The Clinician facilitates supervised visits to strengthen family bonds while ensuring the physical and emotional safety of children. They are responsible for maintaining accurate documentation, managing cases, and collaborating with caseworkers and legal professionals.
Requirements summary
Candidates must be a licensed or license-eligible mental health professional such as an MSW, LMSW, MHC, LMHC, MFT, or LMFT. The role requires experience working with children and families, reliable transportation, and the ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends.
Catholic Charities of Buffalo is excited to announce an opportunity for a per diem Clinician (Visitation Therapist). We are seeking a dedicated professional to join our Family Enrichment Program on a per diem basis, up to 17 hours per week.
As a Visitation Therapist, you will create a secure and nurturing environment for children and parents with a history of separation, neglect, and/or abuse. Your role will be to facilitate healing and strengthen family bonds during supervised visits. You must be comfortable holding parents accountable to program rules while maintaining a positive rapport. Additionally, you will engage with children, ensuring their physical and emotional safety during visits, and respond appropriately to their needs.
Catholic Charities is non-profit human services agency that strives to empower individuals, children, and families across the eight counties of Western New York. For more than 100 years, Catholic Charities of Buffalo has provided HOPE to individuals and families of all faiths, backgrounds, and circumstances.
As the most comprehensive provider of human services in Western New York, Catholic Charities delivers wide-ranging programs to address systemic poverty, sudden financial crisis, hunger, behavioral health, workforce readiness, family stability, legal immigration and resettlement, and help for older adults. As a trauma-informed agency, we strive to support the total wellbeing of clients and employees.
Catholic Charities prioritizes wellness and diversity through various committees such as: CARE (Compassion, Acceptance, Respect for Everyone) Committee to create an inclusive environment where every individual feels seen, heard, and valued; Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) Committee to lead agency efforts in creating and maintaining a trauma-informed workplace; Wellbeing Committee to empower staff to reach their full potential through personal wellness and community support; and the Safety Committee to maintain a physically and psychologically safe and welcoming environment for all.
Job Responsibilities
Build positive, trusting relationships with clients
Interact with clients in a respectful, empowering, strength-based, and empathic way, while addressing behaviors that need change
Ensure the physical and emotional safety of children and families during challenging interactions
Hold parents accountable to program rules and expectations
Complete all required documentation accurately and on time, including assessments, progress notes, summaries, observations, court reports, and closings
Benefits
Employee Assistance Program
403b Retirement Plan
Training And Development Opportunities
Employer Contribution
Communicate promptly and professionally with supervisors, co-workers, ECDSS caseworkers, attorneys for children, and other service providers
Collaborate with teammates, stay flexible to program needs, and maintain open communication
Support team members by offering feedback and contributing to a positive, strength-focused work environment
Participate constructively in staff meetings
Identify barriers affecting client progress and develop practical solutions
Provide PCA and TSV orientation sessions when needed
Carry PCA and TSV cases as assigned
Help team members by covering cases when able
Balance client-facing work with accurate and timely documentation
Take on new tasks and responsibilities as needed
Manage multiple responsibilities-cases, documentation, collaboration, deadlines-in an organized and timely manner
Track upcoming court dates to ensure summaries are completed when required
Enter daily activity into the agency database and update client information to meet contract requirements
Arrive to work on time and follow daily sign-in/out procedures
Maintain accountability for daily work
Adjust work hours as needed to meet client and program needs
Model the mission, vision, and values of Catholic Charities
Contribute to a culture of equity, inclusion, and ethical practice
Follow and promote all compliance and regulatory requirements, including Corporate Compliance, Code of Ethics, HIPAA, legal mandates, labor laws, funder guidelines, and accreditation standards
Support the agency's efforts to strengthen, expand, and promote services across WNY
Demonstrate knowledge of divorce, child welfare, and high‑conflict family dynamics as they relate to TSV and PCA services
Maintain self-awareness, including personal needs, feelings, and potential biases
Reflect on your own work and incorporate feedback from supervisors and peers
Show commitment to ongoing professional growth
Use computers and agency systems confidently
Report to the Program Manager and PCA Supervisor
May supervise interns
Qualifications
Licensed or license-eligible mental health professional (MSW, LMSW, MHC, LMHC, MFT, LMFT)
Consistent use of strengths-based, trauma-informed care approach
Effective assessment and engagement skills with mandated clients
Experience working with children and families
Must be prepared to work a flexible schedule including two evenings and one partial weekend day to facilitate visits and in order to participate in agency-related activities/events that may take place outside of typical business hours
Proficient in Microsoft Word., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and able to learn agency database
As responsibilities may require travel including transporting children, one must have appropriate and reliable transportation, and agency-required level of auto insurance coverage and be able to travel as needed within the eight-county WNY region.
Why You'll Love Working Here
Employer-paid Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
403b Retirement Plan (Eligible after first pay period) with employer contribution after six months
Training and development opportunities
Applicants must reside in New York State to be eligible.
Compensation range may vary based on factors including but not limited to skills, education, location and experience.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Catholic Charities of Buffalo is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals, regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. Catholic Charities of Buffalo will make reasonable accommodations for known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified employees and applicants with disabilities, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact recruitment@ccwny.org [recruitment@ccwny.org].
