Lincoln Families is a workplace that is committed to strengths-based, culturally responsive, attachment-centered, and trauma-informed care.
POSITION: Clinician
PROGRAM: School Engagement Program (SEP)
SALARY: $75K unlicensed; $78k licensed
TEXT ‘SEP899' to (510) 901-5627
The Lincoln Families’ School Engagement Program (SEP) helps chronically truant youth and their families address barriers to attending schools and support consistent attendance and engagement in the learning process. SEP is a prevention program for youth who have increased absences but are not yet identified as chronically truant or involved in the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) or Parent Truancy Court (PTC) system.
SEP meets youth and families where they are at, whether it be in the home, school, or community. Staff deliver services to youth and families in a variety of ways:
- Family Coaching – Providing intensive case management and collaborating with families to reconnect them to their communities, and develop skills and resources for self-sufficiency;
- Youth Counseling – Working with students to increase motivation, promote a healthy lifestyle and establish trust with the school system for achievement and success;
- Resource Navigation – Linking youth and families to self-identified supports for reducing stressors and addressing issues impacting attendance as well as working with schools to improve their outreach to families.
Our Why: Chronic truancy is a crisis impacting children in the Bay Area, throughout California, and across the county. Studies consistently show that elementary school students who miss school are more likely to struggle academically, which leads ultimately to higher drop-out rates. While there are numerous risk factors associated with absenteeism, school truancy is not an isolated problem or merely a behavioral issue. Rather, it is the result of underlying problems associated with poverty and, systemic inequities, such as homelessness and the physical and mental health of the caregiver.
POSITION SUMMARY: Reporting to a Clinical Supervisor, the SEP Clinician will provide individual and family counseling and intensive case management interventions to youth and their families referred by the Contra Costa County School Districts, due to a history of chronic truant behaviors. The Clinician will evaluate the needs of clients and families and develop an assessment, treatment goals and interventions that respond to their needs in coordination with other team members of the School Engagement Program (SEP) and other community partners. The Clinician will also work with youth and families to assist them in maintaining the greatest possible school attendance, along with maintaining family stability through access to community resources.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Assist clients in maintaining stability in the school and community by offering support and linkage to needed services
- Responsible for weekly scheduled individual meetings with clients
- Develop rapport and maintain good professional relationship with clients
- Provide counseling and case management to clients in natural setting; including outreach, home visits, school visits, and community linkage
- Encourage client and family success and build family’s support network through exploring opportunities provided by counseling services, school and community integration, and other community resources
- Work collaboratively with parents, school personnel, treatment team providers and court officials as needed
- Adhere to all internal and external reporting and documentation requirements
- Co-lead summer programming activities
- Represent agency at public and assigned functions
- Participate in weekly individual and/or group supervision
- Participate in agency in-service training programs
- Obtain and complete necessary clinical records/documents within assigned time frames.
- Provide individual, collateral, group and family therapy.
- Assess psychotherapeutic and case management needs of youth and families, and develop a treatment plan agreed upon by the caregiver(s) and treatment team.
- Ensure culturally responsive and relevant treatment planning and services.
- Involve the child/youth and family members in the treatment plan and promote understanding.
- Requires regular and frequent driving to conduct meetings at homes, schools or other sites and may include transporting youth or families. (Clinician must have a valid CA driver’s license, personal automobile insurance and satisfactory driving record.)
POSITION REQUIREMENTS: A positive, service-oriented team player with adept skills in providing outreach, case management, and educational support services to youth and their families that are facing mental health and educational challenges affecting school attendance. Demonstrated ability to advocate for supportive services to enable youth and their family to utilize parenting and youth engagement resources. Has a demonstrated awareness of, sensitivity to and competence in dealing with cultural and socioeconomic diversity of client population; able to provide strengths-based, trauma-focused care and dedication to practicing cultural humility in all relationships. Works effectively and collaboratively in a diverse multidisciplinary setting; displays excellent written and verbal communication skills with exceptional interpersonal, teaming, and collaboration skills. Must have ability to work independently as well as consult with the SEP team to deliver culturally sensitive services. Must have strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings when necessary.
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION:
- Bilingual language skills preferred, but not required (English/Spanish).
- MSW, AMFT, or MA/MS in counseling or psychology from an accredited graduate school program
- Current BBS registration as associate or BBS licensure
- 2 years of experience in providing direct clinical services to youth and their families with a range of mental health needs
- Previous counseling experience highly desirable
- Experience with Medi-Cal billing preferred
- Must meet eligibility requirements to bill for Medi-Cal services.
- Basic-to-intermediate computer proficiency
WHY JOIN LINCOLN FAMILIES:
- Salary: $75k unlicensed; $78k licensed
- Bilingual Skills: Up to an additional $5k annually (contingent upon results of language proficiency test)
- Time Off: 4 weeks of vacation, 18 sick days and 11 holidays (including 2 flex holiday); Vacation and sick time begin accruing from day one of employment.
- Benefits: medical, dental and vision with 90-95% employer subsidy for employee premiums; we also offer 50% for dependents. Additional Benefits include flexible spending accounts (FSA), life insurance, disability insurance, commuter benefits, retirement & pension plans.
- Equity at Lincoln Families: we currently have an Employee Equity Council, a Management Equity Team and staff-run Affinity Groups. Lincoln Families also advocates regarding immigrant needs, housing stability & reimagining public safety.
- Wellness: Lincoln Families encourages and supports wellness for all employees so that staff are able to sustain themselves in this work and better serve our families. Staff create self-care plans and receive funding they can use each year towards those plans. Employees also have 1-3 hours of paid time per week for wellness activities.
- Professional Development/Training: Each year, employees can be reimbursed for expenses related professional licensing and other fees, as well as for professional development opportunities. Employees who have been at Lincoln Families for one year are also eligible to participate in advanced training series.
- Student Loan Forgiveness: We are a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit approved site. By working with Lincoln Families, staff are eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
- Top Bay Area Workplace four years running... 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024!
