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Lead Support Therapist Job – Friendship Academy
The Watson Institute is hiring a full-time Lead Support Therapist at Friendship Academy, a special education and partial hospitalization program for students in Pittsburgh, PA. This position will work Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and follows the school calendar.
This position is for the 2023-2024 School Year but interviews and hiring are underway now!
Job Benefits
At the Watson Institute, we invest in our employees personally and professionally. Check out a few of the employee benefits you’ll receive as a Watson employee:
- Excellent medical, dental, and vision insurances as well as life and long-term disability and access to voluntary benefits.
- 403b Retirement Plan with Watson matching employee contributions after 1 year of employment.
- Access to Tuition Reimbursement to pursue further education and advanced degrees.
- Qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and flexible spending accounts.
Learn more about what it’s like to work at the Watson Institute!
Employment Type: Full-time
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Lead Therapist Job Description:
The Lead Support Therapist provides coaching and guidance to the team of Support Therapists to ensure safe management of the classroom/school environment:
- Hold debriefings within 24 hours of a student restraint or critical event
- Disseminate critical information related to student trauma history, triggers, and strengths
- Maintain emotional control in the face of stressful situations and requests help when needed
- Contribute to building a team environment and cohesiveness
- Display flexibility and adapt to changes in the work environment
- Make appropriate decisions in a timely fashion
- Achieve and maintain status of “Trainer” in Comprehensive Crisis Management and Ukeru
The Support Therapist manages the following areas:
- Admission and dismissal from school including early morning scanning of students for contraband (weapons, cigarettes, matches, lighters, gang-related materials, etc.). At dismissal, this includes the safe escort and active supervision of students
- Follow the Support Therapists in “real-time” to provide them with guidance on how to safely de-escalate students who are in crisis
- Timely collection and filing of debriefing paperwork to meet audit standards
- Lead daily “huddles” with Support Therapist team
- Provide one-on-one supervision to Support Therapists
- Give feedback to the support therapists about areas of strength and needed improvement, including completing yearly performance evaluations
- De-escalate potential crisis situations; maintain the time-out area in a safe manner and follow time-out procedures
- As assigned, provide coverage at the front desk crisis phone
- Proactively perform observations of students’ behavior in the hallways and classrooms
- Attend and contribute to treatment team, red flag, debriefing meetings, and other student-related meetings as requested
- Within the partial program, complete at least two milieu individual therapy notes per day
- Support and contribute to the school-wide behavioral support plan and other behavioral data reports including Watson Financial, behavioral reports, restraint forms and AWOL reports
- Review email on a daily basis and create and maintain the Enhanced Observation list
- As assigned, train staff in Comprehensive Crisis Management
- Perform other duties pertinent to the job as directed by the Program Director
Lead Therapist Job Requirements:
- Degree in Counseling, Child Development, Criminology, Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, or closely related field required (Master’s Degree preferred)
- Related work experience in field preferred
- Certification in Comprehensive Crisis Management
- The essential functions of the job described require the ability to exert moderate physical effort in light work, typically involving some combination of bending, stooping, squatting, reaching, kneeling, crouching and brisk walking, and which may involve lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and material of moderate weight (40 pounds)
- Ability to physically restrain students for their safety and the safety of others
- Current Act 34, 114, and 151 clearances required