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About Delaware Guidance Services
Delaware Guidance Services for Children and Youth, Inc. (DGS) is the largest provider of outpatient behavioral health services to children and families in Delaware. We operate offices in Wilmington, Newark, Dover, Lewes, and Seaford, and we are the only statewide not-for-profit outpatient behavioral health organization for children and adolescents accredited by JCAHO. In 2020, we were honored as a Compassionate Champion for our dedication to serving youth and families using a trauma-informed approach.
Through DGS, clients and families have access to outpatient counseling, group therapy, parent-child interaction therapy, and school-based services. Our community-based service lines serve youth and families who require a more intense therapeutic protocol. DGS’ 24-hour statewide Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) dispatches skilled crisis intervention clinicians to provide immediate care to children experiencing behavioral health crises. Therapeutic options are available for a wide range of diagnoses including depression, anxiety, mood disorders, eating disorders, traumatic stress-related disorders, and suicidal ideation. In 2021, DGS clinicians provided over 54,000 direct care hours to children, youth, and families in Delaware. Over 93% of clients report improvement in their level of functioning following treatment, and therapeutic benefits derived from trauma-informed care extend to clients’ siblings, caregivers, classmates, and peers.
Our client population is racially and ethnically diverse; 80% of DGS clients are Medicaid recipients and 90% have household incomes under $30,000. Many of our clients present with significant treatment challenges including learning impacts due to missed school and negative economic impact due to parental missed work. We provide care to anyone in need, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay for care. DGS also provides services specifically tailored to meet the unique behavioral health care needs of child welfare-involved families and foster yout

Why Work at Delaware Guidance Services?
DGS strives to build a collaborative, flexible, and client-focused work environment. Employee wellness is a top priority. In addition to offering flexible work arrangements, DGS offers a comprehensive and competitive employee benefits package including the following:

• Competitive Compensation
• Incentive Pay for Specific Roles
• Generous Paid Time Off (starting at 44 days of paid leave a year)
• Up to 8% Annual Contribution to Your Retirement Fund
• Free Professional Development Opportunities
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Life and Long-term Disability Insurance

Position Highlights:

• Flexible / Hybrid work environment (community based)
• Ability to work with children and families through a mission driven organization

Summary/objective
Under the supervision of the Crisis Coordinator, the CARES Clinician will provide screening and assessment and intensive therapeutic intervention services to youth and families experiencing high intensity psychological and emotional problems (ie. aggressive and defiant behavior due to problems with emotion regulation, suicidal/homicidal ideation, plans, or attempts, family conflicts, etc.) while maintaining safety and implementing therapeutic treatment plans in a community-based setting. The incumbent is responsible for providing intensive, community-based therapeutic intervention as a bridge to other intensive services for approximately 90 days. In addition, the incumbent is responsible for therapeutic documentation of cases from intake through discharge.


Essential functions:
Intensive Therapeutic Intervention

• Maintain professional, trauma-informed, and empathetic interactions during communications with families and all stakeholders
• Use critical thinking and risk management skills when assessing and developing treatment goals that allows for stabilization and effective transition to alternative services at discharge
• Understand and utilize knowledge about warning signs and risk factors associated with suicide risk and risk of harm to others
• Develop comprehensive skills in planning for safety and providing evaluations, diagnosis and therapeutic intervention services to children, adolescents, and their families.
• Plan and administer solution-focused and trauma-informed interventions to maintain safety, build skills, and address problem solving, communication, and relationship conflicts.

Case Management

• Communicate with and provide appropriate documentation to the DPBHS team
• Communicate with appropriate stakeholders to maintain a systems-based approach to stabilization/transition of clients in services
• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely documentation

General Responsibilities

• Uphold professional standards of treatment and the mission of the organization
• Maintain a quality code of conduct, ethics and professionalism
• Provide goal-directed and team-oriented services
• Communicate effectively and professionally with all stakeholders

Competencies/ Capabilities:

• Reliability & Flexibility
• Customer Service
• Written and Verbal Communication
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Assessment and Intervention Skills

Supervisory responsibilities: None
Work environment: Community-Based, Office location in Lewes, Dover, and Wilmington
Travel required: Travel to locations where the client resides or is located
Minimum qualification:

• Master’s degree from an accredited school in a Human Services field
• Valid driver’s license and satisfactory driving record

Preferred qualification:

• Education/Training in suicide risk prevention and intervention
• 2 years’ experience in evidenced-based or evidenced-informed child and family interventions
• Prefer a master’s degree which qualifies for licensure in the state of Delaware as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), License Professional Counselor of Mental Health (LPCMH), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Licensed Psychologist

EEO: Delaware Guidance Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer; Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Other duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.