Child and Family Support Specialist

Bright Beginnings, Inc. is a non-profit organization that operates early childhood and family learning centers for families experiencing homelessness. Our mission is to meet the needs of children and families living in homeless environments by providing children with a safe, nurturing educational environment; preparing them to enter kindergarten ready to learn; and supporting homeless parents in stabilizing their home lives and becoming self-sufficient. BBI is seeking an LCSW, LPC, or LMHC to serve as our Child & Family Support Specialist and is responsible for the overall planning, implementation, coordination, evaluation, and ongoing administration of trauma-informed care at Bright Beginnings. The position is responsible for the full implementation and delivery of high-quality, comprehensive services to children and families. The individual will have considerable ability to understand chronic homelessness, intergenerational poverty, their causes, and two generational approaches and solutions. This person must have the ability to provide effective leadership to plan and direct the work of others, establish effective working relationships with the public and others, and communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Must be well-versed in the Head Start Performance Standards and Other Regulations, Child Abuse regulations, and District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR).Essential Duties:Responsible for the overall trauma-informed care at Bright Beginnings.Provide trauma-informed and culturally competent therapy sessions to clients. Sessions may be individual, family, or group therapy.To monitor and evaluate clients' progress, respecting confidentiality issues for project evaluation purposes.Maintain a caseload of individual clients.Coordinate clinical trauma training for the graduate student program.Provide clinical supervision to graduate interns.To ensure that the therapy provided is of the highest possible professional standard and that the work is safe and ethical.Perform assessments, including mental health needs assessments and risk assessments.Plan and implement therapy applying psychological principles when working with individuals and groups to assist in changing, improving, understanding, or managing situations.Build relationships with clients and evaluate clients' outcomes.Write reports, maintain records, and provide written and verbal reports, while respecting client confidentiality.Complete and submit required monthly reports to the Therapeutic Services Manager through HMIS, ChildPlus, and the End of Month Report to the Head Start Enterprise System (HSES).Supervise and maintain accurate and timely written/electronic records, including end-of-month reports, assessments, special education documentation, screening instruments, anecdotal observations, documents for all transitions, and other required forms. (ChildPlus, HSES).Ensure overall compliance with local, state, and federal standards and regulations.Maintain confidentiality of information at all times.Attend all required training, staff meetings, and team meetings.Actively participate in community- and program-wide activities and events, increasing awareness of the program services offered through BBI.Work collectively with all program staff.Other duties as assigned.Qualifications:Mission and culture alignment;Master's degree preferred in social work,k; counseling, psychology, or psychotherapy. LCSW, LPC, or LMHC required.Well-versed in the Head Start Performance Standards and other regulations, including but not limited to child abuse regulations and District of Columbia OSSE Licensing Regulations;Extensive knowledge of person-centered therapeutic theory, practice, and interventions;Extensive theoretical understanding of group therapy;A proven track record in the counseling field.a;Sound awareness of and willingness to implement professional boundaries;Must maintain current training and professional development credits.Spanish - speaking and writing preferred, but not required;Excellent organizational, time management, and communication skills;Strong written and verbal communication;Track record of establishing effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels across teams;Must have the ability to maintain a cooperative, diplomatic working relationship with co-workers, supervisors, families, and the community;Must demonstrate flexibility in work settings, maturity of judgment, and ability to work collegially;Strong computer skills with expertise in Windows-based programs, such as the Microsoft Office Suite;Must have DC local and Federal criminal record clearance, Child Protective Register check status, and substance abuse testing; andDocumentation of Tuberculin-free condition and health screening on an annual basis.Physical Demands:Be able to lift 25-50 lbs.Be able to walk, squat/kneel, sit on the floor, see, hear, and speak.Be able to raise objects from a lower to a higher location or move objects horizontally from one location to another.Be able to sit for extended periods at a computer.Employee Acknowledgment: