Primary Therapist PHP

• Job Summary

  Provide individualized behavioral therapy to patients and education and support services to families to assist them in understanding, accepting and adhering to recommendations of the psychiatric health care team. Implement the treatment plan and assist in the milieu of the unit to create a therapeutic environment.

• Education

  Bachelor’s degree in Counseling, Psychology or Social Work required.

  Master’s degree in Counseling, Psychology, Social Work or related social sciences field required.

• Experience

  One year of experience in counseling field required. One year within child and adolescent mental health field strongly preferred.

  Knowledge of counseling techniques, family systems and cognitive behavioral therapy required.

  Knowledge and experience with trauma informed care is preferred.

• Licensures, Certifications, and/or Registries

  Professional license in area of specialty (i.e. Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) required. License in the state of Alabama required. If licensed in another state, must be in the process of obtaining Alabama licensure.

Additional Information

The Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) provides an option for patients who do not or no longer meet the qualifications for an inpatient hospital stay, but could also use more intense treatment than the typical outpatient guidelines provide. Bridging the gap between inpatient and outpatient services, the PHP day treatment program is designed to help encourage success in symptom management and recovery.

Our PHP treatment team, comprised of a psychiatrist and licensed behavioral health practitioners, collaborates with patients and their families using therapeutic interventions, education and monitoring. Our team’s goal is to support your child’s ability to manage themselves at home through structured treatment at a less acute level than inpatient hospitalization.

The program is best suits patients 12 – 18 years old with a primary diagnosis of behavioral or mental health concerns and who have been medically stabilized, but would benefit from and thrive with more constant, comprehensive involvement. Primary diagnoses of substance abuse, eating disorders or autism are not eligible for admission to the PHP.

Each patient would treat the PHP like a typical school day, attending for 6 hours each day Monday – Friday. The average length of stay is 2 – 4 weeks, but is ultimately based upon symptom severity and patient progress.