Associate Clinical Therapist

About Interfaith Community Services:

As North County's largest social services agency, Interfaith Community Services has been "helping people help themselves" since 1979. The organization provides a wide range of programs designed to empower hungry, homeless, and low-income community members to begin a pathway towards self-sufficiency. Each year, Interfaith Community Services impacts more than 20,000 community members by providing basic needs and nutrition support, social services, shelters and housing, employment development, senior services, veterans programs and addiction recovery support.

Together, in partnership with 250+ diverse faith communities, more than 1,700 recurrent volunteers, and a growing staff of over 275, Interfaith provides a safe-haven and pathway towards self-sufficiency for more than 20,000 community members annually.

If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a service-driven environment, we invite you to be part of our mission!

What You'll Do:

In the Associate Clinical Therapist/ RWC role, you’ll provide comprehensive professional mental health and behavioral health services within the Recovery & Wellness Center (RWC) or Turk Recuperative Center.

Recovery and Wellness: The Associate Clinical Therapist provides professional behavioral health services, including individual and group psychotherapy, evaluations, assessments, and case consultation, in support of Interfaith's mission. The Recovery and Wellness Center (RWC) offers recovery-oriented, trauma-informed care to individuals with substance use disorders and/or co-occurring conditions, regardless of ability to pay, through Withdrawal Management and SUD Residential Treatment services.

Turk Recuperative Center: The Associate Clinical Therapist provides behavioral/mental health services within a residential Respite setting to individuals experiencing homelessness with serious and complex behavioral, physical, and social service needs. Through therapy, crisis intervention, assessment, advocacy, and discharge planning, this role supports clients in achieving mental health stability and long-term housing retention.

Across both programs, this role focuses on improving overall functioning, enhancing quality of life, and promoting long-term stability through individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, assessment, care planning, advocacy, discharge planning, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams and community partners. All services are delivered in accordance with Interfaith Community Services policies, ethical standards, and Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) regulations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct initial behavioral health and substance use intake assessments upon program enrollment
• Complete comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments including personal, social, emotional, and substance abuse history to determine cause, nature, and severity of current mental status
• Determine medical necessity and level of care placement for residential-level substance use treatment using ASAM criteria
• Perform specialized assessments including involuntary hospitalization procedures (5150) and Tarasoff assessments
• Utilize motivational interviewing techniques to assess and support individuals' readiness for change
• Develop, evaluate, and implement individualized, goal-oriented treatment and behavioral health support plans
• Provide individual and group therapy in a client-centered, trauma-informed manner to a complex client population
• Provide milieu psychosocial behavioral health services and activities within scope of practice
• Provide on-site crisis intervention and stabilization using de-escalation techniques to ensure client and staff safety
• Provide rehabilitative and therapeutic services to support optimal functioning for clients with long-standing behavioral health conditions
• Provide family consultation to assist clients and families in understanding diagnoses, identifying stressors, and connecting to community resources
• Engage and develop trusting relationships with individuals, families, and identified support systems
• Support clients with life skills development, scheduling, and transportation coordination
• Engage in frequent client contact through scheduled and unscheduled visits, program outreach, and telephonic support — at minimum once per week
• Develop individualized discharge plans in collaboration with the multidisciplinary treatment team that include clinically indicated services to support long-term recovery and housing stability
• Coordinate care with managed care plans (MCP), community providers, referral sources, and authorized support persons
• Develop and regularly update care management and housing support plans addressing physical health, mental health, substance use, and social determinants of health
• Ensure clients with ongoing treatment needs are connected to appropriate community-based behavioral health programs
• Advocate for clients to reduce barriers to housing and overall stability
• Facilitate acceptance of placement or services that support clients transitioning from homelessness to stable housing
• Provide consultation to staff on client history, mental status, prior treatment, and available community resources
• Serve as consultant or trainer for staff on complex client placement and mental health issues
• Participate in staff case review; recommend changes to therapeutic techniques, environment, and/or documentation to facilitate client recovery
• Support treatment team meetings to ensure compliance, best practices, and clinical guidance for staff working with challenging clients
• Participate in weekly case conferencing, team meetings, and quality improvement initiatives
• Participate in all staff meetings and trainings as requested
• Prepare and maintain accurate, timely, and confidential case documentation, progress reports, and correspondence in compliance with agency and regulatory standards
• Monitor and document client progress, including changes in clinical status and service needs
• Strictly adhere to participant confidentiality as required by County, State, and Federal (42 CFR) regulations
• Maintain a flexible schedule according to client needs and in communication with program leadership
• Perform additional duties as assigned