IPS Employment Specialist

Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Employment Specialist

Job Description:

Carries out the services of the IPS Supported Employment program by assisting identified recipients obtain and maintain employment that is consistent with the recipient’s vocational goals.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Engages clients and establishes trusting, collaborative relationships directed toward the goal of competitive employment in community job settings not specifically intended for individuals with psychiatric issues.
• Assists clients in obtaining information about their benefits and how they will be affected by employment for clients to make good decisions about employment opportunities and refers clients to benefits counseling, as needed.
• Assesses clients’ vocational functioning on an ongoing basis utilizing background information and work experiences.
• Provides education and support to family members, with client’s permission.
• Discusses client’s preference for disclosure of psychiatric status to employers.
• Conducts job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of clients, following the principles and procedures of supported employment.
• Conducts a minimum of six employer contacts per week which are designed to learn about the needs of the business, describe supports offered by the program and describe client strengths that are relevant to the position.
• Provides individualized follow-along supports to assist clients in maintaining employment.
• Provides education and supports to employers as agreed upon by clients that may include negotiating job accommodations and follow-along contact with the employer.
• Utilizes a variety of outreach services as necessary to clients when they appear to disengage from the service.
• Attends regularly scheduled meetings with mental health treatment team and communicates individually with team members between meetings in order to coordinate and integrate vocational services into mental health treatment.
• Has at least monthly face to face meeting with vocational rehabilitation counselors to coordinate services for clients.
• Develops an individual employment plan with the client, mental health worker and other treatment team providers, which is updated quarterly.
• Develops job support plan with the client using input from the client, mental health workers, family members, past employment experiences and information about current job.
• Spends 65% or more of scheduled work hours in the community (meets clients at community locations such as home, workplace, VRS, or any location agreeable to the client; takes client to apply for jobs, investigates vocational and educational opportunities based on client needs, etc.).
• Provides supported education using principles similar to supported employment for clients who express interest in education to advance their employment goals.
• Participates in weekly IPS Supported Employment Program supervisory meetings following the supported employment model in which strategies are identified and job leads are shared.
• Promotes IPS Supported Employment Program within the Authority for client referrals to the program.
• Maintains a caseload not to exceed 20 clients.
• Is responsible for a minimum number of job starts per year in accordance with funding sources and ADRS
• Is responsible for maintaining an acceptable employment percentage on caseload in accordance with funding sources and ADRS
• Provides timely documentation that meets requirements of various funding sources (DMH, Vocational Rehabilitation, Medicaid, etc.).
• Provides coverage for other IPS Supported Employment Specialist when needed.
• Participates in presentations to the Authority’s staff related to the IPS Supported Employment Program on an as needed basis.
• Completes all Authority and DMH required trainings as assigned.
• Complete other related duties assigned by the supervisor. 
• Execute these duties and responsibilities in a timely and accurate manner.
• Treats such duties with the same importance with relationship to confidentiality and priority as other duties and responsibilities unless otherwise instructed.  

Knowledge and Skills:

• Ability to engage, support and encourage program participants
• Ability to work cooperatively with representatives both inside the organization and with businesses and agencies in the community.
• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing
• Ability to organize and prioritize based on needs of IPS supported employment
• Ability to collect and organize data for reporting purposes
• Basic understanding of mental illness diagnoses and medications

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelors degree in mental health, social services, or business.
•  Experience working with people with serious mental illness, providing employment services and knowledge of the work world preferred.
• Must have a valid Alabama Driver’s License, a clean driving record and automobile insurance.