Mental Health Therapist - OCYT Orlando

Operation New Hope is a nonprofit operating in Jacksonville, Orlando, St. Johns County, the Space Coast, Tampa, and St. Petersburg, Florida. Our pre-release and post-release programs provide job training and placement, and comprehensive support services to people returning from incarceration and others who have been affected by the justice system with the goal of facilitating successful transitions back into the community. We motivate our clients to become productive, responsible citizens, and our programs help prevent recidivism, reduce the repeated costs of incarceration, and improve public safety. Our dedicated team supports career opportunities, mental health, and overall stability of our clients to help them achieve self-sufficiency. Operation New Hope has partnered with the City of Orlando, Community Violence Intervention Initiative to provide Mental Health counseling services and workshops to reduce violence and gun violence in the Orlando area.

Position Overview: The Mental Health Therapist will play a critical role in the Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Initiative, which is focused on reducing gun violence and supporting disadvantaged populations. This position will work at-risk clients ages 5-25 (ages may vary). The Mental Health Therapist will perform triage assessments for new applicants reporting mental health or substance use concerns to determine their acuity and readiness for program enrollment. When necessary, the therapist will provide referrals for higher levels of care before admission. The therapist will provide mental health and therapeutic services to at-risk youth and their families within the Orlando Kidz Zones and My Brothers (MBK) Orlando programs. This role will work to restore community trust in the mental health services system by increasing access to care, improving intake processes, and enhancing mental health education. The therapist will conduct individual and group therapy sessions, provide educational workshops, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure holistic support for participants.

Reports to: Mental Health Services Supervisor, Central Florida

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide mental health services to clients in 3-4 local community centers.
• Complete triage on clients within the Orlando Community & Youth Trust, Orlando Kidz Zones, and MBK Orlando program.
• Complete evidenced based Risk Assessment on assigned clients.
• Conduct comprehensive Biopsychosocial Assessments on each new client, providing a mental health and/or substance abuse diagnosis.
• Provide ongoing individual mental counseling; providing appropriate therapeutic interventions and methods to assist clients in reaching their goals. 
• Find and/or create mental health literature for program participants to increase knowledge of mental health symptomology.
• Increase program participants knowledge of emotional regulation.
• Host workshops with program participants and potential mentees to decrease the cradle to prison pipeline.
• Assist in crisis intervention services and collaborate with local agencies to provide appropriate referrals. 
• Host workshops with legal guardians / parents to increase emotional regulation and basic understanding of mental health, with a goal of 50% of program participants showing an increased knowledge of mental health and the utilization of coping skills after reading informational literature and individual therapy.
• Host up to two (2) emotional regulation workshops per calendar year with up to thirty (30) program participants.
• Maintain professional standards through compliance with quality assurance policies/procedures as well as applicable regulations and corporate policies. 
• Participate in multi-disciplinary team staffing and case consultation. 
• Refer client to continuity of care providers as needed.
• Assess for acute S/H/I as needed and maintain No Harm contracts if indicated.
• Document client progress in groups.
• Ensure all assigned client documentation is entered in electronic record as required in timely manner including groups, individual counseling sessions, and crisis interventions. 
• Assist in discharge planning as required. 
• All other duties as assigned.

Education / Experience / Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or higher in Social Work or related field from an accredited college or university required.
• Candidates must either be registered with the Board and approved as a RCSWI in the State of Florida seeking their LCSW licensure, or already licensed under FS chapter 491 as LMHC, LCSW, or LMFT.
• At least one year of experience working with a marginalized or challenged population.
• At least two years of experience assessing, diagnosing, and treating substance use disorders.
• Two or more years of experience performing Biopsychosocial assessments, treatment planning and maintaining progress notes.
• Knowledge of the Trauma Informed Care model. 
• Experience in providing crisis intervention services, individual and family sessions, preparing and conducting therapeutic groups. 
• Knowledge of BA52 statute and process
• Understanding of various levels of care in community mental health including local resources. 
• Bilingual; able to read, write, and speak English and Spanish proficiently, required. 
• Must be able to communicate effectively with staff, clients, family members, and employers as needed.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries.
• Possess a passion for social justice. 
• Comfortable using computers, running reports, and learning new software.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and electronic client records.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.
• Must have a valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and reliable transportation.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 lbs.

Job Type: Full-time

Location: Orlando, FL