Mental Health Clinician

POSITION TITLE: Mental Health Clinician

DEPARTMENT: Children & Family Services

REPORTS TO: Senior Program Manager, Counseling

LOCATION: 1757 Waller Street, San Francisco, CA 94117

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Safe & Sound (formerly the San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center) is a children’s advocacy organization working to prevent child abuse and reduce its devastating impact on the child, their family, and our entire community.

We have been a pioneer in the field of child abuse prevention, working within San Francisco for more 40 years. Recently the organization has begun to expand its impact working throughout the state of California.

Child Abuse is a complex problem, but a preventable one. Our data-informed approach leverages three primary strategies: we empower children with knowledge and confidence; we support families providing resources and skills; we activate the community and the changemakers within it to create a thriving social safety net for children and their families.

The organization has an annual operating budget of approximately $8 million and is supported by approximately 60 staff, interns, and more than 80 volunteers. Safe & Sound’s headquarters is located in a historic firehouse in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, with a second office in the Bayview neighborhood.

More information is available at:  www.safeandsound.org.

OVERALL SUMMARY

The Mental Health Clinician is responsible for providing psychotherapy and behavioral health services for Safe & Sound clients. This position requires a flexible work schedule and may require working in the evening or on weekends. Our programs are aligned with the Center for the Study of Social Policy’s 5 Protective Factors: 1) Parental Resilience, 2) Social Connections, 3) Concrete Support in Times of Need, 4) Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development, and 5) Social and Emotional Competence of Children. The specific goal of the counseling program is to support and strengthen these protective factors using counseling services.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provide psychotherapy with adults, children, couples, parent-child dyads, and families (includes on-site and off-site appointments, including working in a school-based setting and/or home visits, attending Individualized Education Plan and Student Success Team meetings), up to 25 hours per week. Clinical work will focus on the transgenerational effects of trauma and addiction, implemented within a child abuse prevention and recovery map models that uses a team-based approach to support the Five Protective Factors in families.
• Education and practice will include interventions based on a variety of theoretical frameworks, including Family Systems, Attachment Theory, Narrative Therapy, Sensorimotor and body-focused treatment, Somatic therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Tapping, Mindfulness/Mentalization, Traumatic Memory Processing, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
• An ongoing, organization-wide Trauma-Informed Systems (TIS) initiative, as well as a developing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative will also influence the clinical practice. The Mental Health Clinician will have an opportunity to contribute to these initiatives if desired.
• May facilitate and co-facilitate workshops and groups for parents, children, and staff, which include topics such as Mentalization, Stress Management, Trauma Recovery, and others. Maximum of one group per year, as caseload allows.
• Attend two weekly team meetings. Provide updates on treatment practices and goals pertaining to psychotherapy clients, and participate in discussion on family goals and outcomes supporting the Five Protective Factors.
• Complete Avatar training in order to support and document work with children with Medi-Cal/EPSDT (Early & Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment).
• Complete 26-hour TALK Line training as part of job orientation. Commit to a weekly 4-hour shift on the line for 6 months.
• Provide backup coverage for family and individual intakes, as well as conduct crisis management sessions as needed in Parent Drop-In.
• Participate in weekly individual supervision (1-2 hours).
• Attend outside trainings to further develop clinical practice.
• Attend and participate in monthly Friday Department meetings and All Center Staff Meetings.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Licensed or license-eligible MSW, MFT, LPCC, or Psychologist
• Minimum of three (3) years offering direct clinical services (including practicums and internships) to adults, children, and families
• Experience with assessments, clinical formulation, and treatment plan development
• Knowledge of the effects of child abuse, child development, effective parenting practice, and family dynamics required
• Ability to conduct psychotherapy in Spanish preferred but not required
• Ability to work with diverse staff and client populations
• Ability to record and maintain time-sensitive clinical records
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Ability to conduct psychotherapy in Spanish preferred but not required
• Previous trauma-informed education/training preferred
• Group facilitation experience preferred

POSITION SPECIFICATIONS

• Full-Time
• Exempt
• Position will be reference-checked and fingerprinted. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Typical Working Conditions: Standard office conditions. 
• Equipment Used: Computer, phone, fax, copier.
• Essential Physical Tasks: Occasional travel within the Bay Area for school-based appointments, and home visits. 

The base salary for this position is $59,200.08 annually and eligible for agency sponsored benefits.

Safe & Sound is committed to workforce diversity. Qualified applicants will receive full consideration without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin.

Qualified candidates should submit a resume and a detailed cover letter to Human Resources at employment@safeandsound.org.