Social Services Mental Health Specialist V

About the role

Would you thrive in an environment where you learn and grow personally and professionally all while helping make a positive impact on people’s lives? Do you appreciate being around others like yourself who are dependable, trustworthy, hard workers who believe in the value of teamwork? HSCS is dedicated to building an atmosphere where employees feel valued and supported while providing specialized care for Texans in need.

Responsibilities

• Performs counseling and therapeutic activities, including individual, group, and/or family therapy with patients referred.
• Meets with families of patients with other treatment team members to provide information and help with discharge planning; all efforts must be documented in the electronic medical record.
• Develops individualized Person-Centered Recovery Plans, incorporating the patient’s goals, noting barriers, and including appropriate objectives and interventions; all efforts must be documented in the electronic medical record.
• Interviews referred patients and recommends to the patient’s treatment team the treatment(s) which will help the patient achieve stability, achieve his/her goals, and maintain their status after being discharged from the hospital.
• Conducts individual and group sessions that help patients gain knowledge and develop skills to aid in their recovery or efforts to regain competency; all efforts must be documented in the electronic medical record.
• Interviews patients and reviews records to help with difficult case conferences.
• Oversees the development of community support plans to address problems that may occur at discharge and works with patients to successfully implement these plans.
• Participates in quality assurance and quality enhancement activities related to service provision and treatment across the hospital (e.g., completing chart audits, participating in tracer activities, and reporting on services provided).
• Actively participates and/or serves in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation; may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master’s degree in social work, counseling, or a related field.
• Must possess a valid Texas driver’s license or obtain it no later than 90 days after hire date to drive a state vehicle; applicants with an out-of-state driver’s license must provide an original certified driving record from the state of driving licensure.
• Must be licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).
• Applicants must pass a fingerprint criminal background check, pre-employment drug screen, and registry checks including the Client Abuse/Neglect Reporting System (CANRS), Nurse Aide, Medication Aide, and Employee Misconduct, and List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE).
• Males between the ages of 18–25 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• All applicants must be at least 18 years of age; Waco and Terrell Center for Youth applicants must be 21 years of age.
• Compliance with HHSC immunization policy and State Hospital operating procedures related to immunizations is required.

Skills

• Knowledge of counseling and therapy.
• Knowledge of treatment techniques and practices.
• Skill in interviewing.
• Ability to conduct individual, group, and family therapy.
• Ability to develop plans for implementing and monitoring rehabilitation activities.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Benefits

• 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees.
• Defined benefit pension plan.
• Generous time off benefits.
• Numerous opportunities for career advancement.