About Job

Mental Health Clinician

Program Description

Child First is an intensive, early childhood, two-generation, home visiting model that helps families build strong, nurturing relationships that heal and protect young children (prenatal through age five years) from the impact of trauma and chronic stress, with the goal of healing. Child First has been recognized as an evidence-based home visiting model by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Summary of Position

The Mental Clinician partners with a Care Coordinator to support families referred to Child First. The Clinician uses Child Parent Psychotherapy, a relationship-based, dyadic, parent-child treatment model, which focuses on the primary attachment relationships of the young child. The Clinician engages with both the caregiver and child in a supportive, reflective, and exploratory manner which fosters a protective, nurturing, and responsive parent-child relationship. The Clinician’s therapeutic intervention focuses on helping caregivers understand typical developmental challenges and expectations, increasing caregivers’ ability to reflect on the meaning and feelings motivating a child’s behavior, supporting caregivers’ problem solving, and helping caregivers understand the psychodynamic relationship between parental feelings, history, and the caregiver response to the child. The Clinician also provides consultation to teachers in early care and education settings, as needed. The best candidate for this position is highly organized, self-motivated, reliable, and flexible with an openness to learning, capacity for self-reflection, eagerness to participate in reflective clinical supervision.

*Includes occasional travel to other regions.*

Key Responsibilities

Commitment to the CHILD FIRST® model.
Graduate degree in human services or related field.
Licensed master’s level mental health provider or License-Eligible (e.g., LMSW, P-LPC, other)
Experience working psychotherapeutically with culturally diverse children and families, including parent-child therapeutic work and play therapy with very young children (0-5 years), for a minimum of three years preferred. Past CPP training is highly valued.
Knowledge of relationship-based, psychodynamic intervention and early child development; parent-child relationships and attachment theory
Experience providing mental health assessment and consultation to early care and education sites preferred.
Knowledge and experience working with adults with mental health, substance use, and cognitive challenges preferred.
Ability to exercise discretion and maintain client confidentiality.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Valid driver’s license and vehicle in good working condition.
Valid Louisiana registration, certification, or licensure in a mental health related field.
First aid and CPR certification.
Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite, Email, and Internet.
Approved to meet the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services

Qualifications

Licensed or license-eligible master’s level mental health provider (e.g., P-LPC, LMSW or similar.)
Experience working psychotherapeutically with culturally diverse children and families, including parent-child therapeutic work and play therapy with very young children (0-5 years), for a minimum of three years preferred.
Past CPP training is highly valued.
Knowledge of relationship-based, psychodynamic intervention and early child development; parent-child relationships and attachment theory sites preferred.
Knowledge and experience working with adults with mental health, substance use, and cognitive challenges preferred.
Experience providing intervention within diverse home and community settings preferred.
Able to communicate well verbally and in writing.
Comfortable with computers and experienced with Word and Excel.
Reliable vehicle and appropriate insurance

Salary: $62,500-65,000

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $62,500.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits: