasks work and projects requiring good memory, concentration and analytical thinking
•  Occasionally is required to perform the safe operation of a vehicle, office equipment and machines, and recognize and abate safety hazards within the workplace
•  Must be able to hear, see including distinction of colors, read and communicate verbally and in writing frequently with a wide range of people from divergent socio-economic backgrounds and origins
•  The noise level in the work environment is usually low

Location: Onsite/Escondido

Hourly Rate: $28.00-$32.00

Hours: Sunday-Thursday: 8am-4:30pm

This is a temporary assignment from September through December