Institute for Health·Worcester, Massachusetts
The Youth Clinician provides evidence-based clinical services and outreach to youth aged 12-24 and their families to address co-occurring substance use and mental health needs. Responsibilities include conducting assessments, developing treatment plans, and providing wrap-around case management in community settings.
Job Title: Youth Clinician
The Salary range varies and will be determined during the offer process based on education, licensure, and skills (e.g., bachelor’s, master’s, unlicensed, independent license, bilingual language capacity.
Program/Department: Project YESS
Position Type: Exempt Full-Time 40 hours/ week – Hybrid Position (remote and on-site)
Location: Worcester
Reports to: Program Manager
The Institute for Health and Recovery (IHR) is a statewide service, research, policy, program development and capacity building agency. IHR designs its services based on an understanding of the impact of trauma. IHR’s CARF accredited treatment programs provide holistic interventions for hard to reach and high-risk individuals and families. IHR’s mission, since our founding in 1990, has been to develop and support a comprehensive continuum of care for families, individuals, youth, and pregnant and parenting people affected by alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, violence/trauma, mental health challenges and other health issues, while advancing principles of health equity and social justice. Our work is focused on addressing and eradicating inequities in our health care, economic, and justice systems, especially as they disproportionately affect women and people of color. We are committed to providing services and creating communities that mitigate the effects of substance use, mental illness, and trauma.
The Youth Clinician will support IHR’s mission by engaging young people (12-24) and their families in evidence-based treatment to address co-occurring substance use and mental health needs. This position entails providing outreach and clinical services in schools, homes, and other community settings throughout Worcester County.
Engage youth in community-based substance use clinical services that are client-centered, trauma-informed, and evidence-based
Actively engage in outreach to increase awareness of prevention, intervention, and treatment services for youth impacted by substance use
Collaborate with youth, families, and community collaterals to enhance motivation and reduce barriers to treatment
Complete training and certification processes in evidence-based practices, including Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) [https://www.chestnut.org/ebtx/treatments-and-research/treatments/a-cra/]
Use a collaborative approach to provide screening, assessment, and treatment plan development for youth and families.
Facilitate discharge planning including aftercare.
Provide wrap-around and case management services by assisting youth and families in identifying and accessing community resources, natural supports, and opportunities that support goals.
Engage in agency meetings, team meetings, and professional development.
Work in collaboration with the Program Manager, youth team, and referral sources.
Maintain all written reports and records (including electronic health records and documentation required by grant) accurately and in timely manner.
Communicate with team using cloud-based shared calendars, timesheets and check in with supervisors.
Attend team and agency staff meetings.
The physical demands of this position include talking, hearing, sitting, standing, walking, lifting, and using hands for activities such as grasping, handling, and reaching. These physical and mental demands are essential for the successful execution of job responsibilities. Reasonable accommodation will be made for qualified individuals with disabilities.
IHR seeks to create welcoming, inclusive and accessible environments for our staff and the people we serve. We welcome and celebrate the diverse social identities of our staff. We recognize the importance of having staff who reflect the identities of the diverse communities that we serve, and we make efforts to hire from within these communities. We are proud to offer an inclusive, recovery friendly, and supportive work environment, and we welcome, and value lived experience of recovery.
Market context
In Massachusetts, behavioral health employers often look for licensed or license-eligible clinicians with experience supporting at-risk youth and families, so demand tends to stay steady for candidates who can work across settings and age groups. These roles can be competitive because employers usually want a master’s degree, a clear licensure path, and practical experience; review the summarized requirements and benefits here, which are AI-summarized from the original job description to save research time, then confirm your licensure status and tailor your application to youth and family work.