Employment/ Individual Placement and Support Specialist

Association for Mental Health and Wellness; Town of Islip (NY); On-site; USD 45,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization in mental health is seeking an Employment/Individual Placement and Support Specialist. This role focuses on empowering individuals recovering from serious mental illness to secure and maintain employment through the Individual Placement and Support Model. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, strong communication skills, and a passion for helping others succeed. Flexibility and the ability to work both in-person and remotely are essential as well.

Qualifications

• 2 years’ experience in human services required.
• Training in substance abuse and learning disabilities a plus.
• Cognitive Behavioral practice knowledge is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Implement the evidence-based Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Model.
• Provide Systematic Job Development partnering with local employers.
• Maintain a caseload of 16-18 CORE clients.

Skills

Inter-personal communication

Organizational skills

Computer skills

Flexibility

Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a human service/health discipline

Job description

To Advocate. To Educate. To Empower. Together.

Employment/ Individual Placement and Support Specialist

Salary: $45,000 (non-licensed), $48,000 (licensed) plus benefits (hourly & non- exempt)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Location: Ronkonkoma, NY and travel throughout Suffolk County

Availability: Immediate

Position Description:

Mission Statement: “To empower and inspire people of all communities to identify, pursue and sustain healthy, meaningful lives”.

MHAW strives to develop an authentic, diverse workforce that embraces, creates, respects and demonstrates diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in the work environment, towards one another and those we serve. We recognize that our agency is strongest when we all embrace the full spectrum of diversity and experience. We actively seek to employ a diverse workforce representative of the communities we serve.

The Association for Mental Health & Wellness is looking for an Employment/Individual Placement and Support Specialist. This role will focus on helping individuals in recovery from serious mental illness secure employment of their choice and supporting those already employed in maintaining and advancing their employment success. The Specialist will implement the evidence-based Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Model to ensure a successful employment program.

Key Responsibilities:

• Complete all required training in the 8 key principles of IPS and implement the model with fidelity
• Provide Systematic Job Development. Successful implementation of IPS involves a high level of

partnership with local employers through systematic job development and networking by the employment specialist.

• Develop and sustain connections and relationships in the business community.
• Educate prospective employers about recovery and the benefits of work for people in recovery.

• Benefits Counseling. IPS Employment Specialists will receive training to provide benefits

counseling for individuals in rehabilitation programs, supporting them with navigating work incentives.

• Ensure Rapid Job Search. It is an expectation that individuals who have identified employment as a goal will immediately be linked with employment supports, whether through rehabilitation staff in the CORE program or through the IPS Employment Specialist.
• Uplift Individual preferences. IPS is a person-centered model, meaning that each individual is

engaged in a person-centered planning process to identify their preferences related to jobs and employment.

• Maintain a caseload of 16-18 CORE clients in meaningful, productive and supportive relationships
• The Employment/IPS Specialist will provide onsite, telehealth and community-based services to meet the needs of the client
  • Provide both in-person and community based services.
  • Provide employment related assistance via telehealth and face to face both onsite and out in the community.
  • A minimum of 51% of service time will be delivered off-site

Qualifications:

The successful candidate should possess or be quickly able to acquire the following skills and abilities:

• Excellent inter-personal communication including the ability to establish empathic, empowering relationships with people who have experienced psychiatric and co-occurring disabilities and trauma
• Sound communication and organizational skills
• Strong computer skills as an electronic record and e-health information exchange is used daily
• Experience/comfort with utilizing multiple Telehealth platforms for video conferencing.
• Have flexibility to work in office facilitating groups and creativity in conducting remote groups.
• Basic knowledge of the public health/behavioral health system, public entitlements, and psychiatric recovery needed.
• Knowledge/interest with working with young adults is a plus.
• Applicants with personal, lived recovery experience are encouraged to apply.
• Training and understanding in substance abuse and/or learning disabilities a plus.
• Knowledge and experience with Cognitive Behavioral practice is a plus.
• Knowledge/interest in Dual Diagnosis recovery a plus.
• 6 months of personal or professional experience in human services
• An ability to travel independently, or with reasonable accommodations, throughout the community and outreach with local employers
• Bi-lingual, English/Spanish a plus.

Education:

A Bachelor’s degree in a human service/health discipline and two years’ experience is required. Candidates with Master’s degrees related to physical/mental health are also encouraged to apply.

Application:

Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your experience and qualifications for the role to:

Kathy Elfers, Chief People and Experience Officer at [e-mail] .