Lead Mental Health Counselor - Youth Community Crisis

Summary

The Lead Mental Health Counselor is an employee within Acute Care Services. They work as part of the programs' treatment team, establishing open and effective communication and support among co-workers. The Lead Mental Health Counselor is directly responsible for running the routine of the milieu and delegating duties and tasks related to the supervision of clients, the coordination and execution of their treatment plans, assisting in crisis stabilization and adherence to policy and procedures of the agency and program.

Schedule

Full-time 32 or 40 hours per week - mix of 1st and 2nd shifts, including weekend.

Pay & Language Differential

$1 per hour Language Differential for eligible languages including: Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish or ASL. Child & Family Services considers a wide range of factors when determining compensation including prior experience, education, certification(s), license(s), skills and expertise, location, internal equity and other factors that are job related and consistent with business need. Depending on role eligibility, your offer may include a bonus or other incentives; final offer amounts may vary.

Job Responsibilities & Essential Functions

• Provide a comfortable youth and family friendly environment conducive to recovery and stabilization
• Assist in the development of treatment planning that specifies goals and actions to address the medical, social, therapeutic, educational, and other strengths and needs of youth
• Participate in the development and implementation of behavioral plans and crisis/safety plans
• Assist in facilitating youth admissions and discharges
• Facilitate/co-facilitate recreational groups and wellness activities including physical exercise, nutrition, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness
• Provide opportunities for and supervision as appropriate for phone/virtual interaction between youth, guardians, and approved contacts while youth is at the program
• During waking hours perform 15 min checks of youth while in their bedrooms
• During sleeping hours perform 30 min checks of all youth
• Utilize Massachusetts Behavioral Health Access (MABHA) website to update daily capacity as instructed, use website to locate other services for youth in assisting with aftercare planning and referrals
• Interact therapeutically with youth and maintain visual supervision/monitoring of youth as indicated
• Utilize verbal de-escalation skills, planned ignoring and redirection to encourage youth to utilize self-soothing skills and increase ability to self-regulate
• Utilize physical intervention as a last resort and within the agency guidelines. Employee may be required to physically manage youths, if necessary, using methods and techniques approved and certified through the YCCS Program. All YCCS employees need to complete the program's de-escalation and physical management certification training.
• Work effectively and professionally with youths and collaterals, such as family members, state agency personnel, other agencies, and professionals
• Perform basic household duties and meal preparation
• Work collaboratively within Acute Care Services staff to cross train and provide coverage as needed
• Maintain regular and timely attendance, including mandatory monthly staff meetings and trainings
• Can move readily from task to task as well as move quickly in responding to emergencies
• Possess excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Promote high staff morale and team atmosphere within department
• Adhere to the agency's policy regarding confidentiality
• Ability to work within a culturally diverse and inclusive environment
• Strong problem solving and decision-making abilities
• Communicate with youths in a manner which promotes their growth, human rights, and integration into the community
• Cross-trained in the policies, procedures and working with adults on ACCS to assist as needed with programmatic needs

Supervision of Mental Health Counselors

• Delegate shift tasks and duties
• Assure that shift duties are complete
• Oversight of Mental Health Counselors on shift including coaching on performance
• Participate in Clinical Team Meetings/Rounds
• Participate in Lead Mental Health Counselor meetings
• Update communication log and incoming Lead with unit happenings
• Call for coverage for call-outs
• Facilitate or designate staff to facilitate groups when clinical staff are not available
• Train new Mental Health Counselors

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.