Clinical Screener I

La Rabida Children’s Hospital provides specialized, family-centered health care to children with medically complex conditions, disabilities, and chronic illness. Through expertise, compassion, and advocacy we help children and their families reach their fullest potential, regardless of their ability to pay.

Our not-for-profit hospital, licensed for 49 beds, helps transition children from neonatal or pediatric intensive care to home, by providing medical, rehabilitative and developmental care, and by training families to continue treatments and manage the necessary equipment in the home. La Rabida also provides extensive rehabilitation for those recovering from wounds or burns and treatment for exacerbations of chronic conditions.

The hospital’s enhanced pediatric patient-centered medical home provides primary care to children with complex medical conditions and their siblings. Children with medical homes elsewhere come to La Rabida for specialty services. La Rabida offers a wide range of specialty services provided to children with sickle cell disease, diabetes, and many others. Children are supported in their emotional and developmental growth, particularly in cases where such growth has been interrupted by accident or disease.

Finally, La Rabida provides forensic and treatment services for children exposed to abuse and neglect, comprehensive assessments for wards of the state, early intervention for children between 0 and 3 years of age. Care coordination services for medically complex children are also provided for those who are covered by a health plan and receive care from providers in Cook County

Serves as Integrated Assessment Clinical Screener. Utilizes assessment instruments designed for this program to establish measures of child/client functioning and to determine types of community and social supports required; administers clinical interviews for the IA program to clients (children), parents and other adults in the child’s life; creates IA template reports and provides other services necessary to assess the child and implement a care plan.

Clinical Responsibilities: (90%)

• Reviews all prior documentation/records related to the case (e.g. Juvenile Court, DCFS, medical, school, mental health, etc.). Integrates this information into IA report(s). Administers the Integrated Assessment screening/interviews to children who are DCFS youth and caregivers/foster parents, parents and other adults who are part of the child’s life (e.g. stepparents, aunts/uncles, etc.), to determine the types of services, treatment, and community and social supports needed to provide the required help, care, and treatment to the child and to optimize permanency outcomes. IA is conducted in the home of the child.
• Administers all required tools based on the appropriate age/role of each client. Completes the required referral and submits the tools to DCFS by the federal/contract mandate on all cases. Makes appropriate referrals based on the results of the tools and clinical observation. Ensures the referral matches the final IA report
• Writes the IA template report on all cases summarizing all historical information, integrating all interview data, medical data including health works, juvenile court information, DCFS investigative information, data from other child welfare agencies, and other data and information
• Upon completion, presents the written report to the IA Clinical Lead or IA Program Director for review and supervision. Meets with Clinical Lead once per week in person utilizing the expectations of the program model of supervision
• Meets with Permanency Worker/Supervisor to discuss findings, the development of the service plan, and to prepare for the family meeting. Makes expected attempts to staff the IA report in person. Makes weekly attempts to attend the family meeting for 30 days after the staffing
• Completes and submits Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) as outlined in the IA policies as well as completes and submits each closed case file to the Clinical Lead to ensure completion within 14 days of SACWIS entry. Ensures each case’s closed file includes all vital information. Submits closed file to supervisor and IA Administrative Assistant on time
• Maintains ongoing communication with the Permanency Worker, supervisor, and family members throughout the interview/screening and writing process. Is available to staff for clinical consultation related to the IA report, client functioning and identification of further assessment and/or service needs
• Attends and participates in the LRCH IA case consultations by presenting cases for consultation as well as providing feedback to others presenting. Prepares for and participates in monthly training discussions

Administrative and Case Management Responsibilities: (10%)

• Participates in quality assurance activities by submitting the weekly contact sheet
• Participates in research activities by ensuring all information is included in the IA report

Additional Functions:

• Performs other duties as assigned

• LCPC, LCSW or Ph.D./Psy.D. Psychologists, counselors, and social workers must be licensed in Illinois
• Psychologist must have completed an APA accredited internship in clinical child or pediatric psychology
• Three years of post-graduate experience with the population of children served by this program; child welfare experience highly desirable
• Illinois Clinical Licensure and valid Driver’s License
• Excellent verbal and written abilities are essential, as well as a high level of computer skills
• Must be an excellent communicator and team player
• Employee must maintain automobile insurance. La Rabida strongly recommends that the employee maintain the following liability limits:
  • Automobile liability/$100,000 per person per accident; bodily injury/$300,000 aggregate per accident; property damage/$50,000 per accident; and automobile medical payments/$1,000 per person

This is a grant funded position and not eligible for hospital issued increases. Should the grant funding be diminished or ended, this position will be terminated.

La Rabida Children’s Hospital is very proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

La Rabida is a place unlike any other. We understand the needs of families with children dealing with the most serious or complicated of conditions. With teams of the best healthcare providers in Chicago, we give continuous, comprehensive care, education, and support, helping families face their unique obstacles head-on.   

La Rabida Children’s Hospital is very proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.