Residential Lead Therapist

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

JOB TITLE: Residential Lead Therapist

STATUS: Full-time, Non-Exempt

COMPENSATION: $85,000 - $90,000 per year, based on experience & licensure

REPORTS TO: Clinical Director

Position Summary

The Lead Therapist will oversee therapeutic programming for an assigned caseload of clients, delivering individual and group therapy while ensuring adherence to best practices for addiction and mental health treatment. This role includes responsibility for signing notes and clinical charting for the residential level of care, running 3-5 groups per week, and managing a caseload of 3-6 clients. The Lead Therapist will work closely with the treatment team.

Relationships and Contacts

Within the organization: Maintains frequent and close working relationships with program staff and facility team members throughout the organization.

Outside the organization: Initiates and maintains strong professional relationships with clients and families, clinical providers, referral partners and vendors, as needed.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide weekly individual therapy sessions for an assigned caseload of clients.
• Facilitate 3-5 group counseling sessions per week as scheduled by the program.
• Facilitate comprehensive evaluations and provide assessments as needed.
• Maintain thorough and accurate clinical charting for residential level of care in accordance with policy and licensing requirements.
• Develop and review treatment plans on a monthly basis.
• Provide therapeutic support or brief interventions to clients in detox as clinically indicated, including risk assessments, mental status checks, safety planning, or crisis de-escalation.
• Support clinical compliance efforts, including preparation for DHCS and Joint Commission audits, chart reviews, and participation in quality assurance/improvement processes.
• Review and co-sign documentation from associate therapists and ensures documentation meets DHCS and Joint Commission standards for the residential and detox levels of care.
• Attend, lead, or facilitate supervision, clinical meetings, staff meetings, and relevant trainings, as indicated.
• Actively engage in quality improvement projects to support organizational growth and effectiveness.
• Participate in after-hours or on-call clinical support as assigned. Responds to crises and coordinates with the treatment team to ensure client safety and continuity of care.
• If applicable, provide clinical supervision to associate-level staff in accordance with BBS requirements and agency policy to ensure supervisees are adhering to documentation, ethical, and clinical standards.

Qualifications

Education:

• Current Clinical Credential under the California Board of Behavioral Services (BBS), including LMFT, LCSW, PhD or PsyD
• Master's degree in Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy or Psychology, California license eligible
• At least one year experience working with clients with substance abuse and/or co-occurring diagnosis
• Significant experience in application of evidence-based treatment modalities (CBT, DBT, ACT, IFS, trauma-focused modalities, etc.)

Core Competencies & Professional Skills:

• Knowledge of addiction and mental health issues.
• Ability to organize time efficiently and adapt to changes as they arise.
• Strong collaboration skills with other professionals in the field.
• Familiarity with HIPAA laws and state and federal regulations related to mental health and addiction.
• Familiarity of DHCS and Joint Commission standards of care.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Capability to document accurately in the medical record according to company policy.
• Proficiency in providing individual and group counseling sessions for clients with substance use disorders.
• Commitment to ethical care and adherence to clinical and professional codes of conduct.
• Leadership and mentoring ability to support staff development.
• Ability to balance clinical responsibilities with oversight and administrative tasks.

Experience:

• Minimum one year of experience working in a substance use disorder treatment setting, preferably at a detox and/or residential level of care.
• Experience with electronic health records (EHRs) and clinical documentation systems preferred.

Certifications:

• CPR & First Aid Certifications.
• Compliance with minimum health requirements under DHCS, including a health questionnaire, TB test
• Valid California Driver's License and insurability by agency's automobile insurance carrier, clearance of TB test, fingerprinting and state clearance, and any other mandatory state/federal requirements

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand and walk for short periods (up to one hour), sit for extended periods, work on a computer for up to 2 hours at a time, and lift fewer than 25 lbs.