Therapist – Child Welfare Services (Unlicensed)

Brightpoint invites you to join our team of mission-driven staff who share a common vision: an equitable world where all children and families thrive in strong communities. As a leader in the human services sector for 140 years, we aim to advance the well-being of children by investing in families and strengthening communities through data-informed, collaborative, and preventative solutions.

Brightpoint's Child Welfare Counseling Services provide therapeutic intervention for children and parents involved in the child welfare system. As a Therapist on the Child Welfare Counseling Services team, you will provide clients with an individualized assessment and then work collaboratively with the family and outside services providers to develop a comprehensive and strengths-based treatment plan. Your services will help children and adult clients address trauma, attachment, domestic violence, anger management, parenting, placement stabilization, substance abuse, permanency, and court involvement.

Opportunities for Growth

Therapists and Counselors are supported in obtaining and maintaining clinical licensure through in-house clinical supervision and reimbursement for licensure fees. We also offer opportunities for advanced trainings in your field, which may include Play Therapy, Child Parent Psychotherapy, Nurturing Parent Program, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and other trainings, depending on your unique interests, as well as opportunities to collaborate with other community partners to expand your professional network and increase your access to supplemental resources to benefit the kids and families you’re serving.

Work/Life Balance

We know you can’t pour from an empty cup. We encourage a healthy work/life balance by keeping schedules flexible and caseloads low, with a focus on quality of engagement and services over quantity of billable hours. We offer a generous paid leave package that includes two weeks of paid vacation in the first year (increasing over your tenure to more than five weeks per year), plus two weeks of paid sick time, two additional floating holidays, eleven paid holidays, and a paid winter break between Christmas and New Year's each year.

Core Responsibilities And Essential Job Functions

• Completes a thorough assessment of each program participant’s strengths and circumstances, and provides clinical diagnosis based on DSM-5 criteria.
• Formulates service plans and goals in collaboration with program participants and with supervisory approval, in accordance with program model.
• Evaluates progress toward service plan goals and modifies when necessary to meet the needs and goals of the program participants.
• Engages program participants in therapeutic interventions which may include evidence-based individual, family, and/or group therapy, and/or other supplemental interventions, in accordance with program model.
• Refers program participants for additional recommended services if unable to provide within the program scope.
• Provides limited case management which may include case coordination, service brokerage, linkages with community resources, and recommendations for ongoing services when necessary.
• Actively participates in treatment team meetings for all assigned program participants.
• Provides mental health consultation to other Brightpoint staff members, as well as other agencies, systems, and community providers to coordinate services, make recommendations, and meet the needs of the participant(s).
• Completes court reports and submits written and in-person testimony in Juvenile Court regarding the best interests of the child(ren) and family.
• Writes and maintains complete documentation of services for each case in paper and/or digital form and meets all program record-keeping requirements.
• Meets all Medicaid billing requirements for services provided.
• May provide services in offices, homes, schools, agency program sites, via telehealth, or other locations as appropriate to program model.
• Develops aftercare service plans with the program participants and ensures that any recommended services or providers are in place prior to participant(s) being discharged, as permitted within the scope of the program.
• May engage in community outreach activities, attend community events, and/or facilitate community collaboration meetings.
• May respond to crisis calls and provide clinical management of the crises.
• Reports any suspected abuse or neglect to the Department of Children and Family Services per the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
• Adheres to funding and regulatory guidelines including preparation and participation in site visits as requested.
• May facilitate clinical trainings for internal and external partners.
• May supervise an intern.
• May transport program participants as needed for program activities.

Candidate Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology or a closely related clinical field, required.
• Eligible for clinical licensure in the state of Illinois (LCSW, LCPC or LMFT) and will obtain, and maintain, clinical Illinois license within 36 months of employment required.
• Experience providing behavioral health services to youth or families using an evidence-based or evidence-informed treatment modality, such as Theraplay, the ARC framework, or other trauma-informed practice strongly preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.
• Valid driver’s license, insurance, and a reliable vehicle required.
• Must be available to work two evenings a week to accommodate sessions.

Job Details

• Compensation: Salary range $55k-$59k; offers are commensurate with experience and bilingual candidates may receive additional compensation.
• Clinical licensure: Licensure-eligible therapists receive weekly clinical supervision toward licensure, and reimbursement of clinical exam registration fees.
• Benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance, flexible paid leave that accrues based on tenure; 11 paid holidays, supplemental insurance options, 401(k) with match.
• Location: Hybrid (remote/community-based). Therapy provided in person to program participants in Southern Illinois area (Belleville, East St. Louis, Alton, Granite City).
• Schedule: Full-time, salaried; general business hours including availability a minimum of two evenings per week to accommodate client schedules.
• Student Loan Forgiveness: Brightpoint is an approved agency for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).