Awake Overnight Residential Counselor (Mental Health Services)

Vinfen•Chatham, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

As an ACCS Awake Overnight Residential Counselor in a residential Group Living Environment (GLE), you provide direct support to people with psychiatric conditions in a setting designed to foster independence. You work with the people served, their families, friends, employers, and other support staff to build independence skills and improve quality of life, ensuring residents can receive quality services overnight. Duties include administering medication under the Medication Administration Plan (MAP), implementing treatment plans, assisting with activities of daily living, and helping maintain the safety and cleanliness of the program. The position uses recovery-oriented, person-centered, harm-reduction, trauma-informed, culturally competent, and strengths-based approaches. It includes overnight residential support, medication management, crisis response, documentation, staff collaboration, and upkeep of the physical site. Driving is required, using either a Vinfen van or a personal vehicle. Vinfen is a nonprofit health and human services organization established in 1977. It provides community-based services to people with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and behavioral health challenges. The organization has 3,500 employees and provides services at over 550 sites throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Strong commitment to the right and ability of people served to live and work in their community of choice, have meaningful relationships, and receive needed resources and supports.
Ability to establish supportive, trusting relationships with people served, families, and neighbors.
Sensitivity to cultural, religious, ethnic, disability, and gender issues.
Ability to balance competing priorities and make independent judgments and decisions.
Ability to work professionally and confidentially.
Knowledge of personal computer applications and equipment.
Valid driver’s license presented at the time of employment; driving is required using either a Vinfen van or a personal vehicle.
If using a personal vehicle, maintain adequate insurance and a safe driving record subject to annual checks.
Be at least 21 years old, have held a valid U.S. driver’s license for at least six months, and pass a driver screening background check.
Obtain CPR and First Aid within two weeks of hire and MAP within 150 days of hire.
Ability to perform physically active work, including standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, climbing, sitting, reaching, and moving around the facility.
Ability to lift at least 25 pounds using proper lifting techniques or a two-person lift; assist people served with activities of daily living.
Ability to remain stationary for up to 50% of the time as needed and maneuver through narrow spaces or hallways.
Ability to operate a computer and office equipment such as a calculator, copier, and printer.
Ability to speak, hear, and communicate with people served, staff, and external representatives.
Specific vision abilities include close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s degree in a human service discipline.
Prior experience working in a human services setting.
Bilingual/bicultural applicants and applicants with lived experience of psychiatric conditions are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

Help people served who are new to the residence settle in and support residents who have difficulty sleeping; encourage good sleep habits.
Implement treatment plan interventions as directed by the Team LPHA Clinician.
Perform day-to-day assignments as directed by the Program Director.
Use recovery-oriented, person-centered, harm-reduction, trauma-informed, culturally competent, and strengths-based approaches.
Follow safety, maintenance, Human Rights, operational, and site licensing policies and requirements.
Store, administer, document, and dispose of medications in accordance with MAP requirements, funding source regulations, and company policy, as applicable; teach residents medication management.
Create opportunities for residents to participate in the operation of the residence, including meal preparation and site maintenance.
Encourage social interaction among residents and foster a collaborative environment that welcomes and values residents’ families, friends, and other important people; serve as a resource for neighbors.
Help residents prepare meals.
Participate in trainings and attend supervision and staff meetings as requested.
Assist with orientation of new staff.
Complete required documentation and incident documentation as needed.
Contribute to the program’s quality improvement goals and objectives.
Help residents use crisis intervention techniques when necessary and access on-call backup when needed.
Perform physical site maintenance according to the maintenance schedule.
Perform other related duties as assigned.