Bilingual (Spanish-English) Mental Health Therapist (Pediatrics)

The Department of Pediatrics is seeking a full time Bilingual (Spanish-English) Mental Health Therapist. The successful candidate will work with the Refugee Health and Asylum Collaborative (HEAL) program in the Hospitalist division to provide assessment, evaluation, and treatment of clients participating in Steps to Success - a federally funded project aimed at expanding access to mental health and other supportive services for limited English proficiency Spanish speaking youth who have experienced human trafficking. This project is coordinated through HEAL and Asylee Women Enterprise (AWE). The Mental Health Therapist will provide care for clients at community sites and Johns Hopkins (JH).

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Provides comprehensive psychological evaluation, treatment planning and implementation for limited English proficiency Spanish speaking youth ages at community sites.
• Provides direct clinical care for clients at the time of initial evaluation for diagnostic assessment, urgent and walk-in care, and triage.
• Documents of psychiatric issues and needs identified during counseling sessions.
• Establishes goals and objectives to meet the psychological needs of clients in collaboration with other members of the clinical care team and project partners.
• Conducts ongoing counseling sessions as deemed clinically appropriate.
• Trains and supports a community health worker (CHW) to provide mental health screening, referrals, interventions.
• Develops brief mental health assessments and triage algorithms to be implemented by CHW in community settings.
• Works collaboratively with, and provides leadership for, a multidisciplinary team to optimize team performance and client outcomes.
• Maintains a resource network for the purpose of referrals and consults that impact treatment progress of the client.
• Provides client education in all aspects of mental health, including how to cope with issues specific to the migration and trafficking experiences and uses of psychiatric medications.
• Collaborates with other members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team to achieve stated goals for enhanced mental health.
• Participates in relevant training, clinical supervision, conferences, and multidisciplinary client care.
• Develops and maintain a thorough knowledge Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Services for Victims of Human Trafficking Grant Program and stays informed of programmatic updates and training opportunities.
• Ensures complete, accurate, and timely documentation for each case file in accordance with grant requirements.
• Collaborates across organization programs and grant partners to ensure client and organization goals are met.
• Must be comfortable working with the participant population.
• Flexible hours required.

Additional Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Ability to use independent judgment and give exceptional attention to detail.
• Knowledge of established diagnostic criteria for substance use and psychiatric disorders.
• Ability to develop therapeutic approaches for treating clients with these mental health issues.
• Ability to develop, implement and modify a clinical intervention plan which flexibly and feasibly meets the resources of the community.
• Ability to judge when to seek supervision, experience with treatment of major mental illness including addressing suicide and/or violent behaviors.
• Good communication skills, both oral and written.
• Knowledge and understanding of federal statutes regulating confidentiality of drug and alcohol records and laws for reporting of child and elder abuse.

Minimum Qualifications

• Masters' Degree in Counseling, Psychology, Social Work or a closely related field.
• Two years professional experience (post- graduate).
• Professional licensure by the appropriate licensing board.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with chronic mental illness, alcohol/substance use disorder, migrant population, and adolescents and young adults.
• Experience/training in motivational interviewing.
• Experience with computers including word processing, databases and spreadsheets.
• Experience working with uninsured low-income immigrants with limited English proficiency.

Classified Title: Mental Health Therapist

Job Posting Title (Working Title): Bilingual (Spanish-English) Mental Health Therapist (Pediatrics)

Role/Level/Range: ACRP/04/MC

Starting Salary Range: $48,000 - $84,100 Annually ($75,000 targeted; Commensurate w/exp.)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: M-F 8:30 - 5pm

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Hybrid/School of Medicine Campus

Department name: SOM Ped EB Hospitalists

Personnel area: School of Medicine

Total Rewards

The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University's salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education/training and other qualifications. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here:

Education and Experience Equivalency

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines: JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

Applicants Completing Studies

Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

Background Checks

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEO is the Law

Accommodation Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University requires all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.