Overview
Description
To Apply:
Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Inquiries and applications (including resumes and cover letters) should be submitted via REACH’s careers page: https://reachma.org/get-involved/careers/
Job Title: Children and Families Program Therapist
Department: Residential Program
Reports To: Director of Residential Program
MA Status: Full Time, Non-Exempt
Compensation: $59,000-$63,000 annual salary
Benefits: as eligible
REACH Beyond Domestic Violence is a non-profit organization providing safety and support to survivors of abuse while engaging communities to promote healthy relationships and prevent domestic violence. Our programs include 24-hour hotline services, emergency shelter, support groups, legal advocacy, specialized children’s services, community-based survivor advocacy programs and community education and training.
At REACH, we believe that the way we do our work matters. The respectful, equitable relationships we work for in the world have to start with us. We do this work because we believe change is possible. We work with communities and individuals to change social norms and systems of oppression to prevent and ultimately end domestic violence.
Children and Families Program Therapist
REACH’s eight-room emergency shelter is a place where survivors can feel safe, join a supportive community, and begin the process of recovering from abuse and starting over. REACH does not place a time limit on how long survivors may stay at the shelter, since recovering from trauma is an ongoing process and each person’s emotional, familial, and financial situation is different. REACH’s services are always in demand, as there are only 200 domestic violence shelter beds in the entire state. REACH also provides a 24-hour, toll-free hotline, answered by staff and volunteers every day of the year.
The Children and Families Program Therapist is responsible for providing clinical services to children, adolescents, and their families affected by domestic violence in our residential program. All REACH services are free and confidential, and this position requires no insurance billing. Flexible scheduling is required to support the individuals residing in the residential program. The position is M-F, with a remote catch-up day on Friday. The Children and Families Program Therapist works closely with all advocates and is supervised by the Director of Residential Services and the Children and Families Program Manager for licensure and clinical needs.
Direct Clinical Responsibilities:
- Provide individual/family therapy in the shelter. The caseload will include a mix of critical incident support and therapeutic work with children, adolescents, and families.
- Complete intake with all shelter individuals or families entering the program.
- Perform assessments with individuals regarding development, attachment, and exposure to domestic violence.
- Develop therapeutic plans and goals in conjunction with the child’s parent or guardian.
- Provide consultation, education, and support to parents. Meet with parents as needed. Provide clinical support to parents identified as in need of support.
- Connect regularly with a family’s collateral contacts to ensure effective collaborations. Attend all appropriate meetings that pertain to child/youth clients: Core reviews, DCF foster care reviews, school meetings, etc.
- Maintain records with attention to confidentiality.
- Make appropriate referrals and provide advocacy so that families receive appropriate services.
- Maintain play therapy room environments as reliable and soothing spaces. Oversee play spaces in waiting areas to ensure clean and safe places for children to play while waiting.
- Develop additional therapeutic techniques, games, and activities designed to assist survivors affected by domestic violence.
- Recruit, conduct intakes, and facilitate psychotherapy and support groups.
- Provide on-call support as needed when a family is in crisis.
Clinical Support Responsibilities:
- Support the facilitation of age-appropriate and trauma-informed therapeutic play activities for all residential individuals.
- Implement child-centered practices throughout the organization’s programs.
- Support and coordinate youth-specific programming within REACH and in collaboration with community partners.
- Facilitate positive parenting opportunities for families in our programs as part of a collaborative Children’s Service team.
- Support the Manager in the success of support groups at REACH through facilitation of onboarding training for new facilitators including staff and volunteers, as well as offering clinical group supervision for support group facilitators.
- Support the Manager in developing a Group curriculum and evaluation process that supports a diverse population.
- Participate in clinical group supervision twice a month and support the group facilitation training for staff, volunteers and childcare volunteers.
- Supports and supervises counseling and social work interns in the residential program.
- Represents the agency at meetings with community collaborators and at other events as needed
- Offer clinical support to REACH advocates, interns, part-time staff, and volunteers.
- Assist with advocacy-related needs regarding children and parents.
- Provide consultation services to DCF workers, and others working with families regarding domestic violence, child abuse and dating violence as it relates to the residential program.
- Provide training and workshops related to children’s exposure to domestic violence and/or teen dating violence for volunteers and community agencies, schools, and police departments.
- Attend appropriate educational seminars and trainings that will enhance the services provided to children and families.
- Maintain updated information regarding state and federal policies that affect children, adolescents and families.
- Maintain statistics and assist with grants related to children’s services.
- All other duties assigned by the supervisors.
All staff at REACH commit to:
- Working to ensure that REACH’s values are demonstrated in the policies and procedures of the organization, every day.
- Working in committees and with colleagues in other programs at the organization, participating with internal committees, and engaging with external and coalition work related to the role and/or the organization.
- Participating in staff meetings/training, weekly professional supervision, and weekly clinical supervision.
Requirements
Qualifications:
- Licensed eligible clinician required
- Licensed Clinician preferred
- Bilingual required – full fluency in Spanish or Haitian-Creole highly preferred
- Experience with the nuances of trauma-informed relational work
- REACH provides individualized services from a trauma-informed perspective and seeks staff members who can be flexible and aware of each person’s unique experiences and strengths.
- Punctual and reliable.
- Ability to work remotely as needed.
- A car and valid driver’s license are required. Staff members are expected to transport survivors and their families as needed.
- Must complete REACH’s comprehensive 35-hour domestic violence training. Documentation of similar training from another organization may be considered to satisfy this requirement.
- Candidates will be asked to submit to periodic background checks.
We believe that successful candidates will demonstrate the following characteristics:
- Work from a philosophy that sees people, not problems
- Eagerness to engage with people of all ages
- Knowledge of the dynamics of domestic and sexual violence and the impact of trauma
- Commitment to a social justice framework
- Strong interpersonal and crisis intervention/stabilization skills
- Flexible, adaptable, patient, proactive approach – willing and able to do what is required to make the program run smoothly
- Model and uphold appropriate boundaries at work with survivors
- Experience in reporting and data collection
Compensation:
- The salary for this position ranges from $59,000-$63,000 to be paid at an hourly rate, dependent on experience and language capacity.
- Comprehensive benefits package options including:
- Robust benefits including health, dental, vision, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Reimbursement Account (HRA), Dependent Care Account (DCA), retirement plan with employer matching up to 3% of salary contributed, and life Insurance.
- 20 Days (4 weeks) of Paid Vacation Time, 25 Days (5 weeks) after 3 years of employment
- A 4-week paid sabbatical, in addition to vacation time, is available to full-time employees after 7 years of employment
- 12 Days Paid Sick Time and 11 Paid Federal Holidays