Purpose:

To provide initial assessments and ongoing therapeutic services to children, adolescents, and families. Provide crisis interventions as needed during the course of treatment or assisting Access and Community Response Team. Assess for medical necessity of services and determine level of care needs. Refer to other supportive services as needed or requested by family.

Accountabilities:

1. Will provide outreach to families referred for PACES services and complete initial assessments in office or other community locations.

2. Will provide specialized therapeutic interventions and assessments as appropriate to client need.

3. Will maintain caseload of clients/consumers in need of treatment.

4. Familiarizes client/consumer with community resources for educational, cultural, recreational and social activities.

5. Will maintain appropriate and timely clinical documentation on all clients served.

6. Attends weekly individual supervision and team meeting as designated by manager and/or senior director.

7. Works with other staff to provide increased support to clients at risk of hospitalization or out of home placement.

8. Completes clinical assessments to determine the necessity of higher levels of care using the Kansas screening process and facilitates admissions to higher levels of care, when deemed necessary.

9. Identifies strengths and needs of client/consumer and families and acts to involve them in planning for desired services.

10. Works with internal and external service providers including school personnel to secure adequate services, resource acquisition and resource coordination as needed.

11. Complies with all relevant Center policies and procedures.

12. Provides liaison duties to community agencies as assigned or designated by manager.

13. Coordinates care as appropriate and maintain an excellent working relationship with community partners, including but not limited to local school districts.

14. Participate in advocacy, outreach, and training opportunities within the communities that PACES serves as assigned or designated by the manager of the program.

15. Will maintain training and licensure necessary to complete job functions.

16. Complies with all relevant Agency Policies and Procedures.

17. Performs other duties as deemed appropriate by immediate supervisor or designee.

Education: Master’s degree and current licensure in Kansas as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (LPC, LCPC, LMFT, LCMFT, LMSW, LSCSW, LMLP, LCP). Must be Eligible for Medicaid reimbursement.

Experience: Experience treating trauma, sexual abuse, and behavioral disorders in children. Demonstrated experience with mental health theory and practice. Experience in diagnosis for children and adolescents.

Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of trends and issues, laws and regulations related to the development and delivery of therapeutic services.
• Exceptional verbal and written communications skills, including the ability to write and speak concisely, succinctly, and accurately in a style appropriate to the audience.
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills and communicate directly and effectively in a cooperative manner with colleagues and representatives of other agencies.
• Must have the ability exercise excellent judgment and discretion as appropriate.
• Must have excellent organizational skills, be detail-oriented, able to effectively multi-task.
• Demonstrated or proven ability to apply evidence-based practices in treatment.
• Flexible and adaptable as demands and focus shift.
• Exceptional rapport building skills with persons in crisis.
• Strong decision-making skills in fast-paced environment.
• Creative, innovative, and solutions-focused approach to work functions.
• Bilingual and bi-cultural preferred.
• Ability to work with some flexibility in work hours, including evenings as needed, as assigned by manager.
• Ability to comply with all relevant Center policies and procedures.
• Ability to recognize and be sensitive to cultural and ethnic differences.
• Must be able to safely perform essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodations.
• Clearance through the Kansas Child Abuse/Neglect Register, Adult Abuse Registry and criminal background check through Validity Screening Solutions and Medicaid/Medicare reimbursable inquires.

Location/Travel/Work Conditions and Considerations:

This position is office & community based at PACES with frequent travel into the community. At minimum of 50% of the time is spent in the community, including meeting with clients in their home environment and transporting consumers in personal vehicles. Occasional work from home for weather and as approved by direct supervisor.