Community Clinician (40 Hour) (Office/On-site)

JobAps; Bridgeport (CT); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

The Community Clinician at Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS) delivers direct clinical and case management services to adults with complex behavioral health and substance use challenges. Working on a multidisciplinary team, you will provide trauma-informed, person-centered, and recovery-focused support to help clients achieve their treatment goals.

This full-time, first-shift position in Bridgeport involves caseload management, intake assessments, coordination with psychiatrists

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a health care field and two (2) years of independent clinical case management experience.

Responsibilities

• Implement individualized treatment plans and provide ongoing support to clients on caseload.
• Deliver case management services, including coordinating care and connecting clients with community resources.
• Conduct supervised intake assessments, evaluations, and participate in counseling sessions.
• Monitor client progress, including medication compliance, and collaborate with psychiatrists, nurses, and other providers.
• Provide crisis intervention, outreach, and referrals to appropriate services when needed.
• Offer education and training in daily living skills to promote client independence.

Skills

Behavioral health counseling

Case management

Interpersonal skills

Oral/written communication

Documentation

Family dynamics

Community resources

Treatment approaches

Medications management

Counseling reports

Education

Bachelor's degree in a health care field

Master’s degree in counseling/psychology or related field

MSW with relevant experience (substitution)

Tools

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Teams

Job description

Introduction

Do you want to utilize your skills and make a difference? Are you looking to take the next step in your career? If so, please read on to learn more about this exciting opportunity!

Position Highlights

• FACILITY: Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS)
• TEAM: Forensic Services
• ADDRESS: 100 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, CT
• SCHEDULE: Full-time, 40 hours, 1st Shift, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
• POSITION NUMBER: 155339

Why the State of Connecticut

• Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• Enjoy endless opportunities for professional growth and development
• Embrace a healthy work/life balance tailored to all employees

The Role

The Community Clinician plays a key role in delivering direct clinical and case management services to adults experiencing complex behavioral health and substance use challenges. This position helps promote client safety, stability, and recovery within community settings. As a member of a multidisciplinary team, the clinician will provide trauma-informed, person-centered, and recovery-focused support to help individuals achieve their treatment goals.

Job Duties

• Implement individualized treatment plans and provide ongoing support to clients on caseload.
• Deliver case management services, including coordinating care and connecting clients with community resources.
• Conduct supervised intake assessments, evaluations, and participate in counseling sessions.
• Monitor client progress, including medication compliance, and collaborate with psychiatrists, nurses, and other providers.
• Provide crisis intervention, outreach, and referrals to appropriate services when needed.
• Offer education and training in daily living skills to promote client independence.

About Us

DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve.

More About the Facility

Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS) is responsible for the oversight and management of contracts with private not-for-profit agencies and residential providers providing mental health services in the southwest region of the state. With locations in Bridgeport and Stamford, SWCMHS provides inpatient, outpatient and assertive community treatment (ACT) services and community support services for adults with severe behavioral health disabilities; mental health services for people who are deaf or hearing impaired and a mobile crisis intervention team. SWCMHS also provides outreach to people who are homeless and mentally ill. Special agency programs include Shelter Plus Care, a housing program for people who are homeless and who have a history of substance abuse or mental illness or who have AIDS.

Please note: A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment. All state employees must adhere to Connecticut’s Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.

Purpose of Job Class (Nature of Work)

In the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services community based behavioral health program, this class is accountable for providing clinical assessment and evaluation of treatment programs for an on-going primary caseload of clients for a behavioral health treatment team.

Examples of Duties

• Functions primarily to implement treatment plans for clients on caseload;
• Provides case management services to clients;
• Assists clients in linking with community support systems and agencies;
• Monitors clients progress within mental health and community support systems;
• Performs intake, evaluation and assessment of treatment programs under supervision of a licensed independent practitioner;
• Participates in counseling sessions;
• Provides education and training to clients in community living and activities of daily living skills;
• Monitors clients medication compliance and coordinates meetings with team psychiatrists or nurses as necessary;
• Provides appropriate interventions to clients in crisis including outreach, counseling and/or referral to other service providers;
• Completes all required documentation related to client treatment in accordance with established procedures;
• May transport clients to and from appointments;
• May assist in development of treatment plans for new clients;
• May administer medication;
• May provide nursing consultation and/or input; performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skill and Ability

• behavioral health counseling techniques;
• social work methodology, casework, group work and community mobilization;
• family dynamics and dynamics of interpersonal relationships;
• social, cultural, economic, medical, psychological and legal issues which influence attitudes and behaviors of clients and families;
• community resources available to individuals and families;
• approaches to treatment;
• psychotropic and addiction medications;
• Considerable
• interpersonal skills;
• oral and written communication skills;
• Considerable ability to prepare clear and concise reports and case histories.

Minimum Qualifications - General Experience

A Bachelor’s degree in a health care field and two (2) years of experience working independently using clinical case management techniques in a behavioral health setting. NOTE: Case management is defined as primary responsibility for the implementation, monitoring, evaluation and assessment of client progress towards meeting treatment objectives as outlined in an approved treatment plan.

Minimum Qualifications - Substitutions Allowed

• A Master’s degree in counseling, psychology or other clinical discipline may be substituted for one (1) year of the General Experience.
• A current Connecticut license as a Registered Nurse OR hold a Multistate or Compact Registered Nurse license and two (2) years of experience working in a psychiatric setting may be substituted for the Bachelor’s degree.
• A Master’s degree in social work (MSW) and two (2) years at the level of a Mental Health Assistant 2 independently performing the full range of paraprofessional case management in a behavioral health setting may be substituted for the General Experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with justice system involved clients.
• Experience in a psychiatric setting working with forensically involved individuals.
• Experience demonstrating clear, concise communication both spoken and written with the ability to engage effectively with others.
• Experience in observing and redirecting client behaviors.
• Experience working in the mental health and/or substance use recovery field.
• Experience utilizing Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and TEAMs.
• Experience using an Electronic Medical Record.

Special Requirements

• Incumbents in this class must possess and retain licensure or certification in designated positions.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to be a certified substance abuse counselor.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to have knowledge of sign language and communication ability with the deaf and hearing impaired in designated positions.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to have ability in Spanish oral and written communication in designated positions.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Acknowledgement

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.