The Program Therapist provides clinical services and coordination of care for individuals seeking outpatient services at Quail Run Behavioral Health. Services include therapeutic treatment skills training to achieve an optimal level of emotional health, basic consultation, psycho-education, specialized clinical therapy services for clients/families receiving care, crisis intervention, short-term and long-term family therapy, and information and referrals as needed.

Social Services/Competencies Performance

1. Formulate and conduct educational, therapeutic, and/or support groups. 2. Communicate effectively with clients, families, health care team members and community providers regarding client’s status and progress. 3. Interact and communicate with community agencies in assessment of and service to clients. 4. Provide liaison and referral services to community agencies and appears in court when requested or subpoenaed. 5. Maintain confidentiality in compliance with professional ethics according to professional and facility standards. 6. Identify opportunities for the program and participate in Performance Improvement projects and activities. 7. Continue professional development in individual, family, and group therapy and maintain professional development in personnel file. 8. Assist in the orientation of new colleagues and supervising student interns.

Intervention

1. Conduct individual/family/group counseling per program schedule. 2. Develop an effective working relationship with client and/or family (engagement, collaboration, advocacy, problem solving). 3. Evaluate and document effectiveness of interventions and client responses. 4. Comply with required standards for medical/legal reporting situations (i.e. child abuse, dependent adult abuse, psychiatric commitment). 5. Represent the facility at legal hearings as requested, submits paperwork for legal holds in a timely fashion, act as liaison with conservator’s office.

Assessment

1. Assess and identify psychosocial, educational, developmental and behavioral functioning of the client/family system through established case finding mechanisms. 2. Consult with families on emotional, social and financial aspects of care.

Milieu

1. Respond to client requests for social services in a timely manner. 2. Meet the social service needs of the client population being serviced. 3. Contribute to the effective functioning of the client’s program and other facility-wide activities. 4. Report unsafe conditions to appropriate personnel. 5. Assure that client’s rights are upheld. Treatment Planning 1. Demonstrate knowledge of biopsychosocial factors and current DSM-IV/V diagnoses related to the ages of the clients served, and incorporate this knowledge into client treatment plans. 2. Participate in, and effectively contributes to, client care conferences, treatment planning meetings, and/or treatment planning rounds.

Professional Competencies

1. Demonstrate a professional attitude and supports the objectives of the facility’s business development/marketing and guest relations philosophy through internal and external communications and interactions with all levels of staff, patients, family members, guests, community and referral sources. 2. Maintain compliance with documentation requirements regarding content and timelines. Therapeutic Services/Competencies Intervention 1. Utilize a variety of techniques to assist in the resolution of client problems. 2. Effectively employ principles of communication, interviewing techniques, problem solving and crisis intervention when performing psychotherapeutic interventions. 3. Ensure interventions are carried out in the client’s plan of care. 4. Utilize appropriate interventions in psychiatric emergencies. 5. Document and report infections to the Infection Control Nurse. 6. Assist with reviewing all new admissions to ensure completion of essential paperwork.

Milieu

1. Utilizes universal precautions when caring for a client. 2. Assures clients are adequately oriented to the program. 3. Monitor program activities and encourage client participation. 4. Uses self as a role model to promote healthy communication. 5. Develop and facilitate groups for clients and/or significant others as appropriate.

Treatment Planning

1. Participate in the development of an interdisciplinary treatment plan based on client assessment/needs in compliance with facility time frames. 2. Ensure that the treatment plan has specific measurable goals, objectives and interventions defining actions unique to each client’s needs. 3. As appropriate, when goals/objectives are met, participate in revision and update. 4. Assigns and directs other personnel in the implementation of the nursing care plans and verifies this care through direct observation and review of the chart. Teaching 1. Provide education to clients and families based on their identified needs and limitations in learning. 2. Promote learning experiences and provide educational materials to clients and their families. 3. Evaluate and document effectiveness of all client teaching. 4. Provide opportunities for clients and families to question, discuss and explore their feelings about prescribed therapies/interventions/diagnosis.