Clinical Therapist- Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psych

Job Description Summary:

• This position supports the Child and Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatric Unit at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge, IL. This position will provide therapeutic supports to patients and families as well as administer risk assessments/make recommendations for patients admitted to the pediatric medical units, as needed. Smaller patient to therapist ratios allow for the therapist to focus on building relationships and promoting positive outcomes. The individual filling this position will work closely alongside the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists and the larger multi-disciplinary team.

Major Responsibilities:

• Direct Service: Provides individual, couple and family therapy services utilizing a solution focused, brief therapy framework.​
  • 1)Interviews and evaluates patients, establishes diagnosis, and monitors patients’ behavior. The treatment plan is developed collaboratively with the patient by defining goals, specific outcomes and timeframes for treatment. Intervenes psychotherapeutically to change attitudes, beliefs and behavior of patients to improve individual and family level of functioning.
  • 2)Provides case management, outreach and aftercare services to patients.
  • 3)Counsels crisis patients to stabilize patients’ condition in order to prevent patients from harming themselves or others, and uses short-term crisis intervention techniques and/or referral to other support services.
  • 4)Meets performance standards for direct staff hours (DSH) as outlined for position.
  • 5)Develops and leads at least one treatment and/or skills building group.
  • 6)Demonstrates ability to utilize and teach appropriate cognitive/behavior management and skill building techniques.
  • 7)Communicates with other agency programs and/or human service agencies to obtain all relevant patient information, refers patients and consults with other staff regarding patient progress.
  • 8)Consults with regard to crisis services.
  • 9)Communicates effectively orally and in writing.
  • 10)Provides coverage to maintain services as needed.
• Clinical Supervision: Provides supervision of the diagnostic evaluation, treatment planning, treatment process and other professional duties. Directs supervisees on approaches to patient needs or suggests alternative approaches for resolution of problems.
  • 1)Assesses performance by monitoring the quality and quantity of job behaviors and evaluations performance annually.
  • 2)Ensures timely and accurate completion of forms, case recording and reports provided by the staff; reviews and provides reports as required.6)Fosters an environment where trainees will advance to further levels of competency.
  • 3)Assesses compliance with clinical and administrative policies and procedures;
  • 4)Provides orientation and training to trainees
  • 5)Actively incorporates during supervision how the billing process impacts the therapeutic process.
  • 6)Fosters an environment where trainees will advance to further levels of competency.
• Recordkeeping: Completes various administrative and insurance forms to assure accurate data collection for billing, management information system, and other purposes in accord with agency policies and procedures.
  • 1)Maintains concise comprehensive case records by following established agency policies and procedures.
• Agency and Training Activities: Actively participates in agency activities and in the community in ways that make a positive contribution to agency operations.
  • 1)Demonstrates constructive involvement with professionals in the agency and in the community. Develops and maintains professional relationships with court, police, human services, entitlement, and governmental agencies, health services vendors and private organizations to enhance service delivery and agency image. Interprets program services to the social service community, and occasionally represents the agency in public, civic and private groups.
  • 2)Participates in quality assurance, accreditation, and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities and other special projects.
  • 3)Demonstrates active involvement in supervision as evidenced by constructive participation, initiative and apparent effort.
  • 4)Identifies professional goals and enhances job-related skills through staff development activities. Remains current on trends in clinical theory and practice.

Licensure:

• LCSW or LCPC

Education/Experience Required:

• MA degree in Social Work or Psychology
• 2 years experience in a mental health or related setting

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:

• Clinically appropriate skills
• Courteous and professional
• Demonstrates keyboard skills and familiarity with a Windows environment
• Interpersonal communication skills

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Demonstrates commitment to patient focused care. Demonstrates positive, effective leadership in problem solving in the context of a work environment characterized by external forces which produce constant internal change. Ability to work flexibly in a fast paced environment with established time constraints and in difficult situations. May be exposed to patients who potentially could be violent. Familiarity with the roles and functioning of other providers in the network of child and family mental health and substance abuse treatment networks.
• If position has direct patient care or direct patient contact the following lifting requirement supersedes any previous lifting requirement effective 06/01/2015. Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance. For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available. Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.