Advanced Professional Counselor (Spanish/English Bilingual) Office/On-site #260715-4249FP-001

About the Role

As a member of the Mobile Crisis Team, you will independently provide highly skilled clinical work to individuals who have clinical and/or substance misuse. You will provide evaluation services to clients in crisis who present with complex psychological and social needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Conducting comprehensive clinical assessments
• Collaborating, consulting, and coordinating with law enforcement
• Providing clinical and/or administrative consultation to staff
• Providing crisis assessments and interventions, including risk management
• Conducting intakes and making referrals to treatment and other community behavioral health services
• Providing follow-up contact to ensure that individuals engage with recommended services
• Maintaining thorough documentation for each individual served
• Enhancing communication across the local behavioral health system, including forensics, law enforcement, and criminal justice partners
• Promoting effective linkages and resource utilization within the behavioral health network
• Issuing emergency certifications for clients requiring transport to emergency departments for further assessment and intervention
• Educating local providers and law enforcement agencies on behavioral health issues, homelessness, and the complex needs of high-risk individuals, as well as available behavioral health resources
• Providing direct clinical care in a wide range of community settings, including face-to-face assessments in the community and criminal justice environments
• Utilizing electronic health records for all required documentation
• Other related duties as assigned

Facility & Schedule

Facility: Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS)
Unit: Mobile Crisis Team
Location: Bridgeport, CT
Schedule: 1st Shift, 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm

Preferred Qualifications

• Bi-lingual Spanish and English speaking, with oral and written communications skills in both languages
• Experience working with community-based outpatient mental health and substance use treatment programs
• Experience conducting crisis assessments and risk assessments in high-acuity settings
• Experience supervising staff and supporting professional development within clinical teams
• Experience working in diverse and inclusive environments
• Experience collaborating with community providers, local hospitals, police departments, and outpatient clinical teams
• Experience using Office 365 applications, especially Word and Excel
• Experience using Electronic Medical Record systems (such as WITS)

Minimum Qualifications

One (1) year of experience as a licensed professional counselor.

Special Requirements

• Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license to practice professional counselor work pursuant to Sec. 20-195 (aa-jj) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to have knowledge of sign language and communication ability with the deaf and hearing impaired in certain designated positions.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to have ability in Spanish oral and written communication in certain designated positions.

Examples of Duties

• Independently provides highly skilled direct professional counseling treatment services to clients with complex emotional, behavioral or interpersonal problems through comprehensive clinical assessments and provision of individual, family and group treatment
• Provides individual field work instruction and/or clinical supervision which includes instruction in use of comprehensive psychosocial assessments, case management, needs assessment and supportive counseling
• Develops and maintains comprehensive treatment and/or rehabilitation plans including measurable treatment objectives
• Initiates consultation and collaboration with other mental health providers to improve delivery of current services and/or identify unmet needs within current service system
• Assists in resolution of administrative, personnel and clinical issues in program
• Develops data for statistical and planning systems and/or research and publication
• Prepares administrative reports and suggests operational policies and procedures
• Oversees development and/or implementation of individual client treatment plans
• May be assigned administrative oversight of research projects
• May provide expert testimony to courts
• May represent program in liaison relationships with other community agencies and resources
• May chair or serve on unit committees that develop services for clients
• Performs related duties as required

Knowledge, Skill, and Ability

• Considerable knowledge of and ability to instruct others on principles, methodology, casework and techniques of counseling, interviewing and psychosocial assessment; family and interpersonal relationship dynamics
• Knowledge of statutes, regulations and standards relating to mental health services; state law governing licensed professional counselor practice standards
• Considerable interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills
• Ability to integrate theory and case material in assessing and devising comprehensive treatment plans for difficult and/or complex case assignments; lead task groups including but not limited to treatment teams

Our Mission

DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect and self-sufficiency in those we serve. The Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System strives to provide high quality, compassionate and culturally competent mental health and substance abuse services to adults with behavioral health disorders who are indigent. With three locations throughout Fairfield County, SWCMHS promotes and administers comprehensive recovery oriented services in the areas of mental health treatment and substance abuse prevention and treatment. These services include inpatient treatment programs and outpatient clinical services, as well as a wide range of additional supportive treatment services.

Note: A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment. All state employees must adhere to Connecticut's Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.

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