RESIDENCE COUNSELOR

Regular Full Time – 40 hours per week

About the Role

The Residence Counselor is responsible for the supervision of individuals in a community residence program serving Mentally Ill and/or Mentally Ill and Mentally Challenged individuals. Responsibilities include ensuring the safety of the individuals, cleanliness of the residence, and providing and documenting restorative services based on accurate and consistent treatment plans reviewed quarterly. Sleeping on the job is prohibited.

Responsibilities

• Carry out the goals, objectives, and the Mission of the Agency.
• Follow policies and procedures outlined in the Agency Personnel Manual and the OMH Services Procedure Manual.
• Contribute to the safety and therapeutic environment of the programs.
• Portray a positive role model for the clients and appropriately advocate for their needs.
• Attend and participate in weekly supervision sessions and staff meetings as requested by the residence manager.
• Provide supervision and training to clients in the following areas:
  • Personal healthcare and hygiene (e.g., bathing, washing, dental care).
  • Personal safety, including assessment of self-help, fire drills, and safety regarding the use of kitchen appliances.
  • Individual clothing care, personal belongings, bedroom, and living quarters.
  • Food and meal planning, preparation, purchase, and storage.
  • Use of household appliances (washer, dryer, refrigerator, freezer, vacuum cleaner, and other small appliances).
  • Use of public transportation.
• Assist with and/or assume responsibility for cooking, cleaning, and cleaning up after meals.
• Supervise individuals while taking their medications, receive, log in, and monitor intake of medications, assess for adverse reactions, count medications with the individuals, and encourage individuals to take medications at the appropriate times.
• Prepare service plans with the individuals, designed to improve their abilities and overall functioning.
• Assist in appropriate socialization and job-seeking skills.
• Write and maintain appropriate documentation on assigned individuals, including progress notes, restorative services, goals and objectives, and incident reports.
• Communicate effectively with members of other treatment programs, family, therapists, psychiatrists, and other community-based treatment programs.
• Responsible for timely and accurate submission of daily time records.
• Act as a therapeutic change agent for individuals in the agency and potential clients applying for admission.
• Drive individuals to appointments when necessary.
• Use therapeutic and respectful strategies when dealing with individuals and staff.
• Attend mandatory training and implement individual annual staff training plan.
• Conduct required bed checks based on residence needs or as needed.

Requirements

• High school graduate.
• Experience in a residence working with individuals with mental health conditions preferred but not required.
• Valid, non-restricted, New York State driver’s license.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos.
• Ability to write simple correspondence.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to peers, clients, families, and other employees of the agency.
• Ability to add and subtract two-digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10’s and 100’s.
• Ability to perform operations using units of American money and weight measurement.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.
• Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Ability to interact with and complete assignments in a manner sensitive to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.

Physical Requirements

• Frequently required to stand or sit for long periods.
• Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.