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Heartland Alliance

Clinical Counselor - UAC Programs- Bilingual Spanish

Summary: The Unaccompanied Children’s Programs are residential programs for children who have entered the U.S. without parents or documentation. More than a dozen languages are spoken onsite. This position will provide a variety of specialized services. The employee in this position at a residential program may be required to remain on Organization premises during break and/or meal periods and may be required to stay on Organization premises until their replacement arrives. Individual accountabilities and work volume will be established through the development of annual Success Objectives, within the framework outlined below.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Provides services to clients through a short-term case management model.
  • Receives case assignments, establishes treatment plans, reviews case progress and determines case closure through the supervisor of the assigned program.
  • Provides individual counseling to address motivational and psychosocial problems of clients.
  • Provides clients with counseling and concrete assistance to support increase or restore client’s capacity for self-sufficiency.
  • Completes Immediate and ongoing assessments and screenings for unaccompanied children.
  • Works with family reunification team to assess for strengths and needs of unaccompanied children and provide services and recommendations based upon these assessments.
  • Document and enter data into the electronic filing system of the funder as well as complete required documentation for the program.
  • Provides group counseling to participants in the program.
  • Makes recommendations for post-release services, long- and short- term care, and transition plans.
  • Establishes and maintains therapeutic and professional relationships with clients to facilitate the receipt of services.
  • Develops service plans, which outline a specific plan of action with each client under the regular supervision of the supervisor of the assigned program.
  • Makes referrals in accordance with service plans to other Organization units and external providers.
  • Participates and contributes in regular supervision meetings, team meetings, in house training sessions and conferences.
  • Provides direct service support in the residential milieu setting including but not limited to leading/participating in activities and other parts of the daily and weekly schedules within the UAC program.
  • Accurately completes in a timely manner all necessary forms, case recordings and statistical reports.
  • Develops, implements and reviews social groups for clients of the assigned program, in collaboration with supervisor of the assigned group.
  • Provides crisis intervention, counseling and problem solving in a variety of areas for all clients.
  • Establishes and maintains a professional and therapeutic relationship within the standards of client profiles, confidentiality laws and the newest clinical research available.
  • Maintains documentation of client’s individual and group treatment.
  • Receives guidance from senior clinical staff on utilizing mental health theory and concepts and integrating them into clinical practice.
  • Monitors medications as specified by the Psychiatrist and keeps legible and accurate records of all medication issues.
  • Applies violence/crisis-intervention techniques with youth, including the application of physical restraint when necessary.
  • Attends external meetings and educational trainings to maintain licensure and to meet DCFS and funder requirements.
  • Assists with household duties of the program site, including housekeeping and food services tasks.
  • Monitors hygiene habits of participant and provides direct assistance and applies first-aid techniques, as needed.
  • Adheres to professional standards as outlined by governmental bodies, NASW (and/or other appropriate professional associations), private funding sources, Organization plans/policies and Unit guidelines.
  • Participates in periodic evaluative reviews and/or in-house and external staff training to ensure that he/she understands and continues to adhere to such standards.
  • Initiates requests for assistance from Supervisor to address new issues or complex concepts affecting adherence to professional standards.
  • Other duties may be assigned.

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Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • Education and/or Experience: Master’s degree (M.A.) in clinical social work, counseling, clinical psychology, or other related degree that includes clinical experience as part of the master’s program OR a bachelor’s degree in one of the aforementioned behavioral sciences plus 5 years of clinical employment in this area.
  • Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: Status as an LPC, LSW or a relevant certification or licensure is required (or must be obtained within 1 year of hire). Certification in Non-violent Crisis Intervention techniques (an internal certification) will be required post- hire.
  • Language Skills: Fluency in a second language, both written and oral, is required. Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
  • Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio and percent.
  • Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.
  • The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
  • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: Each YRS program site operates on a 24/7 basis, 365 days per year. To meet both the needs of our participants and contractual obligations, employees of YRS need to be willing to be flexible in regards to work location and scheduling, each of which may be altered by program management at any time. Employees must be willing to perform any duty that may be required in order to meet the needs of the program.

  • Three primary shifts are scheduled each day including weekends and holidays. Employees may be required to work any one of these shifts and, if necessary, may be required to work a split-shift, or an extended or shorter shift, based on the needs of the program.
  • All employees share responsibility for the cleaning and basic maintenance of our facilities.
  • The employee will be required to work at various YRS facilities as necessitated by program needs.
  • The employee may be required to remain on Organization premises during breaks and/or meal periods and may be required to stay on Organization premises until their replacement arrives.
  • Crisis prevention and behavioral management techniques may include physically restraining and escorting participants.

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the Organization’s AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Employee Services Office at (312) 660-1431.

Job ID: 3e0fed825ee754d536197209585f2aed
Employment Type: Other

This job is no longer available.

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