PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY:

The Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialists is responsible for protecting the health and safety and well-being of the children and their caseload and provides clinical and technical support to residents through case management services crisis management home visits weekly contact monitoring of services compliance documentation ongoing training and advocacy. The main objective for this position is to effectively work towards achieving a transition to a resource family home, while actively assessing the needs of the child and coordinate intervention when necessary.

PROGRAMS OVERVIEW:

We serve children ages 12-20, many of whom are in the foster care system. Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialists and support services not only at our homes but also in our clients’ schools and other sites throughout the community. Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialists partner with individuals and various systems the child is involved in, including primary Social Workers and family, schools, the legal and foster care system, and others within the clients’ team. Embedded in our work is an approach that is culturally and ethnically relevant.

QUALIFICATIONS:

A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in social work or another human

Services field; and a minimum of (4) years of documented full-time work experience in a

mental health setting providing individualized therapeutic services to children and

adolescents with special needs.

• Must have your reliable transportation.
• Must maintain a clear criminal background.
• Must maintain a clear driving record.
• Must be organized as well as have excellent verbal written and communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with children, families, collaborating agencies, community professionals, and the DIUP STRTPs treatment team.
• Ability to effectively manage significant documentation.
• A self-starter, able to work with minimal supervision.
• Able to prioritize and be accountable for timeliness to complete projects promptly.
• Proven ability to assess residents’ needs and develop Needs and Services plans for residents on caseload.
• Possess sensitivity to the services population’s culture and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Ability to organize, multitask, and prioritize duties and responsibilities efficiently.
• Ability to work independently.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a commitment to and passion for DIUP STRIPs mission.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

• Provides case management services for all assigned residents, working with family support providers for guidance and assistance, Maintains an average caseload of 6-12 residents and family’s totals.

• Completes 35 hours a week of Proactive billing per week or more often if needed.

• Conducts face to face interviews with each resident (individually) at least one time per week or more often if needed.

• Maintains a working relationship with the parents, teachers, therapist, County Social Worker, attorneys, child advocates, birth family, and significant others to implement successful treatment for each resident.

• Writes individualized Needs and service plans (NSP) every 30 days and progress notes.

• Trains and supervises staff and parents in the implementation of individualized Needs and service plan delivery for each resident placed in their home.

• Maintain appropriate boundaries between field professional and personal issues.

• Respect the dignity and worth of resident, foster, and adoptive parents and birth family.

• Maintain residents’ confidentiality per agency standards and all applicable codes of ethics.

• Consider the environmental, cultural, safety, diversity issues, and needs of the resident, foster, and adoptive parent and birth family.

• Identify and understand the strengths, abilities, and competencies of the resident, foster/adoptive parent and birth family.

• Complete assignment of time.

Case Reviews and Services meetings:

• Participate in weekly supervision meetings with immediate supervision.
• Participate in a monthly agency staff meeting.
• Participate in the development and corrective action plan.
• Participate in a child placement preservation plan meeting.
• Participate in DCFS permanency planning, CFT, and school-related meetings for the resident.
• Participate in the plan of service meetings and review, collaborative intake meetings, as well as subsequent placement and discharge meetings.

Implementation:

• Documentation of meetings, contracts, and case progress by completing paperwork, following notes, incident reports, and writing individual service plans.
• Maintain regular communication through phone calls, emails with county Social Worker.
• Notify foster care providers and confirm scheduled services appointments for children when needed.
• Attend monthly or quarterly Psychiatric evaluation sessions as required.
• Lead meetings with staff to review the child’s progress and assist the treatment team in designing behavior interventions and responding to residents’ behavior appropriately.

Transportation Services:

• Transport the resident to sibling and family visits, when necessary to ensure that the child maintains a family connection.
• Transport the resident to nonemergency medical, dental, psychiatric, psychological, and other service appointments when necessary to ensure the president’s health and well-being is maintained.

Professional Development:

• Use and follow a professional development plan to address its strengths and limitations in periodic and annual reviews.
• Attend scheduled in-service training to develop professional skills.
• Meet with immediate supervisor on a semi-annual basis to review performance, accomplishments, challenges, and job descriptions.
• To be a flexible member of the agency’s team to accomplish the overall agency goals.

Supervision:

• Communicate regularly with immediate supervisor and seek supervision when necessary.
• Be prepared to address relevant issues and challenges, including sharing your solution during supervisory conferences and meetings.
• Accept and implement direction, instructions, and corrections from immediate supervisor.

Complete other jobs- related duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES (skills, abilities, knowledge):

• Knowledge of child and adolescent development, trauma, chemical dependency, dual diagnosis, domestic violence, and sexually exploited minors
• Highly skilled at supervising individual and family therapy and engaging caregivers in treatment
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with foster care and child welfare systems and services, community mental health, and community psychology models
• Competent in working with psychological issues related to race, ethnicity, and class
• Collaboration and team functioning – able to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team, ready to proactively collaborate with other supervisors and program directors to ensure the best possible training for supervisees and service delivery for clients
• Able to work effectively in an organizational setting and understand how to utilize the chain of command to resolve problems and bring program development ideas forward
• Ability to proactively collaborate with other supervisors and program directors to ensure the best possible training for supervisees and service delivery for
• Efficiency and time management
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and writing skills
• Knowledge of or ability to learn Medi-Cal reimbursement procedures and billing
• Bilingual and multilingual skills are a plus

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with a disability.

• Ability to move about as needed throughout the
• It requires the ability to sit up to 8 hours per day with occasional intermittent moving about our
• Ability to sit at a computer workstation, including keyboard and visual display terminal, for extended periods.
• Finger, hand, and wrist
• Ability to complete tasks in an environment where interruptions are the norm, and background noise is
• Ability to move throughout buildings and between buildings, including stairs or elevator. Areas are wheelchair

POTENTIAL JOB HAZARDS/ SAFETY PRECAUTIONS REQUIRED

Assaultive children

Blood and Body Fluid Contact (Category III)

Demonstrated knowledge of response to assaultive behavior.

Demonstrated use of Universal Precautions.

SALARY RANGE  

In accordance with reasonableness standards.

I have read the above job description and have had any questions regarding the duties and expectations of this position answered to my satisfaction.