QMHP Therapist

The Safer Foundation is a social service provider to individuals with arrest and conviction records. Through a full range of services, including case management, educational instruction and advocacy, we focus on preparing individuals for the world of work by helping them find and keep productive and meaningful employment

General Summary:
Under the supervision of the Clinical Services Supervisor, the QMHP Therapist will function as a member of a multi-disciplinary re-entry team. This position will require an individual to provide a range of professional behavioral health services to individuals impacted by severe mental illness, mental health, and substance use conditions. This role is responsible for all aspects of providing immediate crisis support, supporting mental health and substance use disorder evaluations, establishing referrals for the appropriate behavioral health level of care, monitoring client progress, and ensuring continuity of care is not compromised. The QMHP Therapist will provide a range of clinical assessments, interventions, and engage in internal and external staffings. The QMHP Therapist will be provided with extensive training to assess using IM+CANS to provide clinical recommendations to improve quality of life for returning residents.

Satisfactorily pass all relevant screening and criminal background checks.

Performance Results Description

The Position is properly performed when all essential duties and responsibilities are executed by following the Safer Values.

Exceeding Expectations, Communication and Collaboration, Integrity, and Evidence-Based Innovation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Stakeholder Interface and Service
• Maintain a caseload established by the clinical supervisor to provide clinical screening, assessment, and clinical case management.
• Using Salesforce, CareLogic, and/or other database(s), register clients into the system.
• Complete an initial screening to identify/address immediate and short-term needs.
• For all referrals, conduct initial screenings/assessments to determine immediate and short-term needs, taking into consideration desired services, geography, client choice, insurance status, justice supervision status, and other considerations.
• Develop short-term and long-term recommendations/service plans.
• Provide crisis intervention, short-term counseling support, and ongoing clinical case management as needed.
• Follow up on progress of initial service recommendations, adjusting when appropriate, as immediate needs are met; transition the client for ongoing case management with internal or external providers depending on the client’s needs and engagement in services.
• Communicate with the clinical supervisor and/or cross-functional staffing regarding client progress and/or identifying needs to be addressed.
• Facilitate psychosocial education in our Adult Transition Centers.

Stakeholder Outreach and Recruitment
• Under the direction of the clinical supervisor, seek out, research, negotiate, and establish new relationships with other behavioral health agencies that welcome and are responsive to the needs of the justice-impacted population.

• Coordinate and conduct integrated staffings with internal programmatic staff and external providers with external partners while obtaining the necessary consents and maintaining confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and when applicable, 42 CFR Part 2 or other relevant confidentially laws.

Tracking, Document, and Reporting
• As clients stabilize, refer necessary internal and external providers following up on client progress and maintaining documentation in Salesforce.
• Ensure warm handoffs are made and activity is up to date in Carelogic and Salesforce for other staff involved.
• Maintain compliance with HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, and other privacy and confidentiality laws and regulations with respect to clients protected information.
• Attend multi-disciplinary staffings to discuss collective individuals on the team’s collective caseload.
• Referrals are made and follow-up with appointment dates and kept appointments.
• All contractual requirements are completed accurately, completely and on time.
• All Safer standards are adhered to, including productivity standards.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Knowledge of mental health counseling, individual, group therapy, and
psychoeducational treatments.
• Knowledge of IM+CANS assessments and interpretation of such assessments.
• Knowledge of completing ASAM bio-psycho-social assessments and interpretation of
such assessments.
• Knowledge of crisis evaluation and intervention.
• Knowledge of treatment plan development and implementation in accordance with IL Medicaid
Rule 132 and SUPR 2060.
• Knowledge of human, emotional, social, psychological, and environmental challenges,
and interventions to alleviate
• Knowledge of the techniques for observing and assessing behavior
• Knowledge of the basic mental health professional discipline, principles, and practice
• Knowledge of the characteristics and aspects of mental and emotional disturbances and developmental disabilities.
• Ability to work with other professional disciplines and ability to make independent clinical judgements.
• Ability to communicate effectively with others, including the ability to organize, evaluate and present information verbally and in writing and to speak before groups.
• Ability to develop a therapeutic relationship with patients.
• Familiarity with Medicaid Rule 132 and SUPR Rule 2060
• Knowledge of common concepts, theories, issues and best practices concerning Chicago neighborhood trends, individuals impacted by the justice system, and community re-entry.
• Hands-on experience and self-sufficiency with Microsoft productivity tools, including Outlook (for email), Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), and online collaboration tools (video conferencing, Zoom/Teams, messaging).
• Ability to troubleshoot and problem-solve.
• Ability to represent Safer Foundation in a professional manner while also being able to develop a rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds.
• Skilled in active listening and conveying information to others effectively.
• Skilled in critical thinking, judgment, and decision-making.
• Data entry skills.
• Knowledgeable about Medicaid in Illinois as well as other public benefits.
• Knowledgeable about resources in the community for formerly incarcerated individuals.
• Knowledgeable about the Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) website and Manage My Case function.
• Skilled in Critical Thinking, judgment, and decision-making.
• Skilled in de-escalation techniques and conflict resolution.

Education and Experience:
• Master’s degree in social work, counseling, or another human service-related field required.
• Must be a qualified mental health professional; licensed eligible (LPC/LSW) preferred.
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience providing direct clinical services required.
• A minimum of 1-2 years providing crisis intervention services preferred.
• At least 2 years of experience working as a case manager in a social service setting.
• Must have an understanding of utilizing DSM-5 criteria for diagnosing mental health and substance use conditions.
• Individuals with lived experience are highly desirable.
• Experience working with individuals impacted by the justice system preferred.
• Experience in referring clients to a network of community-based providers and resources.
• Experience in the field of substance use/mental health or care coordination.
• Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics and societal trends and influences.
• Proficient in utilizing multiple internet-based platforms preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office programs preferred (Microsoft Word, Teams, Excel, etc.).
• Proficient in completing clinical documentation in accordance with IL Rule 132 and SUPR 2060 compliance standards preferred.
• Knows how to leverage the internet and computer applications to obtain information.
• In-depth practical knowledge of HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2.

Licenses and/or Certifications:
• Certification as a CADC is preferred but not required.
• Licensed as an LPC/LSW is a plus.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship. Safer Pathways is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas, including H-1B, TN, E-3, or other employment-based visas.

Additional Information:
Safer Pathways Center is committed to fair chance employment and to considering applicants based on their qualifications and ability to perform the role. Certain positions, however, are subject to mandatory screening and eligibility requirements under state or federal law that may affect an individual’s eligibility for a particular role. Criminal history or other information identified through a required background screening does not automatically
disqualify an applicant from employment. Applicants will be informed of applicable screening requirements and will have an opportunity to review and address potentially disqualifying information before a final employment decision is made, consistent with applicable law.

Work Location & Residency Requirement: This is a hybrid position based out of our Chicago office, with a required in-office schedule. Employees in this role must live in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, or Michigan at the time of hire and keep their residency in one of these states throughout employment. Employees must also be able to report to the [office] location on all required in-office days. Safer Foundation is not set up to employ staff in other states, so we cannot consider candidates who live outside these four states.

Safer Foundation is a drug-free workplace

Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action/Minorities/Females/Veterans 

www.saferfoundation.org

No Phone Calls Please