Outpatient Therapy Clinician

Location: Portland or Biddeford, Maine

At AWS, we celebrate diversity and believe it enriches our agency and the services we provide. Our team comprises individuals from diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and clinical expertise, creating a vibrant and supportive environment for everyone. We recognize that each team member brings unique value, and their experiences contribute significantly to the clinical models we offer.

New graduates are welcomed: We welcome and support new graduates as they begin their careers, providing mentorship and opportunities to learn from experienced clinicians. Our team fosters a collaborative learning environment where everyone can grow their skills and knowledge alongside their peers.

Make a Difference in Lives: Join Our Outpatient Clinician Team

Alternative Wellness Services (AWS), a Maine Best Place to Work and Inclusive Workplace, seeks passionate clinicians to join our growing team

Why AWS? Make a real difference: Provide comprehensive behavioral health and substance use treatment services to individuals of all ages, from children to geriatrics.

• We provide flexible clinical services: Enjoy a hybrid model with both telehealth and in-person sessions.
• Supportive environment: Collaborative atmosphere, paid professional development opportunities, and consistent supervision.
• AWS supports team growth: At AWS, we are committed to fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional development. We believe in empowering our team members to grow within the agency, and many of our leaders have successfully progressed their careers and even contributed to program development alongside us.

Salary Range: Full-time W2 Benefited positions average salary is $55,000 with 28 billables per week. We also offer a part time Fee for Service (FFS) position with a minimum of 10 hours per week $50 per billable hour of service.

Benefits available to the Outpatient Therapy (OPT) Clinician:

• FREE Health Insurance Option for full-time employees
• Dental and Vision insurance
• Paid holidays and generous paid time off
• Company Paid Short-term (STD), long-term disability, and life insurance
• 401k
• Mileage reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid training
• Professional development assistance

Responsibilities of the Outpatient Therapy (OPT) Clinician:

• Through individual and group counseling sessions, the clinician diagnoses and treats identified needs, ensuring an appropriate level of care based on their clinical assessment.
• Conducts comprehensive assessments of clients' functioning, which include identifying strengths and weaknesses, evaluating emotional and physical functioning, and determining substance use/mental health diagnoses and treatment needs.
• Provides strengths-based, recovery-oriented, client-centered, and trauma-informed counseling with a focus on harm reduction and understanding the stages of change.
• Develops Individual Treatment Plans (ITPs) that address key areas targeted for improvement or change including observable and measurable goals, objectives, and interventions, and are revised every 90 days.
• The clinician is responsible for completing clinical documentation and insurance authorizations within reasonable time frames:
  • Progress notes must be completed by the end of each business day.
  • Assessments are to be completed within 14 days of admission, or within two sessions, whichever comes first.
  • DEEP evaluations should be completed within 5 days following the evaluation.
  • Treatment plans need to be finalized within 21 days of admission, or within three sessions, whichever comes first.
  • WITS forms are required to be completed within 7 days of admission and again within 7 days of discharge.
  • Discharge plans must be prepared prior to client discharge. In cases where the client is not engaged, the discharge notification process should be followed, with the discharge plan completed within 7 days of the discharge date.
• Monitoring insurance authorizations and completing KEPRO submissions before the expiration of the current authorization.
• Supports the continuation and enhancement of the program's service quality through active participation with groups and individuals (both internal and external) associated with the program's work.
• Participates in meetings related to program implementation and sustainability, including conferences, phone conferences, and webinars with entities governing and auditing the program's work.
• Attends meetings and case presentations with medical/psychiatric care partners and other collaborators.
• Consults with the supervisor to explore options for delivering a quality wellness/health management curriculum.
• Demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement by:
  • Actively participating in supervision sessions with the direct supervisor.
  • Achieving personal and professional goals as set and negotiated annually.
• Supports the accomplishment of departmental performance measures under RBA (Results-Based Accountability) by:
  • Clearly understanding who your clients are.
  • Aligning work to support the adopted standards and ensuring that your actions positively impact your identified clients.
  • Collecting data to support performance measures.
  • Making data-informed recommendations to enhance client satisfaction.
• Developing and effectively maintaining relationships with both internal staff and external community members.
• Ensures personal safety by identifying hazards in the working environment, utilizing and advocating for the use of proper ergonomic methods, complying with and enforcing adherence to agency safety policies and procedures, reporting potential hazards, and promptly reporting work-related injuries.
• Enhances the Agency's culture by actively supporting its mission and embodying its core values in daily activities and interactions.
• Fosters a collaborative work environment with co-workers within the department and throughout the agency by:
  • Upholding a positive, solution-focused attitude, actively listening, acknowledging the diverse demands faced by others, and striving for the most beneficial solutions for the agency.

Requirements of the Outpatient Therapy (OPT) Clinician:

• Masters in social work or counseling required.
• Clinical Conditional (LMSW-CC or LCPC-C) required.
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor preferred.
• Ability to pass comprehensive background check, and a current, valid Maine Driver's License (within 30 days of hire if applicant is from out-of-state) and record acceptable to AWS and the Agency's auto insurance carrier.
• Current proof of personal auto insurance.
• Minimum of 1 year’s experience with integrated healthcare and substance use treatment preferred.
• Proficient in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Zoom, EHR software, and other agency utilized computer programs.

Qualifications of the Outpatient Therapy (OPT) Clinician:

• Ability to maintain a flexible work schedule in accordance with employee, client, and programmatic needs.
• Possesses strong and diverse clinical knowledge, including fluency in recovery-oriented services, trauma informed care, motivational interviewing, and the treatment of co-occurring disorders, along with a solid understanding of the principles of harm reduction.
• Demonstrated experience in developing successful relationships with key work partners.