I must not get too excited
So, I've been working on this job search thing for a bit now, with a lot of confusion and ambivalence. I need to work and I need to finish my dissertation, and I've been pretty up in the air about whether to do that in lovely Chicago, hometown DC, or mi querido Ecuador. For the past couple of years, I have been thinking more and more seriously about moving to Ecuador for the long term once I finish school. There's still a good chance I could do that. I love it there (duh). I miss my kids. The work there has meaning that so much of life here seems to lack.
However...I've also fallen a bit in love with Chicago. And as part of my job search, I heard about this one...
(location redacted)
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :
1. Develop and provide therapeutic services to individuals and groups according to professional standards and ethical guidelines in a non-traditional setting. Conduct screenings, make referrals, complete assessments, and provide therapy as indicated. Target groups include LGBTQ, homeless/runaway, and other youth who have experienced trauma.
2. Develop and facilitate psycho-educational workshops for existing group-based programs at XXXXXXXXX, as well as develop and implement new support groups addressing behavioral health issues such as domestic violence and substance use.
3. Provide clinical supervision and support to case management, health education, and drop-in staff.
4. Work with Mentor Program for LGBTQ youth to ensure participants and mentors are receiving clinical support, which includes conducting training for new mentors and organizing ongoing mentor support gourps.
5. Adhere to standards of practice and ethical guidelines established by applicable mental health guild (National Association of Social Workers, American Psychological Association, etc), the State of Illinois, and XXXXXXXXXXXXX.
6. Maintains all appropriate licenses and privileges.
7. Assist in the development of drop-in therapy best practices, as well as behavioral health policies and procedures for XXXXXXXXXXXXX.
8. Conduct trainings and other speaking engagements to increase the capacity of other institutions to work with at-risk youth, as well as to promote XXXXXXXX's behavioral health services.
9. Supervise interns and externs conducting work at XXXXXXXXXXX.
10. Attend all necessary meetings and trainings.
11. Develop and maintain required files, records, reports, and statistical data in a timely manner and in accordance with agency policy & procedures.
12. Participate in quality management and improvement activities.
13. Other duties as assigned.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Non-traditional, high paced work environment designed to provide comprehensive health care and social services, including medical care, therapy, case management, and drop-in services, to at-risk youth. Programmatic hours include some nights and weekends; there is general flexibility in setting the work schedule.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
Licensure at the independent practitioner level and clinical experience in providing individual and group therapies required. Experience working with LGBTQ, homeless, and other at-risk youth populations is highly regarded. Ability to provide services in Spanish in addition to English preferred.
If I were going to write a perfect job description for me...well, it would sound a lot like that. Trauma work? Homeless youth? Spanish speaking? Check. Only one major problem - they're looking for someone licensed. Despite this, the director sounds very interested.
So, reading that, I had a moment where I could really envision my life in America, at least for the next few years. And it was exciting, but also scary, because it would mean letting go in some ways of Ecuador.
I'm getting ahead of myself, I know...but it was kind of a revelation to me. Even if not now, there are jobs here that I think I would love and be good at. So, that's cool.