Children's Outpatient Services provides treatment for children and adolescents and their families and is intended to improve and maintain a child’s or an adolescent’s stability in the community. Treatment focuses on problem resolution, symptom reduction, stabilization and/or prevention of movement to a higher level of care. Services include individual, family and group therapy, medication evaluation and management, case management, in home intervention, case consultation and summer day treatment services. The type of treatment is highly variable and depends upon the individual’s existing symptoms and developmental level.

Primary Job Functions:

1. Clinical responsibilities

• Provides effective clinical assessment of the consumer
• Utilizes assessment data to support a DSM-5 TR diagnosis
• Formulates appropriate treatment plan along with consumer and family/guardian
• Provides individual, group, family and play therapy utilizing basic therapeutic models and theories according to consumers’ needs and identified in treatment plans
• Provides support and education for consumers’ family members
• Assures that day treatment program standards and objectives are met
• Completes weekly progress notes
• Plans, develops and implements day treatment activities according to consumers’ needs
• Effectively collaborates with treatment team members and outside sources to help ensure the delivery of clinical services
• Takes a leadership role in classroom treatment team meetings
• Evaluates the consumer for discharge planning
• Demonstrates the ability to recognize the elements of a crisis state and knows how to deescalate and resolve the situation
• Adheres to professional code of ethics
• Effectively demonstrates the application of child and adolescent specific competencies

2. Supervision and consultation

• Seeks clinical supervision and consultation as needed
• Accepts and employs suggestions for improvement
• Actively works to enhance clinical skills 

3. Clinical record keeping

• Documents in a timely fashion per AltaPointe policy
• Documents appropriate, complete, and clinically comprehensive mental health assessments
• Documents measurable and specific goals in the treatment plan
• Documents in a clear and concise manner the types of consumers’ problems, treatment goals addressed, techniques used and services provided
• Documents case disposition, case closings, follow-up and referrals
• Documents legibly

4. Case load management

• Effectively manages caseload based on consumer needs
• Meets AltaPointe productivity standards 

5. Courteous and respectful attitudes towards consumers, visitors and co-workers

• Treats consumers with care, dignity and compassion
• Respects consumers’ privacy and confidentiality
• Is pleasant and cooperative with others
• Assists consumers and visitors as needed
• Personal values don’t inhibit ability to relate and care for others
• Is sensitive to the consumers’ needs, expectations and individual differences
• Is gentle and calm with consumers and families

6. Administrative and other related duties as assigned

• Actively participates in Performance Improvement activities
• Actively participates in AltaPointe committees as required
• Completes assigned tasks in a timely manner
• Accesses appropriate community resources according to consumer needs
• Follows AltaPointe policies and procedures
• Attends required in-service trainings and workshops
• Maintains current license and requirements for renewals if applicable

Minimum Qualifications:

Master’s degree in a mental health discipline; 23 years of age; valid driver license; proof of current liability insurance; successful completion of a practicum as a part of the requirements for the degree or has six months of post master’s level clinical experience supervised by a master’s level clinician with two years of postgraduate clinical experience; knowledge in child and adolescent specialties outlined below to be attained within six months of employment:

• Psychiatric disorders in the child and adolescent population

• Growth and development of consumers related to intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects

• Principles of play therapy

• Behavioral management and crisis intervention techniques

• Family dynamics and parenting issues

• Effects and treatment of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect

• Available community resources for the child and adolescent population

• Cultural diversity

• Educational methods appropriate to child and adolescent psychiatric disorders