Family Specialist-53532001

JOB SUMMARY

Under the general supervision of the Team Leader/Program Director, and the guidelines provided by the NYS OMH for the Mental Health Comprehensive Medicaid Case Management Program (MH CMCM), functions as part of a multi-disciplinary treatment team with shared caseloads, assists participating individuals who have serious and persistent mental illness in developing and maintaining viable living, working and social situations in the community by obtaining needed medical, social, psychosocial, educational, financial, vocational and other services. Has lead responsibility for integrating family goals and services with the tasks of all team members and for providing family psychoeducation individually and in groups. Participates in the provision of crisis intervention services to participants 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: List all essential job duties. (To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty listed satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with a disability to perform the essential duties unless this causes undue hardship to the agency.)

1. Provide counseling, treatment, rehabilitation, case management and support services in the community (homes, shelters, street), as part of a mobile multi-disciplinary team, to mentally ill individuals who have a history of decompensation and relapse as a result of poor follow through with outpatient treatment.
2. Assume primary clinical management responsibility for 10-15 adults with serious and persistent mental illness, who may also have a co-occurring substance abuse or other disorder, within the context of a 68-person-caseload ACT Team.
3. Assume lead responsibility within the multi-disciplinary team for integrating family goals and services with the tasks of all team members and for providing family psychoeducation individually and in groups.
4. Assist consumers in attaining or maintaining housing, employment, functional social relationships, and relief from psychiatric symptoms and side effects through medication management support.
5. Assertive engagement and provision of mental health services in the community where the service population lives – up to 80% of weekly work schedule may involve fieldwork.
6. Continuous responsibility (24-hour) for people enrolled in the ACT Team caseload.
7. Provide all services in a culturally relevant and competent manner.
8. Maintain accurate and up-to-date Case Records, including but not limited to progress notes, service plan and service plan reviews, assessments and contact logs within keeping of all-applicable OMH, Medicaid, and ICL Regulations and Guidelines.
9. Provide support and psychoeducation to family members, friends and other collateral individuals.
10. Provide referrals and engagement support for services not directly provided by ACT Team, e.g., medical services, participation in psychosocial clubhouses and self-help groups, vocational training and placement, etc.
11. Provide accurate and timely reports, within federal, state, and city regulatory and agency confidentiality guidelines, to other providers and agencies, e.g. housing, vocational, criminal justice, child welfare, etc.
12. Participate in individual and group supervision, treatment team meetings, case conferences, in-service training and other staff development activities as assigned.
13. Observes all ICL, OMH, and all other applicable rules, procedures or laws regarding the reporting of incidents, including the reporting of alleged child abuse and neglect.
14. Perform other related duties as required and assigned by the Team Leader/Program Director.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Committed to the active promotion of ICL values and goals.
• Ability to work with clients, families, and staff in a caring and respectful manner, and with due understanding of and consideration for cultural differences.
• Ability to develop, evaluate, implement and modify a treatment plan, meeting all deadlines and productivity standards
• Ability to communicate effectively with staff, clients, families, and the public.
•  Ability to prepare accurate and timely documentation, reports and other written material as assigned using computers and computer software required by ICL.
• Ability to understand and adhere to internal and external laws, rules, and policies
• Ability to secure the cooperation of and work effectively with others.
• Ability to work independently, and to conform to all applicable safety and accountability measures.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Master’s Degree in one of the following disciplines recognized by the New York State Office of Mental Health as qualifying a staff person to be counted as professional clinical staff: Social Work, Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation Counseling, Pastoral Counseling, Creative Arts Therapy, Therapeutic Recreation. Applicable professional license in field issued by NYS Education Department strongly preferred. Plus, specialized experience or training of at least one year in family assessment and intervention, psychoeducation and/or other family support services, including cognitive-behavioral strategies.