Family Therapist, Youth Development

Family Therapist,

Youth Development

Lifeline Community Services ("Lifeline"), is a non-profit human services organization that offers a wide range of services to the people of San Diego County. Our mission is to build self-reliance among youth, individuals and families through problem solving, skill-building and accessible community-based services. We offer competitive benefits including Health & Life Insurance, Paid Vacation & Holidays, Flexible Spending Account, 403(b) and more! Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE)

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Youth Development Clinical Program Manager, working in a team effort to provide comprehensive Functional Family Therapy (FFT) counseling and educational services to at-risk youth and their families. Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is an evidence-based intervention for youth and families. This high quality, strength-focused family counseling model is designed primarily for at-risk youth who have been referred by the juvenile justice, mental health, school, or child welfare systems with the overall goal of increasing self-sufficiency, fostering resilience, and building connections to community resources. This is a BBS registered intern role that will help our team provide in-home and on-site support, parent training, crisis intervention, counseling, case management, and substance abuse treatment referrals and support to youth and their families.

Specific Activities

Duties include but are not limited to:

1. Conduct comprehensive mental health assessments.
2. Develop and implement strength-based individual and family case plans, in collaboration with Case Manager.
3. Fulfill all requirements to become certified in FFT in the time allotted.
4. Address oppositional behaviors, conduct disorders, and other delinquency issues including substance abuse and violent behaviors utilizing Family Functional Therapy.
5. Provide crisis intervention and stabilization.
6. Work to create a motivational environment in the family in which change can occur.
7. Identify dysfunctional relational patterns and create relevant interventions.
8. Identify and strengthen positive adaptive interactions, utilizing FFT strategies and techniques.
9. Attend training in the unique aspects of the culture, common family dynamics, or frequently seen issues of clients in program.
10. Provide therapy sessions with fidelity to the FFT model.
11. Case conference in coordination with other mental health professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and others.
12. Provide in-home family support, case management and treatment (e.g. nutrition, budgeting, safety, home health and support systems, appropriate referrals).
13. Advocate, mentor and role-model skills for families such as discipline, communication and general life skills.
14. Conduct specific groups as necessary (e.g. parenting support groups, decision-making, substance abuse, anger management and life skills).
15. Assist in career guidance, job skills and job placement for youth.
16. Provide assistance with community resources through advocacy, information and direct connections.
17. Conduct exit interview with family within 30 days of family's final FFT session.
18. Collaborate and maintain professional relationships with Juvenile Court, Juvenile Probation and Law Enforcement entities as specified by the FFT Program, to include receiving referrals and providing progress reports.
19. Participate in all required meetings and trainings.
20. Maintain necessary client records and statistics, and submit timely monthly reports.
21. Participate in case supervision and program evaluation.
22. Participate in quality assurance review.
23. Provide administrative duties and meet all contract requirements.
24. Knowledge of and respect for diverse cultures.
25. Other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Minimum qualifications of MA level education in the areas of Psychology, Social Work, or related field; two years experience providing services to youth and families or equivalent; and current registration with the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) of California. Bilingual preferred. Candidate must possess the ability to make sound clinical decisions independently. Must be able to apply clinical judgment, ethics and accountability to formulate and implement treatment plans and other clinical documentation. Demonstrates the ability to handle stressful and crises tactfully and appropriately. Strictly adheres to the principles and practices of the counseling profession as elucidated by the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Demonstrates the ability to practice a wide variety of treatment modalities, and to exercise discretion and independent judgment in all areas of job performance including adherence to appropriate professional boundaries. Demonstrates strong leadership qualities, including but not limited to conflict management skills and inter-agency and intra-agency collaborative skills. Experience in Family Functional Therapy model preferred. Must demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills. Off-site counseling requires own transportation. Willingness to use personal vehicle in the course of employment (mileage reimbursed). Successful completion of multi-state criminal background check, TB and Drug Test.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

Establish and maintain effective working relationships while showing open mindedness and a collaborative spirit. Compatibility with agency purpose, goals, philosophy, and approach. Demonstrates enthusiasm and passion for their work. Utilizes a creative approach to problem solving. Interactions with others reflect a spirit of honesty, humbleness, and self-awareness. Accepts constructive criticism with a positive attitude and willingness to implement change. Ability to work well independently and demonstrate appropriate initiative. Must demonstrate knowledge of trauma informed, client driven, and culturally competent care.

Other Requirements

Reliable transportation. Must have a California driver license and good driving record. Willing to use own, properly insured, reliable vehicle for the job (mileage reimbursed). Employment subject to clearances, including background fingerprinting checks, driving record, tuberculosis testing, and drug testing.

Physical Demands /Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. The employee may be exposed in an extremely stressful environment where there are considerable mental and emotional demands. Travel is required to the schools/client homes. Employee may be exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The employee may be required to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

North County Lifeline DBA Lifeline Community Services ("Lifeline") is steadfast in its commitment to ensuring an inclusive workplace where diversity is celebrated and discrimination is not tolerated. We are committed to creating a workplace where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to bring their best selves to work. We adhere to all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination and provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.