Senior Mental Health Therapist

Title: Senior Mental Health Therapist (LCSW, LMHC or LCAT)

Reports to: Clinical Team Lead

Location: Campus

Department: The Pines

FLSA: Exempt

Organization Summary

Shrub Oak International School (SOIS) is a private, special education boarding and day school preparing students on the Autism Spectrum to lead more independent and meaningful lives. We serve the sophisticated needs of a domestic and international co-ed population. Our innovative relationship-based model grounded in evidence-based principles builds on students' strengths and interests, maximizing therapeutic and learning opportunities. Our renowned experts work with students to individualize life and development paths based on each student’s specific needs and interests. Each student’s team of clinicians, teachers, and campus- life staff collaborate closely to address the student’s issues quickly and reinforce therapies and learning paths, so that the student progresses more rapidly. Our modern, technology-infused facility is set on 127 acres of agriculture and farmland where students learn in a natural environment full of sensory experiences.

The Pines at Shrub Oak is a 24-bed, coeducational, interim residential placement for students on the autism spectrum who may need significant psychiatric support and stabilization before transitioning to a less restrictive environment. Students at the Pines receive psychiatric services in addition to the academic and life skills instruction in a safe, supportive environment with a 2:1 student to staff ratio.

Position Summary

The Senior Mental Health Therapist is a licensed professional who will provide expertise in behavioral science and mental health related services, serving as an integral part of The Pines interdisciplinary team. The therapist will be the primary mental health provider for an assigned cohort of students and will be responsible for providing individual, group, and family therapy. The Pines will operate within a DBT framework, and the therapist will be comprehensively trained in DBT and will be directly involved with the implementation and utilization of DBT as a core component of treatment. The therapist will work closely with students, family members, and external parties to ensure comprehensive therapeutic care, and to support thorough transition and future planning. The therapist will also provide expertise by conducting behavioral assessments within their purview, consulting, counseling and supporting crises as needed, as well as designing and developing treatment plans and interventions that meet the individualized needs of students. The therapist will also work some evening and weekend hours on a rotating basis, and will be part of a rotating clinical on-call system. Having access to confidential information, discretion and independent judgement is required.

Essential Functions – Primary Responsibilities of the Position

• Conducts comprehensive assessments and reassessments of a student's behavioral and emotional needs within the approved parameters of their expertise
• Provides therapy & counseling to individuals, families and groups using DBT as well as other evidence-based modalities as required, monitoring student progress
• Provides crisis management and/or classroom push in/pull out support as necessary
• Works evening and weekend shifts on a rotating basis to support extended clinical coverage throughout The Pines program
• Provides clinical on-call support as part of a rotating on-call schedule
• Utilizes a variety of treatment approaches, including milieu approaches, that are safe, creative and individualized to a particular student's needs
• Functions as a member of an interdisciplinary team to support the comprehensive treatment of students in The Pines
• Is a member of The Pines DBT consultation team
• Engages students and families in treatment planning to set achievable and measurable goals and supports the identification and execution of interventions designed to support the attainment of those goals
• Completes accurate and timely clinical documentation around treatment planning, progress noting, IEP, and others as required
• Develops and implements behavior support plans (BIP, ISP, others) and trains staff in support of the plan to improve behavioral outcomes for our students
• Collaborates with students, families, and external providers to support transition and future planning
• Performs any other responsibilities as needed and required
• Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for the job.

Minimum Experience & Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work (Clinical), Mental Health Counseling, Art Therapy, or PhD or PsyD in Clinical Psychology or related field is required
• One of the following New York State Licenses, in good, professional standing: LCSW, PsyD, LMHC or LCAT
• At least 3-5 years’ experience in a behavioral health, residential, or educational setting conducting mental health/behavioral assessments, evaluations, and interventions
• Experience working with students on the autism spectrum or with developmental disabilities strongly preferred
• DBT experience strongly preferred

Competencies

• Competency in utilization of evidence-based clinical modalities including but not limited to DBT, CBT, TF-CBT, MI, and others.
• Exceptional communication (oral and written) and active listening skills to appropriately understand and meet student needs, as well as to interact with faculty, staff, families, and all external constituencies
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with a demonstrated ability to understand, problem solve, and make sound determinations/decisions in situations with complex facts and data
• Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic environment with multiple stakeholders while being sensitive and responsive to the diverse needs of students, families, faculty, and staff, with a high degree of cultural competency and collegiality
• Ability to effectively and proactively interact with a wide variety of individuals in a manner that values diversity, and positively portrays our programs, personnel, and philosophies
• Ability to multitask and make sound and appropriate decisions under pressure, where situations/circumstances are continually evolving
• Ability to work as a team player and cross-functionally with other disciplines and programs within Shrub Oak
• Computer proficiency and a working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and other software

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: Full-time week-day position; rotating on call responsibility and evening/ weekend shifts.

Pay: $90,000/yr + Competitive Benefits

Supervisory Responsibility: No

Nature and scope of independent decisions made in this position:

Must be able to think analytically, critically, assessing a variety of information to make complex judgements on student situations, outcomes, Shrub Oak policies and protocol.

Work Environment

Participate and work in all areas of the campus, indoors and outdoors.

Physical Demands

Work regularly requires sustained concentration. Sitting at a desk, walking up and down stairs (program has 3 floors), around a hilly campus as needed, may also require walking between floors or between buildings at a moment’s notice.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a 12-month Full-time position (traditional 40-hour work week). Your manager will discuss the particular shift hours, which could be day, evening and/or weekends. Demands of the job may require working outside these hours and on weekends as needed and required.

EEO Statement

Shrub Oak International School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to apply for a job or to perform the essential functions of their job. Please advise us if you require a reasonable accommodation.

Shrub Oak International School maintains a smoke-free environment to ensure the health and safety of our students, employees and community. Smoking or vaping of any kind is strictly prohibited indoors, outdoors, and during off-campus activities, with enforcement measures in place including smoke/vape detectors. Non-compliance will result in disciplinary action disciplinary action including termination.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.