COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSOCIATE B/ PEER RECOVERY SPECIALIST

Region Ten Community Services Board; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Region Ten Community Services Board in Charlottesville, VA seeks a Community Services Associate for the MH Residential Team. The role delivers direct supportive services in group homes and apartments, develops self-care training, and assists with medication management and health monitoring to help clients stay psychiatrically stable.

You will collaborate with care managers, attend team meetings, maintain case records, and pursue recovery-oriented practices.

Qualifications

• High school diploma and QMHP-Eligible or QMHP or CPRS preferred.
• Knowledge of recovery-oriented practices and person-centered planning.
• Experience with community-based mental health services is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide support services to individuals with co-occurring, serious mental illness or SUD.
• Develop and monitor individual service plans with the consumer.
• Assist with medication education and management.
• Monitor clients' health and daily living needs.
• Work with care managers and other providers to link services.
• Maintain necessary case records for Medicaid reimbursement.
• Attend trainings and participate in program requirements.

Skills

Assessment & planning

Medication education

Care coordination

Documentation & recordkeeping

Verbal & written communication

Team collaboration

Driving/transportation

Education

High school diploma

QMHP-Eligible or QMHP or CPRS

Job description

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

This is a FLSA non-exempt position in which the incumbent serves as a Community Services Associate for the MH Residential Team, and is responsible for an array of direct supportive services to consumers living in the group homes and independent apartments. The incumbent is responsible for developing and implementing self care skills training programs concerning individual clients (health and safety, personal care, activities of daily living, use of community resources). The incumbent will also assist clients with medication management, monitor health, nutrition and physical condition, provide assistance with personal care, ADLS and use of community resources. The incumbent will work with the consumer to develop personal and social supports with an overall goal of assisting consumers to remain psychiatrically stable. He/she is expected to attend team meetings, other professional meetings and represent the program to the community as needed.

The Community Services Associate reports to the Director for the schedule and assignment of work duties. He/she is monitored, trained and supervised in the performance of his/her tasks by the Director. He/she is expected to perform duties as specified and according to the policies of Region Ten Community Services Board, as well as those of the DBHDS office.

The essential functions of this job are starred below (*) under “Major duties.”

MAJOR DUTIES:

1. Provide support services to individuals with co-occurring, serious mental illness, or substance use disorders.
2. Assess needs and plan services according to individual strengths and needs; with the consumer, develop the individual service plan, following tenets of Person-Centered Planning process; provide ongoing monitoring of consumer’s mental status and plan/perform interventions accordingly.
3. Assisting with medication education, diagnosis education and medication management.
4. Monitoring of clients' health, nutrition and physical health care conditions.
5. Working collaboratively with clients' care managers and other care providers.
6. Linking the individual directly to services and supports specified in the individual service plan.
7. Provide all rehabilitative services to consumers, including but not limited to; training in ADL’s; monitoring of and assistance with attending to nutritional and medical needs; assisting with medication management; helping to locate and effectively use community resources; enhancing community adjustment and integration by developing services which increase opportunities for community access and involvement; providing social skills training in order to increase consumers’ social competence.
8. Introduce best practice recovery skills such as WRAP, Pathways, and/or 12 step programs.
9. Must have a willingness to share personal story connected to mental health/substance abuse recovery.
10. Maintaining necessary casework records to document the provision of Mental Health Support Services and Peer Support for Medicaid reimbursement.
11. Attending in-service training and staff development programs to enhance service understanding and provision.
12. Acquires and maintains valid certification such as CPR, First Aid, medication administration, and maintain valid driving license.
13. Read all agency communication and follow through on requirements.
14. Performs other duties as assigned related to program requirements and the provision of Mental Health Support Services.

QUALIFICATIONS:

LICENSE:

To ensure the safe and efficient operation of the program, a valid Virginia Driver’s License plus an acceptable driving record as issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles are required. For business use of a personal car, a certificate of valid personal automobile insurance must be provided. These must be documented or observable in the application form of supporting documentation or in the interview (with appropriate documentation).

EDUCATION:

Must have high school degree, certification as QMHP-Eligible (Qualified Mental Health Professional - Eligible) or QMHP or CPRS, preferred.

KSAS:

Knowledge of: the nature of serious mental illness in adults and mental illness with chemical abuse; the concepts and practices of recovery from illness and its impact on daily life; specific tools for fostering recovery interest and achievement; treatment modalities and intervention techniques, such as behavior management, independent living skills training, supportive counseling, family education, crisis intervention, discharge planning and services coordination; medical issues related to mental illness; substance abuse symptomatology; medications - side effects; different types of assessments, planning; consumers' rights; local community resources and service delivery systems, including support services (e.g., housing, financial, social welfare, dental, transportation, communication, recreation, legal/advocacy), eligibility criteria and intake processes, termination criteria and intake processes, and general community resources (e.g., churches, clubs, self-help groups); types of mental health programs, services; effective oral, written and interpersonal communication principles and techniques; general principles of record documentation; the service planning process and major components of a service plan.

Skills in:

Interviewing; observing, recording and reporting on an individual's functioning (observation of medication effects, i.e., alcohol and abuse); identifying and documenting a consumer's needs for resources, services and other support; using information from assessments, evaluations, observations and interviews to develop service plans; identifying services within the community and established service system to meet the individual's needs; formulating, writing and implementing individualized service plans to promote goal attainment for seriously mentally ill and emotionally disturbed persons; negotiating with consumers and service providers; coordinating the provision of services by diverse public and private providers; identifying community resources and organizations; coordinating resources and activities; using assessment tools (e.g., level of functional scale, life profile scale); non-punitive behavior; providing consultation.

Abilities to:

Demonstrate a positive regard for consumers and their families (e.g., treating consumers as individuals, allowing risk taking, avoiding stereotypes of mentally ill people, respecting consumers' and families' privacy, believing consumers are valuable members of society); be persistent and remain objective; work as a team member, maintaining effective inter- and intra-agency working relationships; work independently, performing position duties under general supervision; communicate effectively, verbally and in writing; drive defensively.

Grade: 8, 9

Position Location: MH Residences
Carlton Road, Nunleey Street, and/or Cedar Hill
Charlottesville, VA 22903

Schedule: Full Time