DELAWARE GUIDANCE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN·Wilmington, Delaware
Provide rapid response screening, assessment, and short-term therapeutic crisis intervention for youth and families in community-based settings. Responsible for conducting risk assessments, developing safety plans, and maintaining detailed clinical documentation from intake to discharge.
$5000 ( Paid 1/2 within 90 days and rest of will be after 6 months.
Retention Bonus: $1250
Under the supervision of the Crisis Clinical Coordinator, the Crisis Clinician will provide rapid response screening and assessment and counseling intervention services to youth and families experiencing urgent psychological and emotional problems (ie. aggressive and defiant behavior due to problems with emotion regulation, suicidal/homicidal ideation, plans, or attempts, family conflicts, etc.) while maintaining safety and implementing therapeutic treatment plans in a community-based setting. The incumbent is responsible for conducting risk assessments, consulting with appropriate supervisors or DPBHS workers to make decisions about level of care needed to maintain safety, and providing short-term, therapeutic crisis intervention services for up to 30 days. In addition, the incumbent is responsible for therapeutic documentation of cases from intake through discharge.
Risk Assessment
Maintain professional, trauma-informed, and empathetic interactions during crisis interactions with families and all stakeholders
Use critical thinking and risk management skills when assessing and making decisions about the least restrictive level of care
Understand and utilize knowledge about warning signs and risk factors associated with suicide risk and risk of harm to others
Develop comprehensive skills in planning for safety and providing evaluations, diagnosis and therapeutic crisis intervention services to children, adolescents and their families.
Supervisory responsibilities: None
Work environment: Community-Based, Office location in Lewes, Dover, or Newark, DE
Travel required: Travel to locations where the client resides or is located
Delaware Guidance Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Delaware Guidance Services for Children and Youth, Inc. (DGS) is the largest provider of outpatient behavioral health services to children and families in Delaware. We operate offices in Wilmington, Newark, Dover, Lewes, and Seaford, and we are the only statewide not-for-profit outpatient behavioral health organization for children and adolescents accredited by JCAHO. In 2020, we were honored as a Compassionate Champion for our dedication to serving youth and families using a trauma-informed approach.
Through DGS, clients and families have access to outpatient counseling, group therapy, parent-child interaction therapy, and school-based services.
Our community-based service lines serve youth and families who require a more intense therapeutic protocol.
DGS’ 24-hour statewide Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) dispatches skilled crisis intervention clinicians to provide immediate care to children experiencing behavioral health crises.
Therapeutic options are available for a wide range of diagnoses including depression, anxiety, mood disorders, eating disorders, traumatic stress-related disorders, and suicidal ideation.
In 2021, DGS clinicians provided over 54,000 direct care hours to children, youth, and families in Delaware.
Over 93% of clients report improvement in their level of functioning following treatment, and therapeutic benefits derived from trauma-informed care extend to clients’ siblings, caregivers, classmates, and peers.
Our client population is racially and ethnically diverse; 80% of DGS clients are Medicaid recipients and 90% have household incomes under $30,000. Many of our clients present with significant treatment challenges including learning impacts due to missed school and negative economic impact due to parental missed work. We provide care to anyone in need, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay for care. DGS also provides services specifically tailored to meet the unique behavioral health care needs of child welfare-involved families and foster youth
Why Work at Delaware Guidance Services?
Requires a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field and a valid driver's license. A Master's degree and specialized training in suicide risk prevention are preferred.
Market context
In Delaware, behavioral-health openings for psychiatric nurse practitioners are often shaped by steady demand for access to mental health care, especially in settings that use telepsychiatry to reach more patients. This role is competitive because it requires board certification, an active unrestricted license, 4+ years of post-graduate experience, and comfort with EMRs; the listed pay and benefits reflect that level of specialization. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save research time, then confirm your telepsychiatry and documentation experience before applying.
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