Case Manager IV

Texas Health & Human Services Commission • Big Spring, TX

22d • $4,020 - $6,336 • Onsite

About The Position

The Case Manager IV performs advanced case management work at Big Spring State Hospital. The role includes patients, their families, legally authorized representatives (LARs), and Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs) in assessment, intervention, recovery planning, and discharge. Work includes collecting social assessment information, planning recovery-team interventions, advocating for patients, and providing individual and group interventions related to discharge planning, social education, and skill development. The position also assists other Case Managers and participates in Social Service quality improvement and utilization management activities. It works under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for initiative and independent judgment.

The Case Manager IV works with patients and recovery-team members to identify psychosocial needs, develop individualized recovery goals, support patient rights, maintain family involvement, deliver plan-based interventions, and coordinate safe discharge and continuity of care. The role also provides training and assistance to Case Manager IIs and completes assigned quality-assurance chart reviews.

The position is full-time, nonexempt, and assigned to a day shift. It is not eligible for telework according to the posting’s position details, though the general telework disclaimer says eligibility may depend on agency policies, supervisor discretion, and business needs. Travel is up to 10%. Flexibility in work hours may be required, including overtime, extended hours, rotating schedules, or alternate shifts and locations during disaster response or continuity-of-operations activation. Additional pay may be available for work on evenings, nights, and/or weekends.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and at least six months of case management or social-services work experience; or an associate degree and at least 24 months of such experience; or no degree and at least 48 months of such experience.
• The posting additionally states a requirement of four years of experience in case management or social-services work.
• Knowledge of community resources and how to obtain information about them.
• Knowledge of case-management principles, objectives, standards, and methods.
• Knowledge of program policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of differences between civil and forensic commitments.
• Knowledge of competency-restoration requirements, the Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) process, and discharge requirements.
• Skill using computers and applicable software.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to collect and analyze program data for quality and outcome monitoring.
• Ability to assess patient needs and coordinate patient services.
• Ability to monitor program effectiveness.
• Ability to plan, assign, and/or supervise others’ work.
• Applicants must pass fingerprint-based criminal background, pre-employment drug, and specified registry checks.
• Must be at least 18 years old to work at a state-operated facility.
• Must comply with HHSC immunization policy and state hospital immunization-related operating procedures.
• Males aged 18–25 must be registered with the Selective Service.

Responsibilities

• Collect social assessment information by interviewing patients, families, LARs, and LMHAs to identify support systems and psychosocial and discharge-planning needs.
• Oversee development of individualized recovery-plan goals and objectives based on social assessments, ensuring patient involvement and measurable, active-voice objectives that reflect the patient’s stated life goal.
• Advocate for patient rights by informing and assisting patients, families, and LARs regarding rights associated with inpatient services, advance directives, voting, Medicare, privacy, and other applicable protections; document the information provided.
• Ensure families and/or LARs are involved in recovery activities and informed about recovery-plan changes, restraint or seclusion events, serious injuries or illnesses, rights restrictions, and other significant treatment events.
• Support families with Family House reservations, education about mental illness, and information about hospital rules; make initial family contact within two business days of admission or authorization, continue contact at least monthly, and return calls promptly.
• Meet with patients individually or in groups as specified in recovery plans and provide interventions at prescribed intervals; document weekly and tailor interventions to patient needs.
• Work with patients, families, LARs, LMHAs, physicians, and other recovery-team members to develop discharge plans that ensure continuity of care and safe transportation and transfer of records to the next provider.
• Begin discharge planning at admission, educate patients and families about discharge options and preparation, and document plan status weekly for the first eight weeks of hospitalization and monthly thereafter.
• Assist Case Managers II with job functions, train new Case Managers II, and provide quarterly in-service training to Case Managers II on relevant subjects.
• Participate in quality-assurance activities, including timely assigned chart reviews and documentation of reasons for negative responses; participate in Social Service quality-improvement and utilization-management activities as assigned.
• Attend work regularly and perform other assigned duties, including supporting disaster response, recovery, or continuity-of-operations activation, potentially at an alternate shift or location.

Benefits

• 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees
• Defined benefit pension plan
• Generous time-off benefits
• Opportunities for career advancement
• Potential additional pay for work performed on evenings, nights, and/or weekends

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior