Psychotherapist

Job Requirements

I. General Summary

The Psychotherapist, under limited supervision, is a licensed professional caregiver who assumes responsibility and accountability for services given to a group of patients for a designated time frame. The clinician interprets and performs complex patient care procedures specific to their area of expertise. The Psychotherapist provides care to patients via therapeutic use of self, effective use of the environment/technology, and collaborating with other healthcare team members, according to established clinical standards. Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to, initial assessment, treatment planning, individual, group and/or family therapy as indicated and information and referral to patients 18 and older (who are graduated from high school).

II. Principal Responsibilities and Tasks

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. These are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified.

• Patient Assessment.

a. Following a referral screens and assesses the clinical needs of patients through accepted standards of interviewing.

b. Interviews patient and completes initial assessment through collaboration with prior medical

c. records, family, physician, clinic care, community agency representatives, and/or

d. other behavioral health professionals.

e. Applies the principles of growth and development over the human life span and assesses the

patient’s needs consistent to his/her age specific needs.

• Treatment Planning and Implementation.

a. Makes recommendations regarding an appropriate treatment plan based on the collaboration performed in assessment.

b. Documents treatment goals in clear concise terms that are behavioral, measurable and understandable to the patient.

c. Documents and collaborates with other clinicians progress toward treatment goals.

d. Keeps patients informed regularly throughout the course of treatment on progress and planning.

e. Provides psychotherapy that is ethical, professional and void of behavioral modification techniques.

f. Provides psychotherapy that is based on an understanding and integration of various theoretical approaches to human behavior.

g. Ensures that the psychotherapy interventions are provided in a safe, confidential and therapeutic environment.

h. Supervises and monitors patient activities. Providing case management as needed.

i. Provides crisis intervention and critical stress counseling to patients/families as necessary.

j. Provides for Emergency Petition as deemed appropriate. Assists in assessment of and provides crisis intervention and community referral to potential victims of abuse, neglect, and/or domestic violence following organizational and departmental guidelines.

• Discharge and Referral – coordinates referral and other activities to include:

a. Maintaining awareness of resources for patient support.

b. Referrals to psychiatric outpatient programs/therapists/clinics appropriate to patient’s needs.

c. Referrals to community social support, advocacy, educational agencies.

d. Admission to UMMS inpatient psychiatric units as needed.

e. Referral to BWMC PHP/IOP Programs or other UMMS-related programs as needed.

f. Identifies patient/family learning needs and implements appropriate measures to meet these.

g. Performs documentation duties in department and in patient record, which are timely, accurate, concise and legible.

h. Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to patient/family rights.

Ensures the confidentiality and respects the rights of patients, employees and the confidentiality of all documents.

• Professional Responsibility.

a. Embraces and demonstrates Departmental core values of respect, dignity, hope, education and enthusiasm to all customers (patient, family, staff, community).

b. Prioritizes work responsibilities and effectively manages multiple demands.

c. Complies with required reporting/statistical procedures.

d. Seeks validation of knowledge base, skill level, and decision making as necessary and assertively seeks guidance in areas of question.

e. Participates actively in staff development activities for department.

f. Demonstrates self-directed learning and participation in continuing education to meet own professional development needs.

g. Participates in development and attainment of departmental goals.

h. Participates in departmental quality improvement activities.

i. Participates in standards development.

j. Practices effective problem identification and resolution skills as a method of sound decision making.

k. Accepts change as a part of the problem-solving process. Consistently applies resolutions that have been identified as effective.

l. Services on committees within the organization and in the community, when appropriate.

III. Education and Experience

• Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Social Work or in a related behavioral health field required.
• Current advanced licensure in good standing in the State of Maryland (e.g. LCSW-C, PCPC, Ph.D., Psy D) required
• Three (3) to five (5) years of providing psychotherapy services and sound knowledge of the current DSM are required.
• Previous hospital experience preferred.

IV. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Highly effective verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills to communicate effectively with all levels hospital staff, patients, visitors, and levels of staff.