Primary Therapist

Job Summary:


The Primary Therapist is to provide individual and group therapy sessions for the organization's clients. The Primary Therapist will guide and direct clients during sessions and prepare group notes, support clinical necessity and progress toward treatment plan goals. Maintains open communication lines with facility staff, attending clinicians and physicians, patients and families.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Completes psychosocial intake on clients within appropriate timeframe.
• Conducts Suicide Screening and Assessments.
• Completes the master treatment plan within appropriate timeframe.
• Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making change
• Collaborate with other staff members to perform clinical assessments or develop treatment plans.
• De-escalates AMA and other patient problems.
• Documents all activities in the patient medical record and files all notes in the charts on a daily basis for UR purposes.
• Counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting clients or patients
• Attends daily staff meetings to enhance communication with clinical staff regarding program and patient issues.
• Participate in required staff training (minimum 20 hours).
• Complete all assigned paperwork in an accurate and timely manner.
• Communicate with other staff as necessary to promote quality patient care.
• Participate in maintaining clean, properly supplied and efficient work areas.
• Observe and report safety, maintenance problems.
• Interact appropriately with patients, showing them respect while maintaining boundaries.
• Maintain professional demeanor at all times.
• Exercise sound professional judgment and seek assistance as necessary to effectively manage patient behavior.
• Protect the privacy of all patient information in accordance with privacy policies, procedures and practices, as required by federal and state law, and in accordance with general principle of professionalism as a health care provider. Failure to comply with policies and procedures on patient privacy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
• May access protected health information (PHI) and other patent information only to the extent that is necessary to complete your job duties. The incumbent may only share such information with those who have a need to know specific patient information you have in your possession to complete their job responsibilities related to treatment, payment or other operations.
• Expected to report, without the threat of retaliation, any concerns regarding policies and procedures on patient privacy and any observed practices in violation of the policy to their supervisor.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Knowledge of addictions and mental health complications.
• Familiarity of community health resources that support life improvement in physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health, economic security, employment, positive social and family interdependence and positive cultural identity including:
  
• Experience utilizing DSM-5
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Knowledge of referral procedures and admittance criteria for health care and community providers.
• Ability to network and collaborate with healthcare and other social and cultural agencies that can provide services to patients and families.
• Expertise in problem solving, stress management, ethics and team building.
• Knowledge of alcohol and other drugs that includes:
  
  • Alcohol and addictive drugs and their physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual impact on the individual.
  • Alcohol and addictive drugs and their impact on the family.
• Ability to determine if a medical emergency exists and to take appropriate action, when necessary.
• Comprehension of emergency procedures used in case of alcohol and/or drug overdose.
• Perceptive of the stages of alcohol and other drug withdrawals and ability to take appropriate action at each stage.
• Knowledge of Federal, State and Municipal laws and/or regulations that regulate the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction, including:
  
  • Confidentiality
  • Patient Rights
  • Professional Code of Ethics
  • Discrimination
• Flexibility to adapt to schedule changes and assumption of responsibilities not delineated in the job description which are related to work as a member of an addiction treatment team
• Staff who assess individuals with substance abuse, dependence, and other addictive behaviors and who plan services for and deliver services to these individuals have the knowledge and skills to do the following:
  
  • Establish rapport, systematically gather data, determine the readiness of the individual for treatment and change, and apply accepted criteria for diagnosis of substance use disorders (If applicable)
  • Screen for psychoactive substance toxicity, intoxication, and withdrawal symptoms (If applicable)
  • Screen for danger to self or others(If applicable)
  • Screen for co-occurring mental health issues (If applicable)
  • Analyze and interpret data to determine treatment recommendations and priorities (If applicable)
  • With the individual served, formulate mutually agreed-upon, measurable treatment goals and objectives (If applicable)
  • Demonstrate adherence to accepted ethical and behavioral standards of conduct (If applicable)
  • Participate in continuing professional development (If applicable)

• A minimum of 2-years treating substance use and or mental health disorders
• 2+ years utilizing EMR software, KIPU (preferred)
• Experience treating mental health disorders or related work experience (highly desired).
• Required Independent Licensure (State Dependent):
  LMHC, LCMHC. LPC, LMFT, LCSW, LICSW
• Highly desired but not required (State Dependent):
  Addiction's Certifications:
  MCAP, CAP, CAC, LCADC, CADC, CAC, CAP, LADC, NCAC, MAC, LCAS, CSAC.