Residential Therapist

Description

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Program Director and clinical supervision of the Licensed Clinical Director, the Residential Therapist provides specialty mental health, rehabilitation, and recovery-oriented services within BRIDGES' Social Rehabilitation Facility, Enhanced Residential Services model.

The Residential Therapist serves adults experiencing serious mental illness and co-occurring behavioral health conditions who require residential rehabilitation and support to achieve psychiatric stability, increase independence, develop community living skills, and successfully transition to less restrictive community settings. ERS programs provide augmented specialty mental health services within licensed Social Rehabilitation Facilities (SRFs) designed to assist individuals transitioning from higher levels of care and reducing the risk of hospitalization, re-hospitalization, incarceration, homelessness, or other institutional placements. The programs support clients in developing the skills and community supports necessary for long-term recovery and successful community living.

The Residential Therapist functions as a key member of a multidisciplinary treatment team and provides clinical assessment, treatment planning, individual and group services, rehabilitation services, care coordination, crisis intervention, concurrent authorization support, and discharge planning activities consistent with Medi-Cal requirements, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health standards, Community Care Licensing regulations, California Department of Health Care Services requirements, Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) principles, and BRIDGES policies and procedures.

The therapist promotes person-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and recovery-focused

services that support behavioral health recovery, independent living, and successful community

integration.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Admissions and Referral Coordination

• Work collaboratively with intake staff, nursing staff, program leadership, and referral sources to support the admission process, including clinical consultation, assessment activities, coordination of care, and transition planning as needed.
• Collaborate with referral sources, hospitals, conservators, LACDMH representatives, and community providers during the admission process, as appropriate.
• Participate in admission planning and support successful transition into the residential treatment environment.
• Complete intake assessments, document medical necessity, and all admission-related documentation within required timelines.

Assessment, Treatment Planning, and Clinical Services

• Conduct comprehensive clinical assessments, risk assessments, functional assessments, and ongoing reassessments.
• Develop, coordinate, and update individualized, person-centered treatment and recovery plans.
• Monitor treatment progress and modify interventions based on client needs and outcomes.
• Provide individual, group, family, collateral, rehabilitation, and therapeutic services consistent with program requirements and client treatment goals.
• Utilize evidence-based, recovery-oriented, trauma-informed interventions, and best practices.
• Assist clients in reducing behavioral health symptoms and improving overall functioning.
• Support clients in developing independent living, interpersonal, emotional regulation, problem-solving, self-advocacy, and community living skills necessary to achieve individualized recovery goals.
• Utilize the residential milieu as a therapeutic intervention to support behavioral change, recovery, and community integration.

Therapeutic Milieu Leadership

• Provide clinical leadership within the therapeutic milieu by assisting residential staff in understanding, implementing, and supporting individualized treatment goals.
• Provide consultation, coaching, and guidance to residential staff regarding behavioral interventions, symptom management, recovery-oriented practices, and crisis prevention strategies.
• Assist team members in understanding client strengths, challenges, treatment goals, identified risks, and recommended interventions while promoting a safe, structured, and therapeutic environment.
• Model therapeutic interventions, engagement techniques, behavioral support approaches, de-escalation methods, and risk prevention strategies for unlicensed team members. Provide ongoing coaching to staff regarding trauma-informed, recovery-oriented interactions, behavioral observations, documentation practices, and the use of objective, non-stigmatizing language when communicating about clients and their treatment needs.
• When the Program Director is unavailable, provide day-to-day clinical and programmatic guidance to residential staff to support continuity of care, client safety, treatment implementation, and effective program operations, consistent with agency policies and within the scope of the position.

Care Coordination and Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Coordinate services with psychiatrists, nurses, primary care providers, outpatient mental health providers, substance use treatment providers, housing agencies, and community resources.
• Work collaboratively with members of the multidisciplinary treatment team to ensure comprehensive and integrated care.
• Participate in treatment team meetings, case conferences, clinical consultations, and interdisciplinary discussions.
• Coordinate and communicate with public and private conservators, legal representatives, family members, and other authorized support persons regarding treatment planning, progress, discharge planning, and continuity of care as appropriate.
• Facilitate communication across service systems to ensure continuity of care and successful community transitions.

