Vocational Specialist

The Vocational Specialist is responsible for working as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team providing vocational assessment, treatment planning, and ongoing support in addition to general program responsibilities to patients with mental health and substance abuse disabilities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Engages the beneficiary on the topic of school or work, particularly competitive employment, educating them about their opportunities and the benefits of working and school.
• Completes a pre-vocational assessment that is focused on the beneficiary’s strengths and preferences, and on-the-job assessments, where appropriate.
• Conducts job development, where the vocational specialist builds relationships with local businesses and educates them about the services that the vocational specialist provides, collects information about positions, and ideally determines potential for job carving options.
• Facilitates individualized job placement according to beneficiary’s preferences,
• Provides job coaching and ongoing support, assisting the beneficiary in learning the job skills, navigating the workplace, and managing work relationships with other employees and supervisors.
• Provides benefits counseling directly, as well as connects beneficiaries to experts for more extensive benefits counseling as needed.
• Facilitates the Person-Centered Planning process for beneficiaries assigned to him or her; and
• Serves as a consultant and educator to fellow ACT team members on the topic of supported employment.
• Coordinates time and the location where services are being performed as specified in the service definition for that service.
• Work with the individual receiving services and his/her family to follow up on progress/lack of progress in meeting treatment goals.
• Coordinates service recipient’s transition back into the community/home/family from the type of care.
• Assists Team Lead with coordination of discharge planning based on goals established at the initiation of service.
• Provide psychological consultation for medical providers while utilizing knowledge of evidence-based treatments, and individual, family, and group psychotherapy while collaborating with the team leader, psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and local agencies.
• Familiarization with medications used by the client and policies regarding medication administration.
• Document daily progress notes, contacts, and maintenance of clinical records.
• Accurately documents all billable encounters into Southeastern Integrated Care’s EMR (electronic medical record) system within 24 hours. Any corrections will be entered within 24 hours of being notified.
• Provide “first responder” crisis response to any beneficiaries experiencing a crisis.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education/Experience

• Preference for someone who has at least one year of experience providing employment services or has advanced education that involved field training in vocational services.
• Must meet QP or AP status (as defined in 10A NCAC 27G.0104)

• Copy of a valid, unrestricted NC Driver’s license, and proof of insurance.
• Must be able to drive and operate a personal vehicle safely and adhere to all applicable state and traffic laws.