Medical Family Therapist - Duke Cancer Center Southpoint

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About Duke University Hospital

Pursue your passion for caring with Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, which is consistently ranked among the best in the United States and is the number one hospital in North Carolina, according to U.S. News and World Report for 2023-2024. Duke University Hospital is the largest of Duke Health's three hospitals and features 1048 patient beds, 65 operating rooms, as well as comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including a regional emergency/trauma center, an endo-surgery center, and more.

Position Summary

The Duke Cancer Patient Support Program offers medical family therapy to individuals, couples and families to help them manage the emotional impact of the cancer on their lives and relationships. This Medical Family Therapist role will support adult cancer patients and their loved ones who are receiving cancer care. This role will also lead 1-2 virtual Cancer Support groups for patients and caregivers that are held monthly in the evenings. This position will be based at the Duke Cancer Center Southpoint Location in Durham, NC. This position is a hybrid role, working 3 days per week onsite and 2 days per week remote.

Work Performed

• Provide professional medical family therapy services, inpatient and/or outpatient, to patients and their families that are enrolled in care with a medical provider and/or medical team.
• Formulate, develop, and implement treatment plans that comprise mental health, behavioral health, and physical health in combination. Provide one-on-one, couple, family, and group therapy
• Develop individualized treatment plans for each patient and family.
• Provide in-patient consultations to patients with acute psychological, behavioral, or medical concerns.
• Meet individually with group patients who appear to have acute needs. Assess patients identified to have potential psychological or behavioral emergencies.
• Consult with colleagues and/or Risk Management, as necessary for acute or emergency cases.
• Possess knowledge of psychopharmacology and pharmacology relevant to the target clinical population and the biopsychosocial effects of these medications and adjusts care accordingly or provides consultation to medical team.
• Understands common biological and mental/behavioral comorbidities of various health conditions with consideration of cultural and spiritual beliefs and practices, and adjusts care accordingly or provides consultation to medical team.
• Provide consultative services to health care team members on behavioral health.
• Supervises medical family therapy interns (graduate students) in their clinical practice and development of their clinical knowledge and skills.
• Provide guidance and coaching to staff members working with clients as needed.
• Facilitate problem solving between providers, staff, and/or clients.
• Design, implement, and deliver medical family therapy-based group therapy sessions for patients and families.
• Provide education to patients and families related to biopsychosocial issues that impact medical care.
• Contributes to knowledge base regarding current empirical trends and current policies relevant to interdisciplinary collaboration and behavioral health care.
• Conduct lectures and participates in community outreach activities.
• Serve as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Maintain detailed medical records for every patient/family contact, session, or clinical phone call.
• Provide appropriate referrals to outside mental health services, as indicated or requested.
• Provide patients with information about support groups and/or additional educational resources, as indicated or requested.
• Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Work requires a Master's degree in Psychology, Counseling, or Marriage and family therapy.

Experience

None is required beyond education/training requirements.

Degrees, Licensures, Certifications

Licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) by the NC Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board. Or Licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist Associate (LMFTA) by the NC Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.