MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR 1 - UNDERFILL

About the role

The Division of Child and Family Services is recruiting for a Mental Health Counselor 1 position to underfill for a Mental Health Counselor 2, within the Child and Adolescent Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) in Las Vegas.

Responsibilities

• Conduct appraisals and assessments through interviews with the client, family members and community systems, personal observations, communication with clinicians and representatives of community agencies and organizations, and utilization of standardized techniques to determine client eligibility for services and appropriate course of treatment at the least restrictive level possible.
• Conduct or participate in treatment planning by attending treatment team meetings in which client goals are determined, and appropriate strategies and plans are developed and modified as necessary; coordinate and integrate services among members of treatment teams and client support systems; monitor treatment plans and evaluate effectiveness.
• Provide individual, family and group counseling and consultative services to clients, their families and support systems utilizing a broad array of intervention techniques required to effectively address client problems, which may include multiple psychosocial problems within the family unit.
• Utilize a family and community systems approach to develop and implement treatment plans by working with families and significant others in addition to the client; resolve client problems to prevent reoccurrence; provide recommendations for family reunification and adoption preservation.
• Develop and implement after care plans; advocate for clients through interactions with other agencies, organizations, community and support systems such as the courts, welfare, school, juvenile justice, probation and parole, or other similar agencies; monitor after care services to ensure achievement of the goals identified in the treatment plan; provide support and assistance to clients and their families to facilitate the return of clients to the least restrictive environment possible.
• Prepare documentation and reports to appraise the court or similar systems regarding clients’ mental and behavioral status; make observations, research client records, and integrate treatment team input to facilitate appropriate and informed decisions.
• Review client charts, discuss client treatment at case staffings, or make case presentations; make individual and standardized assessments; integrate and analyze information from all available sources and systems; document quality of care and ensure information is available to other members of the treatment team; complete required forms and reports and maintain documentation to ensure compliance with established laws, regulations, policies and requirements for agency reimbursement including billing forms.
• Refer clients to other agencies and organizations and identify resources based on client needs; ensure appropriate human resource services are available to the client to achieve identified treatment objectives.
• Provide crisis intervention to include client restraint or appropriate behavioral and environmental controls for clients who may be hostile, combative, aggressive or assaultive; follow established protocols and policy to protect clients, staff, family and others potentially at risk due to client behavior or family dynamics.
• Care for clients in an outpatient, residential, community or similar setting.

Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university in counseling, marriage and family therapy, psychology, social work or closely related academic field; OR an equivalent combination of education and clinical experience at or above a Master's degree and experience as described above.

Qualifications

• Must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S.

Skills

• General knowledge of: normal and abnormal human behavior and development; individual, marital, group and family counseling techniques; case management practices and procedures; crisis intervention techniques; treatment team dynamics; psychotropic medications including desired effects, common side effects, and drug interactions; laws governing abuse and neglect of clients/inmates; client/inmate rights and confidentiality of information; symptoms, characteristics and treatment of common mental and emotional illnesses; effects of substance abuse on mental and emotional health; services, roles and responsibilities of human services agencies in the community.
• Ability to: provide individual, group, marital and family therapy; write concise, logical and clear reports regarding client status and treatment; assess and utilize community resources; establish rapport and appropriate clinical relationships with clients/inmates, their families and care providers; develop and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with co-workers, medical and health professionals, social service agency representatives and others; negotiate, write and monitor service contracts for client housing and services; prepare documentation for patient charts and billing purposes.

Benefits

• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, life, and disability insurance programs for employees and their dependents/family are offered through the Public Employees’ Benefits Program (PEBP).
• Vacation: Accrual of three weeks of annual leave each year.
• Sick Leave: Accrual of three weeks of sick leave each year.
• Holidays: 12 paid holidays per year.
• Retirement: Participation in the Nevada Public Employees Retirement System (PERS).
• Deferred Compensation: The State offers a voluntary Deferred Compensation Program.
• No Nevada state income tax.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Eligible due to public sector employment.
• Longevity Payments Eligibility: Employees who have received a performance rating of “standard” or better and have completed eight (8) or more years of continuous service are eligible for longevity pay.