Employment Specialist - Job Coach

Job Summary: In accordance with the organization’s mission, vision, and values, the This individual will provide clients with vocational rehabilitation and support services both at the worksite and off-site, while addressing challenges due to the client’s mental health concerns. Employment Specialists will develop worksites to support opportunities for employment.

The following duties will apply:

Assisted Competitive Employment (OMH 1380)

• Assess, provide and document vocational rehabilitation and support services for clients at the worksite as well as off-site in a compassionate and recovery-oriented way to address challenges due to client’s mental health concerns.
• Develop and maintain worksites to support client job opportunities.
• Assist client in locating a job or develop a job on behalf of the individual via the use of individualized placement and support services that include rapid job search including acquisition of hard and soft skills to retain employment, training and systematic instruction, as well as providing support for the job application process such as resume writing, interviewing and application submission.
• Utilize evidence-based practices such as Individualized Placement and Supports (IPS) and Costly Price of Benefits curriculum.
• Provide ongoing job-related discovery and assessment.
• Provide job placement, systematic job development, job coaching, negotiation with prospective employers, job analysis, customize employment training and systematic instruction, benefits counseling support, training and planning, asset development and career advancement services, and other workforce support services.
• Workforce support services include benefits counseling support (e.g., personalized benefits counseling that assists individuals in obtaining personalized information about their government entitlements), training and planning, transportation navigation, asset development and career advancement services.

Work Program (OMH 3340)

• Work with clients (ages 18 ) with serious mental illness with vocational assessment and job skills training
• Transitional work experience at competitive wages.
• Opportunities for integration will be provided through interaction with customers and the general public while individuals perform their work.
• Clients engaged in this work program will make at least a minimum wage or higher.
• Job Coach manages MH related behaviors that might otherwise be a barrier to employment
• Interdisciplinary staff meeting attendance and participation. Collaboration on recovery plans with the residential & clinical treatment staff.

Overarching Duties:

• Participates in group and individual supervision and team meetings.
• Interface with education and vocational agencies that provide service to our clients to collaborate ongoing progress updates.
• Charting and documentation compliance, as per OMH regulatory standards.
• Weekly Productivity and Monthly reporting on the total number of staff hours (direct and indirect), number of clients engaged, as well as status metrics.
• Monthly statistics regarding client’s participation in training, remediation, etc. are tabulated and given to the Departmental Supervisor.
• Facilitation of vocational groups. Groups will focus on psycho-educational activities that prepare clients towards securing gainful employment.
• Develop and maintain positive and effective relationships with community groups, referral sources, planning, funding and service agencies.
• Work individually with clients to develop and implement vocational service plans.
• FLACRA values the continuous development of program and service lines to support our community. Additional responsibilities may be required as programs are developed.; other duties and functions may be required as directed.

Minimum Qualifications: Preferred Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Vocational Counseling or Human Services related field and training and/or experience in vocational counseling in behavioral health care. QHP preferred. Valid NYS Drivers’ License.

Other Skills/Knowledge and Experience

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with culturally diverse persons, staff and community service providers.
• Knowledge of local behavioral health service system.
• Ability to multi-task, have good problem solving & time management skills and the ability to remain calm in a crisis.
• E-Record.