Bilingual Mental Health Therapist - Foster Care

The Mental Health Therapist provides mental health services to youth under the Division of Children’s Services (DCS) grant through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). This position models a caring, healthy, and secure treatment approach for Foster Care staff and demonstrates an interest in youth developing coping skills. The Mental Health Therapist also consults with Case Managers and staff team members in understanding the mental health needs of the youth in their care and provides trainings for foster parents. This position requires a high level of collaboration with programs across DCS Residential Treatment Services and is supervised by the Clinical Program Manager of Foster Care.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES 

• Provide clinical services including individual and/or group and family therapy for DCS foster care youth. 
• Provide case consultation and coordination of services with collateral contacts and advocacy for assigned clients. 
• Train staff and foster parents in mental health issues, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and cultural sensitive interventions for youth. 
• Maintain an assigned caseload of DCS long term and therapeutic foster care adolescents residing in licensed foster homes; this includes conducting and supervising individual, group and family counseling sessions on both a spontaneous and scheduled basis.
• Maintain case records and ensure documentation meets Washington Administrative Code (WAC), Council on Accreditation (COA), and DCS requirements. Monitor implementation of requirements of the DCS. Maintain a healthy working relationship and good collaboration with all DCS contract sites and staff.
• Ensure completion and adherence to program procedures in various forms and reports mandated by Friends of Youth and DCS, such as Individual Service Plans, Treatment Plans, Psychosocial Evaluations, Quarterlies, Incident Reports, Transition Summaries, etc., in a timely manner.

SCHEDULE & LOCATION

Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 p.m. May be required to work on evenings and weekends. Work will be performed onsite/in-person in Renton, WA. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Master’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology; marriage, family and child counseling, or related field.  
• Experience in the field of child welfare at the professional level.
• Experience in leading groups, trainings, and workshops.
• Experience in counseling youth, young adults and families.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English. 
• 21 years of age or older. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Licensed or working toward obtaining licensure in Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, or Social Work.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS 

$55,276-60,276 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.  

Friends of Youth cares for their full-time employees by offering a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision coverage, 24/7 access to telehealth, 403(b) retirement plan and matching, long-term disability insurance, life insurance, 15 vacation days per year with annual accrual interests, sick leave, 10 paid holidays, and two paid floating personal holidays per year. We’re invested in our employees’ growth, so professional development opportunities are available 24/7 on our online learning platform. Additionally, all employees and their immediate family members can receive free counseling and mental health support through our Employee Assistance Program. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES 

• Ability to engage with diverse populations in a culturally responsive manner and demonstrate a commitment to the values of equity and inclusion.  
• Knowledge of various mental health treatment modalities, de-escalation, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills. 
• Knowledge of basic personnel supervision techniques. 
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. 
• Demonstration of sensitivity and responsiveness to cultural differences. 
• Knowledge of WA State Code, DCS Contract, and sex offense specific treatment. 
• Respect for and interest in youth strengths. 
   

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT 

• Must satisfactorily pass criminal background check, including fingerprints. 
• Must satisfactorily pass tuberculosis (TB) test.  
• Must successfully complete the following health certification requirements within 30 days of employment: CPR, First Aid, Food Handlers permit and Bloodborne Pathogens training. 
• Complete a de-escalation and restraint training within the first 45 days of employment to be eligible to be involved in the restraint of a resident if necessary. 
• Must have a reliable vehicle, a valid Washington State driver's license, and a safe driving record as defined by Friends of Youth.  

EQUITY STATEMENT  

Friends of Youth welcomes, honors, and celebrates our clients, colleagues and communities’ diverse identities, histories, knowledges, languages, and cultures. Our organizational values shape the way we work individually and collectively, as we prioritize young people’s belonging and achievement. We work to challenge, alter, and ultimately dismantle interconnected systems of structural and historic oppression. We collaborate with community stakeholders and partners to develop policy and decision-making frameworks that advance racial equity. 

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY 
Friends of Youth is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs, and not on the basis of race, sex/gender, religion/creed, pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, national origin, genetic markers, military or veterans status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law. People of Color and Members of the LGBTQ+ community are strongly encouraged to apply.  
   
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to apply for this position or to perform the essential functions of this position. To request accommodation, please email HR@friendsofyouth.org.    

For the full job description, please e-mail HR@friendsofyouth.org.   

https://friendsofyouth.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=312&source=aWQ9MjE%3D