Senior Therapist - Infant / Child Development Clinical Specialist

Senior Therapist

Infant / Child Development Clinical Specialist

This position qualifies for a signing bonus of $3,000. The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 150,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our Senior Therapist position.

An Overview

Under the direction of Early Childhood Wellness Program Manager, this individual will serve as subject matter expert for infants and toddlers with delays and disorders in social-emotional development, cognitive development (particularly sensorimotor and preoperational), atypical development including autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities, and behavior. 

A Senior Therapist in the Part C Early Intervention Program provides clinical assessment, intervention and therapeutic services for families of children with atypical development in areas that may impact their integration within home, education or community environments.   Employees in this class provide diagnostic assessments which provide therapeutic information and guide the therapist in the need for referring the child or family to additional treatment services, job opportunities, medical treatment, and other community referral sources, as needed. The therapist generally conducts these tasks during regular working hours. The incumbents in this class may serve as clinical supervisor for practicum/intern students, as well as for co-workers seeking licensure. The work is performed under the general supervision of a program or team leader, but the employee works with considerable independence in completing assigned tasks. 

The individual in this role will provide supervision and direction to the Service Coordinators who are responsible for providing individualized developmental services and family supports that promote the development of children and increase the self-sufficiency of families as outlined under Part C of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.) and its supporting regulations. The Senior Therapist will provide case management, consultative and direct services to individuals with developmental delays and disabilities, birth to age three and their families, to ensure that infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities receive necessary services commensurate to their needs on an as needed basis.

What You Should Bring
The ideal candidate should have thorough knowledge of individual and group behavior including thorough knowledge of treatment issues related to psychiatric problems, dual-diagnosis, and chemical dependency; good knowledge of psychopharmacology, psychiatric disorders, alcoholism/drug addiction, juvenile delinquency, and/or elderly and aging; ability to work successfully with a variety of consumers; ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing with other professionals and with the public; ability to plan and supervise the work of interns or students.

Supervision & Leadership

• Provides reflective supervision and completes annual performance evaluations for Service Coordinators.
• Ensures that Service Coordinators provide high quality family-centered services.
• Assist Service Coordinators in problem-solving through coaching, mentoring, and provision of resources.
• Directs staff assignments and monitors case management workloads.
• Supports positive team environment and relationships.
• Assists Service Coordinators with setting individual and team goals.
• Responds to staff requests for technical assistance and clarification of regulatory requirements.
• Participates in Service Coordinator recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes.
• Assists staff in ensuring a racial equity lens is utilized during all early intervention services.
• Serves as the Early Head Start and Part B program liaison. 
• Review and assess early intervention case record documentation according to pre-set indicators to evaluate compliance with Local, State and Federal regulations.
• Conducts record reviews and observation of services provided by Service Coordinators.
• Perform related work as assigned. 

Clinical

• Serve as a member of a multidisciplinary team of service providers, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, to develop and implement Individualized Family Serivce Plans (IFSP).
• Ensures that clinical assessment, intervention and services are incorporated into and carried out through the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).
• Supports Transition Planning for children exiting the PIE Program.
• Participate in teaming meetings with other providers.
• Serve as an early intervention subject matter expert and consultant to the community and provide training and guidance related to child development.
• Provides supportive developmental services that are unique to each family’s situation utilizing modalities of parent education, counseling and coaching.
• Provide independent, individualized developmental and special education services and therapy for children 0-3. 

Administrative and Outreach 

• Serve as a liaison for families between service coordinators and other professionals regarding client progress and development.
• Conduct community outreach and awareness activities (i.e. playgroups, in-services, trainings, community leadership activities, and parent support groups).
• Prepare professional level reports for families, physicians, and other service providers.
• Provide supervision to bachelors and masters level student interns and train new employees.
• Monitor staff training needs and requirements to ensure Service Coordinators meet department and Part C credentialing standards.
• Facilitates service coordination meetings and ongoing training as needed. 
• Participates in local, state, and regional meeings and other activities as assigned. 
• Maintain client clinical and administrative records.
• Perform related work as required.

About the Department
The Center for Children and Families (CCF) provides programs and services for Behavioral Health, Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault, Child Welfare & Child Protective Services, Early Childhood and Youth Development. CCF provides compassionate, collaborative and effective person and family-centered services based on best practices.  Our teams support self-determination, safety, recovery and resiliency for Alexandria children and all residents affected by abuse, neglect, mental illness, intellectual disabilities and substance abuse disorders.

Possession of Master’s degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, Education or related field; at least two years of post-graduate work experience in providing direct clinical services to consumers having one or more substance abuse, psychiatric, and emotional disorders; and licensure or license eligible (has completed all required education and supervision as required by applicable board) as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner (LSATP) or Clinical Psychologist in the Commonwealth of Virginia at the time of appointment; if license eligible, the employee must obtain Virginia licensure at the first available opportunity, but no later than one year after appointment; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Employees must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of their residence if they are in a position with driving responsibilities.

At least one year of prior experience providing intervention to infants 0-3. Endorsement as an Infant Mental Health Specialist or Infant Mental Health Mentor. Training or experience in adult learning principles. Ability to provide services as a bilingual therapist. At least one year of personnel experience in providing Part C early intervention supports and services in Virginia. Must meet the discipline-specific requirements for one of the following: Counselor, Human Development and Family, Family Therapist, Psychologist, or Social Worker. Certified by the State Lead Agency both as an Early Intervention Professional and Early Intervention Case Manager. At least three years or more of clinical job experience.

This position requires the successful completion of pre-employment background checks including but not limited to: Criminal Records Check; VA State Child Abuse/Neglect Registry; Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Database; education/certifications; and driver's license.

Schedule:

Monday through Friday, 8:30AM - 5:00PM.