Lead Therapist (Safe Way Forward)

Program Summary: Children's Aid, A Safe Way Forward Program (SWF) provides child welfare involved families affected by intimate partner violence (IPV) with comprehensive general prevention services, including case management, and therapeutic intervention services to address the IPV. This joint prevention-clinical service model offers comprehensive trauma-informed services to the whole family, including the survivor of IPV, the person causing harm (PCH), and children exposed to the IPV/DV in the home. Our range of services includes in-home visitation, crisis intervention, case management, advocacy, trauma-informed individual counseling, group counseling/education, and referral to other appropriate services. The SWF program will serve a total of 65 families residing in the Bronx.

Position Summary: The Lead Therapist will provide comprehensive trauma-informed individual and group counseling services to survivors of IPV, Persons Causing Harm, and children exposed to IPV and support the SWF leadership team with staff and program development. The Lead Therapist will use a trauma-informed and client-centered approach with families to help families heal from the trauma from abuse, create safety and stability at home, and strengthen the health and well-being of children and families. The Lead Therapist will report to the Clinical Supervisor.

Essential Duties:

• Understand and promote the organization's Mission, Vision, and Core Values to ensure alignment with organizational policies and procedures.
• Provide trauma-informed individual educational counseling/therapy for Persons Causing Harm.
• Conduct comprehensive clinical assessments utilizing evidence-based tools to support service delivery.
• Maintain an active caseload of 10-12 cases, based on program needs.
• Coordination and co-facilitate a trauma-informed psychoeducational and evidence-informed IPV survivors' group designed for mothers and a separate evidence-based group for children (ages 4-12) exposed to IPV.
• Coordinate and co-facilitate a Caring Dads 19-week trauma-informed accountability group designed for fathers who have used abuse in their intimate partner relationship and caused harm to their children.
• Provide trauma-informed, client-centered individual and family short-term counseling and long-term therapy to survivors of IPV and their children.
• Attend and successfully complete all required trainings.
• Maintain compliance with timely reporting and detailed tracking of services provided to clients; responsible for CONNX and PROMIS system updates and all other Accountability and compliance requirements.
• Maintain comprehensive case files and all relevant information for internal and external review and audit purposes.
• Coordinate and collaborate on assigned cases with SWF teams to ensure clients are receiving services that meet their needs and that safety is prioritized.
• Contribute to the FASP for all families on caseload.
• Participate in individual and group supervision as schedule; in team and all-staff meetings; and other professional development activities, including training and workshops.
• Participate in supervisor unit meetings, case consultations, Family Team Conferences and Service Termination Conferences.
• Perform other administrative and program support functions as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the Clinical Supervisor and Clinical Director to develop brochures and flyers that clearly communicate the program's clinical IPV services.
• Assist in planning and coordinating PCH, Survivor, and Children's groups, including recruitment, scheduling, identification of group facilitators, and collaboration with parent coaches to maintain the group enrollment log.
• Assist the Clinical Director in providing clinical consultation to staff.
• Provide onboarding and orientation on IPV to new staff.
• Collaborate with SWF leadership to develop and facilitate trainings that strengthen IPV intervention services.
• Provide vacation coverage for the Clinical Director.
• Partner with SWF leadership to develop internal trainings, assess evolving program and staff needs, and identify opportunities to expand and enhance IPV intervention services.
• Implement and facilitate weekly or bi-weekly case consultation office hours to support staff in effective service delivery.
• Maintain compliance with timely reporting requirements and ensure accurate, detailed tracking of client services.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in social work, Counseling Psychology, or equivalent degree required with licensure
• Minimum of 1-2 years' work experience providing trauma-informed domestic violence prevention and intervention services to underserved families.
• Experience working with adults who have caused harm in their relationships; and/or experience working with abuse/batterer intervention programming (BIP), strongly recommended.

Key Competencies:

• Bilingual in Spanish/English
• Experience working with NYC ACS child welfare involved families.
• Knowledge of child development and trauma-informed and anti-racist practice, as well as family systems, relational and attachment theories preferred.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to function independently and work on a team.
• Ability to work flexible hours on weekdays, evenings and weekends, as needed.
• Ability to take on a wide range of administrative tasks.

It is the policy of Children's Aid to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and is dedicated to maintaining a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. Children's Aid will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation on any basis, including race, creed, color, national origin, ethnicity, alienage or citizenship status, gender/sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, familial status, caregiver status, military status, marital or partnership status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking, predisposing genetic characteristics, arrest or conviction record, credit history, unemployment status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Children's Aid is committed to complying with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Children's Aid will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of all allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or any violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy in a confidential manner and will take appropriate corrective action, if and where warranted. Children's Aid prohibits retaliation against employees who provide information about, complain about, or assist in the investigation of any complaint of discrimination or violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

The incumbent is expected to work a schedule, whether in-person or hybrid, as determined by the department's needs to facilitate effective collaboration with the team. This flexibility is essential for maintaining seamless communication, fostering teamwork, and ensuring the smooth operation of the department's processes. The position's requirements are subject to periodic review and adjustment based on organizational needs and changes in work dynamics.

Detail Oriented - Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well
Dedicated - Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Masters of Social Work (required)

Experience working with adults who have caused harm in their relationships; and/or experience working with abuse/batterer intervention programming (BIP). (preferred)
1 - 2 years: Experience providing trauma-informed domestic violence prevention and intervention services to underserved families. (required)

LMHC (required)
LCSW (required)
LMSW (required)

Skills