TITLE: Mental Health Therapist - CS (CHINS)
CLASSIFICATION: Mental Health Therapist
SALARY RANGE: $24,213.00 - $38,499.00
SUPERVISOR: Montgomery County Director

DEFINITION:

This is responsible professional work in the field of mental health. Employees in this class are responsible for counseling children who are mentally ill, emotionally disturbed, or presenting behavioral problems. The staff member in this position will provide services to clients designated by the Montgomery County Department of Human Resources or the Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

Performs duties of mental health therapist to include providing a comprehensive array of outpatient mental health services designed to enable children to live with their families.

Provides direct delivery of services based on children's/families' unique strengths and needs.

Assists in the coordination of existing community resources/services and in the development of an array of services to meet identified needs.

Develops and implements plans which protect children from abuse/neglect, prevent removal of child from his/her home, enable children to return home from foster care and enable children to live in the least restrictive and most normalized environment possible.

Develops goals and objectives to carry out treatment plans in collaboration with the Department of Human Resources staff. Develops and implements strategies to promote utilization of services by children/families. Provides timely assessments of the effectiveness of services being provided and updates plans as needed. Establishes and maintains records, documenting involvement in delivery of services to the child/family. Actively participates in case staffings and case planning activities.

Involves children, parents, foster parents and caregivers as partners in the planning and delivery of services. Provides services which are sensitive to cultural differences and special needs of minority, ethnic, and racial groups. Serves as an advocate for children/families with related community agency support resources.

Employs techniques that help clients to take action to eliminate barriers that prevent clients from utilizing services and evaluates the success of services clients have received.

Provides services and duties in a mental health setting as well as other settings convenient for the client, such as the client's home, other agency offices, school, and other non-traditional settings, and provides transportation for the client and family, if needed, to facilitate the delivery of services.

Completes reports required for client records, as well as all forms or paperwork required by the Agency.

Performs related duties as required by supervisor.

REQUIREMENTS:

Considerable knowledge of individual and group behavior with special emphasis on problems and feelings of children, adolescents, and families.

Knowledge of the principles and methods of counseling and casework.

Knowledge of mental illnesses and the social and individual implications.

Basic knowledge of psychotropic drugs concerning their use, misuse, desirable and undesirable effects.

Knowledge of community resources available designed to help meet the needs of children/families who are at risk.

Ability and willingness to provide services and perform duties in non-traditional settings and to work hours outside of the 8:00 - 5:00 workday if necessary.

Ability to work cooperatively with other agencies in providing and/or arranging for appropriate services.

Maintenance of reliable transportation.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Graduation from a recognized college or university with a Master's Degree in Social Work, Counseling or Psychology, with at least two years supervised clinical experience beyond the Master's Degree being preferred. Must meet requirements of Medicaid for approved Medicaid Provider Status. Must hold valid Alabama Driver License and maintain a driving record that is acceptable to the Authority's insurance carrier. Must maintain liability coverage on personal vehicle.