MST THERAPIST (MULTISYSTEMIC THERAPY)

JOB DESCRIPTION: MST Therapist

EXEMPT/NON-EXEMPT: Exempt

SUPERVISOR’S TITLE: MST Supervisor

WORK SCHEDULE:  MST Therapists are allowed to work a flexible schedule as needed to meet the needs of the families they are serving.  MST therapist must be available at times that are most convenient to their consumers as a strategy to remove access barriers to engagement in treatment.  Therapists are full-time and expected to work a pre-established and agreed upon number of hours each week, on average. With the approval of the MST supervisor, therapists may alter their work schedule on a weekly basis to provide best access to their clients. Therapists will not be required to work within the normal business hours but may do so, if this does not present barriers to consumer access. Therapists are expected to participate in an on-call rotation in addition to the normal work hours per week. (See agency on-call procedure).

SUMMARY OF POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES: Under the supervision of the MSTI Consultant and the MST Supervisor, the MST Therapist provides intervention, support, collaboration and coordination of care using the MST model. This position is crucial in the management of therapeutic services and clinical interventions for consumers receiving MST services.  The MST Therapist focuses on collaboration and empowerment of children and parents/guardians by using identified strengths to develop natural support systems, remove barriers to change of the youth’s function in their natural settings, increase the ability of the family to function as a unit and to decrease symptoms that would require a higher level of care or placement out of the home in a juvenile detention facility.  The MST Therapist is responsible for multiple tasks related to the clinical/therapeutic functions of MST services, including scheduling, providing therapeutic interventions/activities, maintaining clinical records and the completing multiple service requirements.  At all times, the MST Therapist must work within the parameters of the MST service definition as noted in Clinical Coverage Policy 8A and adhere to the MST model and consultation of the MSTI Consultant.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

1. Conduct MST assessment including review of referral information, identifying and engaging key participants, identifying systemic strengths and weaknesses, and developing an analysis of the fit of problem behaviors within the ecological context.
2. Engage primary caregiver and other key participants in active change-oriented treatment by identifying and overcoming barriers to engagement.
3. Implement a problem conceptualization, treatment planning, intervention implementation, outcome review and strategy revision procedure using the MST Analytic Process.
4. Maintain clear and concise documentation of treatment efforts that promote peer and supervisory review and feedback, and that demonstrate compliance with the 9 MST Principles and the MST Analytic Process.
5. Collaborate with all relevant systems and key participants within each system to ensure their buy-in and cooperation throughout MST treatment.
6. Provide direct clinical treatment using methods compatible with MST principles and practices.
7. Participate in all MST training, supervision and consultation activities.
8. Therapists will have limited in-office requirements and will not be required to perform duties in the organization outside of those related to the MST program.

9.      Ensures that 90-100% of authorized units are utilized within the authorization period.

POSITIONS SUPERVISED: None

LEVEL OF EDUCATION

1. Master’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling or a related subject area.
2. Persons with a related bachelor’s degree and significant clinical experience in treating serious antisocial behavior in youth may also qualify at the discretion of the agency.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

1. Direct use of pragmatic (i.e. structural, strategic and functional) family therapies
2. Individual therapy with children and adults using cognitive behavioral techniques
3. Marital therapy using behaviorally-based approaches
4. Behavioral therapy targeting school behavior and academic performance
5. Implementation of interventions within or between systems in the youth’s natural ecology that affect or influence the behavior of youth (i.e. family, peer, school, and neighborhood)

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE:

1. Family systems theory and application
2. Social ecological theory and application
3. Behavioral therapies theory and application
4. Cognitive-behavioral therapy theory and application
5. Pragmatic family therapies theory and application
6. Child development research and its application in treatment
7. Social skills assessment and intervention

REQUIRED CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE: None

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Regularly walk, stand or stoop; occasionally lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects weighing up to 25 pounds; and regularly drives a motor vehicle.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is performed in an office or other environmentally controlled room; Work may expose to contagious or infectious diseases; Work may expose to dangerous and volatile situations, which could result in bodily injury.