PACT Mental Health Professional--- $5000 New Hire Sign on Bonus

Job Description

Job Description

Our Vision

As the premier provider of substance use and mental health services in the Pacific Northwest, we are respected and the most trusted resource for behavioral health treatment and whole person care.

We provide a comprehensive continuum of coordinated quality services, foster enduring relationships, and empower our communities to truly thrive.

Our Mission

Through superior customer service, high quality programs, and a well-trained and dedicated staff, we inspire hope and support lifesaving changes for people affected by substance use and mental health conditions.

Salary Range : $28.00-$35.00 + $5000 Sign on Bonus

MAJOR DUTIES : This member of the PACT trans disciplinary team has training in one of the mental health professions (e.g.

nursing, social work, rehabilitation counseling, or psychology) and clinical skill and experience to assess, plan, develop, coordinate, and provide treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to program patients with severe and persistent mental illnesses under the clinical supervision of the team leader and the ARNP and / or psychiatrist.

Functions as a clinical member of the multidisciplinary team and provides co-occurring SUD and mental health treatment, rehabilitation, and support services or may be designated by the team leader to function as the lead mental health professional, lead registered nurse, a team vocational specialist, or substance use specialist.

• Provide service coordination (case management) for an assigned group of patients including coordinating and monitoring the activities of the individual treatment team;
• assume primary responsibility for developing, writing, implementing, evaluating and revising overall individual service plan goals and plans in collaboration with the patient and the ITT;
• provide individual supportive therapy, psychotherapy, and symptom management, ensuring immediate changes are made in the service plans as patients’ needs change;

educate and support patients families, and advocate for patients’ rights and preferences.

• Conduct 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.

• Acts as liaison and consult with community agencies and families to maintain coordination in the treatment process.
• Provide on-call crisis intervention covering nighttime hours and serve as a backup to evening and weekend staff.
• Document patient progress to maintain a permanent record of patients activity according to established methods and procedures.
• Provide treatment, rehabilitation, and support services, with some interventions directed or performed by staff with specialty training and skills (e.

g., vocational specialists).

• Participate in providing substance use and treatment services.
• Provide ongoing assessment of patients’ mental health symptoms and patients’ response to treatment. Make appropriate changes in service plans to ensure immediate and appropriate interventions are provided in response to changes in mental status or behavior which put patients at risk (e.g., suicidality).
• Provide symptom education to enable patients to identify their mental health symptoms.
• Provide direct clinical services including individual supportive therapy and psychotherapy to patients 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 with medication and to promote personal growth and development by assisting patients to adapt to and cope with internal and external stresses.
• Provide 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 patient-determined goals.
• Coordinate with outside inpatient services to assist patients in accessing withdrawal management services and establish linkage to outpatient treatment, mutual-help programs (e.

g., Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, etc.), outpatient services, and residential facilities.

• Take a lead role or participate in the provision of rehabilitation services.
• Provide individual vocational-supportive counseling to enable patients 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.
• Provide ongoing assessment, 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, furnishing and decorating, and procuring necessities (e.

g., telephone, furnishings, linens).

• Assist and support clients to carry out personal hygiene and grooming tasks.
• Provide nutrition education and assistance with meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation.
• Assist and support patients to perform household activities, including house cleaning and laundry.
• Ensure that patients 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 patients in accessing financial services (e.

g., professional financial counseling, emergency loan sources).

• Help patients to access reliable transportation (e.g., obtain a driver’s license and car, arrange for cabs, access bus line, find rides).
• Assist and support patients 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 patients 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 patients’ 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 patients 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 8); 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.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS :

• Post-secondary school education and training is required, including internships and other supervised practical experiences in a clinical or rehabilitation setting with persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses.
• Must be licensed or certified to work in the field, abide by a code of ethical and practice standards, and be committed to a process of lifetime knowledge and skills development.
• People with master’s or doctoral degrees in nursing, social work, rehabilitation counseling, or psychology are eligible as are registered occupational therapists.
• 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 to helpful, adequate, competent, and continuous supports and services.

• 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 driver’s license for the state in which the program operates.

GUIDELINES

This position requires that the incumbent meet all educational and supervised postgraduate experience requirements for a Mental Health Professional as defined in WAC 246-341;

COMPLEXITY

The incumbent provides individual therapy, group therapy, case management and diagnostic services to clients who differ widely in age and socioeconomic status and who may possess a variety of chronic and serious social, behavioral and psychological problems.

Strong clinical skills, sound judgment, and creativity are required to help implement and deliver treatment services that will meet the complex needs of the clients.

PERSONAL CONTACTS

Contacts are with members of the treatment team, patients, significant others and supports of the patients, representatives of various community agencies specializing in the treatment of substance use and mental health, and related community representatives including hospital personnel, lawyers, probation officers, and other court officials.

All personal contacts are carried out in accordance with federal and state laws dealing with the confidentiality of patient records.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the essential functions of the job, the employee is regularly required to sit, speak clearly, hear and use hands and fingers to manipulate writing utensils and keys on a keyboard.

The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands or arms, stoop, kneel, crouch or lift and / or move maximum of 15 lbs.

The employee may be required to effectively operate an automobile on a regular basis.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Working hours are spent indoors in offices or meeting rooms or in the community meeting with patients in their homes or health clinics.

Occasional supervision of outdoor activities, visits to community agencies, and participation in staff retreats and staff development activities may be required.

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR : Team Lead / Program Supervisor