Therapist (VOCA Based) in Galveston, Texas at FSC|The Center for Mental Health & Wellbeing

Position Summary
The Therapist I / Therapist II provides comprehensive behavioral health services to children, adolescents, adults, and families through individual, family, and group counseling. Services may be provided in office-based, school-based, and community settings in support of the Family Service Center's (FSC) mission to strengthen individuals and families through accessible, high-quality, trauma-informed behavioral health care.
The Therapist may serve clients participating in multiple FSC programs and funding streams, including Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)-funded services. When assigned to VOCA services, the Therapist provides trauma-informed, victim-centered behavioral health services to individuals and families impacted by crime and ensures services, documentation, referrals, and reporting are consistent with applicable VOCA requirements and FSC policies and procedures.

Key Responsibilities

Direct Clinical Services
•Provide individual, family, and group therapy using evidence-based and clinically appropriate treatment approaches.
•Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments, clinical assessments, diagnostic evaluations, and treatment planning in accordance with professional standards and applicable regulations.
•Provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive, person-centered, and strengths-based services.
•Provide crisis intervention, risk assessment, safety planning, and appropriate referrals when clinically indicated.
•Monitor client progress and modify treatment plans based on clinical need, client goals, and response to treatment.
•Provide services to children, adolescents, adults, and families based on program assignment, training, and clinical competency.
•When assigned to VOCA-funded services, provide trauma-informed and victim-centered counseling and support to individuals and families affected by crime.
•Support clients in addressing trauma-related symptoms, emotional distress, safety concerns, and other behavioral health needs associated with victimization.
•Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and ensure services are delivered in a manner that promotes client dignity, safety, choice, and empowerment.

VOCA / Victim Services Responsibilities
•Provide behavioral health services to eligible victims of crime and their families in accordance with FSC program requirements and applicable VOCA guidelines.
•Utilize trauma-informed approaches when working with individuals who have experienced or been impacted by crime.
•Assess client needs and provide appropriate therapeutic interventions, crisis support, safety planning, and referrals.
•Coordinate with victim-service providers, community organizations, healthcare providers, law enforcement or justice-system partners, and other appropriate resources when clinically and legally appropriate.
•Assist clients with connecting to available community resources, supportive services, and other victim assistance programs.
•Maintain accurate documentation of VOCA-related services, client contacts, referrals, outcomes, and other required information.
•Ensure required VOCA eligibility, service, demographic, outcome, and other program documentation is completed accurately and within established deadlines.
•Protect the confidentiality, privacy, and safety of victims and their families in accordance with HIPAA, applicable laws, FSC policies, and program requirements.
•Participate in required VOCA training, program meetings, case reviews, audits, monitoring activities, and quality-improvement initiatives.
•Support accurate and timely collection of information needed for VOCA grant reporting, performance measures, and program monitoring.
•Immediately communicate significant client safety concerns, reporting obligations, barriers to service, or compliance concerns to the appropriate supervisor.

Collaboration & Care Coordination
•Collaborate with FSC clinical and program teams, schools, medical providers, victim-service providers, and community partners to support comprehensive client care.
•Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, case consultations, staffing, and treatment planning meetings as assigned.
•Establish and maintain effective professional relationships with community partners and referral sources.
•Participate in coordinated care efforts for clients with complex behavioral health, social, family, or victimization-related needs.

Compliance & Documentation
•Maintain accurate, timely, complete, and clinically appropriate documentation in FSC's electronic health record and other required systems.
•Complete assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, discharge summaries, referrals, and other required documentation within established timeframes.
•Ensure documentation supports services billed, reported, or funded through applicable programs and grants.
•Comply with all applicable federal, state, local, contractual, grant, licensing, ethical, and agency requirements.
•Maintain client confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA, applicable privacy laws, professional ethical standards, and FSC policies.
•Follow all applicable requirements associated with VOCA-funded services, including eligibility, documentation, confidentiality, service delivery, data collection, and reporting requirements.

Community Engagement
•Participate in community outreach, prevention activities, educational presentations, resource events, and agency initiatives.
•Participate in activities designed to increase awareness of behavioral health services and available victim-support resources.
•Represent Family Service Center professionally and promote positive relationships with community partners.
•Support FSC's efforts to increase access to behavioral health and victim-support services within the communities served.

Professional Development
•Maintain all required professional licenses, registrations, certifications, and continuing education requirements.
•Participate in required individual and group clinical supervision consistent with licensure requirements and FSC policies.
•Attend required staff meetings, trainings, case consultations, program meetings, and professional development activities.
•Maintain current knowledge of evidence-based behavioral health practices, trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, and applicable regulatory requirements.
•Complete required VOCA and victim-services training when assigned to VOCA-funded programming.
•Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing professional growth, cultural humility, and ethical practice.

Distinguishing Responsibilities
Therapist I
•Works under the clinical supervision of an appropriately licensed clinical supervisor.
•Actively works toward independent professional licensure.
•Receives ongoing individual and/or group clinical supervision as required.
•Develops foundational skills in clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, therapeutic intervention, crisis response, and documentation.
•Participates in case consultation and seeks clinical guidance when presented with complex or high-risk situations.
•May provide VOCA-funded services when qualified, appropriately trained, and assigned to the program.

Therapist II
•Holds an independent clinical license in the State of Texas appropriate to the position.
•Independently manages a full clinical caseload and provides services within the scope of professional licensure.
•Provides assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, crisis intervention, and therapeutic services for clients with varying levels of clinical complexity.
•Provides consultation and clinical support to developing clinicians as assigned.
•May serve as a clinical resource for complex cases and assist with case consultation.
•May provide advanced clinical services to clients with higher-acuity, trauma-related, or complex behavioral health needs.
•May provide or support VOCA-funded clinical services and assist with program compliance, documentation, quality assurance, and service coordination as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
Therapist I
•Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or a related behavioral health field from an accredited institution.
•Current Texas associate-level or applicable provisional license, such as LPC-Associate, LMSW, or LMFT-Associate, or eligibility to obtain the appropriate license.
•Actively working toward independent professional licensure.
•Knowledge of evidence-based therapeutic practices and behavioral health principles.

Therapist II
•Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or a related behavioral health field from an accredited institution.
•Current independent Texas clinical license appropriate to the position, such as LPC, LCSW, or LMFT.
•Minimum of 2–3 years of post-graduate clinical experience preferred.
•Demonstrated experience with clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and therapeutic intervention.
•Demonstrated ability to independently manage a clinical caseload.

Preferred Qualifications – Both Levels
•Experience working in community mental health or other behavioral health settings.
•Experience providing trauma-informed care and crisis intervention.
•Experience working with victims of crime, survivors of trauma, or individuals experiencing significant psychosocial stressors.
•Familiarity with VOCA-funded programs or other grant-funded behavioral health or victim-service programs.
•Experience working with children, adolescents, and families.
•Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
•Experience with electronic health record (EHR) systems.
•Knowledge of community resources and referral networks.

Mission Alignment
This position promotes client well-being, strengthens families, connects clients to appropriate resources, and builds positive relationships with community partners. When assigned to VOCA services, the Therapist supports victims of crime through victim-centered, trauma-informed care that promotes safety, healing, and recovery.