The Primary Therapist is responsible for providing comprehensive clinical assessment, individual, group, and family therapy services to adults receiving treatment for mental health, substance use disorders, and co-occurring disorders in Residential, Partial Hospitalization (PHP), and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs. The Primary Therapist serves as the primary clinician for an assigned caseload and collaborates with the interdisciplinary treatment team to develop, implement, and evaluate individualized treatment plans that promote recovery and successful reintegration into the community.
The Primary Therapist delivers evidence-based therapeutic interventions, ensures timely and accurate clinical documentation, participates in utilization review and discharge planning, and maintains compliance with Joint Commission (JC), Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), HIPAA, payer, and organizational standards.
Essential
Duties and Responsibilities
- Clinical Assessment & Treatment Planning
- Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments, mental health evaluations, substance use screenings, and risk assessments.
- Develop individualized treatment plans within required regulatory and organizational timeframes.
- Establish measurable treatment goals and objectives based on patient needs.
- Review and update treatment plans throughout the patient's course of treatment.
- Assess patient progress and modify interventions as clinically indicated.
- Coordinate treatment recommendations with the interdisciplinary team.
- Individual, Group & Family Therapy
- Provide individual psychotherapy using evidence-based treatment modalities.
- Facilitate psychoeducational, process, relapse prevention, and specialty therapy groups.
- Conduct family therapy sessions and family education as clinically appropriate.
- Utilize evidence-based interventions such as:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Motivational Interviewing (MI)
- Trauma-Informed Care
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Seeking Safety
- Relapse Prevention Therapy
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions
- Caseload Management
- Maintain an assigned patient caseload consistent with organizational productivity expectations.
- Monitor patient attendance, participation, and clinical progress.
- Coordinate care throughout Residential, PHP, and IOP levels of care.
- Ensure continuity of care during transitions between programs.
- Clinical Documentation
- Complete all clinical documentation in the electronic medical record (EMR), including:
- Biopsychosocial Assessments
- Treatment Plans
- Progress Notes
- Group Notes
- Family Session Notes
- Case Consultations
- Discharge Summaries
- Safety Plans
- Clinical Reviews
- Ensure documentation supports medical necessity and payer requirements.
- Maintain documentation accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with Joint Commission standards.
- Treatment Team Collaboration
- Participate in multidisciplinary treatment team meetings.
- Collaborate with:
- PMHNPs
- Medical Director
- Director of Nursing
- Case Managers
- Utilization Review
- Clinical Supervisors
- Admissions Department
- Compliance Department
- Behavioral Health Technicians
- Communicate significant clinical concerns promptly to appropriate team members.
- Crisis Intervention
- Conduct suicide risk, homicide risk, and behavioral health crisis assessments.
- Develop and implement safety plans.
- Provide crisis intervention and stabilization services.
- Coordinate emergency services when clinically indicated.
- Participate in debriefings following critical incidents.
- Discharge Planning
- Collaborate with Case Managers to develop individualized discharge plans.
- Coordinate aftercare services, referrals, and community resources.
- Ensure continuity of behavioral health and psychiatric services after discharge.
- Utilization Review Collaboration
- Participate in clinical reviews supporting medical necessity.
- Provide documentation required for insurance authorizations.
- Collaborate with the Utilization Review department to ensure continued authorization of services.
- Participate in peer reviews and payer audits when requested.
- Quality Improvement & Compliance
- Participate in Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) initiatives.
- Participate in chart audits and clinical peer reviews.
- Maintain compliance with:
- Joint Commission Behavioral Health Standards
- AHCA Regulations (where applicable)
- HIPAA
- Federal Confidentiality Regulations (42 CFR Part 2)
- Organizational policies and procedures
Education Requirements
Required
Master's Degree from an accredited institution in one of the following
- Mental Health Counseling
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Social Work (MSW)
- Marriage and Family Therapy
- Psychology
- Counseling
- Behavioral Health
- Related Human Services discipline
Licensure & Certification Requirements
Required
One of the following Florida licenses in good standing
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
Additional requirements
- Current CPR/BLS Certification (or obtain within 30 days of hire)
- Successful Level II Background Screening as required by AHCA
- Drug Screening
- Preferred Certifications
- Certified Addiction Professional (CAP)
- Master's Certified Addiction Professional (MCAP)
- Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
- EMDR Training or Certification
- Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS)
- Qualified Supervisor designation (Florida)
- DBT or CBT certification
- Trauma-Informed Care certification
- ASAM Criteria training
Experience Requirements
- Required
- Minimum one (1) year of clinical experience in behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, or mental health counseling (may include internship or practicum for registered interns).
- Preferred
- Two (2) or more years of experience providing therapy in Residential, PHP, IOP, or outpatient behavioral health settings.
- Experience treating co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
- Experience in Joint Commission-accredited and AHCA-regulated facilities.
- Experience using behavioral health EMR systems (e.g., Kipu).
- Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Knowledge of DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria.
- Knowledge of ASAM Criteria.
- Strong clinical assessment and treatment planning skills.
- Expertise in evidence-based therapeutic interventions.
- Crisis intervention and suicide risk assessment.
- Group facilitation and family therapy.
- Strong documentation and time-management skills.
- Knowledge of medical necessity and utilization review processes.
- Understanding of HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, Joint Commission, AHCA, and DCF standards.
- Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary treatment team.
Reporting Structure
- Reports To
- Clinical Supervisor
- Clinical Manager
Monday - Friday, 8am - 4pm. Alternating Saturday's.
