ABOUT BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS, INC.

For over 50 years, Bridge Over Troubled Waters has provided a comprehensive continuum of care for runaway, homeless, and high risk youth in Boston, and has been a national model in providing innovative youth services. 

Job Description: Behavioral Health Therapist

Hours: Full Time

Job Site: West Street

Reports To: Associate Director of Clinical Services

Exemption Status: Exempt

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Under the supervision of the Associate Director of Clinical Services, the Behavioral Health Therapist is responsible for providing and coordinating substance use and behavioral health services to young people utilizing services at Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Duties include initial biopsychosocial and risk assessments, one-on-one counseling sessions, and completion of on-going paperwork and data entry. This position requires a high degree of flexibility in responding to emergent needs of young people in crisis and good organizational and documentation skills.

 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Carry a caseload of 25 young adults and provide 20 - 30 hours weekly of direct client contact, including face-to-face counseling.
• Assess each client’s strengths and needs, complete comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment and develop individualized, strength-based, treatment plans.
• Implement treatment plans that utilize CBT, DBT, MI and other evidenced based treatment protocols when working with youth and document use of these interventions.
• Reach out to and maintain contact with collateral contacts of clients including family, education systems, service providers and other outside agencies.
• Provide regular referrals to substance use treatment, psychiatric services, DMH and other outside agencies. Participate in monthly consultations with DMH.
• Complete and submit all time-sensitive documentation, including client therapy entry and exit paperwork, comprehensive assessment, individualized action (treatment) plans, progress notes, billing, and collateral contacts. Review case files of all young people quarterly to ensure proper documentation is being completed.
• Enter all client information into the Mass Virtual Gateway system or MBHP system for billing.
• Must be flexible, to be able to cover the other floors as needed, meet with clients new to Bridge or those experiencing crisis.
• Utilize Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) to engage youth around problematic behavior.
• Participate in monthly meetings with other Bridge Programs to provide clinical input on clients.
• Participate in weekly counseling meetings.
• Participate in weekly supervision and consultation meetings.
• Attending a minimum of six in-service training courses annually.
• Collect and report program data, including but not limited to, data required for Bridge ETO, HMIS, and funders’ required data.

Public Relations
• Serve as liaison/advocate between the program and the community including surrounding neighbors to build partnerships.

Diversity
• Ensure that all activities, services, and programs through Bridge are conducted in a manner that is sensitive to and shows respect for the cultural and ethnic diversity for all Bridge clients.

Other
• This job description is not intended to cover every aspect of your job at Bridge Over Troubled Waters. We are a team that works together to meet the needs of our clients and every member of the team is expected to pitch in and help even beyond the specific responsibilities listed in this description.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's Degree required: LCSW, LMFT, LMHC or equivalent highly preferable.
• Experience working with vulnerable young people and/or their families.
• Ability to relate in an empathetic, supportive, non-judgmental manner to young people and their families.
• Knowledge and experience of crisis intervention, child abuse/neglect, domestic violence, housing and homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health issue
• 3 or more years of experience successfully working with vulnerable young people or young adults in a crisis, during outreach efforts or in residential setting.
• At least 1 year of experience providing clinical services.
• Mental Health licensure highly preferred
• Knowledge of systems and resources relevant to the population
• Experience networking and advocating with other agencies to access housing, medical, financial, legal, educational, and other resources on behalf of young people

Strong engagement and therapeutic relationship-building skills

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

Bridge Over Troubled Waters is an Equal Opportunity Employer and offers a competitive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical and pharmacy, medical deductible covered by the organization at 50% a year, 401K and matching, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, commuter pre-tax benefit, and a birthday benefit. 

Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Inc.  is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status.