Child and Family Therapist (Survivors & Children)

Description :

Harlem Family Services Center (317 Lenox Ave)

$62,400 - $65,000

Position Summary : The Family Wellness Program (FWP) provides comprehensive trauma-informed services to families who are affected by intimate partner violence (IPV).

Our goal is to help parents and their children who have experienced physical, emotional, or other forms of abuse to establish long-term safety and stability and heal from the traumatic effects of abuse and violence.

We are seeking a full-time, bilingual Spanish / English master’s level mental health professional to serve as a Therapist to provide trauma-informed individual and group counseling services to survivors of intimate partner violence and children exposed to IPV in the home.

Services will be provided to families residing in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. The Therapist will report directly to the Director of Clinical Intimate Partner Violence Services.

Essential Duties :

• Understand and promote the organization’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values to ensure alignment with organizational policies and procedures.
• Provide crisis intervention, safety planning, and short-term supportive counseling to survivors of intimate partner violence;
• Conduct comprehensive assessment, including trauma screening assessment tools, for survivors of IPV and children exposed to IPV;
• Provide trauma treatment, including evidence-based and evidence-informed individual and family therapy to survivors of intimate partner violence and children exposed to intimate partner violence;
• Co-facilitation of 14-week trauma-informed counseling and psycho-educational group for survivors of intimate partner violence and evidence-based counseling group for children exposed to intimate partner violence, offered at least twice a year;
• Provide case management, advocacy, consultation, and referral services within the legal, housing, public benefits, and child welfare systems as needed;
• Provide emergency financial assistance for food security, clothing assistance, and housing security to families in crisis and immediate need;
• Conduct community outreach to other community-based organizations to develop referral relationships, including program presentations and informal workshops;
• Provide training and consultation as needed to other service providers on topics related to best practice when working with families affected by intimate partner violence;
• Maintain compliance to program and contractual commitments including timely reporting and detailed tracking of services provided to clients;
• Maintain comprehensive case files and all relevant information for internal and external review and audit purposes;
• Collaborate with other Family Wellness Program team members and other service providers internally and externally as needed;
• Participate in individual and group supervision as scheduled; in team and all-staff meetings; and other professional development activities, including training and workshops;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications :

• Bilingual Spanish / English fluency preferred .
• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling Psychology, Art Therapy, or equivalent degree with licensure or on track for licensure required;
• Minimum of 2 years of work experience providing trauma-informed domestic violence prevention and intervention services to underserved families, preferred .

Key Competencies :

• Experience using a client-centered engagement approach with survivors of domestic violence and children exposed to domestic violence, strongly recommended.
• Knowledge of child development and trauma-informed practice as well as family systems, relational and attachment theories and framework;
• Experience in TF-CBT or CPP with families or willingness to be trained and utilize this trauma modality with families;
• Knowledge of the New York City domestic violence service system, public benefits, child welfare, legal and housing systems;
• Training and experience working with child welfare-involved families;
• Strong oral and written communication skills;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Ability to function independently and on a team;
• Ability to work 2-3 evenings / week as needed and maintain a flexible work schedule;
• Ability to take on a wide range of administration 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.

Requirements :