Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)

The Price Center is a mission-driven organization serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism.

We offer Residential and Day Programs that foster self-confidence and maximize physical, emotional, and intellectual capabilities, while striving to help each individual live as independently as possible in the larger community.

Why Join Us?

• Meaningful work supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Supportive team environment with opportunities for professional growth.
• Rewarding settings focused on dignity, independence, and quality care.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off and paid sick days.
• Employer-paid life, long-term disability, and AD&D insurance.
• Health, vision, and dental insurance with substantial employer contribution.
• Health Savings Account - employer contributions for eligible employees.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match.

The Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) serves as the Program Clinician for The Price Center, providing residential, day, community-based, and vocational supports to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including individuals with autism.

The Program Clinician provides clinical consultation, assessment, counseling/support, staff consultation, crisis intervention, and interdisciplinary collaboration to promote the health, safety, independence, dignity, and quality of life of the people supported.

A primary responsibility of this position is to provide leadership in the development, implementation, monitoring, and ongoing evaluation of Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Plans. The LICSW works collaboratively with individuals, families/guardians when appropriate, direct support professionals, program leadership, clinicians, behavioral specialists, and other members of the individual's support team to ensure that behavioral supports are person-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, least restrictive, and consistent with applicable DDS and MassHealth requirements.

The LICSW will serve as an active member of the agency's PBS Leadership Team and Tier II/Tier III Teams, contributing clinical expertise to agency-wide behavioral support practices, data review, staff training, prevention strategies, and individualized interventions.

Essential Responsibilities

• 1. Program Clinical Services
• Serve as the primary Program Clinician and clinical resource for assigned program(s).

Provide clinical consultation regarding the social, emotional, behavioral, and environmental needs of individuals supported.

Complete or contribute to clinical assessments and psychosocial evaluations as appropriate to the position and agency requirements.

Identify strengths, needs, risks, protective factors, and barriers to successful participation in home, work, community, and social environments.

Provide individual, group, and/or supportive counseling within the scope of licensure, agency policy, and program needs.

Support individuals in developing coping skills, self-advocacy skills, emotional regulation strategies, interpersonal skills, and community participation skills.

Provide clinical support during periods of transition, significant life changes, grief/loss, interpersonal conflict, behavioral escalation, and other significant events.

Provide crisis consultation and participate in the development of proactive crisis-prevention strategies.

Assist program staff in understanding the clinical and environmental factors that may contribute to changes in behavior or functioning.

Make referrals to appropriate medical, psychiatric, psychological, therapeutic, substance-use, community, and other resources when indicated.

Collaborate with external providers and healthcare professionals, with appropriate releases and within applicable confidentiality requirements.

• 2. Positive Behavior Support Planning
• The LICSW will serve as a key clinical leader in the agency's Positive Behavior Support process.

Responsibilities include

Develop, coordinate, and/or contribute to individualized Positive Behavior Support Plans (PBSPs) based on the needs, preferences, strengths, and goals of the individual.

Ensure PBS Plans are person-centered and focus on teaching meaningful replacement skills rather than simply reducing challenging behavior.

Collaborate with individuals and their support teams to identify behavioral goals that promote independence, communication, self-determination, safety, and quality of life.

Review available behavioral, clinical, medical, environmental, and historical information to inform support planning.

Participate in functional assessment processes and identify potential antecedents, setting events, maintaining consequences, environmental factors, and skill deficits associated with behaviors of concern.

Develop proactive prevention and intervention strategies that are practical for direct support staff to implement consistently.

• Identify and incorporate appropriate replacement behaviors and skill-building strategies.
• Establish measurable goals and methods for monitoring progress.
• Review behavioral data and other relevant information to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.
• Modify PBS Plans when data or changes in an individual's needs indicate that revisions are necessary.

Ensure that behavioral interventions are respectful, individualized, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and consistent with applicable regulations, agency policies, and individual rights.

Coordinate with other clinicians and behavioral professionals when additional assessment or specialized expertise is needed.

• Ensure that PBS Plans are communicated effectively to all staff responsible for implementation.
• 3. Staff Training and Implementation

A central expectation of this position is the ability to translate clinical and behavioral recommendations into practical strategies that direct support professionals can consistently implement.

The LICSW will

Develop and conduct training for direct support professionals, supervisors, managers, and other relevant staff on PBS Plans.

• Train staff on the purpose and rationale behind individualized behavioral strategies.
• Teach staff how to recognize triggers, early warning signs, communication needs, and escalation patterns.

Demonstrate appropriate implementation of prevention, de-escalation, replacement-skill teaching, and reinforcement strategies.

• Provide coaching and modeling to staff in the natural service environment.
• Assess staff understanding and competency in implementing individualized PBS strategies.

Provide refresher training when data, staff performance, or changes in the individual's needs indicate a need for additional training.

Ensure new staff receive appropriate orientation to relevant PBS Plans.

Develop accessible training materials, visual supports, handouts, and other resources to promote consistent implementation.

• Support staff in understanding the difference between supporting behavior and simply reacting to behavior.
• Promote consistency across shifts, settings, and service locations.
• Provide Crisis Intervention training to staff as a CPI Instructor.
• 4. PBS Leadership Team
• The LICSW will serve as an active member of the agency's PBS Leadership Team.

Responsibilities include

• Participate in regularly scheduled PBS Leadership Team meetings.
• Contribute clinical and programmatic expertise to agency-wide PBS initiatives.
• Assist with development and implementation of agency PBS standards, procedures, and training.
• Review trends in behavioral data and identify opportunities for prevention and early intervention.
• Help establish consistent expectations for PBS implementation across programs.
• Assist in identifying training and technical-assistance needs.
• Share effective practices and lessons learned across programs.
• Participate in quality-improvement initiatives related to behavioral support.

Support development of a culture emphasizing dignity, respect, autonomy, skill acquisition, and quality of life.

• Assist with monitoring fidelity to PBS practices and identifying barriers to successful implementation.
• 5. Tier II/Tier III Behavioral Support Teams
• The LICSW will participate as a clinical team member on the agency's Tier II and Tier III PBS Teams.

Responsibilities include

• Participate in case review for individuals requiring additional behavioral and clinical support.
• Review behavioral data and identify patterns requiring increased intervention.
• Contribute to individualized intervention planning and problem-solving.
• Assist with determining appropriate levels of support and monitoring.
• Participate in multidisciplinary case consultation.

Help develop and monitor more intensive individualized supports when universal or Tier I strategies are insufficient.

• Participate in reviews of significant behavioral incidents and identify opportunities for prevention.
• Help coordinate clinical, behavioral, medical, environmental, and staff-support strategies.
• Monitor progress and recommend modifications based on objective data and team observations.

Promote coordinated implementation among clinical staff, program leadership, direct support staff, and other providers.

• 6. Interdisciplinary Collaboration
• Participate in Service Plan (ISP/DHSP) meetings and other person-centered planning meetings.

Collaborate with DDS service coordinators, MassHealth-funded service providers, healthcare providers, therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, behavioral professionals, families, guardians, and other members of the individual's team as appropriate.

• Provide clinical consultation to program managers and supervisors.
• Participate in team meetings concerning individuals with significant clinical or behavioral needs.
• Communicate clinical recommendations in clear, practical, and respectful language.
• Promote continuity of care during transitions between programs, providers, hospitals, and community services.
• 7. Documentation and Compliance
• Complete all clinical documentation accurately, objectively, and wit