• • Summary: Preventive Measures is seeking a compassionate, skilled, and independently licensed therapist to provide high-quality, individualized psychotherapy to consumers experiencing mental health conditions and serious mental illness (SMI). The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong clinical judgment, cultural competence, and the ability to establish meaningful therapeutic relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds. This position is responsible for assessing, diagnosing, and treating behavioral health conditions through evidence-based therapeutic modalities aligned with each consumer's individualized treatment plan. The therapist will work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary clinical team to promote emotional well-being, improve daily functioning, support recovery, and facilitate continuity of care. This is a strictly in-person, fee-for-service position. Therapists must provide services on-site at the designated office location; remote and hybrid services are not permitted.
Role: Lead, Manage, Accountability (LMA)
Primary Job Responsibilities:
- Individual Therapy and Clinical Services
- Provide individual psychotherapy to consumers diagnosed with mental health conditions and serious mental illness (SMI).
- Establish and maintain strong therapeutic rapport through empathy, active listening, professionalism, and a person-centered approach.
- Implement evidence-based therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), trauma-informed approaches, and other clinically appropriate interventions.
- Tailor interventions to each consumer's diagnosis, clinical presentation, treatment goals, and identified needs.
- Support consumers in developing coping mechanisms, emotional regulation skills, improved interpersonal relationships, and increased independence.
- Evaluate treatment effectiveness and adjust therapeutic interventions as clinically indicated.
- Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis
- Conduct comprehensive clinical assessments to identify behavioral health needs, symptoms, functional limitations, and appropriate levels of care.
- Formulate accurate mental health diagnoses using current DSM criteria and clinical assessment findings.
- Identify co-occurring mental health, substance use, and psychosocial concerns that may influence treatment.
- Conduct ongoing assessments of consumer progress, symptom severity, safety, and overall clinical functioning.
- Recognize psychiatric crises, suicidal ideation, and other safety concerns and implement appropriate intervention and escalation procedures.
- Treatment Planning and Coordination
- Develop, implement, and regularly review individualized treatment plans in collaboration with consumers and the treatment team.
- Ensure therapeutic interventions align with established treatment plan goals and identified clinical needs.
- Establish measurable, recovery-oriented treatment objectives and monitor progress.
- Collaborate with clinical managers, care coordinators, psychiatric providers, and other interdisciplinary team members.
- Participate in clinical consultations, case reviews, and treatment team meetings as needed.
- Referrals and Continuity of Care
- Identify consumers requiring additional behavioral health, psychiatric, medical, substance use, or community-based services.
- Make timely and appropriate referrals based on clinical presentation, consumer preferences, and identified needs.
- Coordinate with internal and external service providers to promote continuity of care.
- Facilitate referrals to higher levels of care when clinically indicated, including crisis stabilization, intensive outpatient treatment, or inpatient psychiatric services.
- Provide ongoing support and follow-up to help consumers connect with recommended resources.
- Documentation and Compliance
- Complete accurate, timely, and clinically appropriate documentation of all services rendered.
- Maintain treatment plans, diagnostic assessments, progress notes, and required clinical records in the electronic health record (EHR).
- Ensure documentation supports medical necessity, treatment interventions, consumer progress, and applicable billing requirements.
- Adhere to DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), applicable Medicaid, organizational, and professional licensing requirements.
- Maintain confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA and professional ethical standards.
- Participate in quality assurance activities, clinical audits, and documentation reviews as requested.
Education/Experience:
Education and Licensure
- Master's degree or higher in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or a closely related behavioral health discipline.
- Active, unrestricted independent clinical license in Washington, DC (such as LICSW, LPC, Licensed Psychologist, or another qualifying independent clinical credential).
- Ability to practice independently, provide psychotherapy, and diagnose mental health conditions within the scope of the applicable professional license. Experience
- Minimum of two years of clinical experience providing individual psychotherapy preferred.
- Experience treating individuals with serious mental illness, complex behavioral health conditions, and trauma-related disorders strongly preferred.
- Proficiency in clinical assessment, DSM-based diagnosis, treatment planning, and evidence-based psychotherapy.
- Experience with community behavioral health, Medicaid-funded, or DBH-regulated programs preferred.
- Familiarity with EHR systems and clinical documentation requirements.
Required Skills and Competencies
- Ability to build trust and therapeutic rapport with consumers.
- Knowledge of evidence-based psychotherapy and recovery-oriented practices.
- Independent clinical judgment in assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and referrals.
- Excellent communication, documentation, and organizational skills.
- Cultural responsiveness, trauma-informed care, and person-centered service delivery.
- Ability to manage a caseload while maintaining quality, compliance, and professional boundaries.
- Effective interdisciplinary collaboration and strong ethical judgment.
Work Expectations
- On-Site Requirement: All scheduled clinical services must be performed in person at the designated Preventive Measures office; no remote or hybrid work.
- Fee-for-Service Compensation: Compensation is based on eligible, completed services under the fee-for-service agreement.
- Caseload Management: Maintain an assigned caseload and support consistent engagement and treatment continuity.
- Documentation: Complete all clinical records within established organizational and regulatory timelines.
- Clinical Accountability: Maintain licensure and participate in required quality improvement activities.
- Professional Collaboration: Communicate with clinical leadership and the treatment team regarding consumer progress, barriers, referrals, and emerging needs.
Performance Expectations
- Consistent delivery of clinically appropriate, evidence-based individual therapy.
- Strong consumer engagement, therapeutic rapport, and retention.
- Accurate diagnoses and individualized treatment interventions.
- Timely clinical documentation and treatment planning.
- Appropriate referrals and coordination of additional services.
- Compliance with applicable clinical, ethical, documentation, and regulatory requirements.
- Meaningful progress toward consumer goals and improved psychosocial functioning.
Values:
- Do the Right Thing- Doing what’s right starts with integrity. It means being honest about your actions, your intentions, and how you treat people - especially when no one’s watching.
- Own It- Everyone has a part. If you’ve been trusted with something, it’s because it’s yours to manage. When we all take care of our piece, everything runs like it should.
- Serve First- This is the foundation. It’s about having a mindset to give - not take. If your first instinct is to help, you’re already on the right track.
- Choose Solutions- You always have a choice. Our strength is in choosing what moves us forward. Be someone who solves, and choose what helps, not what hurts.
- Lead with Respect- You can’t lead others if you don’t respect yourself first. Respect shows up in how we speak, how we act, and how we care for people. Leadership starts inside.
- Commit to the Goal- The plan might shift. The process might change. People might come and go. But the goal stays the goal. Get there - and make sure we’re getting there together.