Mental Health Therapist FT/PT

Purpose

The Mental Health Therapist provides comprehensive, trauma-informed therapeutic services to children and adolescents in foster care (ages 6–17) and homeless youth (ages 16–21). This role delivers individual, group, and family therapy while fostering a safe, healing, and supportive campus environment.

Guided by Youth Haven’s core values, this role promotes the creation of nurturing, compassionate relationships that promote healing, emotional safety, and resilience, while maintaining compliance with Department of Children and Families (DCF), Children’s Network of Southwest Florida (CNSWFL), and Council on Accreditation (COA).

The Mental Health Therapist must act with integrity, maintaining honesty, professionalism, and strict confidentiality in all clinical and organizational practices. Responsibility to our community is demonstrated through collaboration with internal teams and external partners to ensure comprehensive, coordinated care for every youth served.

Through a focus on excellence, the Mental Health Therapist delivers high-quality, evidence-based clinical services and adheres to the highest professional, ethical, and regulatory standards.

Functional Responsibilities

• Provide individual, group, and family therapy aligned with trauma-informed and client-centered care principles.
• Monitor client progress towards treatment goals and provide outside referrals during admission and discharge.
• Conduct comprehensive psychosocial and functional assessments.
• Complete suicide risk assessments, safety planning, and Baker Act interventions, as needed.
• Develop, implement, and monitor individualized treatment plans in collaboration with clients, guardians, GALs, and the interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Utilize evidence-based therapeutic interventions and demonstrate commitment to clinical excellence.
• Promote a nurturing, safe, and healing environment that reflects compassion and respect for all youth.
• Demonstrate cultural humility and sensitivity to diversity in all aspects of care.
• Uphold the dignity, worth, and rights of every client.
• Actively participate in interdisciplinary treatment team meetings and contribute to coordinated care planning.
• Collaborate with residential staff, education teams, and community providers to ensure continuity of care.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with external agencies to support youth access to services.
• Provide consultation and guidance to staff and student interns, as appropriate.
• Advocate for youth needs both internally and within the broader community.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and thorough documentation in the electronic medical record, including assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, and referrals.
• Ensure all documentation meets agency, regulatory, and accreditation standards.
• Participate in audits, Performance Quality Improvement (PQI) initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Communicate trends, risks, and service gaps to leadership to support program excellence.
• Actively engage with youth throughout the campus, building rapport and identifying emerging needs.
• Participate in organizational events and initiatives that support and advocate for youth.
• Attend required trainings, in-service sessions, and committee meetings.
• Manage workload effectively, demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness to program needs.

Employment Standards

• A Master’s degree or higher in the Behavioral Health Professions (MS/MSW/MA/PhD)
• Active Florida licensure to practice at the independent practice level (LCSW, LMFT, LMHC, Psychologist) in Florida. Registered Interns with a minimum of 2+ years of youth experience will be considered.
• Minimum 2 years + of clinical experience with youth

Bi-lingual - Spanish or Creole a plus

Evening availability

NPI number preferred

Demonstrated commitment to Youth Haven’s mission and core values.

Benefits

• PTO
• 12 Holidays & Birthday Holiday
• Medical
• Vision
• Dental
• Hospital Indemnity
• Accident
• Critical Illness
• Long-Term Disability & Life and AD&D
• 403(b)
• 403(b) matching
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Health and Wellness Stipend