Mental Health Specialist - Mid-Columbia Center for Living

Working Title: Mental Health Specialist
Program: Enhanced Care Services
Pay Range:$30.62-33.76 Hourly
Sign on Bonus: $2500
Location: Hood River, Oregon (This position will serve all three counties: Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman County)
FTE: 1.0 FTE (37.5 hours per Week)
FSLA Status: Non-Exempt

The Mental Health Specialist 1 provides culturally competent, appropriate, and trauma-informed crisis and behavioral health treatment for assigned clients with complex psychiatric needs and complicating medical concerns. This position provides counseling and education primarily for individuals and groups within the residential milieu of the Hood River Care Center. The Mental Health Specialist 1 may also provide behavioral health services to client’s family, other community agencies, coordinates behavioral health services with other community and State resources, and performs related work as required. Incumbents must demonstrate cultural sensitivity and understanding of how culture influences and impacts behavioral health services while incorporating this understanding into trauma-informed care. The employee must embody principles of recovery, consumer-involvement and trauma-informed care as demonstrated in prior work experience, daily attitude and professional behaviors.

Responsibilities

The following list represents the essential responsibilities of the position. Other duties may be assigned.

· Conduct interviews to accumulate pertinent data to screen potential clients for appropriate placement within the ECS program. Assess presenting diagnosis and develop corresponding service plans. Provide psychotherapy, counseling, and case management services to individuals, couples, families and groups. Counseling and psychotherapy may include working with assigned clients in developing communication skills, providing assertiveness training, providing behavior modification programs, and monitoring the effects of prescribed medication.

· Coordinate and collaborate care with agency psychiatrist and Hood River Care Center medical personnel.

· Utilize agency clinical software system to prepare current client records of treatment and reports as necessary and required. Maintain timely and cogent progress notes and service plans. Ensure that client records and other documentation are up-to-date and justify the services provided.

· Assist and/or provide back-up support with screening, referral, and crisis services as needed and directed by Supervisor or Manager. May provide after-hours emergency services on a 24-hour, rotating basis, such as telephone consultation, crisis intervention, and pre-hospital screening examinations.

· Actively participate in joint case planning and coordination with internal multi-disciplinary team and agency psychiatrists. Collaborate in case planning and service coordination as needed with other community agencies such as law enforcement, community detention facility, group homes, community medical hospital and DHS programs.

· Participate in all team and agency meetings as scheduled.

· Regular and reliable attendance, professional communication, and confidentiality are essential functions of this position.

· Depending on the need, may provide substance abuse disorder assessment and provide integrated dual-diagnosis services to assigned clients.

Qualifications

Any qualifying combination of education, licensure and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position is qualifying. This would typically include:

· Master's degree in social work, psychology, psychiatric nursing or other related field AND

· Two (2) years’ professional experience providing behavioral health counseling.

· Bilingual fluency Spanish/English is preferred.

· Professional licensure in the State of Oregon as an LCSW or LPC, or must have the ability to obtain this licensure within two (02) years of hire is preferred (and may be required for some MHS1 positions).

· Must possess a valid Oregon or Washington Driver's License, maintain an acceptable driving record and be insurable for client service purposes and for travel between business office for meetings and/or trainings. This position must pass all criminal history check requirements as required by ORS 181.536 to 181.537, and in accordance with OAR 407-007-0220 to 407-007-0370.

Other Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge: Knowledge of the principles and practices and techniques of mental health assessment and treatment including the social, emotional and behavioral aspects of mental illness and substance abuse disorder; knowledge of community health programs and services; knowledge of techniques, tests and procedures employed in evaluating and modifying behavior; knowledge of laws, rules and regulations governing the assessment and treatment of mental health clients; knowledge of clinical manifestations and patterns of substance abuse disorder and associated treatment methods and practices; knowledge of group dynamics and group therapy.

Skill: Skill in the use of computerized medical systems; skill in the use of standard office software.

Ability: Ability to understand and effectively apply the concepts and practices of a trauma-informed philosophy in performing the work. Ability to work within strong professional ethics and rules of confidentiality to provide effective assessment and treatment of a variety of mental health disorders. Ability to work with consumers to develop an effective service plan; ability to write and maintain timely and cogent progress notes, service plans, reports and other professional documents; ability to maintain a strong service orientation; ability to organize and execute work effectively under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines; ability to speak before groups of various sizes; ability to work with grace and good humor under pressure; ability to work cooperatively with other departments; ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, within trauma informed care guidelines; ability to establish and maintain harmonious work relationships with co-workers at all levels of the organization, consultants, contractors, community partners, and consumers.

Leadership Received, Physical Demands, and Work Enviorment

This position works within the supervisory leadership of the Clinical Supervisor for its assigned program. The designated supervision emphasizes independence of method and process while indicating accountability for results. Leadership will include triage with staff, guidance and support of clients while demonstrating initiative and responding to concerns within the framework of trauma informed care.

Leadership Exercised:

Supervisory leadership is not a normal responsibility of this classification.

Physical Demands:

The Mental Health Specialist must have the ability to quickly assess and respond to concerns related to interpersonal and environmental safety. While performing the essential duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to use office automation including computer and phone system that requires fine manipulation, grasping, typing and reaching. The employee may be required to sit or stand for several hours at a time, depending on environment and need. This position may occasionally be required to lift up to twenty (20) pounds, and to kneel, reach, bend or squat while in the office or in the community.

The employee should possess a valid driver's license for vehicle travel between business offices in order to attend required meetings and/or trainings. This employee must be approved to provide transportation for clients using agency vehicles.

Work Environment:

Work is performed in a variety of settings, yet primarily located at Hood River Cere Center residential facility. It may also include other office environments, community settings and other agency stakeholder facilities. The office environment is typically with moderate stimuli and may often result in exposure to increased sensory experiences. Community settings, such as residence, schools, police precincts, respite facilities, hospitals and other public spaces may pose additional risks or discomforts which require safety precautions. Universal Precautions and remaining alert to environment are critical to address the potential for violent behavior, safety concerns, biohazards, noise and contaminants.

MCCFL provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. To request accommodation in the recruitment or selection process, please contact human resources at 541-288-4359 or email hr@mccfl.org.

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