Therapist, MST

Position Summary The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay brings help, hope and healing to people facing serious life challenges or trauma resulting from sexual assault or abuse, domestic violence, financial distress, substance abuse, medical emergency, suicidal thoughts, emotional or situational problems. The MST Therapist provides full-time, therapeutic services according to the MST model, conducts psychosocial functioning assessments, and participates in MST team meetings. The MST Therapist reports to the MST Program Manager, and in their absence, the Clinical Director.

Strategic/Transformational Duties and Responsibilities

• Responds to clients using agency, contract and program policies and procedures.
• Advocates for services and resources for families.
• Conduct or participate in provider meetings to maintain positive relationships with community service providers.
• Assist and participate in research activities required for grant sourcing and proposals.
• Involves staff and other stakeholders in the performance quality improvement (PQI) process and uses data to improve services and outcomes.

Transactional Duties and Responsibilities

• Complete all MST training, supervision, consultation, and MST Therapist development activities.
• Conduct MST assessment including review of referral information, identifying, and engaging key participants, identifying systemic strengths and weaknesses, and developing an analysis of the fit of problem behaviors within the ecological context.
• Engage primary caregivers and other key participants in active change-oriented treatment by identifying and overcoming barriers to engagement.
• Implement a problem conceptualization, treatment planning, intervention implementation, outcomes review and strategy revision procedure using the MST Analytic Process.
• Provide strengths-focused, client centered, individualized therapeutic services to participants and their families that is compatible with MST principles and practices.
• Provide psychoeducation related to behavioral health and related impacts on individual and family functioning.
• Provide direct clinical treatment using methods compatible with MST principles and practices.
• Implement interventions within or between systems in the youths natural ecology that affect or influence the behavior of the youth (i.e., family, peer, school, and neighborhood).
• Support clients and families in developing healthy coping skills and building social skills and supports.
• Link clients with external programs or services, such as health, recreational activities, childcare, financial assistance, housing, employment, support groups, transportation resources, and others.
• Apprizes MST Program Manager of workload, case activity, service barriers, and procedural problems in staff meetings and one-on-one meetings.
• Ensure complete confidentiality of all client business and transactions.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of internal and community programs and services available to clients, maintain an awareness of changes in program/service offerings and requirements, and stay informed of new program and service offerings.
• Maintain clear and concise documentation of treatment efforts that demonstrate compliance with the nine MST Principles and the MST Analytic Process.
• Bring cases to closure within timeframes as described in MST principles and submit client records in a timely manner.
• Submit reports to referral source as required regarding the scope of services provided to the client, and the clients progress.
• Enter all appropriate interactions in the S4KF electronic health record.
• Conduct outreach to community partners to make them aware of the MST program.
• Performs other such duties as may be assigned by the Successful Families & HIPPY Program Manager or Director of Success 4 Kids & Families.

Required Competencies

• Cooperation/Teamwork: Works toward win/win solutions. Deals with conflict collaboratively. Discusses root causes underlying the problem. Develops effective working relationships.
• Engaging Communication: Relates to people in an open, honest, sincere manner. Treats people with respect. Is friendly and approachable. Listens attentively to others. Communicates ideas clearly. Communicates appropriately with leadership and coworkers.
• Customer Service (Internal & External): Recognizes and attends to important details with accuracy and efficiency. Treats customers courteously. Responds to customer requests in a timely manner. Elicits feedback from customers to monitor their satisfaction. Considers both short and long-term interests of the customer in making service decisions. Proactively identifies customer needs. Takes responsibility to resolve customer complaints. Takes business or personal risks to serve customers long-term interests. Creates strategies to help the organization serve customers more effectively.
• Adaptability: Adapts readily to changes. Works effectively under stress. Needs minimal supervision. Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. Is reliable, dependable and results oriented. Maintains productivity and composure under pressure. Effectively prioritizes work and establishes clear goals and plans.
• Problem Solving: Views problems as opportunities to create new solutions. Anticipates potential problems and analyzes alternative solutions.
• Judgment: Gathers sufficient input before making decisions. Sees interrelatedness between issues. Considers alternative solutions. Makes appropriate and timely decisions.
• Valuing & Fostering Diversity: Demonstrates respect for individual differences and establishing a climate where all people can be comfortable and productive through sensitivity, empathy, and acceptance of cultural, racial, mental health, and socio-economic diversity.
• Self-Management: Takes responsibility for ones behavior and well-being; Works effectively under stress and adapting ones style to changing situations; Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and needs minimal supervision; Exhibits a professional demeanor.

Education and Experience

• Preferred Masters Degree in Mental Health, Social Work, Psychology, or a comparable masters level program.
• If bachelors (only) degree, must have a minimum of 3 years experience working with families and youth services.
• Preferred, Licensed or Licensed eligible as either a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Mental Health Counselor or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Bilingual English/Spanish.
• Strong analytical ability and proficiency with applicable technologies and software utilization.
• Strong Skills in family coaching, needs assessment, and ability to help families communicate and work together more effectively.
• Knowledge of community resources.
• Self-starter with ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively.
• Effective communication skills (verbal & written) in both English and Spanish.
• Effective presentation skills to groups of varying sizes.
• Skill in operating Windows based computer operating programs.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to problem solve.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work.
• Knowledge of and compliance with HIPAA regulations.
• Have knowledge of and compliance with the policies and procedures of the Agency.
• Team player who is passionate about the agencys mission.
• Committed to collaboration and partnership building.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Physical Requirement: The employee is regularly required to sit and talk and is occasionally required to stand and walk. This position regularly requires the ability to sit for sustained periods of time and to effectively communicate with and assess client needs. This position also requires the ability to operate office equipment.
• Working Conditions: Duties are performed in an office setting, in client homes, and other locations in the community. This position requires the use of personal transportation to travel to meetings, training, client visits, and could be exposed to changing weather. The noise level is quiet.
• Able to see clients under conditions that may be considered uncomfortable or even hazardous, including but not limited to poorly maintained premises that may lack ventilation and/or air conditioning, kept untidy, dirty, cluttered.
• Safely walk/maneuver in a variety of environments including, but not limited, temperature extremes (hot, humid, cold), climbing stairs, dimly lit areas, walking extended distances, etc.
• Able to evaluate a situation and identify potential safety exposures and take applicable action to avoid injury or the potential injury.

Travel: Daily; Local travel for client visits.

This job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of this position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position.

CCTB is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for our applicants and employees. It is our policy to apply recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, compensation and professional development practices without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or certain classifications based on genetic information, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws, regulations or ordinances.