As a recognized leader in our field, The Guidance Center provides a broad range of services that have helped children, adults and families unlock potential and build better lives since 1958. With 25 programs we offer treatment, prevention, growth and education services to more than 15,000 people annually. Together we: Nurture development. Foster resilience. Cultivate well-being.  

We have an exciting opportunity for an Early Childhood Outpatient Therapist to join our Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health team of talented professionals.  

We have a market-based compensation structure. The estimated salary for this position will vary based on a candidate's transferable work experience and qualifications. Salary ranges start at $52,026.00 per year. The range provided is just one component of total compensation including a comprehensive benefit package of affordable medical plans, employer paid dental, vision and long-term disability, 401(K), flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent, paid time off, 11 paid holidays.

The Early Childhood Mental Health Therapist is responsible for providing outpatient services to children 4 to 6 years old and their caregivers who meet criteria for the program. The therapist will provide a variety of services including developmental screening and assessment, developmental guidance, relationship focused child-parent therapy, play therapy, and linking and coordinating of community resources and services. 

Other responsibilities include: 

• Develop therapeutic relationships with caregivers and their young children.
• Assess the needs of young children (primarily 4-6 years) and their caregivers.
•  Monitor child development using developmental assessments.
• Provide relationship focused child-parent therapy and play therapy.
• Crisis intervention; including crisis phone contacts.
• Provide parents with education and resources pertaining to child and family development.
• Coordinate services with other professionals involved with the family.
• Advocate on behalf of young children and their families to help meet their needs.
• Assist families in scheduling evaluations as needed.
• Help identify and eliminate barriers to services.
• Assess client satisfaction with interventions.
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with people and organizations in the community.
• Make referrals to Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services as needed.
• Participate in reflective supervision, team meetings, reflective case consultations and trainings.
• Complete clinical documentation in a timely manner consistent with policies and procedures of The Guidance Center.
• Develop, maintain, and review complete case records.
• Follow a professional code of ethics.
• Represent The Guidance Center in the community.
• Abide by the spirit and letter of the policies and procedures of The Guidance Center.
• Achieve productivity goals.
• Maintain expected caseload.
• Must provide evidence of 25 hours of program and/or position specific training on an annual basis to obtain and maintain CMHP and QEIP Credentialing. 
• Other duties as assigned.

To qualify for this position, you will need the following: 

• Candidates must have a Masters in Social Work, Psychology, or mental health related field from an accredited program and the corresponding State of Michigan Licensure (LLMSW, LMSW, TLLP, LP, LLPC, LPC). Candidates without a state license can be considered but must obtain state licensure (LLMSW, TLLP, LLPC, LMSW, LLP, and LPC) within a 60-day training period beginning on the date of hire, this period may be extended by up to an additional 60-days of training at the sole discretion of the employer. Failure to obtain licensure within the training period will result in the employee being unqualified to perform the job functions. Beyond the training period, all state licensure must continually remain active, in effect, and free from disciplinary action.  
• Candidates will meet criteria for Child Mental Health Professional credential within 120 days of hire. 
• Must have one year of supervised experience in the examination, evaluation, and treatment of very young children and their families. Candidates should be working toward a MI-AIMH Endorsement, which can be earned during the first two years of employment.
• Additional requirements include: knowledge of child development, a non-judgmental approach that reflects cultural sensitivity to the unique and diverse experiences of families served, the ability to assess and intervene within complex family and community systems, and a willingness to be flexible, patient and creative. 
• Must demonstrate competencies in the following areas: observation of parent/child interaction, developmental screening and assessment, birth to 5 child development, diagnostic skills, treatment planning, knowledge of Infant Mental Health theory, play therapy, understanding of the parallel process in therapeutic work, and collaboration with internal and external providers.
• Candidates must have a valid driver’s license and appropriate driving record. Hours are based on client availability between 8:30am-7:00pm. Evening hours required to accommodate client work schedules, totaling 37.5 hours/week.

The Guidance believes that our team members are our most valuable resources, and we invest in them accordingly. We offer our employees a competitive salary, flexible scheduling opportunities, a team-oriented work environment and much more!

The Guidance Center is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming place for everyone. Creating a culture in which we embrace diversity, equity and inclusion and strive to dismantle oppression is critical to our mission to: Nurture development. Foster resilience. Cultivate well-being.