Residential Support Specialist

The Residential Support Specialist is responsible for providing direct interventions to clients residing in a supervised residential program for individuals with chronic mental health conditions that impact their daily functioning. This individual provides services that promote independence across a variety of domains to assist the client with successfully residing in the community. The Residential Support Specialist provides counseling, life skills development, vocational development, Case Management and Illness Management Recovery.

This is a full-time, benefit eligible position. The schedule is Monday - Friday. Schedule varies between 10 : 00am - 8 : 00pm.

(Monday / Friday 12 : 00pm-8 : 00pm and Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday 10 : 00am-6 : 00pm.)

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS – JOB SPECIFIC

• Assesses and monitors a client’s adjustment to residential living
• Monitors client participation and progress in organized treatment programs to assure the planned provision of services according to the client’s individual treatment plan
• Provides individual assistance to clients in accessing needed mental health services including case coordination with other members of the treatment team
• Assesses clients’ level of risks, strengths, and weaknesses and interviews clients, reviews records, and confers with other professionals to evaluate clients’ preparedness for independent living
• Encourages medication compliance and provides education regarding medications and monitoring of side effects
• Assists the client to access and utilize a variety of community agencies and resources to provide ongoing social, educational, vocational and recreational supports and activities
• Intercedes on behalf of individual clients within the community-at-large to assist the client in achieving and maintaining their community participation
• Maintains contact with clients who are hospitalized and coordinates with treatment team regarding discharge planning
• Trains, coaches and supports clients in daily living skills, including housekeeping, cooking, personal grooming, accessing transportation, keeping a budget, paying bills and maintaining living space(s)
• Assists with the training / consultation of residential staff, particularly in the area of behavior management
• Assists in creating personal support systems that include work with family members, legal guardians or significant others regarding the needs and abilities of a client
• Encourages and promotes recovery efforts, client independence / self-care and responsibility
• Provides holistic, person-centered care
• Develops and supports wellness and recovery goals in collaboration with the individual served
• Provides services to clients which are determined to be appropriate based on DLA score and assessed level of functioning
• Uses creative engagement strategies to ensure intervention-based services are provided daily and documented in client record by the end of each shift
• Actively communicates and coordinates with residential staff before, during and at the end of each shift regarding each client’s daily status, progress and needs
• Actively participates in treatment team meetings and facilitates in the absence of the Program Director
• Performs job duties with an efficient use of time based on client’s needs and ensures services are provided to clients daily
• Transportation of clients on occasion
• Notifies the Program Director of any changes in client’s conditions