Clinical Mental Health Therapist

Job Description Summary

Provides individual, group, and family therapy services for justice involved youth. Clinicians work as collaborative team members on the Youth’s Child and Family Team, with specific focus on advocating for the youth and enhancing the youth’s ability to lead a heathy effective life.

Participates as a clinical coordinator or mentor for designated unique projects and/or activities that require advanced skill and efficiency in communication, coordination, guidance, and liaison activity with a wide variety of professionals and non-professionals within Juvenile Court, multiple government entities, and/or community partners.

Job Description

*Revised*

This position will remain open until filled. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and the posting may close without notice once a candidate is selected.

Hiring Range: $62,337.60 - $68,556.80

Range Explanation: 

Hiring Range is an estimate of where you can receive an offer. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, training, and internal equity.

This is an on-site position

No relocation assistance will be provided

Important Notice Regarding Multiple Applications:

Once a candidate formally accepts a job offer with Superior Court, Juvenile Court, or Justice Court, all other active applications they may have submitted for different roles within these courts will be inactivated. This ensures clarity in our hiring process and allows us to focus on onboarding and supporting the candidate in their new role.

We appreciate your interest in joining our team.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

This is a full-time, classified position and will require working some evening and weekend hours.  The incumbent reports to the Juvenile Court’s Clinical Director. The incumbent performs under limited supervision and has no traditional supervisory responsibilities; however, they are expected to provide clinical supervision and peer mentoring to associate licensed mental health professionals on their path becoming to be independently licensed.   

Minimum Qualifications:

A Master’s degree in a behavioral health related field and at least two years of post-master’s professional work experience working with youth providing mental health, and/or family therapy.

Required to be independently licensed professional through the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners or applicable equivalent as approved by the Juvenile Court’s Clinical Director. Qualified to clinically supervise the work of associate level licensed staff in their path to independent licensure.  

Preference may be given to those fluent in both English and Spanish.

Preference may be given to applicants that have two (2) years of experience providing direct therapy to youth ages 8-17.

Employees failing to maintain licensure as required will be terminated or may be demoted to an appropriate lower-level position if available in which they meet the minimum requirements.

Licensure related fee will be paid by the court.  

Essential Duties & Functions:

• This is an independent licensure level position in the Clinician job classification series.  Incumbents will exercise a high degree of autonomous work activity, judgment, and communication in order to achieve specific goals identified by the Juvenile Court Leadership Team and/or Clinical Director. The work may fall outside routine duties of providing direct behavioral health services and instead utilize the incumbent's extensive working knowledge/experience of clinical practice to inform and improve efficiency and quality of service.
• Incumbents are expected to apply the principles of current behavioral health practices and agency policies and procedures; establish and maintain the confidence and cooperation of personnel contacted in the course of work; write clear, accurate and concise reports; maintain an objective and empathetic understanding of mental illnesses, and emotional and behavioral disorders.
• Incumbents are expected to provide clinical oversight and peer mentoring to coworkers on their path to achieving independent licensure and assure appropriate clinical oversight of all their work.  
• Conducts individual, group and family therapy with justice involved youth.  
• Formulates treatment plans using evidence-based modalities and evaluates treatment outcomes for court involved youth.
• Facilitates family participation in the treatment process.
• Facilitates family engagement through an educational and support group for family members of juvenile justice involved youth.
• Consults with staff and participates in the development and monitoring of individual behavior plans for detained youth.
• Participates in Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings and other staffing meetings as necessary.
• Prepares progress notes and other reports as necessary or directed.
• Provides consultation, education and training to staff and other groups, including parents and other community members.
• May testify at hearings or in court.
• Ensures compliance with all provisions and updates of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) AND ensures compliance with all relevant laws and regulations regarding confidentiality, privacy and security.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Incumbents are expected to have knowledge of the principles, procedures, techniques, trends and literature of mental health practice; social aspects of mental illness and emotional and behavioral disorders; scope and activities of public and private health and welfare agencies; principles and practices of case management; clinical supervision and training methodologies. 
• Knowledge of County, state and Federal laws, statutes, rules, ordinances, codes and regulations as applicable to position.  
• Knowledge of County and Department policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of court processes, legal terminology, and justice system administrative processes and protocols.
• Knowledge of protocols and practices in psychotherapeutic and behavioral healthcare, including assessment, intervention, and managing assaultive behavior.
• Knowledge of state codes and regulations pertaining to the commitment and release of judicially committed mentally ill clients, and the provision of treatment to mentally ill and/or substance abusing offenders.
• Knowledge of facilitation and conflict resolution procedures, and professional rules of conduct.
• Knowledge of the principles of records management, file systems and case files.
• Knowledge of local community resources and various community services programs.
• Skill in evaluating behavioral health problems and making suggestions based on observations.
• Skill in interacting with people of different social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Skill in understanding, interpreting and applying relevant statutes, ordinances, codes and regulations.
• Skill in assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects and demands.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relations with co-workers, other County employees and representatives from other city, county, state and Federal agencies.
• Skill in operating a personal computer utilizing a variety of standard software including an electronic medical record.

Licenses and Certificates:

Independently Licensed through the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (or equivalent as approved by the Juvenile Court’s Clinical Director) is required at the time of appointment.

Maintaining licensure with a current status at all times is required.  

Physical/Sensory Items:

Typically performs duties in an office environment and may lift materials and/or equipment 20 lbs. or less.

• Working conditions are various office and Detention Unit settings; involves the potential for high stress levels and exposure to hostile situations; some non-standard work hours are required.
• Must work with a clinically challenging client population; must be able to read and respond to subtle behavioral clues and maintain professional composure and effectiveness. 

Benefits Information:

We offer exceptional benefits

• Retirement Plan

• Vacation, holidays, and sick leave

• 100% paid parental leave

• Employer-paid Short -term Disability

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Health Wellness discount program

• Mental and Behavioral Health Benefits

• Paid Training with Advancement Opportunities

• Upon yearly anniversary, 56 hours of sick time accrued, less usage, may be rolled over to vacation time.

The Arizona Superior Court in Pima County and the Pima County Juvenile Court Center offer the same benefits as those offered to other employees working for Pima County. We offer a competitive benefits package to benefits-eligible employees, which includes medical, dental, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, paid vacation and sick leave. Some benefits require contributions by employees in addition to contributions made by the employer. Please see the link below for a complete description of the offerings.

Pima County Benefits

Retirement Plan participation is mandatory for all eligible employees to include a mandatory pre-tax pay deduction. Current rates can be viewed here:  

ASRS Contribution Rates

Full-time employees of government organizations may be able to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.  For more information click Student Loan Forgiveness | Federal Student Aid. 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status, political interest, or any other characteristic or category protected by local, state, or federal law.