Summary:
This member of the multidisciplinary team has responsibility to carry out rehabilitation and support functions and assist in treatment; substance abuse services; education, support, and consultation to families; and crisis intervention under the clinical supervision of staff with professional degrees.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Provide service coordination (case management) for an assigned group of clients 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 client; provide individual supportive therapy, psychotherapy, and symptom management, ensuring immediate changes are made in the treatment plans a clients’ needs change; educate and support clients’ families, and advocate for clients’ rights and preferences.
Participate in client -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 ACT shift managers according to established policy and procedures.
Provide on-call crisis intervention covering nighttime hours and serve as a backup to evening and weekend staff.
Document client progress 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.
Psychiatric Treatment and Dual Diagnosis Substance Abuse Services
Assist in the provision of ongoing assessment of clients’ mental illness symptoms and clients’ 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 clients at risk (e.g., suicidal).
Assist in the provision of symptom education to enable clients to identify their mental illness symptoms.
Assist in the provision of direct clinical services to clients 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 clients 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 clients and establish linkage to outpatient treatment, self-help programs (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous), outpatient services, and residential facilities.
Participate in the provision of rehabilitation services.
Structuring Time and Employment
Provide individual vocational-supportive counseling to enable clients 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 clients’ needs, abilities, and interest.
Conduct on-the-job performance assessments and evaluation, regular work review sessions with clients and their employers, on-the-job support, and crisis-assistance contact.
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).
Activities of Daily Living Services
Provide ongoing assessments, problem solving, side-by-side services, skill training, supervision (e.g., prompts, assignments, monitoring, encouragement), and environmental adaptations to assist clients with activities of daily living,
Assist clients to find and maintain a safe and affordable place to live---apartment hunting, finding a roommate, landlord negotiations, cleaning, furnishings and decorating, and procuring necessities (e.g., telephone, furnishing, linens).
Assist and support clients to carry out personal hygiene and grooming task.
Provide nutrition education and assistance with meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation.
Assist and support clients to perform household activities, including house cleaning and laundry.
Ensure clients have adequate financial counseling support (e.g., help gain employment or apply for entitlements).
Teach money-management skills (e.g., budgeting and bill paying) and assist clients in accessing financial services (e.g., professional financial counseling, emergency loan sources).
Help clients to access reliable transportation (e.g., obtain driver’s license and car, arrange for cabs, access bus line, find rides).
Assist and support clients to have and effectively use a personal primary care physician, dentist, and other medical specialist as required.
Social and Interpersonal Relationships and Leisure Time
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 clients socialize (e.g., going with a client to a basketball game, coaching and supporting a client 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.
Support
Provide practical help and supports, advocacy, coordination, side-by-side individual support, problem solving, direct assistance, training, and supervision to help clients 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 subsides (e.g., HUD, Section 8); supported housing (e.g., adult foster care, paid roommates, meals brought in for those who need it); money-management services (e.g., payees’) and transportation.
Education, Experience, and Knowledge Required
A bachelor’s degree in a behavioral science is required and work experience with adults severe and persistent mental illness or with individuals with similar human-services needs. Must have a strong commitment to the right and ability of each person with a severe and persistent mental illness to live in normal community residences; work in market jobs; and have access t helpful, adequate, competent, and continuous supports and services. Skills and competence to establish supportive trusting relationships with persons with severe ad persistent illnesses and respect for clients rights and personal preferences in treatment are essential. Must have a valid Georgia driver’s license.
This member of the multidisciplinary team has resonsibility to carry out rehabilitation and support functions and assist in treatment; subtance abuse services; education, support, and consultation to familes; and crisis intervention under the clinical supervision of staff with professional degrees.