Overview

Position Summary: The Multi-Systemic Treatment-Substance Abuse (MST-SA) Therapists are responsible for providing model adherent, culturally competent, clinically oriented, short-term treatment to families in our Family Assessment Program (FAP) continuum of services in Brooklyn and/or Manhattan. MST-SA therapists report to the MST-SA supervisor. Therapists are required to ensure that interactions involving staff and clients are trauma informed and reflect the agency’s DEI and Anti-racism framework.

 MST-SA (Substance Abuse) is a therapeutic program in our Family Assessment Program (FAP) continuum of services. It is a home-based intensive therapeutic model for families in the five boroughs where abuse and/or neglect has put the family at risk of having their children placed outside the home. The model is parent focused and uses a multi systemic approach with clinical interventions designed to address abuse and neglect and reduce other risk factors. MST-SA works with families with children ranging in age form 11-17. The model works with the family’s entire ecology to effect change and broaden support.

Responsibilities: General responsibilities for the position of an MST- SA Therapist will include, but are not limited to:

  • Carry caseload of approximately 5 MST-SA cases.
  • Fulfill all OCFS, and ACS accountability requirements including timely completion of FASPs, Progress Notes and Plan Amendments.
  • Comply with all ACS timelines for outreach on new cases.
  • Complete all home-based contacts (all sessions will be home or community based unless health reasons require virtual visits) and seek to maintain up to 3-4 case work contacts per week per family as specified by the model.
  • Attend all MST-SA trainings as required as well as all mandated ACS and Children’s Aid (CA) trainings.
  • Participate in all weekly Group Supervision and Consultation sessions with MST-SA Supervisor and MST-SA consultant.
  • Complete all MST-SA documentation in a timely manner.
  • 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 caregiver and other key participants in active change-oriented treatment by identifying and overcoming barriers to engagement.
  • Implement a problem conceptualization, treatment planning, intervention implementation, outcome review and strategy revision procedure using the MST Analytic Process.
  • Maintain clear and concise documentation of treatment efforts that promote peer and supervisory review and feedback, and that demonstrate compliance with the nine MST Principles and the MST Analytic Process.
  • Collaborate with all relevant systems and key participants within each system to ensure their buy-in and cooperation throughout MST-SA treatment.
  • Provide direct clinical treatment using methods compatible with MST principles and practices.
  • Build a relationship with community stakeholders (i.e., child protection services, Guardians, judges, schools, etc.) to ensure cooperation among service providers.
  • Be available by phone 24/7 or as needed to respond to client crises. This includes ability to conduct sessions on weekends as needed, to accommodate client availability.
  • Ability to work flexible hour, including working remotely in the field, community or various CA offices to meet the needs of families and improve efficiency and management of time and resources.
  • Work cross borough and cross program as needed.
  • Participate in all FTC’s as needed.
  • Engage in outreach activities in the community in order to attain required 20% utilization from self-referrals as required by contract.
  • Collaborate with Educational and Employment Specialist to monitor school attendance, obtain school records and intervene with DOE when appropriate to develop an appropriate education/vocational plan for youth.
  • Accept other tasks as necessary for the success of the program and the role.

 

Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling or a related subject area required. 
  • Bilingual English/Spanish is preferred, but not required.
  • Ability and willingness to work with families and teens in the home, school and other appropriate settings in the community.
  • Ability to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends as needed.
  • Ability to work independently, as well as contribute to a team.
  • Strong clinical skills and ability to work under pressure with high risk, crisis-oriented cases.
  • Very good interpersonal/communication skills, including ability to write well and meet copious amount of documentation in a timely manner. 
  • Computer literate.

Preferred Experience:

  • Direct use of pragmatic (i.e., structural, strategic and functional) family therapies
  • Individual therapy with children and adults using cognitive behavioral techniques
  • Marital therapy using behaviorally-based approaches
  • Substance abuse treatment for adolescents using behaviorally-based approaches
  • Behavioral therapy targeting behavioral change in children at home and school
  • Implementation of interventions within or between systems in the youth’s natural ecology that affect or influence the behavior of youth (i.e., family, peer, school, and neighborhood)
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