Prevention Home Visiting Therapist

Prevention Home Visiting Therapist

At OHU, our Hope Members are the heartbeat of our organization. Together, we have built a culture of support, trust, and care.

This Position Comes with a $2,000 Sign on Bonus!

Culture of Care

The ELCD program at OHU is known for its closely-knit teams who often work together for years at a time! The team members join their shared love of educating young children towards creating a warm and positive working environment. New employees who come from a corporate environment quickly fall in love with the atmosphere at an OHU child development center!

“We are such an inclusive organization, we don’t turn anybody away. Everybody is welcome. Working here, I feel like family. I’ve never felt so appreciated working in a place before. They really take care of you here, listen to your concerns and act on them. It’s just amazing! And it’s really easy to make it amazing when the people you work with are amazing.” - Shari Conley, Joliet Early Learning Center (Joliet, IL)

Under the assigned prevention home visiting program supervisor in coordination with the clinical services director, the ELCD Therapist, works with selected maternal /family/child clients to alleviate or stabilize mental health dysfunction which impairs their ability to adjust to home, community integration, or maintain living stability; implement and lead community groups for program families and external community partner referrals; provide therapeutic services to individuals, families or groups regarding psychological or emotional issues, mental health, family, partner and/or relationship dynamics; develop assessment and treatment planning for clients and may oversee the coordination of clinical interventions of team members;

• Essential/Primary Duties and Responsibilities
• Family Relations

• Assess and evaluate mental health needs as outlined by program policy and funder requirements.
• Complete mental health assessments and coordinate treatment plans using program/funder required assessment tools including but not limited to the EPDS, futures without violence or healthy relationship screening tools.
• Provide individual and family mental health psychotherapy services to children and their identified families, including dyadic therapy for families with children 0-5, to promote positive cognitive, behavioral or psychological changes as identified in the treatment plan.
• Provide the prevention team home visitors/family support specialists and other community-based providers additional support, training and consultation regarding children with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges.
• Assist the prevention home visiting team including Healthy Families IL program and Parents as Teachers program with internal and external trainings as available.
• Collaborate with the programs Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant in ensuring reflective practices and the parallel process are kept in mind during service planning
• Provide crisis intervention to youth and families and psychoeducation regarding specific clinical needs of home visiting/child/family
• Document all services rendered and any significant interactions using required agency/program and/or funder guidelines and submit to supervisor in required time frames. This includes ensuring regular and consistent documentation of clinical visits in the agency data system and client files. Utilizing SDS with subset codes to be consistent with Medicaid billing requirements.
• Maintain confidentiality of clients and obtain/maintain legal releases of information, as needed.
• Comply with all applicable federal, state, county, and programmatic regulations, policies and procedures.
• Participate in decision-making related to client’s care and treatment by attending internal and external clinical staffing meetings and advocating for clients’ emotional and physical well-being.
• Conduct observations and consultations in a home visiting setting to meet client’s
• mental health and social emotional needs.
• Communicate pertinent events/aspects of a client’s case with all team members on an ongoing basis.
• Assist with identification and linkage for children in home-based settings who would benefit from infant and early childhood mental health interventions/services that cannot otherwise be provided by Therapist.
• Provide psychoeducation about development, trauma and strategies that support children’s emotional well-being to caregivers including parents and educators.
• Work with the family units within our home visiting program who may be experiencing post-partum depression and/or depression and anxiety.
• Adhere to Code of Ethics for Child Welfare Professionals, as well as ethical standards designated by any other ethical code one is professionally obligated to, e. g., ACA Code of Ethics, NASW Code of Ethics.
• Participate in individual supervision on a weekly basis and team meetings on a monthly basis, including I/ECMHC – this also includes attending group supervision, case reviews, and trainings, as needed.
• Commit to providing evidence-based, trauma-informed services by attending and utilizing trainings on relevant and approved treatment modalities.
• Collaborate with other clinical staff on the development and presentation of trainings for staff and families based on relevant psychological topics.
• Administer various assessments, including program specifically required clinical tools to identify behavioral and mental health symptoms and diagnoses and review results to evaluate client needs.
• Maintain the highest ethical standards in keeping with professional affiliations and demonstrates ability to perform strength-oriented practice.
• Provide comprehensive and initial diagnostic assessment of all referred clients utilizing interviews and well-recognized criteria.
• Develop and implement treatment plans using a variety of generally accepted intervention techniques to address areas of assessed need.
• Plan and administer therapeutic treatment, such as behavior modification and stress management therapy, to assist patient in controlling disorders and other problems.
• Regularly discusses progress toward goals with client and families, and encourages client/family feedback and client/family ownership of outcomes.
• Ensure there is a medical rule out of symptoms and coordinates the approach with medical and other providers serving the client.
• Adapt clinical methodology to the needs of the client using an evaluative tool and client feedback approach to ensure client service is meeting needs, and as needs change, adapts method and degree of therapy.
• Integrate all services provided by serving as a central point of communication for all mental health related services, supportive services treatment and counseling.
• Maintain comprehensive client file with progress/process notes, completing assessments and quarterly reports, closing summaries, preparing reports for court as needed, testifying in court as needed, and participating in multidisciplinary staffing as needed.
• Provide community education services, consultation as assigned, and crisis intervention as needed.
• Develop collaborative relationships with staff and other programs both within and outside of the agency.
• Represent agency at court hearings and Child and Family Team meetings and attends required staffing meetings, as necessary.
• Monitor client progress and periodically reassess client's level of functioning as necessary, utilizing standard clinical instruments as well as diagnostic and statistical manual as required (minimally every 6 months).
• Take a protective role in overall service by ensuring integration of clients other providers by including them in the service planning.
• Conduct relaxation exercises, peer counseling groups, and family counseling during clinical therapy sessions.
• Collaborate with key partner agencies for referrals, and parental support; ensure successful partnership and documentation of outcomes.
• Staff must believe in and act in accordance with both the agency’s and the program’s mission statements.
• In accordance with our “team” philosophy, staff may occasionally be required to carry out or assist with other tasks in addition to the duties listed on this job description/perform other related duties as needed.
• A desire to become familiar with infant mental health practice by attending regular team meetings and trainings with the I/ECMH consultant
• Become certified in CPR, Infant CPR and First Aid within the first year of hire
• Collaborates with program supervisor and other agency staff to review and maintain home visiting model affiliation and/or agency accreditation standards including COA Accreditation standards

Qualifications

Education

• Master’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling or related field required. Staff providing services will be supervised and managed by staff who possess at least the minimum qualifications/credentials as required by applicable State of Illinois law(s) and regulations(s).

Experience

• One to two years’ previous supervised work experience working with or providing services to young children and/or parents/families; ideally in home visiting, child welfare, residential care or community-based setting required
• Knowledge of Lake County resources preferred
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred

Certification/Licensure

LCSW or LCPC or LCSW/LCPC Eligible

Other

• Reliable transportation, valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record with OHU.
• Required levels of coverage for auto insurance 50/100/50.

Satisfactory Results Of

• Personal Check including Criminal Background Check (must be fingerprinted by the State of IL) and IL DCFS Background Check
• Drug Testing
• Verification of previous employment and education including submission of official educational transcripts from last school in which degree was awarded
• Receipt of current physical and TB test (required every two years thereafter)
• Receipt of MMR o