Therapeutic Mentor

This is a responsible, professional part-time position within the Children's Services program. The Therapeutic Mentor's role is to provide structured, on-on-one interventions to a youth 5-12 years of age and his/her family that are designed to restore age-appropriate daily living, social, and communication skills that have been affected by a mental health condition. The Therapeutic Mentor works closely with the individual's treatment team in development and provision of skills training opportunities towards meeting identified goals. Therapeutic mentoring interventions may take place in a variety of settings to include home, school, or other community settings and are designed to help ensure the youth's success in navigating various social contexts, learning new skills, and making functional progress.

Therapeutic Mentoring Services include the following:

• Providing guidance to the recipient and family in implementing the treatment plan;
• Providing skills training for recipient and family in support of the treatment plan goals; and
• Monitoring the recipient's and family's progress on achieving treatment plan goals and communicating regularly with the clinician so that the treatment plan can be modified and necessary.

Key service functions include, as appropriate, but are not limited to education about the following:

• Supporting, coaching, and training the recipient in age appropriate behaviors;
• Problem-solving and conflict resolution;
• Linkages to recreational and social activities

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

• Establish a therapeutic relationship with the youth and family, coaching and supporting the youth's acquisition of skills
• Develop and supervise skills training opportunities designed to address one or more treatment goals on the youth's individualized treatment plan to meet daily living, social, and communication needs..
• Support, coach and train youth in age-appropriate behaviors, problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills, relating appropriate to others in various contexts.
• Provide linkages to recreational and social activities within the community. These linkages may include but are not limited to: Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, town recreational programs, faith communities, after-school programs, health and wellness programs, job-training, and tutoring.
• Teach skills through "structured, one-to-one support services" (across life domains and settings) in order for youth to remain at home, prevent out-of-home placement, or to transition "home," to include teaching alternative strategies, providing skills for anticipatory guidance, role plays, and behavior rehearsals.
• Monitoring the recipient's and family's progress on achieving treatment plan goals and communicating regularly with the clinician so that the treatment plan can be modified and necessary.
• Build collaborative partnerships with others demonstrating a non-adversarial advocacy approach.
• Participate as needed in team meetings.
• Ability to model a strength-based approach and utilize collaborative problem-solving techniques with others.
• Utilize youth's strengths and resiliency traits in problem solving and brainstorming solutions.
• Documentation in the child/recipient consumer's record for each session, service, or activity for which Medicaid reimbursement is requested must comply with any applicable certification or licensure standards
• The Therapeutic Mentor supports, coaches, and trains the recipient in connecting with existing treatment providers and in linking with new or additional resources.
• The Therapeutic Mentor participates in all treatment planning and service planning from schools or state agencies.
• The Therapeutic Mentor has at least one contact per week with the team, and more if needed, with the recipient's ICC provider to provide updates on progress toward goals on the identified treatment plan or ICP (individualized care plan)
• The Therapeutic Mentoring provider ensures that all services are provided in a professional manner, ensuring privacy, safety, and respecting the recipient and family's dignity and right to choose.
• The Therapeutic Mentor is familiar with the child's/recipient's risk management and safety plan to address crises that may occur during therapeutic mentoring sessions without exclusively relying on law enforcement or psychiatric hospitalizations.
• The Therapeutic Mentor provider, in cooperation with the treatment team, writes a discharge plan that includes documentation of ongoing strategies, supports, and resources to assist the recipient and family in maintaining gains. With consent, the discharge plan is given to the recipient and/or parent/guardian/caregiver and the existing behavioral health provider(s) within five (5) business days of the last date of service.

REQUIREMENTS:

Must be able to establish a therapeutic relationship with the youth to build skills, knowledge and confidence related to the youth's goals.

Must be able to demonstrate active listening skills, empathetic responses and validate the youth's experience.

Must be able to use person-first and strength-based language in every interaction with the youth and parent/primary caregiver.

Ability to operate a motor vehicle, with a driver's license valid in Alabama and a good driving record.

Knowledge of the use and side effects of psychotropic medication.

Knowledge of the legal and ethical issues relative to confidentiality of client records.

Ability and willingness to document activities and maintain records in a timely manner in accordance with agency, Alabama Department of Mental Health, and Medicaid standards.

Ability and willingness to provide mental health services in non-traditional settings.

Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.

Ability and willingness to build collaborative professional relationships with youth, youth's family, members of the youth's treatment team, and community partners so as to enhance non-adversarial advocacy

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum of high school diploma or GED equivalent. Some experience preferred.

Preference for an individual with a bachelor's degree in Psychology, Social Work, or Human/Behavioral Sciences-related field from an accredited university.

Must meet requirements for Approved Medicaid Provider status.

Must hold a valid driver's license and maintain a driving record that is acceptable to the Carastar's insurance carrier.

Must maintain at least liability coverage on personal vehicles.

Must complete a training course upon employment and annually thereafter, provided either by the provider or by an outside source according to certification standards, that minimally includes the following:

• Overview of the clinical and psychosocial needs of youth and families being served
• Systems of Care principles and philosophy
• Principles of Rehabilitation and Recovery
• Role within a Care Planning Team
• Ethnic, cultural, and linguistic considerations of the community
• Community resources and services
• Family-centered practice
• Family Systems
• Behavior management coaching
• Social skills training
• Psychotropic medications and possible side effects
• Risk management/safety planning
• Family driven crisis planning/management
• Introduction to child-serving systems and processes
• Basic IEP and special education information
• Child/adolescent development including sexuality
• Conflict resolution
• Childhood trauma