This position is posted in partnership with VOA Alaska. The position if fully employed by VOA Alaska but will be based at Covenant House Alaska. Applicants interested in this position are encouraged to apply directly to the position with VOA Alaska through the links below. Individuals who apply for this position through the Covenant House Alaska portal will be referred directly to the employment team at VOA Alaska.

Direct Link: Recruitment (adp.com)

Copy Paste Link: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=a1cd55d0-b87d-42bc-b324-f55e22b80403&ccId=19000101_000001&type=JS&lang=en_US&jobId=463820

Covenant House Mental Health Clinician

Objective

As part of VOA’s Access & Engagement Team, the Mental Health Clinician (MHC) will support the department in eliminating barriers to services and support for TAY and increasing community mental health and substance abuse resources at Covenant House of Alaska (CHA). The clinician is responsible for providing a comprehensive variety of mental health services to transition age youth (TAY 18-24 years old), and supporting CHA through trauma-informed training and vicarious trauma resources. MHC will be responsible for providing on-site trainings, groups, and outreach services to both TAY and CHA staff. Working with VOA clinical leadership, the clinician will consult the CHA team to make recommendations for the implementation of trauma-informed crisis intervention best practices that can enhance the CHA team's ability to respond to acute behavioral health needs. This position will operate out of Covenant House of Alaska.

VOA is a youth-serving organization providing prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery supports to youth and families struggling with mental illness and addiction. We are honored to walk with families, youth and young adults during these times and provide support and hope through recovery. Our core values are connection, responsibility, courage, innovation, hope, and joy. We are looking for individuals who espouse these core values and align with this mission of services to the community.

Essential Functions, Duties & Responsibilities

• Respond to and deescalate crisis incidents.
• Reduce the overall number of critical incidents and increase staff’s knowledge of crisis response strategies by providing training and best practices.
• Support CHA staff through debriefing crisis incidents and process through vicarious trauma. Provide transition aged youth a quicker pathway into treatment services and support through on-site screening, assessments, and referral.

• Provide mental health services to transition age youth with substance use disorders, mental health disorders, or co-occurring disorders.
• Conduct crisis interventions and stabilizations, assessments, treatment plans, case management, individual therapy, group therapy and safety planning activities for youth and young adults.
• Provides staff training as needed in de-escalation, crisis response, and other areas of need as identified by staff.
• Participate as a full member of VOA’s clinical team and work collaboratively with all treatment team members to ensure youth are receiving effective services in accordance with their treatment plan and/or outreach engagement plan.
• Attend weekly Access & Engagement team meetings and supervision sessions.
• Participate in the development of individualized treatment plans and treatment plan reviews using the Client Status Reviews and/or other screening data obtained from the clients, as needed.
• Document services according to agency policy and procedures and Medicaid regulations.
• Communicate important clinical data to appropriate team members and staff.
• Maintain client confidentiality and safeguard client information per 42 C.F.R. part 2 and HIPAA privacy and security regulations.
• Expected to complete all assigned duties in accordance with timelines established by immediate supervisor.
• All other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Required: master’s degree in a counseling, psychology, social work, or a related field
  • Preferred: Licensed professionals (LCSW, LPC, PhD, PsyD)
• Has qualifications to be a Qualified Addiction Professional as defined by the State of Alaska. If not current, can be achieved within 3 years of hire.
• Three years of experience preferred working with youth/young adults experiencing behavioral health and/or substance use complications and conditions that have impacted the quality of their life.
• Ability to rapidly evaluate complex behavioral and substance use health situations then develop, recommend, and support appropriate interventions to be implemented with individuals, and staff, and may include law enforcement and EMS personnel.
• Proven ability to work with diverse community groups; with a focus on providing services with cultural humility, knowledge of diverse values and belief systems, ability to provide culturally appropriate and individualized treatment services.
• Strong computer literacy skills.
• Ability to make sound decisions based on information available.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Experience in facilitating training.
• Ability to work independently.
• Therapy and Counseling: Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of substance use and mental health disorders.
• Critical Thinking: Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Demonstrates a solution focused attitude and is a good team player.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including days, evenings, and some weekend hours.
• Ability to travel if required (must have own transportation).

Working Conditions

• The work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Works in office areas. Interacts with staff, consultants, and outside vendors. May be subjected to interruptions throughout the workday.
• While performing the duties of this job the employee is frequently required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to lift up to 25 pounds. The vision requirement includes close vision.

Acknowledgement

Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position. However, this job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you may be required to perform. The omission of specific descriptions of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or can be considered essential to this position.