Job Description

Program Therapist

Perimeter Behavioral of Dallas is one of the premier behavioral health hospitals providing inpatient psychiatric treatment for children and teenagers, as well as senior adults. We are located on 22 acres outside of the metroplex in Garland, Texas. We offer relaxed, serene, and empowered surroundings to our patients. We strive to build a fully integrated, effective behavioral health care system. Perimeter is seeking a Program Therapist to perform complex-social, therapeutic, and psychosocial intake services for incarcerated individuals through our diversion program. This position is designed to provide the appropriate level of care through clinical screenings, assessments, advocacy, and evidence-based therapeutic interventions for a diverse range of mental health issues that face the population, from serious mental illness to the natural struggles that accompany incarceration.

Under the supervision of the Director of Clinical Services for Perimeter Behavioral Hospital of Dallas, the Program Therapist will provide quality therapeutic mental health care to incarcerated individuals who need and/or want services. This position is responsible for providing assessment and counseling services to inmates in the diversion program.

Role and Responsibilities:

• Conducts mental health evaluations, crisis intervention, assessments, and follow-up care.
• Determines and coordinates disposition of patients for appropriate level of mental health care.
• Coordinates with re-entry clinicians for appropriate discharge planning services.
• Completes required statistical reports.
• Collaborates with the Department of Corrections to ensure access to patients, proper housing, and treatment disposition.
• Coordinates patient care with other institutional programs.
• Develops and leads group treatment on mental health observation units and other units as assigned.
• Participates in mental health and medical rounds as assigned.
• Participates in case conferences and treatment planning for patients receiving and being considered for mental health treatment.
• Provides psychiatric diagnostic evaluations without medical for mental and substance use disorders within the county jail for linkage to the provider agency (new and closed clients).
• Provides written reintegration plans and or treatment recommendations to both mental health court and Common Please Jail Liaison Specialist.
• Builds and maintains a therapeutic relationship with each assigned client served. Provides evidence in progress of clinical contacts and attempted contacts.
• Consultation and case coordination with other disciplines internally, and (with client consent or court order) other external care providers.
• Attends pretrial hearing and sentencings of clients when available.
• Provides assistance to common pleas court judges and staff with recommendations for court supervised release or other potential diversion programs.
• Maintains an active roster of clients booked into the county jail with focus on status, charges, and release plan.
• Provides a detailed report of jail liaison services each month to the clinical supervisor to satisfy board contract.
• Assist with collection of statistical data.
• Advocates and helps with coordinating medication information for continuity of care in the jail system.
• Ability to work collaboratively, constructively, and positively in a team environment; ability to build constructive working relationships with judges, probation officers, correctional staff, medical staff, and other stakeholders.
• Makes referrals to mental health unit of county jail to assist clients in need of mental health services.
• Maintains confidentiality and completes sharing of information forms with clients served in accordance with agency privacy practices and HIPPA regulations.
• Provides agency records upon booking or notification of inmate being incarcerated in a timely manner to jail psychiatric staff and court staff in accordance with outline policies and procedures HIPAA requirements.
• Ability to maintain sensitive and confidential information and maintain the highest ethical standards, including (other agency data, jail records, court records, and electronic medical records).

Essential Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication and interviewing skills (ability to listen effectively, explain complex issues in a comprehensive manner, prepare accurate and logical reports pertinent to defendant).
• Ability to counsel offenders effectively by assessing and resolving problems they are having within the county jail and motivating offenders through pro-social behaviors.
• Ability to communicate assertively and advocate on behalf of the client and the community, in the presence of judges.
• Commitment to empowering and supporting clients with compassion and to maintaining high quality standards in Behavioral Health programming.
• Understanding of common evidence-based practices including sequential intercept model, criminogenic needs, the Risk Need responsivity model, trauma informed care, and victim awareness.
• Knowledge of shelter diversion techniques to allow for expertise to assist in proper housing recommendations.
• Working knowledge of community resources
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system, current research and trends in the field of community corrections.
• Capable of working with multi-needs clients: mental illness plus chemical dependency, and chronic or terminal illness.

Required Education and/or Experience:

• Master's degree in social work, Counseling or related mental health field required.
• LCSW, LMSW, LPC, LPC-Intern, LMFT, LMFT-A
• Minimum of 1 year experience in psychiatric health care facility with direct experience in family and group therapies, crisis intervention, and treatment skills; must have strong clinical assessment skills; Trauma Informed Care or Substance Abuse Experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook; Ability to multi-task and successfully prioritize workload; Ability to communicate clearly in person and in writing preferred.

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