Mental Health Worker

COMPONENT: Florida Assertive Community Treatment Team

MINIMUM TRAINING, CREDENTIALS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science required. Work experience with adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses required.

Skills and competence to establish supportive trusting relationships with persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses and respect for client rights and personal preferences in treatment are essential. Must have a valid Florida driver’s license and meet all Center requirements for vehicle operations and transportation of clients in Center and non-Center vehicles.

Completion of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Basic First Aid training (within six months of hiring). Completion of four hours of HIV/AIDS education (within 30 days of hiring) and two hours of HIV/AIDS information (biannually). Successful completion of Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) training (within six months of hiring).

Compliance with minimum standards for screening of mental health personnel as contained in F.S. 394.4572.

SUPERVISOR: FACT Team Leader

POSITIONS SUPERVISED: None

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (Essential functions of this position are listed below. The position also includes additional functions as needed and/or assigned by supervisor.)

• Provide service coordination (case management) for an assigned group of persons served including coordinating and monitoring the activities of the individual treatment team; assume primary responsibility for developing, writing, implementing, evaluating, and revising overall treatment goals and plans in collaboration with the person served and with the ITT; provide individual supportive therapy and symptom management; ensure immediate changes are made in treatment plans as the individuals’ needs change; educate and support individuals families; and advocate for the rights and preferences of persons served.
• Participate in person-centered comprehensive assessment of psychiatric history (e.g., onset, course and effect of illness, past treatment and responses, and risk behaviors), mental status, and diagnosis; physical health and dental health; use of drugs or alcohol; education and employment; social development and functioning; activities of daily living (e.g., self-care, living situation, nutrition, money management); and family structure and relationships.
• Consult with community agencies and families to maintain coordination in the treatment process.
• Perform shift management in coordination with other FACT shift managers according to established policy and procedures.
• Provide after-hour on-call crisis intervention covering nighttime hours and serve as a backup to evening and weekend staff.
• Document progress of individuals to maintain a permanent record of client activity according to established methods and procedures.
• Participate in daily staff organizational meetings and treatment planning review meetings.
• Participate in providing substance use and treatment services.
• Assist in the provision of ongoing assessment of individuals’ mental illness symptoms and response to treatment. Make appropriate changes in treatment plans to ensure immediate and appropriate interventions are provided in response to changes in mental status or behavior, which put individuals at risk (e.g., suicidality).
• Assist in the provision of symptom education to enable persons served to identify their mental illness symptoms.
• Assist in the provision of direct clinical services to persons on an individual, group, and family basis in the office and in community settings to teach behavioral symptom-management techniques, to alleviate and manage symptoms not reduced by medication and to promote personal growth and development by assisting persons served to adapt to and cope with internal and external stresses.
• Assist in the provision of individual and group treatment in the office and in community settings in a stage-based treatment model that is non-confrontational, considers interactions of mental illness and substance abuse, and has client-determined goals.
• Coordinate with outside inpatient services to detoxify persons served and establish linkage to self-help programs (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous), and residential facilities.
• Participate in the provision of rehabilitation services.
• Provide individual vocational-supportive counseling to enable persons served to identify vocational strengths and problems, establish vocational or career goals and plans to reach them, and recognize and target symptoms of mental illness that interfere with work.
• Plan and provide work-related supportive services, such as assistance with grooming and personal hygiene, securing of appropriate clothing, wake-up calls, and transportation.
• Teach job-seeking skills.
• Develop individualized jobs based on the needs, abilities, and interests of persons served.
• Conduct on-the-job support and job crisis-assistance contacts.
• Perform job coaching, problem solving, and support on and off the job site.
• Coordinate with state vocational rehabilitation and other employment services.
• Provide benefits counseling (e.g., SSI, veterans’ benefits).
• Provide ongoing assessment, problem solving, side-by-side services, skill training, supervision (e.g., prompts, assignments, monitoring, encouragement), and environmental adaptations to assist persons served with activities of daily living.
• Assist individuals in finding and maintaining a safe and affordable place to live, apartment hunting, finding a roommate, landlord negotiations, cleaning, furnishing and decorating, and procuring necessities (e.g., telephone, furnishings, linens).
• Assist and support individuals in carrying out personal hygiene and grooming tasks.
• Provide nutrition education and assistance with meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation.
• Assist and support individuals to perform household activities, including house cleaning and laundry.
• Ensure individuals have adequate financial support (e.g., help to gain employment or apply for entitlements).
• Teach money-management skills (e.g., budgeting and bill paying) and assist persons served in accessing financial services (e.g., professional financial counseling, emergency loan sources).
• Help individuals to access reliable transportation (e.g., obtain a driver’s license and car, arrange for cabs, access bus line, find rides).
• Assist and support individuals to have and effectively use a personal primary care physician, dentist, and other medical specialists as required.
• Provide individual supportive therapy (e.g., problem solving, role-playing, modeling and support), social-skill development, and assertiveness training to increase client social and interpersonal activities in community settings.
• Plan, structure, and prompt social and leisure-time activities on evenings, weekends and holidays.
• Provide side-by-side support and coaching to help individuals socialize (e.g., going with a client to a basketball game, coaching and supporting an individual before he or she goes to a family reunion).
• Organize and lead individual and group social and recreational activities to structure clients’ time, increase social experiences, and provide opportunities to practice social skills and receive feedback and support.
• Provide practical help and supports, advocacy, coordination, side-by-side individualized support, problem solving, direct assistance, training, and supervision to help persons served obtain the necessities of daily living including medical and dental health care; legal and advocacy services; financial support such as entitlements (e.g., SSI, SSDI and veterans’ benefits) or housing subsidies (e.g., HUD Section); supported housing (e.g., adult foster care, paid roommates, meals brought in for those who need it); money-management services (e.g., payeeships); and transportation.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Panama City, FL: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $35,700 - $45,200