Employee Work Profile and Job Description

Position Title: Clinician

Full Time: Yes

Reports to: Program Manager

Direct Reports: None

Department/Program: Women's Residential

Location: Wilmington, DE

Description of Position

The Clinician is a behavioral health professional who provides clinical expertise to Connections’ multidisciplinary treatment teams responsible for the delivery of effective treatment services to the clients served under the supervision of clinical supervisor. The BHC is an effective clinician with experience in providing a variety of clinical services to persons with psychiatric and substance use disorders (PD & SUD), including the development of comprehensive assessments and treatment plans, delivery of a wide range of clinical and supportive services, and working collaboratively with the treatment team and other service providers. The BHC utilizes evidenced-based practices, including Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Trauma-Informed Care, Relapse Prevention, Self-help, and medication assisted treatment, to effectively intervene and support wellness and recovery with clients experiencing behavioral health issues.

This position is equivalent to a Counselor II per Delaware Title 16 Health and Social Services Delaware Administrative Code State Regulation: 6001 §6.1.5.1,

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Behavior Health, Psychology, Human Services, or related field with at least three (3) years of supervised work experience in the substance abuse treatment field, OR
• Working toward full certification in addictions counseling or co-occurring counseling by the Delaware Certification Board or a nationally recognized certification organization, OR
• A Master’s degree student completing a practicum or experience in a license-eligible course of study.

Professional Credentials/Certifications

• N/A

Position Requirements

• Must receive and maintain a satisfactory child abuse and criminal background investigation report.
• CPR and First Aid Certification

Responsibilities

• Provides integrated PD and SUD services to identified clients including creating, coordinating, and monitoring recovery plan and services provided by treatment team with a focus on goals determined by the individual being served.
• Provides individual, couple, family; and group therapy under the supervision of a clinical supervisor and coordinates services related to education, employment, housing, behavioral health, medical, and financial needs.
• Delivers effective wellness and recovery services in accordance with policies and procedures; state and federal regulations; and extant professional, ethical, and legal principles
• Utilizes motivational enhancement (e.g., developing discrepancies, psycho-education) to improve treatment engagement and participation.
• Uses evidence-based practices, including trauma-informed care, motivational enhancement therapy, relapse prevention, and medication assisted treatment
• Uses a stage-wise treatment model that is non-confrontational and considers interactions between psychiatric and substance abuse disorders.
• Follows a harm reduction model, including individual and/or group interventions focused on developing motivation for improving wellness and support recovery; developing skills to minimize problematic behavior; and recognizing the negative consequences of substance use and other problematic behavior.
• Provides ongoing assessment (e.g., stage of readiness to change, individual-determined problem identification).
• Maintains an effective therapeutic alliance with clients.
• Maintains the electronic clinical record for assigned clients to include the following:

written comprehensive assessments, using the forms approved by the agency, and completed within assigned time frame;

preparation and presentation of treatment plans, including each family’s goals, within assigned time frame;

documentation of services and response to treatment to include timely completion of progress notes and summaries; and

documentation required for billing to third parties.

• Participates in recovery team conferencing to create and implement recovery plans for clients.
• Refers and links clients to needed services both internal and external to Connections.
• Follows up to see that referrals to other services are received.
• Coordinates the provision of medical, psychiatric, and substance abuse services.
• Works with community agencies to develop needed resources.
• Provides support and consultation to client’s family and natural supports.
• Documents and keeps staff informed of all changes in the client’s mental or social status.
• Provides education and works as an advocate for clients in the community.
• Performs other duties as requested or assigned, verbally or in writing.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Problem Solving: Ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem
• Inductive Reasoning: Keenly observes and gets to know clients, anticipates how client may react
• Written Communication: Content expert at documentation, notes are professional, descriptive, free of grammatical errors
• Oral Communication: Ability to relate and convey concise directions to clients and all who are part of Connections team. Ability to advocate for client with professionalism and compassion when talking with external support members
• Quality Control: Demonstrate accuracy and thoroughness with understanding of clinical documentation and the requirements for state standards and expectations. As well as details related to appointments, deadlines, goals, and client needs
• Adaptability: Adapt to changes in the work environment, manage competing demands and demonstrate ability to deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected events and ability to work under emergency condition.
• Stress Tolerance: Recognize crisis situations and react to such in a calm, mature manner; accept criticism and deal calmly and effectively with high stress situations; and the ability to identify, react to, and report security concerns
• Team player: Cares more about helping a group or team to succeed than about his or her individual success
• Ethical Decision Making: Ability make sound judgments professional judgments consistent with the Connection’s Code of Ethics
• Interpersonal Sensitivity: Demonstrates the ability to listen to and understand feelings of others. Works with others well, in an effective way, and establishes and maintains relationships

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Intermittent standing, sitting, walking, light lifting, and excessive driving

This job description is not designed to over or contain a comprehensive list of activities or responsibilities that are required of the employee, and may be site-specific. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.