Employment Specialist

Arundel Lodge Behavioral Health; Edgewater (MD); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Arundel Lodge is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals recover and achieve meaningful lives. The Employment Specialist supports the vocational rehabilitation process, including assessments, planning, job development, placement and retention, while aligning with the Recovery Model.

You will build relationships with employers, provide work readiness support such as resume building and interview coaching, and manage a caseload with HIPAA-compliant documentation.

Qualifications

• Education and experience equivalent to a degree in mental health, social services, or business.

Responsibilities

• Provide employment-focused services across the vocational rehabilitation process, including vocational assessments, career planning, job development, job placement, and job retention.
• Assist individuals with work readiness, resume building, application submission, and interview preparation.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with employers to identify and create quality job matches.
• Support individuals in recovery, aligning with Arundel Lodge’s Recovery Model and Evidence-Based Practice of Supported Employment.

Education

Degree in mental health, social services, or business

Job description

Arundel Lodge is a non-profit organization that works toward a world where behavioral health disorders are not a limit to achieving a meaningful life in the community.

General Description

The Employment Specialist is an integral member of Arundel Lodge and plays a key role in supporting the culture, independence, and quality of life experienced by the individuals served.

The Employment Specialist is responsible for providing employment-focused services throughout the vocational rehabilitation process, including vocational assessments, career planning, job development, job placement, and job retention. The Employment Specialist supports individuals in identifying, obtaining, and maintaining meaningful employment that aligns with their interests, strengths, skills, and career goals.

Employment Specialists recognize that they have dual customers: the individuals receiving services and the employers with whom they work. Building positive relationships with employers and developing quality job matches are essential components of the role.

The primary focus of the Employment Specialist is to support individuals in their journey of recovery from mental illness, physical illness, and substance use disorders. Employment Specialists are expected to incorporate Arundel Lodge’s Recovery Model and Evidence-Based Practice of Supported Employment into all interactions and services provided to individuals served.

Interactions and interventions should reflect these practices in a manner that an outside observer could readily recognize the core principles of the Recovery Model and Supported Employment. These principles are non-linear and holistic and emphasize:

• Hope and recovery
• Personal responsibility
• Peer support
• Respect and empathy
• Non-stigmatizing language
• Empowerment
• Recognition and development of individual strengths
• Self-determination

Experience

• Experience working with people with severe mental illness, experience providing employment services, marketing and knowledge of the work world are preferred but not required.
• In Supported Employment the candidate should expect to support individuals with work preparedness, resume building, application completion and submission, motivational and mock interviewing, interview support, on the job support, and job retention.

Duties

• A partnership between job seeker, employment specialist and employer! Supported employment takes a person-centered, individualized approach. Job seekers receive support tailored to their specific skills and career goals; employers are supported with advice and resources to help meet their unique labor needs. In Supported Employment the candidate should expect to support individuals with work preparedness, resume building, application completion and submission, motivational and mock interviewing, interview support, on the job support, and job retention.

Qualifications

• Education and experience equivalent to a degree in mental health, social services, or business. Experience working with people with severe mental illness, experience providing employment services, marketing and knowledge of the work world are preferred but not required.

Transportation Requirement

This position requires transporting consumers in your personal vehicle and/or an agency vehicle. Employees must maintain appropriate auto insurance coverage that permits transportation of consumers. At least 45% of hours worked will be spent in the community.

Arundel Lodge provides initial and ongoing training and support to Employment Specialists regarding the Recovery Model and Evidence-Based Practice of Supported Employment. Employment Specialists are expected to demonstrate and incorporate these practices consistently in the performance of their assigned responsibilities.

The qualified candidate should expect to manage a caseload of 10-24 individuals. Daily, monthly and annual required documentation submission and tracking while adhering to HIPPA standards with integrity and ethics.