Rehabilitation and Recovery Support

• Provide, arrange, and coordinate services that support client recovery and community integration.
• Assist clients in accessing behavioral health, physical health, substance use, educational, employment, financial, entitlement, and housing resources.
• Support the development of self-advocacy skills, natural supports, community connections, and recovery resources that promote long-term stability, independent living, and successful community integration.
• Promote self-determination, client choice, recovery, resilience, and independent living.

Concurrent Authorization and Continuing Stay Reviews

• Participate actively in concurrent authorization, continuing stay reviews, and documentation activities supporting medical necessity and level-of-care justification.
• Collaborate with treatment team members to complete authorization-related documentation and provide clinical justification supporting continued residential treatment services.
• Monitor client progress and assist in determining readiness for transition to lower levels of care.
• Support program compliance with county, state, and Medi-Cal authorization requirements and established timelines.

Discharge Planning and Community Transition

• Collaborate with the treatment team in discharge planning activities and ongoing evaluation of client readiness for transition to a lower level of care.
• Provide clinical input and recommendations related to discharge goals, treatment needs, relapse prevention, community supports, and continuity of care.
• Support linkage to behavioral health, medical, housing, and community-based services to promote successful transitions and ongoing recovery.
• Complete clinical documentation related to discharge planning and transition activities as assigned.

Crisis Intervention and Risk Management

• Conduct risk assessments, safety planning, and other risk-management activities as clinically indicated.
• Provide crisis intervention, stabilization, and de-escalation services.
• Respond to psychiatric and behavioral health emergencies in collaboration with treatment team members and community crisis resources.
• Initiate and/or participate in involuntary psychiatric hold processes (5150) when clinically appropriate and within the scope of training, designation, and agency policy.
• Participate in critical incident review and follow-up activities when required.

Documentation, Compliance, and Quality Improvement

• Maintain accurate, timely, and complete clinical documentation in accordance with Medi-Cal requirements, LACDMH standards, Community Care Licensing requirements, California regulations, and BRIDGES policies and procedures.
• Complete assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, reviews, and related documentation within required timelines.
• Maintain confidentiality and protect client information in accordance with HIPAA, state law, and organizational policy.
• Participate in quality assurance, quality improvement, audit, chart review, and compliance activities and support adherence to contractual, regulatory, licensing, and funding requirements.

Professional Responsibilities

• Maintain professional licensure or registration in good standing with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS).
• Attend required individual, triadic, group, and/or clinical supervision sessions.
• Participate in required agency, county, state, and external training activities.
• Complete a minimum of twenty (20) hours of continuing education and professional development annually.
• Maintain professional and ethical standards of conduct.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Master's degree in:

• Social Work
• Marriage and Family Therapy
• Counseling
• Psychology
• Behavioral Health

Licensure/Registration

Must possess and maintain one of the following:

• Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT)
• Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW)
• Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC)
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
• Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)

Experience

• Minimum one (1) year of experience providing mental health, rehabilitation, counseling, case management, or therapeutic services to adults with serious mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders preferred.
• Experience in residential treatment, social rehabilitation, community mental health, forensic behavioral health, intensive case management, or similar levels of care preferred.
• Experience with Medi-Cal documentation, LACDMH requirements, concurrent authorization processes, and multidisciplinary treatment planning preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of serious mental illness, co-occurring disorders, crisis intervention, risk assessment, and recovery-oriented treatment approaches.
• Knowledge of psychiatric rehabilitation, social rehabilitation, community-based behavioral health services, and person-centered treatment planning.
• Must maintain current LPS designation/certification or obtain and maintain LPS designation/certification within agency-established timelines.
• Knowledge of Medi-Cal documentation standards and medical necessity requirements.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team.
• Ability to exercise sound clinical judgment and ethical decision-making.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships.
• Ability to balance clinical, documentation, and programmatic responsibilities in a fast-paced residential treatment setting.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with county partners, hospitals, conservators, referral sources, community agencies, and natural supports.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals of diverse cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, gender, and social backgrounds.
• Bilingual in Spanish or other threshold language preferred but not required.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Proof of automobile insurance and acceptable driving record.
• Minimum age of 21 years.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Community Care Licensing background clearance.
• Successful completion of required health screening and negative TB clearance.
• Current First Aid certification or ability to obtain certification upon hire.
• Must maintain current LPS designation/certification or obtain and maintain LPS designation/certification within agency-established timelines.
• Ability to work flexible schedules and respond to crises as necessary.