Mental Health Specialist I- IOSS Children

Do you want to work in an environment where you make a difference? Come join us in the Columbia Gorge and earn experience working with a vulnerable population! This is an opportunity to work in community mental health, providing counseling services in a rural area. As an employer, we promote self-care and recognize the impacts that has on job satisfaction.

Work in a meaningful 8:30-5:00 environment that serves our rural community and enjoy all the perks of Oregon and Washington in your free time!

Why work with MCCFL?

-$2,500 Sign on Bonus for QMHPs
-$5,000 Sign on Bonus for LPC/LCSW
-Loan Repayment - HRSA!
-Relocation Assistance to the Columbia Gorge
-Pay Range: $4,976.53-5,486.63/Month

The Mental Health Specialist 1 provides culturally competent, appropriate, and trauma-informed crisis and behavioral health treatment for assigned clients. This position provides counseling and education for individuals, families and groups. The Mental Health Specialist 1 provides behavioral health services to other community agencies, coordinates behavioral health services with other community and State resources, and performs related work as required. Incumbents must demonstrate cultural sensitivity and understanding of how culture influences and impacts behavioral health services while incorporating this understanding into trauma-informed care.

This position provides QMHP behavioral health services to clients age 2-17 and their families. This unit serves our most intensive levels of services with a focus on children and youth that are at risk of loss of placement from their homes, schools or community. Clients may present with a variety of issues including trauma histories, dysregulated behavior and/or emotions, suicidality, and difficult relationship dynamics. Interventions may include Collaborative Problem Solving, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and a variety of other modalities.

Responsibilities

• Provides psychotherapy, counseling, and case management services to individuals, families and groups. This includes interviews to accumulate pertinent data, assess patient problems and develops treatment plans. Counseling and psychotherapy may include working with assigned clients developing communication skills, doing assertiveness training, providing behavior modification programs and monitoring the effects of prescribed medications.
• Actively participates in joint case planning and coordination with internal multi-disciplinary team and agency psychiatrists.
• Performs joint case planning and coordination in areas of behavioral health with other community agencies such as schools, group homes, community detention facility, community medical hospital and other Department of Human Service programs.
• Works with other staff and community representatives to initiate new programs, reviews, evaluates, and revises existing programs as necessary.
• Provides behavioral health education and information to various interest groups.
• Develops and conducts various groups and classes providing intensive group therapy.
• Utilizes agency clinical software system to prepare current client records of treatment and reports as necessary and required. Responsible for maintenance and timeliness of all records, progress notes, and other required documentation.
• May provide after-hours emergency services on a 24-hour, rotating basis, such as telephone consultation, crisis intervention, and pre-hospital screening examinations. Serves as investigator and/or examiner in involuntary commitment procedures.
• Assists and/or provides back-up support with screening, referral, and crisis services as needed and directed by supervisor.
• Participates in all team and agency meetings as scheduled.

Position Specific Essential Responsibilities for the Intensive Outpatient Services and Supports (IOSS) for children in accordance with OAR 309-019-0165:
This position is for a Mental Health Specialist for the Intensive Outpatient Services and Supports (IOSS)
• IOSS services may be delivered to youths ages 2-17 at a clinic, facility, home, school, other provider or allied agency location, or other setting as identified by the child and family team.
• Triage and implement strategies for crisis and crisis stabilization with the family team or wraparound team
• Develop strategies designed to facilitate positive alternatives to challenging behavior and to assist the individual in developing adaptive and functional living skills;
• Document identification of strengths and needs and a proactive safety and crisis plan.
• Working knowledge of parenting skills/techniques and child development, and experience working with disadvantaged individuals and high-risk families, including work with sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence and trauma is also needed
• Participate in monthly wraparound team meeting with clients, families, Family Care Coordinator, and relevant community partners for integrated treatment planning and care coordination.
• Coordinate and implement in-home care needs with Family Care Coordinator.
• Facilitate psycho-educational and therapy groups.

