Blended Case Manager

Job Summary:

The Blended Case Manager (BCM) provides blended case serviced to adults and children who suffer from a serious mental illness or emotional disturbance. The BCM will ensure that clients are linked to necessary resources in order for the client to remain in the least restrictive and most normal setting. The BCM will promote independence so that the client will be educated on resources that will encourage appropriate knowledge of resources in the community in which they live.

Blended services are recovery-oriented and consumer-led. While in the program, the client determines their own path of recovery by maximizing independence and self-sufficiency. The BCM will use an Environmental Matrix (EM) testing tool to evaluate self-sufficiency and the necessary level of service. The BCM will collaborate with the client's treatment team to obtain crisis contacts and current or anticipated stressors during the BCM intake. While services are active for the client, the BCM will work with the individual and their families to access, link, coordinate, and monitor needed services as well as provide support and encouragement.

Duties/ Responsibilities:

• A progress note is completed by the BCM after every direct or collateral visit with the client. The progress notes must be typed, include the date, time, and circumstance of contacts, as well as indicate whether or not a billable service. The progress note contains the client's name and or MAID number. The progress note must be typed after each interaction with the client, family members, and coordinating supports. The progress note contains the date, time, and states how many units were billed or not billed. The progress note reflects how the service/encounter relates to the individual's goals, objectives, and/or interventions identified in the written service plan to work in furtherance of that individual's recovery. The progress notes are signed and dated by the Blended Case Manager who provided the service. These notes are to be completed within a week of the service date.
• A Written Service Plan will be developed by the BCM staff within one month of a BCM intake with the client and reviewed at least every 6 months. The written service plan will reflect documented assessment of the client's strengths and needs and identify specific measurable goals, outcomes, and objectives. The individual's written service plan will identify responsible persons, time frames for completion, and the Blended Case Management role in relation to the individual/consumer, and others involved.
• Act as an advocate for the client to resolve problems concerning the level of services or the need for new services and plan modifications.
• Assessment and Service Planning: A review of clinical information and a general discussion with the client and the family, if the client is a child, to understand the client's history and present life situation.
• Complete regular chart audits with the BCM Director and Supervisor.
• Consult with the BCM Supervisor to coordinate the implementation of the program policies and practices; direct, coordinate, and supervise the administration of the Quality Assurance Program.
• Consumers receiving Blended Case Management services are entitled to an on-call system. The BCM staff will be available to consumers 24 hours, 7 days per week by use of a BCM on-call phone. The BCM staff will rotate the BCM on-call phone on a weekly basis. In the event of a psychiatric emergency that occurs outside regular business hours, the BCM must make reasonable efforts to ensure all alternatives to inpatient treatment are considered. Consumers are educated at first contact from the Blended Case Management staff regarding the BCM on-call phone and are given the on-call phone number to call in the event of a psychiatric emergency.
• Environmental Matrix is used to assess the client's strengths and needs to determine the level of service needed.
• Gaining Access to Services: Assisting a client and the family, if the client is a child, get a needed service or resource. Providing support in assisting a client in gaining resources and services identified in their service plan. This may include home and community visits and other efforts as needed. Home and community is defined broadly to include field contacts which may take place on the street, at the person's residence or place of work, psychiatric treatment facilities, rehabilitation programs, and/or other agencies where support or entitlements are available to the client.
• Informal Support Network Building: Develop a list of natural supports that are available to assist the client and family in relation to their service plan. This will assist in ensuring that the BCM is not providing direct service and treatment and not taking responsibility for the completion of goals on the service plan.
• Linking with Services: Assisting the client and the family, if the client is a child, in locating and obtaining services specified in the services plan including arranging for the client or the family to be established with the appropriate service provider.
• Monitoring of Service Delivery: Ongoing review of the person's receipt of and participation in services. Contact with the client and the family, if the client is a child, must be made on a regular basis to determine his or her opinion on progress, satisfaction with the service or provider, and any needed revisions to the service plan. Contact with provider/program staff must be made on a regular basis to determine if the client and the family, if the client is a child, is progressing on issues identified in the service plan and if specific services continue to be needed and are appropriate. Regular contact must be made with other public agencies serving the consumer and with the family if the client is a child.
• Problem Resolution: Active efforts in advocacy to assist the client and family, if the client is a child, in gaining access to needed services and entitlements. Staff shall have easy access to communicate with the county administrator to obtain assistance in resolving issues that prevent a person from receiving needed treatment, rehabilitation, and support services. On a systems level, this may include providing information to help plan modifications to existing services or implement new services to meet identified needs and provide information to help plan modifications for accessing resources.
• The BCM is responsible for completing discharge documents when a consumer is exiting the BCM program. BCM staff must include a recommended aftercare plan.
• The BCM will complete weekly encounter forms that document the clients' name, MA number, and time of service provided. Encounters are to be signed by the BCM and client weekly.
• The BCM will contact the client receiving services on a regular basis according to the client's EM score, to evaluate progress, satisfaction with services, and need for revisions of the service plan. Contact may include home and community visits which may take place in public, at the person's residence, place of work, psychiatric treatment facilities, or rehabilitation programs. Regular contact can also be made with other public agencies or the individuals' family members. To respond to these wide fluctuations of need, the BCM will possess numerous skills, especially in flexibility, time management, and service monitoring.
• Work with the consumer in addressing any client-compliant/grievance process issues.

Minimum Job Requirements:

Education/Experience:

A bachelor's degree with major course work in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, anthropology, other social sciences, criminal justice, theology, nursing, counseling or education (OR) be a registered nurse (OR) a high school diploma and 12 semester credit hours in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, or other social science and 2 years of experience in direct contact with mental health consumers (OR) a high school diploma and 5 years of mental health direct care experience in public or private human services with employment as an intensive case management staff person prior to April 1, 1989.

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to skillfully communicate and engage with individuals who have a mental health diagnosis collaboratively.
• Detail-oriented with good organizational skills.
• Exceptional communication skills both written and verbal.
• Knowledge of community resources and the ability to obtain resources and services to assist clients receiving Blended Case Management services.
• Planning, organizing, time management, and coordinating skills to ensure proper provision of services to the client.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. at times with or without assistance.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Prolonged periods of standing and moving.

Required Clearances and Documentation:

• Must possess a valid driver's license and have access to reliable transportation.
• Act 31/Act 126 Mandated Reporter Training.
• Act 34 Pennsylvania State Police Background Check – Criminal History.
• Act 114 Department of Human Services FBI Fingerprints.
• Act 33 Pennsylvania Child Abuse History.

Eligible Benefits:

• Eligible for Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance (60-day waiting period).
• Eligible to participate in the 403(B)-retirement plan
• Eligible for PTO accrual.
• Eligible for paid holidays.