Qualifications

Any eligible combination of education and experience that qualifies the applicant to meet criteria for a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) and also demonstrates the ability to perform the position’s essential responsibilities. This might typically include:

• Master's degree in social work, psychology, psychiatric nursing or other related field AND
• MH Licensure preferred.
• Two (2) years or more experience in behavioral health counseling or any satisfactory equivalent combination of experience and training (preferred, but not required)
• Experience with Parent-Child Interactive Therapy (PCIT) (preferred, but not required)
• Must possess a valid Oregon or Washington Driver's License, maintain an acceptable driving record and be insurable for client service purposes and for travel between business office for meetings and/or trainings. (An alternate source of reliable transportation may suffice.)
• Must pass all criminal history check requirements as required by ORS 181.536-181.537 and in accordance with OAR 407-007-0200 to 407-007-0370.

Other Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge: Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of mental health assessment and treatment including the social, emotional and behavioral aspects of mental illness and substance abuse disorder; knowledge of parenting skills/techniques and child development; knowledge of techniques, tests and procedures employed in evaluating and modifying behavior; knowledge of laws, rules and regulations governing the assessment and treatment of mental health clients; knowledge of clinical manifestations and patterns of substance abuse disorder and associated treatment methods and practices; knowledge of group dynamics and group therapy; knowledge of community health programs and services.

Skill: Skill in the use of computerized medical systems; skill in the use of standard office software.

Ability: Ability to understand and effectively apply the concepts and practices of a trauma-informed philosophy in performing the work. Ability to work within strong professional ethics and rules of confidentiality to provide effective assessment and treatment of a variety of mental health disorders. Ability to work with consumers and interdisciplinary teams to develop an effective service plan; ability to write and maintain timely and cogent progress notes, service plans, reports and other professional documents; ability to meet minimum client service productivity requirements as may be set by the Agency; ability to maintain a strong service orientation; ability to organize and execute work effectively under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines; ability to speak before groups of various sizes; ability to work with grace and good humor under pressure; ability to work cooperatively with other departments; ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing and within trauma-informed care guidelines; ability to establish and maintain harmonious work relationships with co-workers at all levels of the organization, consultants, contractors, community partners, and consumers.

Leadership Received:
This position works within the supervisory leadership of the Clinical Supervisor for its assigned program. The designated supervision emphasizes independence of method and process while indicating accountability for results. Leadership will include triage with staff, guidance and support of clients while demonstrating initiative and responding to concerns within the framework of trauma-informed care.

Leadership Exercised:
Supervisory leadership is not a normal responsibility of this classification.

Physical Demands:
The Mental Health Specialist must have the ability to quickly assess and respond to concerns related to interpersonal and environmental safety. While performing the essential duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to use office automation including computer and phone system that requires fine manipulation, grasping, typing and reaching. The employee may be required to sit or stand for several hours at a time, depending on environment and need. This position may occasionally be required to lift up to twenty (20) pounds, and to kneel, reach, bend or squat while in the office or in the community. The employee should possess a valid driver's license for vehicle travel between business offices in order to attend required meetings and/or trainings (a reliable alternative mode of transportation may suffice). This employee must be approved to provide transportation for clients using agency vehicles.

Work Environment:
Work is performed in a variety of settings, including office environment, schools, homes, community settings and other agency stakeholder facilities. The office environment is typically with moderate stimuli and may often result in exposure to increased sensory experiences. Community settings, such as residence, schools, police precincts, respite facilities, hospitals and other public spaces may pose additional risks or discomforts which require safety precautions. Universal Precautions and remaining alert to environment are critical to address the potential for violent behavior, safety concerns, biohazards, noise and contaminants.

While this description is intended to accurately reflect the activities and requirements of the Mental Health Specialist 1 position, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary. Job responsibilities are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate the needs of the individuals served by this agency. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship.

MCCFL provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. To request accommodation in the recruitment or selection process, please contact human resources at 541-288-4359 or email hr@mccfl.org.

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